Everything Kalen DeBoer said at his Monday presser to preview Washington's game against UCLA
The 15th-ranked Washington Huskies (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12) have a shorter week of prep this week before heading to Pasadena to take on UCLA (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12).
Washington is rolling through, and head coach Kalen DeBoer has a ton of confidence in his team, its leadership, and the direction things are headed. DeBoer met with reporters on Monday to preview the week ahead and break down UW’s 40-22 win over Stanford this past weekend.
Here’s everything he said, with video of the full presser at the bottom:
Opening statement:
“Great team win. Originally I kind of thought, ‘Oh, it wasn’t a flashy win, it was one we just kept plugging away at.’ But when you think about, we got eight sacks and three turnovers, there was a lot of flash to it. Proud of the way we played team football, from four field goals being made by Peyton to continuing to be efficient and execute offensively. We’re starting games so fast, putting touchdowns on the board. We probably would have liked to have had a couple more touchdowns in those times later in the game, but we’re starting fast, we’re executing, and the defense right away is getting us the ball. We won the toss and go out there and playing defense and them setting the tone like they did those first few drives, it gets us that cushion. We’re pretty tough to play when we have that lead. We can play freely on both sides of the ball.
“… On to UCLA. Short week. Guys start school this week. We’ve got to travel. It’s a Friday game. We moved on very quickly to UCLA yesterday, just knowing all those things are in front of us. I know our guys are in it right now mentally and I expect them to have a really good week of practice.
On Laiatu Latu being ineligible to play at UW after medically retiring and then being cleared to return at UCLA
“It’s up to the institutions. Physicians have a job to do and they have to deem what’s right for that person in their mind. Different places have different doctors, and different doctors will have different feelings on that limit. I’ve been at other places where the same thing’s happened both ways. I didn’t even really realize what was going on until once we started the season, or very close to it, that he was a player that had played here and had moved on. On the field, he’s certainly a guy that’s making a lot of plays and one we’ve got to be very aware of. He’s doing a nice job for them, getting to the quarterback and such.”
On Jaxson Kirkland
“Jaxson had a good week of practice and continues to get back into the flow. These guys had all spring and summer and fall, and he’s continuing to get in the flow. That volume that we’re working with him on just continues to progress. Part of the plan was hopefully we could get to a spot where we could get him out of there for a series or two so he could finish strong. And then the lead became what it was. That was really on us coaches just to do that. We’re looking at big picture with him. We fortunately have the luxury where we can move Troy. We’ve got a guy like Troy that can play both spots, and we’ve got Nate, who’s doing a great job. That luxury right now exists, and we’re developing depth. You’ve got Matteo and Corey playing both at center. Really love the vibe that our guys have. They’re in it for the team-first piece. Whatever they’ve got to do for the team they’re willing to sacrifice.”
On the red zone
“We just missed on a couple things. Literally, it could go either way. You put the ball on the ground and now you’re in a really good situation, maybe you have a first down and a new set of downs to score. I think it always comes down to execution. It’s different things, right? The week before it was flat-out on the 1-yard line. This week it was just more of a red zone thing. But, I think the thing to always look at is offensively we are flipping the field when we are backed up. We are driving down the field. There are very few three-and-outs or anything of that nature. We are very consistent moving the ball.
“The percentages show the further you have to drive the ball the less chance you have of getting a touchdown. We’ve been very successful with long drives, but there was longer drives, and those drives were still successful consistently throughout the game. Probably missed a couple opportunities on some explosives that were really close, and those explosives are the ones that help you not have to put as many plays together.
“Flipping it, that’s what was a big part of the game Saturday for our defense. Sometimes it’s like, ‘Oh, we should have gotten off the field on a third down here or there,’ but we kept tackling, we kept making them play another play and sooner or later we got to the quarterback and got a sack, sooner or later we got that turnover. Just thinking both ways, those explosives were important. That field position was important. Our offense consistently moved it down and got into some good field goal opportunities.
“I’m really pleased with where we’re at. You always learn from those experiences. We’ll be better and better. Teams are doing a good job of scheming us a little bit more, too.”
On Edefuan Ulofoshio
“Still same timeline. Really expecting him to play at some point this season. That certainly is the expectation. Don’t foresee it being in the next month. But I would hope after that we’d be starting to talk about week-to-week and some point day to day.”
On lasting memories from DeBoer’s win over UCLA last year Fresno State
“It’s just always a lesson in keep fighting, keep playing. It’s never over until it’s over. That game really doesn’t mean anything to this team, but those are things that just continue to give you that fighting mentality as a coach. Our guys are probably aware of the experience we went through. There’s been different times when it’s been brought up, whether it be spring ball, summer, it might’ve been showing a two-minute drill — those type of things. But it doesn’t really mean anything. Two different teams that’re lining up against each other. Obviously, we’ve got good memories as a coaching staff — good experiences of what’s taken place. We know we got a great football team that we’re going to be facing here this weekend. DTR is definitely a guy that causes problems. Fortunately, we’ve had a couple games where we’ve had some experience against some quarterbacks that are mobile, that can move around, and we’ve got to learn from that and adjust and go make plays.”
On if he remembers the feeling of learning Ja’Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillan, and Rome Odunze had decided to stay
“Oh yeah. Oh yeah, I remember. They were kind of at different times. It wasn’t like all three at the same time just made the same decision. All three of them were a little bit different. But it was in the same kind of window of time, a day or so. There was obviously this excitement. I felt like at that time there was more — we just need to prove to you that you’re making the right decision. That’s what I remember thinking. I’m going to prove to you this is what you’re supposed to do. This is where you’re supposed to be. Probably said that to them while we were going through that time — whether it be watching film, I know they spent a lot of time with myself, talking with Coach (Ryan) Grubb and just really understanding what this offense was going to be.
“It showed a lot about them and how thorough they are. Now you’re seeing some of those characteristics come up in how hard they work, the preparation they put in, how much they care, how team-oriented they are. They were just really going through the process because they’d been through a lot. I have nothing but a ton of appreciation for what we did. I think, in the end, we are closer now because of those conversations that we had. Whether it be me with them or Coach Grubb with them. Or me talking to their parents as we were going through this. I think we’re tighter. I think we’re closer because of the trust that we built up way back in January.”
On his daughter, Alexis DeBoer, committing to Washington softball
“Yeah. It’s my daughter. This is a different deal. Obviously, it’s a fine line, but this is a proud moment to be a dad. Super excited that Alexis is getting this opportunity. Really cool deal. A year ago today she was at a camp — a softball camp here with coach (Heather) Tarr. This was one of those schools going back even when we lived on the other side of the country that she had identified because of the success and because of what Coach Tarr does and her staff. It’s an awesome group of young women here in this program.
“Softball is a huge part of our life. But a year ago today she was at a camp. She actually came with my wife to the Cal game. They flew in on a Friday and the game was at night. They went and watched the game and went to the camp the next day. It’s crazy how full-circle we’ve gone and here we go. Super proud.”
On if DeBoer has talked much with Tarr
“I love softball, so I’m around them too much probably. All the coaches. We have a great group of coaches here — not just Coach Tarr, but all the other coaches here in this athletic department. When we have a chance to get together, it’s a special time. I’m constantly learning things from them. When we have our time, we’ll get together again this week as an athletic department with the head coaches. There’s just always something I feel like you walk away taking from it. I feel like the support we have for each other is only getting stronger amongst all the coaches. It’s really cool to have another level to this being personal with my family now as well.”
On Carson Bruener’s kickoff coverage
“That’s been really fun to see. You know, the first week (UW) struggled as a unit. All it takes is one guy not doing his job. With as many moving parts and having a live look at the kicks where it’s hard to simulate those in practice, I just think more and more each week now we’re putting the right guys in the right spots. We see Carson as one of those key guys that we need to get in in a way. We can do it in different ways, but we can get him in a spot where he can go be that impact player and go make a play. He understands his role, but he also understands what the other guys around him are doing just like an offensive player or a defensive player. He’s going in and you just don’t know on those returns if all of a sudden that returner’s going to be coming your way, and he’s been ready every time.
“I think Davon Banks has done a nice job at different times, too. But there’s more to it. Guys are running down the field hard. Our kicks are better. I think you saw again this past Saturday where they just fair caught it and we’re good with being on the 25-yard line. It wasn’t like we were able to boot it through the endzone and that’s why the touchback happened. They were fair catching it. That’s a lot of pride that our kickoff team is instilling and what they’re doing and how they’re setting the tone. Whether it be at the beginning of the game or after any score. They have to go out there and continue the momentum. Carson’s been at the forefront of that.”
On Kirkland’s performance
“Good. Again, the plan was when we pulled him out for a series or two to get him back in there and then the lead just kind of kept growing. That was the only reason he didn’t go back in.”
On if DeBoer thought about pulling Penix earlier
“The worst thing that I want to do is pull guys and then have to put them back in.
“There came a point where the score got out of hand. Maybe another series we could have gotten him out earlier. But, with what we were doing, and what the frame of mind is that we were in, where we were pretty much handing the ball off, wasn’t anything where I was too nervous. Nothing where I was too nervous about him being in jeopardy or vulnerable.”
On Jordan Perryman, Mishael Powell, and Asa Turner
“I think Perryman is really close. He’s the closest out of all of them, really hopeful and expecting him to be back out there this week. Felt that way even maybe this last week that that could happen. Just getting him, not even over the hump, just getting that volume to where he feels great about being out there. Asa could actually be a possibility this weekend. (Powell) will not.”
On how Penix has improved since DeBoer last coached him at Indiana
“I would say maturity, but he was very mature, calm, and collected even in 2019. I just have to think that there’s a confidence level that he’s got after the 2019 (season) and then coming back in 2020, he had a lot of success that year. Some big games against tough opponents. I think that was probably something that happened after I was with him and I think he’s got a lot of confidence in the guys around him. When you have confidence in those people that are surrounding you and you can just do your job, and when you’re as talented as he is, you just play free and you cut it loose. That’s a piece that he’s always had.
“He and Coach Grubb are just in sync. It’s really cool to see the belief that he has carrying over to Coach Grubb and Coach Grubb dialing it up, not afraid to be aggressive no matter where we are on the field, no matter where we’re at in the game. That trust goes both ways. Right now we’re obviously riding the momentum of all that. It’s cool. Even if it goes against you for a short time and some adversity hits, I really feel like Mike understands that it’s just temporary. We preach that to the team. He’ll get us back on track.
“He’s just so talented. He can put the ball where he wants to. I think he threw a ball close to 70 yards last week on the money in practice on a deep ball and everyone kinda was in awe of that. I went back and was actually doing the calculation on the film. His arm strength, to me, wasn’t about how far he could throw it. To me, it was about the balls he can make across the field and back-shoulder throws with accuracy and the quick release that he has. He certainly can throw the ball deep as well.”