The 2018 Washington Football schedule improves non-conference play and challenges Huskies early. If the Huskies can beat Auburn in the opener, that sets the stage for 2018 as a solid season.
The Washington Football team is not one to shy away from challenges. When the team had an opportunity to face an SEC powerhouse in the form of the Auburn Tigers, despite playing the game deep in the heart of Dixie, they signed up. And so, the 2018 season will not be one represented by cupcakes, but by gritty in the dirt football won or lost in the trenches.
This is the first meeting of the two teams. But despite their unfamiliarity, they have similar histories and styles. Both teams finished with 10 wins in 2017. Auburn, despite finishing 10-4, ended the season 10th nationally, while 10-3 Washington landed at 16th overall in the country.
Statistical comparisons
Washington boasted one of the nation’s best defense last year. Specifically, the Huskies finished sixth nationally at 14.5 points per game. Furthermore, they were fifth overall with just 277 yards allowed per game. Auburn finished tenth with 17.7 points surrendered per game, but allowed 312 yards per game, good for just 14th in the nation.
Conversely, it is the Auburn Tigers who hold the edge on the offensive side of the ball. Last season, Auburn averaged 452 yards per game: 233.2 yards passing and 218.3 yards rushing. Those numbers were good for 26th in the nation. While the team certainly moved the ball handily, they did not always translate that into points, as Auburn scored 33.2 points per game, good for 27th. Auburn’s offense was a grind it out offense, focused on ball control.
Getting that Auburn Tiger back into the tank
But the team must replace the production of running back Kerryon Johnson, who has announced that he will skip his senior season and enter the 2018 NFL Draft. Perhaps it is the knowledge that Auburn will be losing four of its five starting offensive linemen which helped Johnson with that decision?
Auburns offensive line is not a complete rebuild. Due to injuries in the season, the team returns three offensive linemen with some level of starting in the 2017 season. Auburn has a solid 2018 recruiting class of 22 recruits, led by 4-star running back Asa Martin, 4-star offensive guard Jalil Irvin, and 3-star offensive tackle Kameron Stutts. Per early reports, expect the Huskies to witness the effort of Martin to claim a starting role in the backfield.
Auburn passing attack intact
Meanwhile, Auburn will benefit from the return of quarterback Jarrett Stidham. He is a transfer student from Baylor University who had his first season for the Auburn Tigers. In his first year, he piloted the offense admirably, taking the team to a 10-4 season with wins over both Georgia and Alabama.
He will be joined by his favorite target, wide receiver Ryan Davis. Davis pulled in 84 catches for 815 yards and five touchdowns last season. Another favored target is wide receiver Darius Slayton. While Slayton only pulled in 29 receptions, he accounted for 643 yards and one touchdown.
Retention getting attention in Washington
The Washington Football team may not have generated the numbers of Auburn’s offense in 2017, but the team did manage to retain four key players. Returning to the team this year are offensive tackles Tra Adams and Kaleb McGary, quarterback Jake Browning, and running back Myles Gaskin. Also coming back from injury are wide receiver Chico McClatcher and tight end Hunter Bryant.
The Washington Football team scored plenty of points in the 2017 season. And the biggest touchdown machine, running back Myles Gaskin, will pick right up where he left off in 2017. He accounted for 21 touchdowns himself. With the return of Browning, and his 19 touchdown passes, the Huskies reclaim 40 touchdowns from the 2017 offense already for 2018. Still, the Huskies may have produced far more offense if not for the untimely injuries to wide receivers McClatcher, Quinten Pounds, and tight ends Hunter Bryant and Drew Sample.
More plays = more offense
So it was a somewhat depleted offense which generated 405 yards per game in 2017: 222.2 yards passing and 183.2 yards rushing. That landed the Washington offense at 58th in the country. But there is even more behind the rote numbers.
Auburn ran 642 times last season, and passed 382 times. Meanwhile, Washington rushed just 473 times and passed just 248 times. In short, Auburn had 42 percent more offensive plays than Washington last season. That translates into more offense, but the comparisons will definitely skew in Auburns favor. Auburn simply had the ball more often.
Calling the contest
The fateful meeting will take place on Saturday, September 1, 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia. That time of year will undoubtedly be a hot day in “Hotlanta”. And as such, the early advantages of familarity, weather, and time zone all fall squarely to Auburn University. Temperature wise, Seattle runs in the low to mid 70s, while Atlanta, Georgia bakes in the mid to upper 80s. It’s safe to assume that the Washington Football team will be fighting the heat.
The Huskies must also fight off the challenge of the time zone difference. Last season, the opener against the Rutgers Scarlett Knights began slowly as Washington struggled to catch up to the three hour time difference. A similar beginning against Auburn could lead to a devastating outcome. So you can be sure the team will plan accordingly.
Not so neutral Neutral Site
Finally, that “neutral site” location of Atlanta, Georgia will most definitely be out in full force to cheer on the nearby Auburn Tigers. So Washington will be up against three non-football opponents to the game before we even experience a bad call by the referee or the first kickoff. Winning this game will require a great deal of focus, a superior game plan, and the ability to adapt the team’s offense and defense to what the team sees on the field.
Even with all these factors opposing a good Washington Football team showing, I expect the Huskies will be well prepared. They will have the Fiesta Bowl game to draw upon. And many players from this team had a trip to the east coast to familiarize themselves with time change last season. So the question is whether this coaching staff can adapt to previous lessons learned. I believe they can.
Husky Defense versus Tiger offense
The Washington Football team has tremendous pride in their defense, and they have their hands filled with the Auburn ball control offense in Tiger friendly stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Still, this is a defense which will benefit from the return of cornerbacks Byron Murphy and Jordan Miller. And its the energy of a healthy defense which will be responsible for grounding the aerial assault of the Tigers. It’s a good matchup of strength, as the Huskies defense accounted for 15 interceptions to just 10 touchdown passes in 2017.
The true threat to the Washington defense will be facing an as-of-yet unknown to the Auburn running game. While the Huskies attempt to reload the front seven with three new starters, the Tigers will be doing the same for their offensive line. So the wildcard is the Auburn Tiger running back.
Look to see plenty of Asa Martin
And they have a pretty good one coming aboard in 2018
While not even the Tigers know who that starting runner will be, I cannot ignore the belief that the role is up to Asa Martin to lose, despite being an incoming freshman. At 6-foot-0 and 200 pounds, Martin will no doubt bring both speed and power to the backfield. He has solid burst speed, and does not try to juke defenders. Instead, he vectors the best angle towards the end zone, and relies upon his speed and power to shed would-be tacklers. While I don’t look for the Washington defense to pitch a shut out on an unfriendly field, I do see the Huskies holding the Tigers to under 20 points. The only problem is, can Washington score more points?
Husky offense versus Tigers defense
As the Tigers scramble to find a new star for their running game, the Huskies will be searching for a new featured wide receiver. With the departure of Dante Pettis, the team must hope that 5-foot-7 Chico McClatcher is ready to assume a larger role in the offense. For now, the other receiver role is up in the air. It could be that Quinten Pounds steps up this year, or that the team finds an altenative in tight end Hunter Bryant. But this year the team is welcoming freshmen receivers Austin Osborne, Marquis Spiker, and Devon Cump.
So while the name is not yet identified, the role certainly is. The Washington passing game loves to challenge defenders deep, while creating secondary targets in their wake. So look for Jake Browning to test the Auburn secondary early. In fact, the opener could be a surprising game for fans nationwide, as the now-comfortable Browning exploits the height of incoming receivers for a 300 plus yard passing game.
Myles for miles
Meanwhile the nation will turn their eyes upon early-Heisman-candidate Myles Gaskin and his performance against the Tigers defense. While the first thought is to diminish his role, I heartily expect the 2018 Washington offense to be far more bold in running it down their opponents throats. With Gaskin, returning rusher Salvon Ahmed, and newcomer Richard Newton, the Huskies have an infantry of collegiate rushers.
In each of his three season, Gaskin has put up over 1300 yards rushing, 10+ touchdowns, and over 5.7 yards per carry. But in 2017, his number climbed to an average of 6.2 yards per carry and 21 touchdowns for the season. Both the Washington Football coaching staff and Myles Gaskin understand the importance of showcasing the best talent under the biggest spotlight, and that means the team must prepare to feature Gaskin against the Tigers. He can do so. In fact, he averaged 7.0 yards per carry against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Fiesta Bowl. So you can expect to see 100 plus yards and a pair of scores from the Washington running game.
The prediction
Both Auburn and Washington want to start off their 2018 football season with a win, but someone has to lose. Auburn has a cozy ole five game home stand to start off the season. Meanwhile, the Huskies must pack up and return to the west coast for their home opener against North Dakota. And while the Washington defense and offense do have some outstanding players shoes to fill, the team has a good depth at each position, making the transition to a new season all the easier.
Auburn must reload on the fly, and as such will be facing more questions than answers in the opener. The Tigers have far too many variables going for them to consider this a blowout from the opening kickoff, but the game will likely only remain close through the first quarter.
The outcome
After enduring two road losses in 2017, the 2018 version of the Washington Huskies will not stumble out of the blocks. It’s a tough haul to win in Georgia in early September, but the Washington Football team has plenty of off-season to focus on doing just that. In the end, this game comes down to trench warfare. The Washington offensive line grinding out against the Auburn defensive front, and the Auburn offensive front hammering against the Washington defensive line.
Next: Shine on you crazy diamond- Washington recruit Brandon Kaho 5-star
But the difference is experience. Myles Gaskin and the offensive line have been there, done that, many times before. Auburn has a difficult schedule ahead through the course of their season, but they know that regardless of this game’s outcome, their season makes or breaks against LSU, Georgia, and Alabama. So their focus is forward. And that makes the difference.