After playing one of the best games of his career, Khalil Tate played one of his worst. Tate seemed confused and uncomfortable from the outset against Washington’s aggressive yet sound defense. He described the feeling afterward as “chaotic.” Although under pressure often, Tate didn’t help his offensive line by prematurely bailing on plays. If receivers were open, Tate often didn’t see them. He also made a regrettable decision by trying to throw the ball away with his left hand while being sacked near the 10-yard line. The fumble resulted in a Washington touchdown. Tate finished 13 of 25 for 184 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Several of his incomplete passes were throwaways. He also had a career-low minus-28 net rushing yards (which includes losses on sacks).
Kevin Sumlin lamented the hit-or-miss nature of the running game. But for the most part the running backs produced, at least relative to other positions. After three games in which he was limited or out, J.J. Taylor rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 37 yards. He looked like his usual quick, nifty self. Nathan Tilford carried six times for 49 yards and a score. Michael Wiley also had six carries, which netted 35 yards. How the backs fared in pass protection will require further study.
Were the receivers struggling to get open, or did Tate not see them when they were? The bottom-line production was OK – 11 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown – but there were issues. Jamyare Joiner scored the lone TD, but he also lost a fumble at a point when the game was up for grabs and dropped a pass when it no longer was. The execution and blocking on bubble screens – a huge part of Arizona’s attack the previous week – were lacking. Speedy slot receivers Brian Casteel and Tayvian Cunningham combined for two catches for minus-5 yards. Cedric Peterson led the group with three grabs for 64 yards.
The run blocking was adequate against a big, physical Washington front; the pass blocking was not. The Wildcats allowed a season-high four sacks. They had to shuffle their line because of injuries, and the new configuration didn’t click. With left guard Robert Congel out because of injury, the coaches moved Paiton Fears to that spot from right tackle. Bryson Cain played there for much of the second half. Arizona also lost stalwart Cody Creason, its starting right guard, to a lower leg injury in the second half.
It was a tale of two halves for this group and the defense overall. With the front leading the way, the Wildcats repeatedly stopped the Huskies in the first half despite unfavorable field position. Then, in the second half, Washington gashed Arizona for 316 yards. UW tailbacks Sean McGrew and Salvon Ahmed combined for 201 rushing yards, with 127 coming after halftime. QB Jacob Eason had too much time to throw, and that allowed him to find receivers downfield (8 of 10, 178 yards, 2 TDs after halftime). LB Tony Fields II had a team-high eight tackles. DT Trevon Mason had a career-high seven. LB Colin Schooler (five tackles) didn’t have his usual impact.
Similar story to the front – sturdy in the first half, leaky in the second. Cornerbacks Jace Whittaker, Lorenzo Burns and Christian Roland-Wallace all give up long passing plays. Burns and Roland-Wallace had tight coverage on theirs but lost the battle for the ball. Burns was credited with Arizona’s only two pass breakups. Safety Scottie Young Jr. tied for third on the team with five tackles. “Spur” Tristan Cooper had four stops, including one TFL. Jarrius Wallace replaced Christian Young at “Bandit” for most of the second half and had three tackles.
Punting has been a sore spot for Arizona this season, and the entire operation broke down in the first quarter when Matt Aragon’s first attempt was blocked. Sumlin said the Huskies mainly had been a return-oriented team in recent years and broke a tendency in that situation. Washington nearly blocked another one later in the half. Later in the first quarter, blocker Thomas Reid III bumped into punt returner Stanley Berryhill III, causing a fumble. Arizona’s Xavier Bell recovered a muffed punt by Aaron Fuller in the second quarter. Kicker Lucas Havrisik was a bright spot, making both of his field goal attempts – including a 50-yarder – and booted all five of his kickoffs for touchbacks.
Sumlin and his staff lost in the adjustment department in a major way as Washington dominated the second half. Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone failed to come up with answers that Tate could execute to counter the Huskies’ defensive scheme. Defensive coordinator Marcel Yates’ group performed well in the first half but couldn’t gain any traction in the second, yielding scores on six of Washington’s first seven possessions after halftime. The special teams, under the direction of Jeremy Springer, were sloppy. So was Sumlin’s squad overall. His decision to play freshman QB Grant Gunnell in a blowout – inching him closer to the redshirt threshold – was questionable. So was not going for two late in the game to cut the deficit to 16 but then attempting an onside kick.
