Washington football: Huskies battle for win over Arizona State

1. Salvon Ahmed may be a star

It’s still very on in the season, just four games in, so definitive statements like this are tough. However, after watching Salvon Ahmed play prior to this game, and proceed to have his best game yet last night against Arizona State, there’s a fairly obvious takeaway. The true sophomore from Kirkland, Washington is just too talented for Washington to keep him off the field.

The former four-star recruit was probably the most reliable part of Washington’s offense against a tough Arizona State defense, picking up 71 yards on 10 carries. After seeing just 14 carries in the three games prior to this game, this really felt like a turning point for the young back. When given the chance last night, he took advantage.

Now, this isn’t to say that Ahmed should replace longtime starter Myles Gaskin. While Gaskin didn’t have a great game, and while he’s not an elite back, he has been a steady workhorse for the Huskies for years. You can’t just take him out of the offense, and I think he still should and will get carries regardless of Ahmed.

However, Ahmed needs to be touching the ball more from here on out. He’s too quick, and too good to keep off the field, and for a Washington offense that has looked stale at times this year, he can serve as an excellent spark off the bench. It’s tricky to manage two running backs, but if anyone can make it work, Chris Petersen can.

In a conference with quite a few below average rush defenses, Arizona State’s is one of the best that Washington will face. If Ahmed did this against them, just imagine what he can do the rest of this year with more carries. Feed him, Washington.