Lavon Coleman Unlikely Hero in Huskies’ Thrilling 35-28 Win
By Paul Taylor
Lavon Coleman steps us with a career game, to help secure a closer than expected victory for the Huskies in their first Pac-12 game of the season.
As usual, the Washington Huskies made things difficult for themselves in Arizona. However, when it was all said and done, they came away with an overtime victory, thanks in large part to Lavon Coleman .
Despite opening the season third on the running back depth chart, Coleman came through when the Huskies needed him most against the Wildcats. Further, on a day when their vaunted defense struggled more than expected, the only thing more surprising, was how spectacular his performance was.
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The Lompoc, California native finished the night with a career-high 181 yards, on just 11 carries. To put this into context, his game total was more than he managed all of last season.
Coleman discussed his career night with The Seattle Times‘ Adam Jude and the rest of the media: “Everybody believes they have that in them, you know?
“I depend on those guys up front. Without them, this performance wouldn’t have happened.”
At one point, it looked like the Junior’s 55-yard scoring run late in the fourth quarter, was going to be enough to secure the victory. However, the Wildcats tied things up with 17 seconds remaining, and the game went into overtime.
Not that it mattered, as Coleman ran 24 yards on the first play in overtime, to set up the winning score. He talked about the mindset of the offense going into overtime, with Jude and the rest of the media.
Coleman said: ” In the huddle, we looked at each other and said, ‘Be physical.’ That’s it: Be physical.
“We pride ourselves in being a physical team. … It’s a great win, and it’s a good thing to really learn (from).”
John Ross III raved to Jude and the media about his teammate’s performance: “That kid is really a beast.
“Every opportunity he gets, he will take advantage of it. … Today was his coming-out party.”
Despite the win, head coach Chris Petersen was understandably frustrated by the Huskies’ overall performance, knowing they can play so much better. Regardless, he was still able to appreciate their ability to overcome adversity.
Speaking to Jude and the media, Petersen said: “I am really proud of how these guys responded. They just kept fighting.”
Overall, as much as the Huskies kept fighting, they can’t afford to be as sloppy when they host Stanford this coming Friday, in a battle of two unbeaten teams. Even at this stage, the outcome will likely have ramifications for the remainder of the season.
Next: Huskies will have to clean up at home
Where do you stand, after the Huskies’ first real test this season? Are you now feeling more or less confident about their chances of challenging for the National Championship? Let us know in the comments section below.