Washington coach Jedd Fisch began his Monday news conference referring to the loss of starting center Landen Hatchett for the remainder of the season because of injury.
Then Fisch, before answering questions, addressed the subject everyone was waiting for. “As for the (starting) quarterback, we will leave that ‘til game time,” he said.
As always, if you’re on social media, you’ve seen that multiple times. Demond Williams Jr., who’s been sidelined by a rib injury suffered in the first half of a 41-24 loss to Iowa three weeks ago, is listed as questionable on Wednesday’s Big Ten availability report. Elijah Brown, who directed the Huskies to a 38-26 victory against Purdue, could start again.
Washington, like Nebraska, didn’t play last week.
In any case, we apparently won’t know which quarterback will start until the Huskies’ first possession Saturday night, Nebraska’s annual “Blackout Game,” as well as Halloween.
“They’re certainly very similar and very different, if I may,” Matt Rhule said Monday.
Based on statistics, Williams is a more effective runner. He’s second on the team in rushing with 183 yards and two touchdowns, on 64 “carries.” He has 111 yards in losses.
Brown has a net of no yards on five “attempts,” for minus-30 yards.
As for passing, Williams has completed 116-of-174 passes for 1,396 yards and eight touchdowns, with three interceptions, while Brown has completed 51-of-69 for 578 yards and seven touchdowns, also with three interceptions in the Huskies’ “West Coast” offense.
“You can see he (Fisch) runs a true West Coast offense, and it’s really, really, really, really well-constructed,” Rhule said. “So whoever the quarterback is … they’re going to be asked to use their head, their arm and their feet. They’re going to check plays, they’re going to get in the right plays, they’re going to recognize coverage, they’re going to have run checks.”
Wide receivers Desmen Roebuck and Chris Lawson are the Huskies’ leading pass catchers. Roebuck has 48 for 484 yards and three touchdowns, Lawson 32 for 483 and two scores. Seven other Huskies have at least one touchdown reception.
Washington is fourth in the Big Ten and 19th nationally in passing offense, averaging 282.7 passing yards per game. “They push the ball down the field,” said Rhule. “This is not like a dink-and-dunk only. This is a true play-action, push-the-ball-down-the-field offense.”
Williams and Brown “have to be elite with their arm, and they both use their legs to get in and out of trouble,” Rhule said. Again, statistically, Williams is much more of a running threat.
“You know the things he brings to the table in terms of the quarterback run game and extending plays and all those things, but I think they both can do it,” said Rhule.
Brian Bonner Jr. is the Huskies’ leading rusher with a touchdown and 296 yards, also on 64 carries. Only eight of Washington’s 24 touchdowns have come on the ground.
“They obviously have an explosive offense,” Husker linebacker Owen Chambliss said.
Nebraska will attempt to slow down that explosive offense without two defensive starters in safety Jamir Conn and defensive end Anthony Jones Jr., although defensive tackle Riley Van Poppel is listed as probable after missing Nebraska’s last two games.
Defensively, the 4-3 Huskies are led by safety Alex McLaughlin, who had 48 tackles, including 6.5 for losses, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, two pass break-ups and a forced fumble. Linebacker Jacob Manu has 40 tackles, including 3.5 for losses, 2.5 of them sacks. The Huskies have 13 sacks.
The pre-game discussion will be focused on the quarterback, though, without question.
“We won’t know (the starter) until the first snap of the game,” said Rhule. “I think they both run the same system, they just maybe bring a different flavor to it. They’re both elite quarterbacks.”
Chambliss echoed that. “I think both their quarterbacks are really good players,” he said.
And both “have a lot of tape up (for studying),” Husker Nickel defender Donovan Jones said.
