The Fighting Hawks have a monumental task on their hands this weekend as they head out to Seattle to take on the #9 Washington Huskies.  So naturally we thought we would reach out to the man who knows the Huskies as well as anybody, covering them for the ultra-successful sports site The AthleticChristian Caple.

Game time is set for 4pm CT and will be televised on the Pac-12 Network.


Head Coach Chris Peterson has taken Washington to the top of the Pac-12 in short order. Does the Husky Nation feel the program is now a legitimate national title contender in 2018?

CC – I don’t know how strongly UW fans believe in this team as a national championship contender, but it’s certainly a team that fans expect to compete for a College Football Playoff berth, especially after their CFP appearance in 2016. It’s Petersen’s fifth season as head coach, with a four-year starter at quarterback, the school’s all-time leading rusher at tailback, and an experienced defense with a number of guys who are going to play in the NFL. I think most fans recognize the Huskies aren’t on the level of an Alabama or Clemson or Georgia, but they certainly expect a Pac-12 championship, and I do think the season would be considered something of a disappointment if they don’t make the CFP (though maybe less so after the loss to Auburn).

The Huskies typically have one of the best defenses in the country but lost several key pieces to the NFL, including 1st round defensive tackle Vita Vea.  Do you feel the Washington defense takes a step back in 2018 or are they to the point where they just reload each year?

CC –  Losing Vea definitely hurt, but they are fortunate to return fifth-year senior defensive lineman Greg Gaines, whose size and strength make him one of the best interior linemen in the Pac-12. Their depth is a little thin at linebacker, but they’ve got a ton of experience atop the depth chart. And their secondary, led by junior safety Taylor Rapp, is one of the best in the nation and possibly the best in school history. That said, they need to find a way to pressure the passer more consistently against teams with strong offensive lines. In their three losses last season, they sacked the quarterback a total of four times, and while their defense was mostly solid against Auburn, they could have done a better job getting after Tigers quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

Who are the big names UND fans should be aware of on the potent Washington offense?

CC – The biggest names are the guys who have been around the longest: senior quarterback Jake Browning and senior tailback Myles Gaskin. Junior receiver Aaron Fuller played like a No. 1 receiver in UW’s season-opening loss to Auburn, catching seven passes for 135 yards. And though he only had seven carries against Auburn, sophomore running back Salvon Ahmed is one of the Huskies’ most dangerous offensive players, and will likely get a few more touches on Saturday.

Defensive Coordinator Jimmy Lake has taken over play-calling duties in 2018.  Has there been any noticeable change in the defensive style due to the change?

CC – There hasn’t been any noticeable change through one game, and I don’t know that there will be. Lake and co-defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski have known each other a long time, and they’re pretty in-sync when it comes to their defensive philosophy. The principles of the defense haven’t changed any, so any differences with Lake calling plays will likely be more subtle, such as his blitzing preferences or decisions about when to use a three-down-linemen look instead of two down linemen and two outside linebackers, for example. But I think we need to see a bigger sample size before those trends start to really emerge.

Any surprises, good or bad, from the tough season-opening loss to Auburn on Saturday?  

CC – I think a lot of us were surprised by how well the receivers played. That group was one of the biggest question marks coming into the season, but they made several plays that helped the Huskies stay in the game in the first half, and Aaron Fuller really started to emerge as Jake Browning’s top target. Browning mentioned multiple times throughout fall camp that Fuller had a great offseason, and it seemed to show in the season opener. Ty Jones, a touted recruit in the 2017 class, appears to be a solid target at 6-foot-4, and Quinten Pounds obviously made the one-handed, highlight-reel touchdown catch.

–We would like to personally thank Christian for taking the time to answer our questions.  He is a busy man and was very gracious in joining us.

Photo courtesy of UW Athletics (https://gohuskies.com/sports/2016/10/17/huskystadium.aspx)