Washington football has a Heisman contender in quarterback Jake Browning, but that’s dependent on which version of Browning shows up in 2018.
Washington football will find out early in the year if it will be a top contender in the PAC-12 and in the national picture in 2018. In Week 1, the Huskies travel to Atlanta, GA, and Chick-Fil-A Stadium to take on the Auburn Tigers. The PAC-12 slate also ramps up quickly with the conference opener coming in Week 3 against the Utah Utes on the road.
Potentially the most important player for the Huskies in 2018 is quarterback Jake Browning. Most national pundits would put Browning in nearly every conversation involving 2018 Heisman candidates. Taking his full career body of work into account, and you could see why he’s in the thick of that conversation.
Browning will be backed by a star-to-be senior running back in Myles Gaskin this year too. Gaskin was one of the most consistent rusher in the nation over the past three years. He doesn’t get enough credit for all he’s done for UW of late.
Yet, Gaskin might actually be the better Heisman candidate between him and Browning. Last season saw Browning’s passing touchdown numbers get more than chopped in half from his 2016 total. Browning tossed 43 touchdowns to just nine interceptions in 2016. That year the Huskies made the program’s only ever appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Those 43 touchdown passes dipped down to just 19 last year. His total stat line was still pretty good by usual standards for a college football quarterback. However, the trend is just concerning when it concerns UW’s contention status and Browning’s Heisman push.
Moreover, Browning’s season actually got worse as it went along last year. He had four games at the end of the year where he didn’t have a single touchdown pass. Whether the issue was his health or lack of quality targets in the passing game, something has to give for Browning in 2018.
UW has a tremendous defense heading into the 2018 campaign. This could be the deepest defense in the nation, especially in the secondary. The offense might be too dependent on Gaskin if Browning can’t improve his play back closer to what he was able to do in 2016.
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There should be a few potential breakout candidates in the passing game for UW. That list includes players like tight end Hunter Bryant and wide receivers Ty Jones and Chico McClatcher. Additional support will always be helpful for a Browning looking to bounce back in 2018.