Written by Adrian Beecher
Atlanta, GA - Tuesday marked the start of formal press conferences in Atlanta and day one of our coverage ahead of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
First, we heard from the Washington offense as they were bombarded with questions about how they would be able to have any production through the air or ground as they prepare to go up against a stout Alabama defense. When offensive coordinator Jonathan Smith was specifically addressed about the Bama secondary, he expressed the need to be near perfect on game day. “We're going to have to be good, get some good gains on first and second downs, staying out of third and long because that secondary, like I say, goes back to those ball skills and they can change direction. They can put some offenses in bad situations.” The leader of the Huskies offense is sophomore quarterback Jake Browning. He finished the 2016 season with 3,280 yards passing along with 42 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions. His ability to sit inside the pocket and go through his progressions has helped solidify him as one of the best pocket passers in college football. These skills will be put to the test Saturday when they face the 98% efficiency rated defense of Alabama.
“And for my opinion, it's more they're not going to give you anything. There's nothing that stands out, this is a really good play against them or, you know, this is something they give up. You've got to earn it all and, like Coach said, that's kind of how it should be at this point in the season and playing in this game.” Said Browning as he addressed the secondary of Alabama.
In addition to Browning, the Huskies offense has Myles Gaskin in the backfield to hand it off to. Gaskin finished 2016 with 1,373 rushing yards along with 10 TD’s. He will be needed come game day as Washington enters as a two-touchdown underdog. However, the underdog factor does not seem to phase Gaskin at all, “I mean, but people are going to write what they want to write and say what they want to say. I mean, like that's cool. That's somebody else's job. And we don't buy into that. Our job is to play football. Other people's job is to write stuff down. So whatever.” As Gaskin pushes it off as just whatever, we look at the flipside of the day, which was the Alabama defensive press conference. This is a defense that allowed an average of just 63 yards on the ground per game and just 2 yards per carry. They are led up front by senior defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, the 2016 national defensive player of the year. Allen finished 2016 with 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns. Despite the dominance, Allen remains grounded and insists it all goes back to the basics, “I see a team that has a lot of success when we put in the work. The games we don't have success, those are probably our worst weeks of practice. So it kind of goes hand in hand. When we practice good and do everything we're supposed to do and go to bed on time and just do what we got to do as a defense, we'll have a successful game. When we don't, it's not as successful.”
However, bad weeks for the Alabama defense have been few and far between. Only twice this season have they allowed more than 16 points in a game. The defense has only allowed 14 TD’s against them this season and scored on their own 10 defensive touchdowns.
Defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt attests his defenses domination to comradery and their love to put in work. “I see a group of guys that believe in each other. They enjoy being around each other. You guys know when you like going to work, you're very productive. And our guys like to go to work. So that's one thing that I see, and I can't emphasize it enough, the kind of camaraderie that these guys have, how they call on each other. They believe in each other. And they hold each other accountable, and that goes with the strong leadership that we have on this defense.” Their domination on the defensive side of the ball will have to continue for the Tide to keep rolling if the hope to get to Tampa because the Washington defense has a bit of giddy up in their step as well… However, we will save that for tomorrow's story. Both teams had their second practice in Atlanta today, and they will participate in bowl events in the evening. First, both teams will have a joint visit to the Ebenezer Baptist Church here in downtown Atlanta, the site where Martin Luther King Jr. is buried. Then after that, they will have a basketball competition to see who reigns supreme on the court as part of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Title Belt competition. Currently, Washington leads the battle for the bowl week belt 2-0 after winning in Go-Kart racing and bowling at the Andretti Indoor Karting Center in Atlanta on Monday. College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Press Conference- Gallery12/27/2016
Written by Brett Korpi
Alabama and Washington are set for a New Year’s Eve tilt in Georgia. The two will square off in one of the two College Football Playoff Semifinal games at the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, to decide who will go on to the National Championship game.
The No. 1 ranked Crimson Tide (13-0, 9-0 SEC) enters as the only undefeated Power 5 team, and are winners of their last 25 games. The Huskies (12-1, 8-1 PAC 12), will go into the game as winners of their last three contests, including a 41-10 victory over Colorado in the PAC 12 Championship. It was their first conference title since 2000. For the No. 4 Huskies, whom many thought would be left out of the playoff when it lost to USC, it could be a “careful what you wish for scenario,” as they will be going up against the defending champions and perennial juggernaut in Alabama. “It will be the biggest challenge we've ever had as coaches, as players to play this great Alabama team and program.” Washington head coach Chris Petersen said, in a teleconference after the announcement. “Playing a team like Alabama gets you focused in a hurry so I see that as a good thing for our guys.” Alabama head coach Nick Saban, has an equal amount of respect for the opposing coach and the program he has built in three years. “We have a lot of respect for this Washington program, and I know they have a fantastic team this year.” Saban, would add even more praise saying, “Coach Petersen has done a fantastic job of developing this team to be one of the best teams in the country.” Saban, would acknowledge his respect for Washington goes deeper, having played for the Huskies’ legendary coach Don James, at Kent State. “I played for Coach James, and he actually talked me into being a graduate assistant when I didn't even really care about being a coach. Probably wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for him.” Saban, continued, “learned so much that we still use in our program because of him and the great success that he had at the University of Washington, winning the National Championship there.” Petersen would offer final praise for Saban and the Crimson Tide program. “I don't think there's a better program in the country. I think it's one thing to make it to the playoffs once and do some good things now and again. But, every year, you know Alabama is going to be right there. It's just a testament to the system, the program, the whole thing that he's built at Alabama” The Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl will be played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, Saturday, December 31st, at 3:00pm EST. |
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