Mickens makes his mark

Jaydon Mickens was not really expected to play a major role in the Washington offense this season. Not with the newfound depth at receiver, and especially not with the freshman slot guy who many thought was going to be better. Yet, after one game, there is Mickens, sitting atop the UW’s receiving leaders thanks to a nine-catch, 109-yard effort. He is ahead of names like Kasen Williams, Kevin Smith and, of course, John Ross, the freshman receiver who was supposed to burn Pac-12 secondaries with his blazing speed. That top group of four receivers gives the Huskies something head coach Steve Sarkisian has pointed out repeatedly throughout the summer and in the new season: depth. Sarkisian has said this UW team is the deepest one he has coached on Montlake, and nowhere is that more evident than on offense, where quarterback Keith Price has a multitude of options to throw to on every play. He has Williams, a 6-foot-2 junior with excellent hands who led the team with 77 catches last year. He has Smith, a veteran leader expected to take a bigger role in the offense in his senior season. He has Ross, a 5-foot-11 freshman dynamo with speed to burn. And ahead of all of them is Mickens, a 5-foot-10 sophomore who caught 20 balls and had some problems adjusting to college football last season. Not anymore. “He’s more confident,” Williams said. “I think that’s one of the big things with him. He’s not playing like a little freshman anymore. He’s embraced himself and his position and has really taken the steps to be great.” The sophomore was involved early and often against Boise State, picking up five catches and a carry in the first half alone. He was a large part of the reason why Price was so efficient (23-of-31 passing for 324 yards), getting outside of the tackles and finding room underneath to showcase his speed on screens and swing passes. When asked if those screen passes are his favorite way to get the ball and use his quickness, Mickens laughed. “It doesn’t matter,” Mickens said. “I don’t care what way I get the ball, I’m going to try and utilize my speed anyway.” Combined with preseason All-American tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, the receivers give the Huskies the pass-catching depth that every team craves, but few are fortunate enough to have. That depth is especially important considering the Huskies recent switch to a no-huddle offense, which tires out players much faster. “It’s great, the young guys are coming in and studying,” Mickens said. “Everybody’s in great shape, we’ve worked hard with coach Ivan Lewis. We try to wear defenses down, and that’s what we are going to try to do for the games to come.” Just as big of a positive as having a lot of receivers is having receivers who can do different things. Williams is as sure-handed of a receiver as can be found, and his size and route-running make him a nuisance to cover. Smith, meanwhile, is something of a deep threat, as his team-long 42-yard reception against Boise State might signify. And Mickens and Ross provide speed from the slot that can be downright dangerous in the open field. This is how the offense ran in the season opener. When Price wanted to look down the field more, he focused his attention on Williams or Smith. When he needed to dump it off or wanted to throw short, he found Mickens and Ross. The variety of skill sets in his wide receivers is exactly what Sarkisian is looking for to make his offense go. “It helps you try to put guys into position to do the things that they do well, and not just have the same three or four guys out there running plays,” Sarkisian said. “I know I have certain players that can do certain things really well, and we can tailor those plays to when they’re on the field.” As Ross becomes more comfortable with the offense, he will likely get more touches, which could mean fewer for Mickens. But if week one is any indication, Mickens will play an important part in the UW offense. It may not matter to him how he gets the ball, but as long as opposing defenses struggle to slow him down, he will get the ball in his hands. Reach reporter Daniel Rubens at sports@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @drubens12

Mickens makes his mark

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