Commentary: Washington’s weaknesses refuse to go away. Can Huskies fix issues up front?

EUGENE, Ore. — After outlasting Oregon for a 34-31 win in last December’s Pac-12 championship game, Dillon Johnson said UW did so because “we were the most physical team.”

The statistics supported that assertion. Johnson — the Huskies’ junior running back and Mississippi State transfer — rolled for 152 rushing yards, 5.4 yards per carry and two touchdowns, while Ducks tailback Bucky Irving spit out 20 yards on nine inconsequential carries. UW quarterback Michael Penix Jr., meanwhile, was sacked three total times in three wins against Oregon across two spectacular seasons.

Three-hundred sixty-four days ago, Johnson told the truth.

A year later, the most physical team won again.

It wasn’t Washington.

In a 49-21 steamrolling inside Autzen Stadium, No. 1 Oregon (12-0) dominated UW on both lines of scrimmage. The undefeated Ducks rolled for 222 rushing yards, six yards per carry and five touchdowns, while failing to surrender a single sack. On the other side, they held the Huskies to 43 rushing yards and 1.2 yards per carry, while tying a program record with 10 sacks of true freshman quarterback Demond Williams Jr.

Jonah Coleman — a standout junior running back, same as Johnson — entered the day with 1,008 rushing yards, 5.8 yards per carry and nine rushing scores … and mustered a mere three yards on 11 carries. It wasn’t because the 5-foot-9, 229-pound junior left his ability at the border.

It was because Washington (6-6) can’t compete with elite opponents on either line of scrimmage.

That was apparent in a 21-18 loss against 7-5 Rutgers — which rushed for 184 yards, 5.6 yards per carry and two touchdowns.

It was apparent in a 40-16 loss against 8-4 Iowa — which rushed for 220 yards, 5.9 yards per carry and two touchdowns, while adding four sacks.

It was apparent in a 31-17 loss against 11-1 Indiana — which rushed for 188 yards, 3.6 yards per carry and two touchdowns, while adding three sacks.

It was apparent in a 35-6 loss against 11-1 Penn State — which rushed for 266 yards, 6.7 yards per carry and four touchdowns, while adding five sacks.

If the above appears repetitive … that’s because it was.

On Saturday, UW coach Jedd Fisch correctly asserted that the top-ranked Ducks “don’t really have many weaknesses.”

Meanwhile, Washington’s weaknesses refuse to go away.

“We would always like to be better and bigger up front and be able to make more plays to push the line of scrimmage,” Fisch said. “They had way too many yards after contact, and I think rushing the ball … they were able to do it at their disposal. They were able to pick and choose in the run game, and they were able to get way too many yards from it.

“We need to be able to get bigger. We need to be able to really handle an offensive line that’s built for the Big Ten.”

The evidence was obvious on Oregon’s opening drive — which featured runs of four, seven, 16, seven, six and nine yards in a deliberate touchdown trudge. On running back Noah Whittington’s resulting nine-yard score, sophomore tight end Kenyon Sadiq (who the Huskies also recruited) pummeled UW edge Isaiah Ward into the turf, laying on the 227-pound pass-rusher while Whittington trotted by. Left tackle Josh Conerly Jr. (who the Huskies also recruited) pulled from left to right, escorting Whittington into the end zone while depositing UW safety Cameron Broussard.

High school recruiting matters. Transfer portal recruiting matters. Development matters, too.

The Ducks have done all of the above (though the money has certainly helped).

As did a previous edition of UW.

Can this staff do the same?

“I feel like the biggest thing is everyone just buying into each other,” said UW senior linebacker Carson Bruener, who turned in seven tackles in his final regular season game. “Obviously this year, new coach, a lot of new players, and people called it a gutted roster. But at the same time, we’re 6-6. That’s something a lot of teams with the adversity we hit wouldn’t be able to do.

“Moving forward for the future team, really coming together and buying into the process and trusting one another [is the biggest thing]. That’s something we have been working on, and I feel it, and I see it growing.”

This isn’t a program that lacks promising skill players. In his first career start, Williams impressed in an imperfect outing — completing 17 of 20 passes (85%) for 201 yards, one touchdown and 17 rushing yards. The team’s top running back (Coleman) and wide receiver (Denzel Boston) are eligible to return as well. But the Huskies’ future hinges on a more literal growth.

Fisch’s floor at UW will be determined by his ability to produce prolific skill players.

His ceiling will be set by a success or failure in recruiting and developing formidable forces up front.

Or, put plainly: UW won’t compete for Big Ten titles until it’s once again the most physical team.

“It means a lot,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said about finally beating Washington. “I mean, I go to bed every night thinking about them [UW], and I wake up every morning thinking about them. So, it’s nice to be able to think about a win, too.”

Fisch can’t afford to waste time obsessing over Oregon.

He should go to bed and wake up thinking about how best to recruit blue-chip linemen on both sides of the ball.