Washington’s offense has (rightfully so) gotten all the credit for the Huskies’ 4-0 start, they can’t shoulder the load for the entire season. The pass rush showed it can do its part against Stanford, recording eight sacks in their 40-22 win, but the secondary will also need to do its part.
Currently, Washington is in the middle of the pack against the pass, giving up an average of 213 yards per game. The back end has been riddled with injuries, as starting cornerback Jordan Perryman has only played in one game so far, and starting safety Asa Turner has missed the team’s last two games. While all signs are pointing towards Perryman returning against UCLA on Friday, the Huskies will be without Mishael Powell for the second straight week.
The secondary has done a great job stepping up in their absence, especially Julius Irvin, who has been the first man off the bench at cornerback. Davon Banks showed that he’s coming into his own against Stanford, and while he still has some way to go, he played better than the stats might show against the Cardinal, as he was the victim of a brutal no-call where John Humphries pushed off him before reeling in a touchdown.
However, the star of the show so far has been true freshman cornerback Jaivion Green, and it looks like the Huskies have found a diamond in the rough in the 6’2, 202-pound Texas product. Green has played in three games already this season, and while it didn’t sound like Kalen DeBoer had plans to burn anyone’s redshirt coming into the season, if Green keeps playing like he did against Stanford, DeBoer won’t have a choice but to keep him in the rotation. Watch Green in press coverage against Michael Wilson at the bottom of the gif below.
Don’t overlook the fact that the Huskies also got Elijah Jackson back against Stanford, and it seems that the coaching staff is being very cautious with the injury he’s coming back from. While he might not see a ton of snaps over the first few games he’s suited up for, if they’re happy with his progression and continue to increase his workload, Jackson could threaten to take over as a starter at some point this season.
If everyone can remain healthy through the remainder of the season, the Huskies could end up having a quality rotation of players at cornerback. If they continue to progress and turn into a top 25-35 unit nationally against the pass, the coaching staff will have themselves a complete team that can compete for a Pac-12 championship.
