Huskies face loftier expectations after CFP berth

Aug 18, 2017 - 5:00 PM The pressure is now on Washington, and it will be interesting to see how the program handles heightened expectations.

The Huskies operated under the radar at the beginning of last season before being one of four teams to reach the College Football Playoff. Washington lost to Alabama on the big stage, but the stellar record (12-2) exceeded all the preseason forecasts.

Now, things are different. Junior quarterback Jake Browning will try to lead the Huskies back into the CFP after setting a Pac-12 record with 43 touchdown passes last season.

Fourth-year Washington coach Chris Petersen is trying to minimize the prognostications, but senior inside linebacker Keishawn Bierria welcomes having the target on the team's back.

"Just being there, understanding where we were at, just makes us a lot hungrier," Bierria said at Pac-12 media day festivities. "We got a glimpse, a taste. We didn't get that full meal. Guys like me, I want it all."

Winning it all will take a stronger effort from Browning in the big games.

His sophomore season was splendid, but his performance was shaky in the team's losses to USC and Alabama. He tossed two interceptions in each game.

The Huskies averaged 41.8 points per game but scored just 13 against USC and only seven against Alabama. The Crimson Tide defense had Browning off-balance and confused most of the contest.

"I hear all the 'big game' stuff, but first of all, what do you qualify as a big game?" Browning said. "Because, for me personally, (Washington State) was a pretty big game. Stanford was a big game. Pretty much every game is a big game.

"So if you want to make a story out of something, it's always there. I'm not spending much time thinking about it."

Browning lost top target John Ross, who departed early for the NFL, but he still has firepower to work with in senior receiver Dante Pettis and the backfield duo of junior Myles Gaskin and senior Lavon Coleman. Highly regarded junior left tackle Trey Adams is back to anchor a solid offensive line.

Washington has holes in the secondary after losing three starters, but sophomore safety Taylor Rapp (four interceptions) returns. Senior linebacker Azeem Victor missed the final five games of last season due to a broken leg and is back at full strength.

Junior nose tackle Vita Vea, who had five sacks last season, is the headliner of the defensive line.

As for those pesky expectations, Petersen makes it clear it doesn't matter to him what outsiders think.

"There's no higher expectations in this country for Washington football," said Petersen, "than what's in our building."

MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Jake Browning -- The Huskies rose to great heights last season behind Browning and would likely fall on hard times if he were to get injured. Browning's sensitivity about his offseason shoulder surgery makes it clear he knows deep inside that the program is highly dependent on his health. "If it was my left shoulder, no one would care," Browning said of the surgery. "Since it was my right, even I'm focused on it a little more, but it's just more to make sure I get back to where I need to be and be even better than it used to be."

BREAKOUT STAR: CB Jordan Miller -- Washington needs to replace two standout cornerbacks, and this junior is being counted on to be a difference-maker. Miller is one of the fastest players in the program and has two career interceptions as a backup; he has looked at ease under his new role throughout fall camp. The Huskies led the Pac-12 with 19 interceptions last season and Miller's development could help the defense defend that title.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH: TE Hunter Bryant -- The true freshman is physically ready to make an immediate contribution -- at least as a pass-catcher. The 6-foot-2, 239-pound Bryant caught 56 passes for 979 yards and 10 touchdowns as a high school senior while earning all-state honors in Washington. Bryant is battling junior Drew Sample for the starting tight end job.