TEMPE, Ariz. — Nearly two dozen players made a tackle for No. 21 Washington on a day when the Huskies exhausted their depleted reserves finding enough healthy bodies to make it through the game.
Kalen DeBoer knows it’s difficult to win very many shootouts while giving up a slew of touchdowns, which UW did during a 45-38 defeat against Arizona State at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday.
Both right, he doesn’t have much of a choice due the mounting injuries that have crippled UW’s defense.
“Wrenches get thrown into the plan when guys are out,” DeBoer said. “There’s some youth out there and you just can’t throw everything at them because there’s so many looks that they are going to see. There was some specific down and distances and moments where we were going to have certain packages. The rotations get thrown off with guys getting dinged up and guys not being in the game.
“A lot of it has to do with we just go through the week right now and we’re just trying to get to Saturday health wise. Practicing right now, we’re putting everything into it and guys are grinding through it, but we just need their bodies to feel better. There were a lot of snaps being played today that were above and beyond what I imagined for most players.”
The Huskies rotated several players in the secondary including redshirt freshman Elijah Jackson who made his first start at cornerback opposite Jordan Perryman.
Backup safeties Tristan Dunn and Makell Esteen — both freshmen — also played extensively after junior safety Asa Turner was ejected early in the second quarter for targeting.
“Having Asa make the trip was a big positive for us and a morale boost,” DeBoer said. “He’s played so well in a short span. To have him not out there with us for pretty much most of the game definitely hurt.”
Redshirt freshman cornerback Davon Banks produced perhaps UW’s defensive highlight when he snagged an interception on the sideline early in the fourth quarter that led to a Husky touchdown.
Senior linebacker Cam Bright finished with 10 tackles for Washington, which surrendered 397 yards, including 182 in the air to backup quarterback Trenton Bourguet.
The Huskies finished without a sack and just two quarterback hurries during a ragged performance in which 22 players registered a tackle.
Washington also cycled through several offensive skill players, particularly at running back where Cameron Davis, Wayne Taulapapa, Richard Newton and Sam Adams II each got a carry.
DeBoer said Giles Jackson didn’t play later after “he got dinged,” but added he didn’t believe anyone suffered any major injuries that would cause them to miss several games.
“If a guy is not on the field for us, there’s probably a reason,” DeBoer said. “And it’s probably health related.”