Washington @ Arizona preview
Arizona Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 21, 2020 ) Arizona 27, Washington 44
Washington doesn't appear ready to make a quarterback change. Arizona has no choice.
The struggling teams meet Friday night in Tucson, Ariz. The Huskies (2-4, 1-2 Pac-12) make the trip to play Arizona (0-6, 0-3) on a two-game losing streak and with a quarterback, redshirt freshman Dylan Morris, who has thrown a conference-high eight interceptions.
Morris has a 5-5 record in the 10 games of the Jimmy Lake coaching era.
Lake's other options are five-star true freshman Sam Huard and sixth-year senior Patrick O'Brien, a transfer from Colorado State.
"We are nowhere near that point right now," Lake said of a quarterback change.
"If you go back to the last two games, we're one, two plays away from being 3-0 in conference. So we're close. ... There's not going to be a panic button pushed here where all the sudden, we're just going to be rotating guys in and out at certain positions, especially an important position like quarterback."
Washington started the season No. 20 in the preseason AP poll, but the Huskies rank 100th in scoring (23.5 points per game) and have yet to ignite the running game (112th nationally at 111.0 yards per game).
But most teams find a way to get well against the Wildcats, who have lost 18 consecutive games, the longest skid in the country. They were shut out last week at Colorado and are tied for last nationally in scoring at 14.0 points per game.
Making things worse, Arizona has lost its top two quarterbacks -- Jordan McCloud and Gunner Cruz -- to season-ending injuries in the past two games, leaving Will Plummer as the only scholarship option.
Plummer, who started this season in a 21-19 home loss to FCS opponent Northern Arizona, has completed 36 of 71 passes for 380 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Plummer has a penchant for trying to make big plays.
"I think the aggressive part of the play and taking shots down the field, we want that," said Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch. "We now have to hit them. You hit on a couple of them and it's like, ‘Wow, that's exactly what we're looking for.'"
The Wildcats have failed to score 20 points in nine consecutive games.
Washington, which has won the past four games in the series, did get some good news last week. Standout outside linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui made his season debut last week after returning from an Achilles' injury. He had 10 reps, according to Lake.
"He came out of the game healthy, and I would expect him to have more plays Friday night," Lake said.
--Field Level Media