DeBoer: Huskies ‘weren’t that far off’ in CFP loss
-
Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Staff Writer
HOUSTON — Even after No. 2 Washington fell short in Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship game, losing 34-13 to Michigan, Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer left convinced his team was good enough to win the title.
“I know what the score looks like, but I feel like that fine line was right there again tonight and we weren’t that far off,” DeBoer said. “There’s not a doubt in my mind that we have a good enough football team to go out there and win a national championship and just got to make a play here and there, get us over the hump and could have been a different outcome.”
After Washington fell behind 17-3 early in the second quarter, there was a sense inside NRG Stadium that Michigan was on its way to a rout. The Wolverines’ running game appeared unstoppable, while their defense prevented quarterback Michael Penix Jr. from finding any sort of a rhythm.
But the Huskies stemmed the tide. They cut the deficit to a touchdown heading into halftime and were set to receive the kick to start the second half. For as one-sided as the game had been to that point — with Michigan averaging 12.3 yards per rush — Washington had reason to be optimistic.
It wasn’t an unusual position for the Huskies to be in. They rarely trailed all season, but their final 10 wins of the season — from Oct. 1 on — were all close in the second half. It had instilled a belief they could come up with a big play when it mattered most.
This time, though, it didn’t happen.
“They’re a good team. We just didn’t execute in the moments when we needed to,” Penix said. “It’s just about executing. I don’t feel like they did anything — I feel like we beat ourselves.
“And there were times we definitely had opportunities to make big-time plays, to make the game a lot different.”
Penix, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting this season and has been a revelation in his two seasons since transferring from Indiana, put the blame on himself. He threw an interception on UW’s first play of the second half, leading to a Michigan field goal, and — other than one field goal drive — was held in check the rest of the way.
Four times in the second half, UW had the ball trailing by one score, and none of those drives resulted in points. “I think even just a two-score game, it has happened a couple times over the last two seasons,” DeBoer said. “And I keep telling them the game’s going to come back to them, and putting one more score on the board is always going to put pressure on the team because they know what we’re capable of.
“We just couldn’t make that one play here, and when we did, a penalty, maybe bringing the play back, a holding call, things like that. We just couldn’t get over the hump. We couldn’t finish the drive the way that we’re used to.”
Much of that is a credit to Michigan, which finished the season with the nation’s best scoring defense (10.4 points per game). The Wolverines got consistent pressure on Penix, and when they did, he was just 5-of-16 for 67 yards with a pair of interceptions.
Penix finished the game 27-of-51 for 255 yards, which was his third-fewest passing yards in a game this season. However, it was also the second-most passing yards the Wolverines allowed this season, behind the 271 they allowed to Ohio State.
The Huskies were in near-desperation mode when Penix threw his second interception — down 14 on fourth-and-13 with 4:29 left — and were completely sunk after Mike Sainristil returned it 81 yards to the Washington 8, allowing Blake Corum to score two plays later.
Washington (14-1), playing in its final game as a Pac-12 school before departing for the Big Ten next season, had been attempting to win its first national championship since 1991, when it shared the title with Miami. The Huskies’ national-best 21-game winning streak also ended.
-
Greg Wyshynski
SUNRISE, Fla. — Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen was ejected from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals after a boarding major against forward Jackson Blake of the Carolina Hurricanes.
With 3:01 left in the first period, Blake was chasing the puck back in his own zone with Luostarinen behind him. As Luostarinen reached out with his stick, Blake stopped short of the boards and Luostarinen hit through him. Luostarinen drove Blake’s head into the boards, bloodying the Carolina forward.
The on-ice officials gave Luostarinen a five-minute major and then reviewed the hit. They confirmed the call on the ice. Per NHL Rule 41.5, when a major penalty for boarding is called, a game misconduct is automatic. A major penalty for boarding is determined by “the degree of violence of the impact with the boards.”
Luostarinen was tied for the team lead with 13 points entering Game 3, with 4 goals and 9 assists. He scored 12 of those points on the road. Blake returned to action in the second period.
The Panthers lead the series 2-0 and had a 1-0 lead in Game 3 when the major penalty was called.
-
Eric Karabell
Boston Red Sox SS prospect Marcelo Mayer is getting the call to the major leagues, as starting 3B Alex Bregman (calf) is headed to the injured list. Fantasy managers should not expect Mayer, 22, to replace Bregman’s excellent numbers (.938 OPS), but he should see opportunity for playing time over the likes of Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro. Mayer is an excellent defensive shortstop, but he has played second base and third base at Triple-A Worcester as well this season.
Ranked No. 6 in Kiley McDaniels’ recently updated top 50 prospect rankings, Mayer hit .265/.342/.465 over 43 games and 193 plate appearances at Triple-A, with 9 home runs, 43 RBI and 2 stolen bases. The No. 4 pick in the 2021 amateur draft, Mayer hits left-handed, makes solid contact and drew a 10.4% walk rate this season. There is power upside, but as with most prospects, fantasy managers should keep initial expectations well in check.
Everyone loves the prospects until they reach the majors and alter their narrative (as most do). Chicago Cubs rookie IF Matt Shaw struggled earlier this season and was sent back to Triple-A, though he has returned to the majors. Arizona Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar remains hitless in the majors this season. New Red Sox teammate Kristian Campbell is hitting .225 with a 27% strikeout rate. Hitting big league pitching can be problematic even for long-time veterans. In ESPN’s shallow standard leagues, with no middle infield spot and only nine active hitting spots, it is tough to make an argument to rush out and add Mayer. At the time of the promotion announcement, he was available in 94% of ESPN standard leagues.
Those needing to replace Bregman at third base should look at the Texas Rangers‘ Josh Jung and Jake Burger, and the Philadelphia Phillies‘ Alec Bohm, proven players with job security. For those looking at adding Mayer as their shortstop, Angels star Zach Neto somehow remains available in 71% of leagues, and he certainly comes recommended over Mayer, as does Colorado Rockies starter Ezequiel Tovar. Mayer will likely hit near the bottom of the Boston lineup. If he hits well, he might move up, and he might keep his roster spot even when Bregman returns to health.
It is exciting when one of the top prospects in the sport earns a promotion, but hitting a baseball against top pitching can be challenging for all. Those in deeper formats can make a better case to add Mayer and hope for the best.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway