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Jacob Eason is
a key addition at
quarterback for
the Huskies, but
the biggest factor
to a potential
Washington leap
forward on offense
is its line. This is
the Huskies’ most
experienced unit
in years, with four
starters back,
including All-
Pac-12 center Nick
Harris. But it can
be even better this
season, with the
return of senior left
tackle Trey Adams,
who was sidelined
most of last season
with a back injury.
In 2016 the 6' 8",
314-pound lineman
was a second-team
All-America, and he
gives the Huskies
a physical but also
athletic line that
will go a long way in
giving Eason time
in the pocket and
opening holes for
Ahmed, unleashing
a Huskies
offense that has
underwhelmed in
recent seasons.X-FACTOR
THE BIG STORY It feels like
a rebuilding year for the
Huskies, with the core that led
Washington to three consecutive
10-win seasons largely gone. The
Huskies might be less experienced,
but it’s possible they’re more
talented. After years of uneven QB
play, the Huskies are hoping they’ve
struck gold on the transfer market
with former Georgia QB Jacob
Eason, who rewrote Washington
state high school record books just
35 miles from campus. Eason was
a five-star recruit who could ignite
what’s been a stagnant offense.CAN’ T MISS Running back
Myles Gaskin, Washington’s
all-time leading rusher, is in
the NFL, but junior tailback
Salvon Ahmed—a 196-pound
burner whose acceleration
and burst rivals Gaskin’s—has
averaged 6.0 yards per carry in
his Huskies career. A third-down
back last season, Ahmed, also a
receiving threat out of the backfield,
will carry a heavy workload.KE Y QUESTION How much
of a drop-off will there be
on defense with the departure
of nine starters? Senior safety
Myles Bryant is the lone returning
starter from a five-man secondary
that was the only group in the
country to not allow a 40-plus-yardhim to keep that unit strong.KEY MATCHUP
BIGGEST GAME
SI RANKING
AUG. 31
EASTERN
WASHINGTON
SEPT. 7
CALIFORNIA
SEPT. 14
HAWAII
SEPT. 21
@ BYU
SEPT. 28
USC
OCT. 5
@ STANFORD (25)
OCT. 12
@ ARIZONA
OCT. 19
OREGON (9)
NOV. 2
UTAH (14)
NOV. 8
NOV. 23
@ COLORADO
NOV. 29
WASHINGTON STATE
THE RUNDOWN
3
6
9
12
15
7– 6 12–2 (PAC-12 CHAM
PS)
10 –3 10–4 (PAC-12 CHAMPS) 10–2
WINS
Last season’s 10-win
campaign marked the first
time in school history the
Huskies have had a run of
three straight seasons of
double-digit wins. Coach
Chris Petersen’s retooled
YEAR 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019* team could make it four.
*SI PROJECTION5 -YEAR TREND
8.5
The schedule sets up for
another conference title
run: The Huskies’ three toughest
opponents—Oregon, Utah and
Washington State—visit Seattle,
which means they will likely be
favored in every game outside of
their October clash with the Ducks.OVER OR UNDER
2019
SCHEDULE
Washington