Washington football generating elite havoc rate on defense

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Throughout fall camp, defensive coordinator Ryan Walters had one clear message when it came to improvements he wanted to see made on his defense: create more havoc plays. Just two weeks into the season, Washington's defense has wasted no time doing so. The Huskies are currently tied for No. 3 in the nation in turnover margin while ranking amongst the top teams in the country in havoc rate.

While the term "havoc rate" can be seen as a general statement to have an increased sense of intensity and urgency as a unit, there are analytics to back it up. The statistic refers to a defense's ability to create negative plays for opposing offenses, including tackles for loss, forced fumbles, pass breakups, and interceptions.

According to CFBTrack, the Huskies currently rank as the No. 4 defense in the country with a havoc rate of 27.8 percent, meaning they are creating a negative play approximately once in every four snaps. Washington trails only New Mexico, Virginia Tech, and LSU.

"We've been opportunistic for sure as a program," said Walters during Tuesday's press conference. "Not just as a staff, but as a program, we've definitely put an emphasis on generating takeaways and taking care of the football, so our offense has done a great job of not turning it over. So that's why were where were at, and we've taken advantage of opportunities to get takeaways, and so hopefully that trend continues throughout the course of the season."

One of the main contributors to the cause has been the defensive line, made up of a healthy rotation of veterans, transfers, and freshmen. On the interior, fourth-year Elinneus Davis has emerged as a leader in a group that features transfers Kai McClendon, DeSean Watts, and Darin Conley. That list doesn't include one of the most impactful new pieces of the line, freshman Derek Colman-Brusa, who has recorded 7 tackles, 2 for loss, and a sack in his first two games.

On the outside, starting edge rushers Jacob Lane and Ramzak Fruean have been a force to be reckoned with, but they're not the only ones wreaking havoc in the backfield. Fifth-year seniors Russell Davis II and Isaiah Ward, both of whom dealt with injury last year, have returned to play in a major way.

Davis tallied a sack in the Apple Cup, while Ward has recorded a tackle for loss to go along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery against Washington State. Now that both veteran Arizona transfers are healthy, Washington's pass rush has seen a massive leap in production from years past.

To go along with a sturdy front seven is a secondary that flies to the ball, highlighted by safety Alex McLaughlin and freshman cornerback Jeron Jones. Through the first two weeks, the Huskies' back line has combined for five interceptions, with McLaughlin being responsible for a pair, Jones having one to his name, while Rahshawn Clark came up with the game-sealing pick against Utah State.

As Walters and his unit prepare for Eastern Washington ahead of Big Ten play, it will look to stay consistent in their ability to stifle opposition while creating extra possessions for an offense that has struggled so far.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington football generating elite havoc rate on defense

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