E.T. fakes Vandals into time machine, as in a Chickism

Jumping off to a 28-3 lead at halftime, the Washington Huskies coasted to a 41-27 win over the stubborn Idaho Vandals at Husky Stadium, posting their seventeenth straight home victory. Washington quarterback Cody Pickett passed for 438 yards, and Charles E.T. Frederick, who accounted for 207 all-purpose yards, scored on the play of the game, taking a pass from Cody Pickett and racing 74-yards to the endzone.

Off to brilliant start this season, Pickett is averaging 375 passing yards per game.

Like last year’s game with Idaho--when tight end Jerramy Stevens went down--the victory was somewhat costly for the Huskies. Talented receiver Reggie Williams did not play in the second half due to a hyper-extended left knee. Starting guard Aaron Butler suffered a deep quad bruise over his left knee in the first half, and tailback Rich Alexis played most of the game with a heavily taped left ankle.

Braxton Cleman (hamstring) returned to action, carrying the ball 9 times for 39 yards.

The Huskies posted 567 total yards, 438 of them through the air and 129 on the ground. Idaho accounted for 404 total yards, garnering almost 300 yards in the second half. The Huskies won the time of possession battle, 38:29 to 21:31.

Idaho has 25 players from the State of Washington on its roster.

Charles E.T. Frederick is Washington's most exciting player to take the field since Napoleon Kaufman. His 74-yard TD pass/run was out of this world; he faked Idaho defenders into his own time machine--as the late Chick Hearn might have said--as he navigated his way through seven of them on his way to score.

On his long scoring pass/run, the Seattle Times quotes Frederick as saying, "All I was thinking was 'Don't fall on the ground, just try to keep running.' Then I was thinking, I just need one more block. Then I saw Wilbur Hooks come out of nowhere and get that block. I felt good after that."

Head Coach Rick Neuheisel was not happy with the Huskies'  level of intensity in the second half and noted that the Dawgs are playing teams that have nothing to lose. Commenting on Paul Arnold’s fumble on the first drive of the game and on the fact that the Huskies worked to protect the ball during the week, "It's Murphy’s law. Balls have been coming out when we try for extra yardage." 

Neuheisel said that "It was good to see our defense score. We’re close to being a good defense. We need to be a little more aggressive out at the corners. It’s important we get off to great start next week in Pac-10 play."

Idaho head coach Tom Cable commented on how Washington’s Pac-10 opponents can stop the Huskies’ passing attack. “If you can’t get to the Washington quarterback, forget it.” Idaho had three sacks in game.

Screens are another way to run the ball, according to Neuheisel, so the running game isn’t all that bad. He commented that the Huskies had 160 yards rushing without the sacks.