Brock Huard breaks down how Washington will handle Michigan's physicality
Michigan is a bully, but Washington is no victim. On Thursday, former Washington quarterback and current FOX Sports analyst Brock Huard weighed in on concerns about how Washington’s will handle Michigan’s physicality.
“That’s going to be more and more of the conversation leading up to kickoff: ‘Hey, the Huskies have not seen a Michigan. They’ve not seen an unapologetic bully like Michigan that will run it 35 straight times, or 16 to 17 times,’ and I get that, and they have not,” Huard told On3’s Andy Staples.
“But this is a Michigan team that’s without a couple of their linemen, and the loss of [Zak] Zinter is still a huge one. I’m not going to make a case that Washington has seen that. Utah is not that. The Utah that they got to face without Cam Rising — that was not this Michigan.”
Utah is a far cry from the No. 1 overall seed Wolverines. Utah’s defense was stellar this season, allowing just 307.2 yards per game. However, the Utes’ defense pales in comparison to Michigan’s, which only gave up 243.1 yards per contest this season, the least in the country.
Washington lit up Utah’s defense for 457 total yards of offense while only committing one turnover. Of course, Michigan will provide the Huskies with a greater challenge. Nonetheless, Washington won’t be a pushover. Huard believes Washington offers Michigan an equally difficult challenge.
Washington presents its own difficulties
“Michigan has seen nothing like they’re gonna see with Washington’s offense,” Huard said. “They’ve faced two top 50 offenses all year, Ohio State and Alabama. Neither of those have the quarterback play, the weaponry, the artillery that Washington has.
“Washington has faced — with Texas and with Oregon twice — they have faced defenses, who to a man, are bigger, stronger, faster, longer, mix schemes, show different things, well coached, they have seen it. They have seen it with both Texas, who had five weeks to get ready for them and with Oregon in their own conference three times in a calendar year and could not handle them.”
Between its wins over Texas and Oregon this season, Washington amassed 1,428 total yards. Huard has faith Washington’s offense will find a way to succeed against the Wolverines.
“I don’t expect Michigan to shut down Kalen DeBoer’s crew. There’s just too much weapons. There’s run, there’s pass, there’s slot receivers, there’s tight ends, there’s a QB run game, there’s outside one-on-one weapons that you can’t cover.”