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Michael Penix Jr and the Washington Huskies outlasted the USC Trojans in a Week 10 shootout and won by 10 points in a game that featured a display of offensive fireworks and 94 total points being scored. The Huskies bolstered their resume for the CFP committee, and the Trojans now find themselves out of the running to contend for a championship. Let's get into some things we learned about these teams after this matchup.
Washington’s offense is balanced
A balanced offensive approach is key to success in football -especially when you play teams with above average defenses. If a team is too reliant on either passing or running the ball and is inadequate at the other, defensive coordinators will be able to scheme game plans and defensive players will be able to prepare to slow down the approach that the offense relies on.
Going into this weekend, I had my reservations about Washington’s running game. Much has been said about quarterback Michael Penix Jr., his elite arm talent, and the excellent receiving corps around him, but without a strong running game the team might struggle in the postseason. They answered that question definitively against USC, with Dillon Johnson rushing for four touchdowns and more than 250 yards, and it has me more optimistic about their chances for postseason success.
Michael Penix’s Heisman moment
Every Heisman Trophy campaign requires a signature moment, or a signature game. Without a doubt, this was Michael Penix Jr.’s signature game. Playing on the road against a top 20 opponent who began the season as a favorite to make the College Football Playoff, Penix Jr. displayed all of his talents as he outdueled fellow Heisman contender Caleb Williams.
USC’s defense isn’t pulling their weight, and the offense cannot be perfect all the time
Caleb Williams needs to play a near perfect game for USC to have a chance to win, given their defense’s inability to stop anybody. This is especially true against elite opponents. Williams played a very good game overall, with only one glaring mistake, and it was enough to cost them the game. Williams had one costly mistake in this game, a fumble towards the end of the first half when he was desperate to make a play. This one fumble doomed USC in a game where their offense had to execute flawlessly in order for the team to have a chance to win.
It is simply unsustainable for a team to rely so heavily on their offense when their defense seems completely unable to get a stop.
Caleb Williams is the best quarterback in college football, and this USC offense is electrifying. It is a shame that we will not get to see them compete for a playoff spot and a championship, and it is even more unfortunate that the team's lack of anything resembling a defense cost them their season.
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It also ultimately cost USC football defensive coordinator Alex Grinch his job.
Fans and pundits alike had said for weeks now that USC was relying way too heavily on its offense and that it’s defense, or lack thereof, would doom the team. Now that they played against an elite offense, we can see that the naysayers were indeed correct.
Caleb Williams is still the likely top overall pick in the draft, but Penix Jr. may have secured himself a spot in the top five
Caleb Williams has elite arm strength, although Penix Jr. may have him slightly beat in this category. Williams is also excellent when it comes to running the football, and he has arguably the best mobility and off platform throwing ability of anybody we have seen since Patrick Mahomes.
Williams’ ability to improvise and make throws on the run can stretch a defense beyond its breaking point. Every team is looking for their version of Pat Mahomes, and Williams is the closest thing we have seen to that since Mahomes himself broke into the league. Ultimately, I think that Williams will still end up being the first overall pick.
After his performance against USC, I am entirely convinced that Penix Jr. is at least one of the top three quarterback prospects in this draft, and that there is a real argument to be made that he is the second-best prospect.
I believe that lots of teams will be fighting to trade up and secure a quarterback, and I think it is very likely that Penix Jr. lands in the top five. In fact, I wouldn’t be shocked if he went second overall. Teams like the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants both need a quarterback, and I suspect that Williams and Penix Jr. will go to these two teams.
Michael Penix Jr. put on a dazzling performance this past weekend in Southern California, and he showed the world who he is. That being said, Caleb Williams is still the best player in college football.
