Steve Sarkisian: Ball protection, limiting big plays and a quick start will be keys to beating Washington
NEW ORLEANS – One of the keys to a Texas victory against No. 2 Washington in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Monday in New Orleans will be the third-ranked Longhorns ability to stymie the Huskies’ high-powered offense and to limit their possessions.
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Pundits have been predicting a spree of points in the College Football Playoff semifinal. But it will likely be the defenses that decide this game, which is a rematch of last year’s Valero Alamo Bowl that was won by the Huskies.
Washington (13-0) is riding a 20-game winning streak that extends to last Oct. 8 and could have easily been ranked No. 1 heading into the playoffs. The Longhorns (12-1) had the season’s benchmark road win at Alabama and have won seven straight games, including a dominating 49-21 victory over Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship game to jump into the final four.
There’s plenty of evidence to substantiate the shootout prediction.
Both teams average more than 469 yards per game of offense, with Texas ranking ninth nationally and the Huskies 12th. Washington, spurred by record-setting quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Penix Jr., leads the nation in passing yards per game (343.8).
“One thing that gets lost – when you watch Washington, everybody wants to talk about Michael Penix, the receivers and the high-flying explosive plays and all that,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Sunday morning in the final media availability prior to Monday’s dustup.
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“(Washington) is a physical team. And so I think the level of physicality in which we play the game is important. I think naturally they’re a big-play, explosive offense. How do we try to minimize those to the best of our ability? How do we on our end try to create some of those?”
The Huskies’ offensive line won the Joe Moore Award for the best in college football; Texas counters with massive defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, the Outland Award winner for best interior lineman, and position mate Byron Murphy, who won the Big 12 defensive lineman of the year.
The Longhorns are more balanced, finishing the regular season in the top 23 in both rushing and passing. Texas survived a two-game injury absence of quarterback Quinn Ewers and the loss of running back Jonathon Brooks, who had more than 1,100 rushing yards through the first 11 games. They’ve responded by producing arguably their best two games of the season.
Sarkisian said this team needs to get off to a quick start against the Huskies.
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“Washington has a very opportunistic defense,” he said. “They create turnovers. Protecting the ball will be critical. And then knowing that having a month layoff that our players can find their rhythm in the game as quickly as possible by having not played for about a month (is important).”
