Kalen DeBoer says Washington player 'fired up' to face Texas

Kalen DeBoer led Washington to a phenomenal 2022 season, but recognizes it can be capped off with an exhilarating memory if the Huskies can defeat the Texas Longhorns in the Alamo Bowl.

According to DeBoer, his team is more than ready to take on one of the biggest brands in the sport.

“We haven’t had a chance to talk specifically about that. I do know when I came into the facility, the team was stretching. I made the announcement of where we were playing, who we were playing,” stated DeBoer. “Ja’Lynn Polk, his eyes perked up, the grin was from ear to ear. He was excited, just as a few of our other guys are as well coming back to their home here in Texas, getting a chance to play a game.

“My eyes went immediately to Ja’Lynn Polk in particular because I knew he’d be pretty fired up.”

While the aforementioned Polk may be from the area, he has no love for the Longhorns, as the former three-star recruit originally committed to Texas Tech. The Longhorns never offered him, so he’ll be hoping to come home and leave with a victory over Texas.

Ending the season on a high note is motivation enough, but Kalen DeBoer and the Washington Huskies can prove they’re for real with a huge victory over the Longhorns in the Alamo Bowl.

Steve Sarkisian shares initial thoughts on Washington Huskies

Alas, Washington had quite a year in the first year of the Kalen DeBoer era. The Huskies finished No. 12 in the final College Football Playoff Rankings and ranked second in the Pac-12 in scoring offense.

The latter was Texas coach Steve Sarkisian’s biggest takeaway before the Alamo Bowl.

“They score a lot of points,” Sarkisian joked in his press conference this week. “These guys, they score a lot of points. They throw it around, man. Wish I could clinic with Coach DeBoer.” 

Sarkisian knows his defense will have its hands full defending Washington’s high-powered offense, led by quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The former Indiana QB led the Pac-12 with 4,354 passing yards to go with seven touchdowns. On top of that, two Huskies receivers — Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan — rank No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the Pac-12 in receiving yards.

They have a lot of ways to attack opponents, and Sarkisian said the Texas defense has to do everything it can to stop them.

“Michael Penix, those receivers, they do a heck of a job,” Sarkisian said. “Their ability to rush the passer defensively and create havoc on the quarterback are issues. But they can score. They score on everybody. It doesn’t matter the helmet. Doesn’t matter who they’re playing. They go score. 

“You got to be prepared to make sure you’re playing four quarters and score collectively against them because they can do it at a high, high level.”