UCLA Football Preview: Michael Penix Leads High-Powered Husky Offense

You may want to call it "Air DeBoer," but whatever you call it, be sure to call the Washington offense fixed.

Sep 29, 2022

Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. leads a renewed air assault from the Huskies. (Photo Credit: gohuskies.com)

When we looked at the new coaching staff of the Washington Huskies, I mentioned how Kalen DeBoer was brought in to fix an offensive unit that was underperforming under Jimmy Lake. So, what is different about the Huskies’ offense this season?

Well, DeBoer is quickly turning Washington into an offensive juggernaut. The Huskies are averaging 368.8 yards passing per game to go along with an average of 162 yards rushing. Through four games, the Huskies have scored 12 touchdowns through the air and added 10 more on the ground. That’s 5.5 TDs per game.

Now, that machine is coming to the Rose Bowl to face a suspect Bruin defense whose biggest test of the season so far came against South Alabama. That’s concerning.

If Friday night’s game isn’t a shootout where the last team to score wins, I’m worried that UCLA could be looking at the team’s first loss of the year. Thankfully, the UCLA offense under Chip Kelly has a tendency to score quickly when needed.

Let’s look at Washington’s offensive personnel.

Quarterback

When Kalen DeBoer arrived at Washington, he recruited junior quarterback Michael Penix, Jr., who had entered the Transfer Portal from Indiana where DeBoer served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2019.

The move has paid big dividends for DeBoer. So far, Penix has thrown 12 touchdown passes and only one interception. He’s averaging 347 yards passing per game as well.

If UCLA wants to win, the Bruin defense will need to find a way to stop Penix.

Passing Game

Normally, after discussing a team’s QB, I write about the team’s rushing attack. Since Washington’s running game looks to be an afterthought to the passing game, let’s look at who Penix will be throwing to first.

Penix has spread the ball around to 15 different receivers so far this season, but four of the Washington receivers have more than 10 receptions and more than 100 receiving yards so far this season.

Jalen McMillan is the Huskies’ top receiver. He has 21 catches for 367 yards and three touchdowns. As if that’s not enough, the sophomore from Fresno is a real deep threat his longest reception this season went for 84 yards against Portland State.

Sophomore Rome Odunze is the Huskies number two receiver with 18 catches for 293 yards. Odunze’s longest catch came last week against Stanford when he had a 61-yard reception.

Redshirt freshman Ja’Lynn Polk transferred to Washington this year from Texas Tech and he’s had a big impact in a short time. He has 13 catches for 256 yards. He leads the team with an average of 19.7 yards per catch. His longest reception went for 53 yards and he also has four TDs.

Those three receivers have proven to be Washington’s big deep threats and, while Giles Jackson isn’t a starter, he’s still gotten enough playing time to make 13 receptions for 175 yards and a touchdown.

Beyond those four guys, Washington’s receivers start to drop off. No one else looks to be a big deep threat nor much of a threat to score. In fact, of the other eleven guys who have receptions, only Taj Davis and Wayne Taulapapa have touchdowns and only Davis and tight end Jack Westover have caught balls for more than 25 yards.

Running Game

The Washington running game will focus on Taulapapa and Cameron Davis, who is no relation to Taj Davis despite the fact that both grew up in Upland.

Taulapapa leads the Huskies with 307 yards rushing on 48 carries, which is good for an average of 6.4 ypc. He also has three touchdowns.

Cameron Davis is the only other Husky with more than 100 yards rushing. He’s carried 35 times for 159 yards and four touchdowns.

Analysis

This week’s assignment for the Bruin defense really looks to be a tough one. Washington has already played a tougher schedule than the Bruins have even though their first two games of the year against Kent State and Portland State were easy ones.

They earned their #15 ranking by beating a ranked Michigan State squad, 39-28, and they followed that win up by crushing Stanford last weekend, 40-22.

In fact, this game scares me. UCLA never seems to fare well in a nationally televised game and this one will be shown nationally on ESPN.

The bottom line is that it’s time for the Bruins to put up or shut up — and it’s time we learn whether all the Chip Kelly apologists are wearing Rose (Bowl)-colored glasses or not. I’m hoping UCLA puts up, but I’m concerned it may not happen, and it won’t if the Bruin defense cannot stop a high-powered Washington offense.

Go Bruins!!!

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