Jedd Fisch Breaks Silence on ‘Tough’ Washington Blunder As HC Confirms Sad Injury Update

The Washington Huskies’ season opener against Colorado State was a tale of two halves. The first half told a story of struggle and mistakes, but the second half was all about the Huskies proving their mettle. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. had a standout game, completing 18 of 24 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown. But the star of the show was a running back. Jonah Coleman charged down the field with 177 rushing yards and two touchdowns, nearly matching his career best. But while the Huskies ultimately pulled away in the second half, the game was far from clean.

Even though Coleman’s 26-yard touchdown run put Washington ahead early, Colorado State wasn’t going to roll over. Huskies’ Head Coach Jedd Fisch quickly pointed out the things that shouldn’t be repeated in the rest of the schedule. During the post-game press conference, Fisch admitted that the early going was marred by some “self-inflicted” mistakes that could have cost them the game. “You’re going to make some mistakes that you just don’t want to see happen over and over,” Fisch said.

“The snap, the exchange fumble, that was a tough mistake in that situation. We’re on the 31-yard line, two-minute drive, minute and 40 left. Had a chance [to] at least have a field goal there. Instead, they actually went down and scored a touchdown. So that was a really rough exchange there. We had a false start penalty on the third and five on I think the 28 yd line, knocked us back to a third and 10. And then we had a mental error on offense there. So those couple [of] drives were really self-inflicted.” Let’s talk about the faults from the start. After Coleman’s first TD, Colorado State quickly answered back. The Rams, led by senior quarterback Tahj Bullock stepping in for the starter, orchestrated a patient 75-yard drive that showcased their physical rushing attack and ability to convert under pressure.

The Rams gained 35 yards on the ground during this drive, highlighted by Bullock’s own two-yard touchdown run that tied the game 7-7 in the first quarter. With a blend of short runs and smart play-calling, the Rams exploited gaps in Washington’s defense, attacking especially on the edges. On defense, Colorado State forced some stops that kept the Huskies from building a runaway lead. The Rams executed well on third downs, notably converting a third-and-19 in a later drive with a 25-yard catch from their 6-foot-8 tight end Jaxxon Warren, showing they could stretch the field and keep the Huskies’ defense honest. And then the self-inflicted woes Fisch mentioned. They quickly capitalized by scoring a touchdown that tied the game 14-14 before the break.

Adding to the frustration, the false start penalty. That made conversions more difficult just when Washington needed to make things count. The Huskies’ offense started clicking more fluidly in the second half. Coleman carried 24 times for 177 yards and two touchdowns. While Demond Williams Jr. threw for 226 yards and added 68 rushing yards. Boston contributed five receptions for 92 yards and a score. After a turnover, Washington capitalized with a 24-yard field goal from Grady Gross to go up 31-21 with 12:11 remaining. What really stood out in this half was how Washington’s ground game began to dominate. Lastly, the star of the show, Coleman, broke a 38-yard run, three yards short of the end zone, with 6:57 to go. And Washington sealed a 38-21 win, extending their impressive 21-game home winning streak.

Washington Huskies’ health updates behind the stat line

Jedd Fisch offered some important updates about the team’s injury situation. “I expect Omari Evans back soon. I’m not sure about Dyson,” he said post-game. Evans, who transferred from Penn State, has struggled with injuries much of his time at Washington. That includes the spring and much of fall camp. Despite missing the season opener against Colorado State with an injury, Fisch’s positive tone hinted that Evans would be rejoining the team on the field shortly. That, in turn, should solidify the Huskies’ offensive options.

On the other hand, Dyson McCutcheon’s return is still uncertain. McCutcheon is known for his role as a nickelback or safety. He hasn’t been sharing snaps during fall camp and stayed off the field for the first showdown of 2025. As much as the Huskies are eager to get him back to bolster their pass rush, the cautious approach means he probably won’t be ready to contribute in the near term.

His injury status has been a concern because McCutcheon is a key part of the Huskies’ secondary and defensive rotation. In the shadow of McCutcheon’s absence, younger defensive backs like Leroy Bryant and Rahshawn Clark stepped up to fill the vacancy. There hasn’t been an official timeline for McCutcheon’s return. The Huskies coaching staff, including Fisch, has approached his recovery cautiously. They emphasized the importance of getting him back healthy rather than rushing him onto the field prematurely.