The Washington Huskies made it to the end of the season undefeated. Over the course of the year they won games in many different ways.

At times the offense carried the day while the defense was maligned in the media, but people who have actually been following this team understands that the defense has continued not only to become a strength of this team, but has won them many of the games later in the season.

The Husky defense continued their effective second halves by only allowing the Cougars seven points after the half—if not for a Special Teams penalty it would have been just 3.

Here are our RealDawg.com offensive grades for the final Pac-12 matchup between Washington and Washington State:

Defensive Line

Co-Defensive Coordinator William Inge stated that the “Ferrari package” played most of the game as the Husky coaches elected to put some of the bigger edge defenders inside to help mitigate the speed of Cam Ward. Voi Tunuufi was extremally effective in his pursuit of Ward and did a good job holding a bad rushing attack in check.

Grade: B

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Edge

Another game, another fantastic performance from Bralen Trice.  One of the nation’s leaders in QB pressures, Trice paired up with Zion Tupuola-Fetui to apply continual pressure on Cam Ward throughout the ball game.

Lance Holtzclaw made the most of his snap with a vicious sack on Ward. Overall this group tallied three of the five sacks on the day.

Grade: B+

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Linebacker

With back-to-back 14 tackles games, Carson Bruener has emerged as a major playmaker on Washington’s defense and has been rewarded with a starting spot.   Bruener has cemented himself as the best linebacker in the room.

The other linebackers also had very good games were Alphonzo Tuputala and Edefuan Ulofoshio who both got to Ward for a sack. (Story continues below Podcast)

While the running game wasn’t a huge factor in the game the linebackers were very good at wrapping up and bringing the ball carrier to the ground.

Grade: A

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Cornerbacks

It either a breakdown in technique or the hubris of the defensive staff but the final play of the 1st half looked bad for Elijah Jackson. Curious was the decision to defend the player instead of the goal line withthe ball on the 18 yard line.

Ward was able to place a perfectly thrown ball to Kyle Williams over Jackson’s head.  Defending the goal line would have held the Cougars to a field goal attempt.

The corners gave up yards in the middle of the field on quick slants on RPO’s because they were seven yards off the receiver.

Thaddeus Dixon came up with a key interception that led to a Washington touchdown.

Grade: B

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Safeties

On the positive side Makell Esteen come up with an interception in the second half that stopped a Cougar drive and Dom Hampton was second on the team with 8 tackles.

The negative was the personal foul for leaping on Hampton that gave fresh downs to the Cougs who punched it in the tie the game up at 21.  However, that penalty was not on Hampton the safety but Hampton the Special Teamer.

Just like other big mistakes this season it did not cost the Huskies a game and has put more teaching tape together for the staff to clean the game up.

Grade: B