Buffs Take Aim At Containing Washington's Browning
November 28, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — In what has been a record-setting year for Jake Browning, only one team has managed to slow down the Washington quarterback this season.
The No. 9 Colorado Buffaloes hope to become the second this week. They'll have their chance Friday when 10-2 Colorado meets Browning's fourth-ranked Huskies (11-1) in the 7 p.m. Pac-12 Championship (Fox) at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
"He can make every throw out there," said Buffs safeties coach Joe Tumpkin, who has already spent plenty of time studying film of the Huskies' offense. "It's going to be a challenge for us. We're going to have to get some pressure and get him off his spot."
Easier said than done. In 12 games this year, Browning has thrown for 40 touchdowns and just seven interceptions while completing 65 percent of his throws (214-for-329) for 3,162 yards. Only once has he completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes in a game, that coming in a 26-13 loss, when he was 17-for-36 for 259 yards and a touchdown.
The USC loss — the only blemish on UW's record — is also the only time this year Browning threw more interceptions (two) than touchdowns (one). The Trojans also sacked Browning three times and generally made his life miserable in the only game this season in which he was limited to just one touchdown pass (he had eight games with at least three).
He is without question the key to a Washington offense that also boasts a 1,000-yard rusher in Myles Gaskin (1,180 yards and 10 touchdowns on 198 carries) and a bevy of fleet, sure-handed receivers.
"They're a very good football team, obviously, with what they've accomplished and what Jake's done," Tumpkin said. "They have very good receivers, they're coached very well and they execute. One of the biggest things that you see is that they execute extremely well."
The Huskies run their offense out of a variety of formations, but the result is usually similar. The Huskies are the highest-scoring team in the Pac-12, averaging nearly 45 points per game. Paired with a defense that leads in the league in points allowed — a paltry 17.8 per game — it presents a tall challenge for the Buffs.
"Their quarterback is extremely accurate," head coach Mike MacIntyre said Monday morning. "Gaskins and (WR John) Ross are just so fast and explosive, (WR Dante) Pettis catches everything and their offensive line is good. I'd call it a precise, efficient offense with big-play capabilities."
The Buffs have faced productive offenses this season such as Washington State; and they've seen quality quarterbacks (WSU's Luke Falk and USC's Sam Darnold).
But the Huskies might have the most balanced offense the Buffs have seen. While Browning's arm is definitely UW's biggest weapon, the Huskies are also averaging more than 205 yards per game on the ground, with a healthy 5.5-yard average per carry.
"Situationally, they're balanced," Tumpkin said. "They want to run the ball, they want to be 50-50. We have to keep them behind the chains and try to make the one-dimensional."
To do that, the Buffs will have to put pressure on Browning. The Huskies have given up just 18 sacks all year, but two teams — USC and Arizona — had some success in that department. The Trojans had three sacks in their win over the Huskies; Arizona sacked Browning four times in a 35-28 overtime loss to Washington early in the season.
Colorado is fourth in the Pac-12 in sacks with 33 this season, led by nine from outside linebacker Jimmie Gilbert and five from defensive end Jordan Carrell. But it won't be a surprise if the Buffs try to bring pressure from the edge or up the middle, something the Buffs have done with good success this year.
"We have to find a way to get him off track," Tumpkin said.
LEAVITT FINALIST: Buffs defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt has been named one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, presented annually to college football's top assistant coach.
Four of this year's five finalists are defensive coordinators. Other finalists are Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown and Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
Leavitt, in his second season at Colorado, has helped turn the Buffs into one of the nation's top defensive units.
Heading into Friday's Pac-12 championship game against Washington, the Buffs were ranked in the top 20 in the nation in at least eight key defensive categories, including total defense (13th), scoring defense (13th), third-down defense (8th) and pass efficiency defense 4th).
THOMPSON HONORED: CU senior safety Tedric Thompson was named Monday as the Pac-12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the ninth time this season a Colorado player has been honored by the conference.
It is the most-ever in CU history, surpassing the eight players selected in 2001, and also the most of any team in the conference.
Thompson had two interceptions, four tackles, four pass breakups, three third-down stops and a fourth-down stop in Saturday's 27-22 Pac-12 South clinching win over Utah. It marks his second honor of the season, as he was also selected after CU's win over Stanford on Oct. 24 .
Thompson has seven interceptions this season, tying him with former Buffs greats Dick Anderson and Cullen Bryant for the CU single-season record.
AWUZIE TO SENIOR BOWL: Buffs cornerback Chidobe Awuzie on Monday accepted an invitation to participate in the prestigious Senior Bowl. The game, to be played Jan. 28, 2017, in Mobile, Ala., traditionally includes some of the nation's best players and practices are attended by scouts from every NFL team.
Awuzie is among CU's leading tacklers and also has four sacks, a fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
