Washington Huskies Top Ten Plays of 2016: No.10
Just three years into the Chris Petersen era Washington is exactly two weeks away from its first CFB Playoff semi-final against top-ranked Alabama. TheDawgReport.com has selected the 10 most influential plays during the 2016 season that got the Huskies to this point.
Leading up to the game TheDawgReport.com will release each play in descending order with the most influential play being released the morning of December 31, when the Huskies face the Crimson Tide in Atlanta, Georgia.
No.10 - Chico McClatcher 43-yard burner vs Rutgers (week 1)
It's fitting the first touchdown of the season gets us underway. The Huskies No.4 scoring offense this season was built on sophomore quarterback Jake Browning using the deep-ball to perfection.
On the first drive of the season Browning connected with wide receiver Chico McClatcher for a 43-yard score, with the UW sophomore receiver flying past linebacker Andre Hunt, who followed McClatcher after he motioned out to the right after lining up out of the huddle as a running back.
UW offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jonathan Smith had a wide assortment of receivers to work with this season, with John Ross missing most of 2015 due to a knee injury. McClatcher was only a freshman in 2015 and the Huskies significantly lacked speed outside which resulted in an almost non-existent passing game last season.
The Browning-to-McClatcher play was the first of 37 completions of 25-plus yards this season. Another crucial component to the Huskies' success on offense this season was their ability to connect on first and second down for plays of 10-plus yards.
Washington had 42 plays that resulted in a gain of 15-plus yards on first down this season, with 16 plays of 25-plus in the same situation. While the McClatcher touchdown came on 3rd and 4, one of just four completions of 25-plus on third down, it gave a preview of what turned out to be a staple for the Huskies offense this season.