Fansided

College Football 2018: Biggest question facing every Top 25 team in spring practice

By Nicholas Ian Allen

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Jalen Hurts (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Jalen Hurts (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
20 of 25
Next
GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 30: Myles Gaskin (9) of the Washington Huskies runs for a touchdown in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 30: Myles Gaskin (9) of the Washington Huskies runs for a touchdown in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Is Washington a College Football Playoff contender?

Based in large part on the early NFL Draft entries of USC’s star offensive trio of Sam Darnold, Ronald Jones II and Deontay Burnett, the Washington Huskies are the early favorites to win the Pac-12 in 2018. After winning the conference title and making the playoff in 2016, Washington finished 10-3 overall and 7-2 in conference play last year, second to Stanford in the Pac-12 North as a result of a 30-22 Friday night loss in Palo Alto.

It all starts with quarterback Jake Browning, who enters the season as the most experienced quarterback in the conference, and possibly the most experienced in the nation. A three-year starter, Browning completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards and 19 touchdowns with just five interceptions as a junior. His 152.1 rating ranked second in the league, ahead of likely first-rounders Darnold and Josh Rosen, and just 0.32 points behind Arizona’s part-time starter Khalil Tate on the Pac-12 leaderboard.

Browning and the Huskies welcome back leading rusher Myles Gaskin, who gained 1,380 rushing yards and scored 21 rushing touchdowns last season, and two of his top three receivers. Throw in three returning starters on the offensive line and Washington returns a solid 70 percent of its offensive production.

The defense might be in even better shape. Despite losing defensive tackle Vita Vea to the NFL, the Huskies welcome back 81 percent of their defensive production from last season – most in the conference and 18th most in the country. That’s great news for a unit that led the Pac-12 in total defense (298.0 yards allowed per game) and ranked third in the nation in yards allowed per play (4.42).

Quarterback? Check. Running game? Check. Defense? Check. Playoff contender? Probably.

Home/College Football