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Breaking down Washington's offense: Players Michigan must contain in CFP championship
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- Breaking down Washington's offense: Players Michigan must contain in CFP championship
Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has deservedly gotten plenty of flowers for his 2023 college football season. The left-handed transfer from Indiana finished second behind LSU 's Jayden Daniels in Heisman voting, throwing for 4,648 yards, 35 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
Penix may be the engine that makes the Washington offense go but, overall, the Huskies offense is very much the sum of their parts. With an NFL-caliber receiving corps, an offensive line that won college football's most prestigious blocking award and a running back who quietly rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season, Penix is far from the only player making an impact for the Huskies.
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When talking about complementary pieces, one need look no further than Biletnikoff finalist Rome Odunze , whom Michigan State fans saw earlier this year. Odunze hauled in eight catches for 180 yards against the Spartans, proving to be a mismatch nightmare all game. And he wasn't the only one: Ja'Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan also made huge plays against the Spartans, in a game where MSU was very simply overmatched.
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While that may be the game Wolverine fans are most familiar with, it was hardly the only time Odunze in particular ran roughshod over a secondary: He racked up more than 100 yards in 10 out of 14 games this season. Moving down the depth chart, Polk crossed the century mark seven times, while McMillan had two such games (he missed part of the season after a knee injury suffered against the Spartans).
For Michigan fans, this may sound very familiar: In the week leading up to 'The Game," it was all about how to cover Marvin Harrison Jr . In the week leading up the Rose Bowl, the question was how to contain quarterback Jalen Milroe . Michigan found answers to those questions. Washington's offensive stats suggest, fairly unassailably, it is more complete than either the Buckeyes or Crimson Tide's.
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Here's a look at the Washington weapons Michigan will have to contain during Monday's championship:
Washington football offensive weapons
Quarterback: Michael Penix Jr.
Despite Washington's overall balance, any talk of the Huskies' offense without mention of Penix would be an egregious omission. The quarterback has been unbelievable this season, his second straight year dominating with coach Kalen DeBoer running the Husky program. His stats:
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336 for 504 passing (66.7%)
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4,648 yards (332 yards per game)
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35 touchdowns to nine interceptions
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32 rushes, 13 yards (sacks counted in total)
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Three rushing touchdowns
When Penix was at his best, he was putting up video game numbers. He threw for 400 yards or more four times on the year, most recently against No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl. Against the Longhorns, he completed 29 of 38 for 430 yards and two touchdowns. He also hit seven different receivers in the game, winning MVP for his efforts.
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Where Penix impresses the most is in the pocket: He moves the pocket well and has pinpoint precision on deep balls to his burner receivers. The Air Raid offense Washington plays is perfectly suited to his game. Washington will run a lot of wheels and plays designed to stretch the speed of the defense. That's the kind of game Michigan can counter with its speed from its linebackers.
Running Back: Dillon Johnson
A bruising running back, Johnson is a Mississippi State grad who rushed for 1,000 yards on the year. At 6-feet, 215 pounds, Johnson plays a physical game that serves as a good complement to the Washington passing game.
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222 carries for 1,162 yards (5.23 yards per carry) and 16 touchdowns
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22 receptions for 166 receiving yards
Johnson may not be the most effective receiving back, but Washington has used him to great effect. Johnson suffered a leg injury at the end of the game against Texas that looked very painful, but he is expected to play Monday .
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Michigan is eighth in the country in rush yards allowed, but that's thanks in no small part to Alabama 's 172 yards on the ground. Michigan won't have the same running threat in Penix that Milroe presented, but Washington does offer a new challenge in a heavy reliance on the pistol and a lot of plays designed to get Johnson in an opportunity to bowl over defenders in space.
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Wide Receivers: Rome Odunze, Ja'Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillan
The top three Washington receivers are Odunze, Polk, and McMillan, all of whom are burners in their own right.
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Will Johnson for Michigan has been pitted against some of the top receivers in the country, and this game will be no exception. No team outside of Arizona has been a semblance of success covering Odunze, but Michigan is hoping to find a way.
Rome Odunze stats
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87 receptions for 1,553 yards (17.9 yards per catch) and13 touchdowns
Ja'Lynn Polk stats
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65 catches for 1,122 yards (17.3 yards per catch) and nine touchdowns
Jalen McMillan stats
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39 catches for 526 yards (11.6 yards per catch) and one touchdown
This is the aforementioned receiving corps that completely decimated Michigan State earlier in the year. If plays extend, they become impossible to defend. Bringing us to:
Washington offensive line
Washington offensive lineman Troy Fautanu (55) blocks for running back Dillon Johnson against Arizona in September. Fautanu and the Huskies' offensive line paved the way for No. 2 Washington to make the College Football Playoff, where they face No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
If fans watch one thing in this game, this matchup is it. The 2023 Joe Moore Award-winning Washington offensive line will take on a Michigan defensive line that completely dominated Alabama in the first half of the Rose Bowl. Though it lost some of its steam in the second half, it stepped up in the moments that mattered. Kris Jenkins and Mason Graham will look to pressure Penix, who has struggled under pressure this year.
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That point has been moot more often than not: Penix has been sacked just 10 times this year.
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The Washington offense, legitimately great as it's been, has not been perfect. Grinds against Arizona State and Oregon State are the only things resembling blemishes on the Washington season, with the former being a 15-7 slog that very nearly cost Washington.
Michigan's defense vs. Washington's offense is strength on strength, and it promises to be a great matchup. There are stars all over the board, from Penix, Odunze, and the Washington line for the Huskies to Johnson, Mike Sainristil , Jenkins and Graham for the Wolverines .
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When thinking about a championship, there's always one unit that will decide the fate of the game. There's a good chance it will come out of this matchup.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Breaking down Washington football's offense: Players Michigan must contain
