Huskies turn one over

So far the Huskies have found almost every way to lose a game they had won. Lack of offensive production, the inability to stop an opponents running game and today, turnovers and the lack of a pass defense led to a demoralizing defeat at the hands of the Arizona Wildcats 48-41 in front of 61,124 fans for homecoming weekend.

The Husky defense, maligned all week for not being able to stop Oregon’s running game last week, was able to limit Arizona’s running game to 37 yards, but it was the pass defense that really hurt the Dawgs this afternoon.

Washington’s defense allowed Arizona QB Willie Tuitama to throw for a career-high 499 yards (on 38 of 51 passing) for five touchdowns and one interception and their offense turned the ball over five times (two interceptions and three fumbles) and that allowed the visitors to come back from a 15-point deficit with a little more than 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Washington got a huge day from QB Jake Locker who had 155 yards and two scores on the ground while completing 17 of 30 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns, but his two interceptions were killers.

The first nullified a nice Washington drive late in the first half when he was intercepted by safety Nate Ness at the Arizona 10 on 2nd-and-12 and the Wildcats were able to convert that into three points shortly before the end of the first half.

Locker was able to hit WR Marcel Reece, who had a huge day, for the longest play in Washington history on the first play of the second quarter when Reece got behind the Arizona secondary and outraced them for a 98-yard touchdown pass.

Reece finished the day with 155 yards on five catches and had the one touchdown.

RB Louis Rankin also had a solid day as he had 66 yards on the ground and 39 yards on four catches including a nifty 11-yard touchdown pass capping a 12-play, 80-yard drive.

Tuitama’s big day was complemented nicely by WR Mike Thomas who managed 10 catches for 165 yards and three touchdown receptions of 66, 2 and 27 yards.

Washington even held a 41-26 lead with a little more than 12 minutes left in the game, but they were unable to stop the Wildcats as the visitors went on drives of 46, 30 and 80 yards in the fourth quarter to go ahead 48-41 with 1:55 left on the clock.

Washington then drove the ball the Arizona’s 42, but Locker was intercepted by Arizona CB Antoine Cason to end the drive and send Washington home a loser for the sixth week in a row.

Defensively the Huskies were led by the 11 tackles of S Darin Harris and CB Roy Lewis. LB Chris Stevens returned a fumble punt snap 30 yards for one score and S Mesphin Forrester picked off a Tuitama overthrow late in the third quarter to set up a score.

Washington (2-6, 0-5) now gets ready to head on the road to take on Stanford (3-5, 2-4) next weekend.