10 — When the first ball is snapped to former 5-star Georgia Bulldog #10, Jacob Eason, it will be the first live snap he received on a field in the state of Washington since the November 28 nail-biting loss to Skyline in the 4A playoff semifinal in the Fall of 2015.
Not including Hawaiian kicker, Tim Horn, there are 10 freshmen in Washington’s two-deep. Other than Horn and place kicker, Peyton Henry, all of the specialists are upperclassmen.
9 — A part-time starter late in the season in 2018, #9, Joe Tryon called the Washington pass rush terrible last year. The red-shirt sophomore has planted his 6’-5” 262 pound flag at the rush end to start 2019. He looks to revive the pass rush along with junior, Ryan Bowman and Ariel Ngata.
8 — With losing so defensive many players to graduation and the NFL upperclassmen on the there were bound to be some doubters. However, 8 of the defensive starters are upperclassmen.
The underclassmen are defensive backs, Cameron Williams and Kyler Gordon, and linebacker, Joe Tryon. Of those 3 only Tryon have seen significant playing including two starts late in 2018.
7 — Jacob Eason had a solid true freshman season in 2016 where he completed 240 of 370 passes for just over 2,400 yards had a 2-1 TD/INT. The following season the Lake Stevens-native had only 7 at passing attempts in his final season at Georgia completing 4 for 28 yards.
On the other side of the country, the QB he would end up succeeding, Jake Browning, was leading Eason’s hometown Huskies to a playoff berth in 2016. Browning threw for over 3,400 yards, 43 TDs and just 9 interceptions. This season Eason will have the best compliment of receivers at Washington since the 2016 season.
6 — Despite playing in just 11 games over the past two seasons No. 6, Chico McClatcher, remains a fan-favorite…in part because he can, and does everything. He’s: returned punts, returned kicks, caught passes, carried the ball, and has 7 career tackles.
In 2017, three games into the season, he suffered a season-ending injury. With the new 4-game red shirt rule the Federal Way-native is able to retain a year of eligibility. Husky fans are hopeful that Chico is the downfield threat the passing attack desperately needs while reducing the wear and tear on his body.
5 — Despite being an hour and 15 minutes closer to Seattle EWU and UW never faced each other until 2011. Washington nearly regretted putting the Eagles onto their scheduled until LB, Cort Dennison thumped DB Desmond Trufant’s helmet in the end zone after he picked off a pass as time expired. Final Score 30-27 in favor of Washington.
The Dawgs nearly regretted it again as they pulled out a 59-52 posted a come from behind victory against the high-flying Vernon Adams-led Eagle offense. The average margin of victory of 5 points is 24 points closer than the average margin of victory in the past 5 Apple Cups under Chris Petersen.
4 — Washington sent four defensive backs go the NFL: Byron Murphy, Taylor Rapp, Jordan Miller, and Jojo Macintosh. Murphy led the Deathrow Dawgs with 4 interceptions including the game-altering ricochet-6 in the conference championship game against Utah.
Newcomers Cam Williams and Kyler Gordon will be looking to replace Murphy’s 4 picks as well as the 4 interceptions between Miller and Rapp.
3 — Washington receivers coach, Junior Adams would probably tell anybody that will listen: Do not take Eastern lightly. The Eagles have been soaring for the better part of a decade that includes a 2010 National Championship. From 2009-13, as the receivers coach Adams helped turn them powerhouse.
In 2013 they knocked off #25, Oregon State, in Corvallis, Oregon. They nearly repeated the feat in 2014 at Husky Stadium as they pushed the Huskies within a whisker of an upset 59-52. In 2016 Eastern took down WSU 45-42. The Eagles enter the contest ranked #3 in the Football Championship Subdivision.
2 — Of the offensive starters listed on Washington’s offense there are only two underclassmen, Soph TE, Cade Otton and Soph RG, Jaxon Kirkland…and they’re good ones. Otton started 10 games as a Red Shirt Freshman last season while Kirkland started all 14 games in 2018 en route to being recognized as an All American by The Athletic.
The right side of Washington’s OL features two Oregon natives in Kirkland and senior right tackle, Jared Hilbers. Kirkland’s father had a National Championship ring from 1991. In fact, there’s a 3rd Oregon-native and University of Oregon-legacy defensive back, Elijah Molden.
1 — Both Washington and Eastern are projected to finish first in their conferences. Both schools have also won national championships; UW 1960, 1984, 1991, and EWU 2010.
