The Huskies will have to beat the heat to snap the streak.
Tongue-twisters aside, No. 21 Washington (4-1) is a 13.5-point favorite over Arizona State (1-4) on Saturday, and for obvious reasons. Led by redshirt junior quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the Huskies’ rejuvenated offense ranks third in the nation in passing (364 yards per game), sixth in total offense (507.8 yards per game), seventh in passing touchdowns (16) and 12th in scoring (41.6 points per game). On the other side, Arizona State fired head coach Herm Edwards on Sept. 18 and seems destined to stumble through a dismal season in the desert.
But could the setting help spring an upset for Arizona State?
The Huskies, after all, have lost seven consecutive games in Tempe, Ariz. — dating back to a 33-31 win in 2001. The forecast also calls for a high of 90 degrees (plus pesky humidity) for a kickoff mercilessly scheduled for 1 p.m.
Excuses aside, tongue-twisters aside, Kalen DeBoer and Co. must ensure the elements are not an equalizer.
“Having lived in northern climates and gone to play games in the south at different times in my career, I’ve been at places where you have an indoor (practice facility) and you crank the heat up,” DeBoer said Monday. “And looking back on it, what you need to be doing all week long, in my mind — and I’m sure there’s someone who can give an argument — but you need to be building a reservoir up, hydrating. That isn’t just a hydration that takes place a day or two before the game. You’ve got to build that up throughout the week. If you’re smoking yourself out in an indoor, to me you’re working against the cause.”
Of course, the last time the temperature topped 90 degrees in a game between UW and Arizona State, Danny Sullivan heaved a 50-yard touchdown pass to Chris McGaha with five seconds left to deliver the Sun Devils a stunning 24-17 win on a sweltering 94-degree night inside Sun Devil Stadium in 2009.
DeBoer — who spent four of the last five years at Fresno State — knows how much hydration matters.
He also knows cranking the heat inside the Dempsey Indoor Center won’t duplicate the desert.
“Having been in a hotter climate the last four out of five years, there really isn’t a replacement (for it). There really isn’t something you can do to give that same impact and effect,” he said. “You’ve just got to do a good job of — and I spoke with the players yesterday — how we hydrate throughout the week. I know living here and moving here, I don’t even do a good enough job personally during practice or during games, because the weather feels cooler and it’s nicer. It’s just part of human nature, so we’re really stressing that with our guys.
“They’ve got to do a good job all week, because we don’t want to have someone out because of cramps or an injury because they didn’t do a good job on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and thought, ‘Hey, Friday and Saturday I’ve got to make sure I’m hydrating.’”
Penix understands the stakes. The Tampa product said Tuesday that “I know what it’s like. So I’m just trying to continue to push other guys to make sure they understand that the heat is real. I’m just making sure they’re locked in, because we’re going to need everybody.”
When asked if that preparation includes a specific daily intake of water or electrolytes, Penix added: “Nah, I’m just drinking until my pee is clear.”
Sounds simple enough.
Less simple is the solution to Washington’s (perhaps overstated) playing surface predicament. UW both practices and plays home games on turf, but has struggled on the road against opponents with natural grass surfaces — like Arizona State (seven consecutive losses), UCLA (nine losses in their last 10 games), Stanford (six losses in their last seven games) and Colorado (consecutive losses against sub-.500 teams).
Given the climate, it may be unrealistic to maintain a grass practice field on Montlake.
It’s also up for interpretation how much it ultimately matters.
“I can’t say I was concerned about the (grass surface), but I was thinking about it throughout the week (prior to UCLA),” DeBoer said. “But having been to the Rose Bowl I know it’s a really good surface. I thought there were maybe just a few spots on the field where you could see guys slid a little bit.
“I know it’s not as easy as, ‘Oh, it’s a good surface.’ You’ve got to get used to playing on it. I think it would be beneficial, helpful (to have a grass practice field). But that’s 1-2 games a year, and getting used to playing on turf is also important. I don’t think that had any role in what the outcome of the game was. That experience will hopefully help us this weekend.”
Of course, UW’s struggling secondary will also have to contend with Arizona State quarterback (and Florida transfer) Emory Jones — who completed 23 of 32 passes (71.9%) and threw for 243 yards with one touchdown and one interception (plus a rushing score) in last weekend’s loss against USC. But on paper, as well as in Vegas, Washington looks like the better team.
Heat aside, playing surface aside, the Huskies have to prove it.
“You have to play it out and see if (the heat is a factor), but you’re counting on your guys being in good condition and taking care of hydration the right way,” UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said, when asked if the temperature could affect the game plan or tempo. “I’m sure there will be an element of acclimatization where the guys have to get used to that and realize how warm it is and things like that. There will definitely be a piece of that.
“But we hope we wear them down, not the other way around.”
Extra point
- UW made a logical but nevertheless surprising move last weekend, moving sixth-year senior Jaxson Kirkland — a two-time first-team All-Pac-12 left tackle — inside to left guard, while sliding standout sophomore Troy Fautanu to left tackle. It would be easy to understand if the 6-foot-7, 340-pound Kirkland — who started 25 games at right guard in 2018 and 2019 — harbored some resentment about the midseason swap. But instead, he took a professional approach. “I just want to do what’s best for the team,” Kirkland said Tuesday, after doing extra drill work with offensive line coach Scott Huff after practice. “They know I can do a great job at tackle, but they also know I can do an awesome job at guard. So I was totally fired up. I felt right back at home. I like being inside too. I can be more of a mauler inside, because I really define that more as the trenches. It gets a little softer sometimes on the outside. I felt good throwing some bodies around in there (against UCLA).”