It's Rush Hour: To Beat Oregon, UW Needs to Slow the Run Game

However, Letuligasenoa was spotted in full uniform coming out of Tuesday morning's practice, looking like he had his game face on, as he went from Dempsey Indoor to the locker room.

What's been baffling about the running of this Oregon 300 is the Huskies have put capable defenders out on the football field, even in 2021.

That year, the UW opened with Legtuligasenoa and Taimani up front, surrounded by Zion Tupuola-Fetui and Voi Tunuufi on the edges, Jackson Sirmon and Carson Bruener at the linebackers, and fielded a secondary that consisted of the NFL-bound Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon playing the corners, Dom Hampton and Cam Williams at the safeties and Bookie Radley-Hiles at nickeback. 

McDuffie, Gordon, Sirmon and ZTF each have been a first-team All-Pac-12 selection at some point in their careers.

Oregon enters this matchup averaging a hefty 227.2 yards per game, including 7.7 each carry, with plenty of interchangeable parts. The Ducks keep everyone fresh by spreading the ball around to Irving, the one-time Minnesota transfer, who leads the team with 50 carries for 393 yards (7.9 per carry) and 4 touchdowns; followed by Jordan James, who has 34 carries for 297 yards (8.7) and 7 scores; and one-time Western Kentucky transfer Whittington, with his 20 carries for 146 yards (7.3) and a pair of TDs.

Overall, the Huskies will have a slightly different look on defense this time. They'll start sixth-year linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio against the Ducks for the first time in his long-winding career, which should help make things more difficult. Multiple injuries and the pandemic previously prevented Ulofoshio from opening prior games against Oregon. 

Besides Letuligasenoa, senior safety Asa Turner has been practicing this week while wearing some sort club protection on a hand after missing all but one game and a solitary play in another outing with his injury. 

To be sure, the UW needs to slow down the Oregon rushing attack or find itself in another close battle to the wire or even defeat. The Husky coaches have been stressing a better push, sure tackling and a lot more people around the ball at all times. They've done so with an urgent tone.

"It can't be a one-guy thing," Morrell said. "It's got to be multiple guys at the point of attack every single snap. It's relentless focus and it's relentless finishing. I think it's the key to the game."

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