SEATTLE – Of the previous 13 Kickoff Classic games dating back to its inauguration in 2008, no team will have traveled further than Washington, and it’s not even close.
The 2,633 mile trip from the upper left of the United States to the Southeast – specifically Atlanta, Georgia – could also cover the length of film that UW defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake has watched in preparation for the season opener again No. 9 Auburn.
“No. This is an explosive offense,” Lake said after practice on Monday, when asked if the Tigers offense is predicated on one element specifically.
“They set everything up with the run. So, you know, they got really good backs. They block it really well. So first of all, if you don’t tackle the running backs they’re going to get explosive.”
Gone off the Tigers roster from last season is their leading rusher Kerryon Johnson, who ran for nearly 1,400 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2017. But the team does return several veterans on offense including a pair of juniors, quarterback Jarrett Stidham and running back Kam Martin.
Martin, a highly touted four-star recruit out of Port Arthur, Texas in 2016, played in 10 games as a true freshman and every game as a sophomore last season. The 5-10, 193-pound RB has rushed for a combined 773 yards and five touchdowns on the ground for the Tigers, and expected to add more in 2018.
“Then they got a top three, top five quarterback that can ‘yo’ it up over the top. So, and they got really fast receivers that can run down field. This is an explosive offense. It is going to be a heck of a challenge.”
For Martin to have an impact against the Huskies, however, that requires an effective Stidham, a transfer from Baylor prior to the 2017 season.
Also a four-star recruit from the Lone Star State, about five and ½ hours away from where Martin attended high school, Stidham played in 10 games as a true freshman for Art Briles in 2015.
The following May, Baylor fired its head coach which resulted in Stidham choosing to transfer two months later.
In his one season at Baylor, the freshman Stidham completed 68.8 percent of his pass attempts (75 of 109) for 1,265 yards, 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Last season his numbers faired relatively similar, maintaining his low pick total and mid-to-high 60s completion percentage while excelling in every other statistical category.
So, with ample months to prepare from the coaching side of things, did Lake take a peak back to his days before the SEC?
“We do. We look at everything. It’s very extensive,” Lake said. “Especially with an opening opponent we have a lot more time on our hands. So we’ve looked at a lot of tape, just like I’m sure they’ve looked at a lot of tape.”
Asked directly about Baylor film, Lake replied “We’ve looked at a lot of tape.”
No matter what tape the Huskies coaches have put on for the players in advance of their week one opponent, the key to slowing down the versatile and explosive Tigers offense will be tackling in space.
Last season Auburn ran 75 combined plays (50 run, 25 pass) of 20-plus yards in 14 games, which ranked 24th most in the country. UW ranked T-No. 40 in the same statistical category with Boise State, Bowling Green, North Texas, and Washington State with 66 plays of 20 or more yards.
However, UW allowed just 38 plays of 20-plus yards against opposing offenses in 2017, the fewest of any FBS team, including Alabama. The Tide allowed two more 20-yard plays and one more 40-yard play than the Huskies did last season.
Pete Kwiatkowski, the defensive coordinator for last season who has assumed a secondary role as assistant head coach / outside linebackers coach for the 2018 season, said preventing explosive plays has been a staple of the staff since day one.
“That’s sort of one of our deals. We want to limit explosives,” Kwiatkowski said. “Pride ourselves on that. So we have to do a good job of fitting up the run, and tackling. Getting off blocks and tackling.
“In the passing game do a great job of covering. Do a great job of staying after the quarterback and making him feel uncomfortable.”
