Huskies defense banks on ability instead of experience

The case for the defense, as I see it, is best understanding that Terry Johnson, Washington's junior defensive lineman, was once recruited by Pepperdine.

Pepperdine?

"A combination basketball-volleyball scholarship," said Johnson, who eschewed playing volleyball on the beach at Malibu for gritty two-a-day practices on Montlake.

There is little question that Washington's hopes in the nationally-televised season opener at Michigan rest in the hands and arms and feet of a defense that wasn't very good last year, and lost its anchor, Larry Tripplett, to the NFL.

What the Huskies are banking on is a general upgrade — across the board, really — in athletic ability. Rick Neuheisel has spent four years corralling players with superior speed.

The corners, Derrick Johnson and Roc Alexander, cover 40 yards in 4.3 seconds. Indeed, Alexander has even run 4.2.

The linebackers, all of them, run 4.5 or better.

And then there is Terry Johnson, who at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds, has run 4.7.

"He is what you are looking for," Neuheisel said. "He has great strength and quickness. With consistency, he will be an all-league player for Washington."

Johnson, who returned a pass interception 38 yards for a touchdown against Texas in the Holiday Bowl, will start on one side of Jerome Stevens, another junior, who is 6-3, 285. The other starting lineman will likely be 6-3, 255-pound Manase Hopoi, an explosive sophomore who was unable to play last season as a freshman.

It is, by any measure, an inexperienced and relatively undersized front.

"We are not going to sit there and let them be targets," Neuheisel said. "We've got to do some things to keep the offense off balance."

It all has to do with speed and quickness. The guys behind the starters — Josh Miller, Graham Lasee, Junior Coffin, Tui Alailefaleula and Donny Mateaki — are all long on athletic ability and short on experience.

As for Johnson, once he decided not to play volleyball and basketball — he was recruited to Pepperdine in part by Lorenzo Romar — then he had to pick between Washington and Ohio State.

"If I was going to be a football player then I wanted to be a tough one," he said. "And when I watched Washington play I saw toughness."

An important move to making this defense better this season was the switch of senior Anthony Kelley to the pass-rush linebacking position currently manned by Kai Ellis.

Neither Ellis nor Kelley gave the kind of performances last year expected of them. Ellis was hurt, and Kelley seemed out of position.

"Anthony has had his most influence as a pass rusher," Neuheisel said. "We think this will help."

Ellis, an NFL prospect, made 13 tackles against Michigan a year ago before he was hurt. If he is healthy, this defense will be better for no other reason.

"We've not had speed like this before," said Johnson, who went to the same high school (McClintock) Neuheisel did in Phoenix. "I think we've really got a good concept, a defense that gets up the field and makes penetration. We all realized now that nothing happens at the line of scrimmage. The backfield, that is where this defense is headed."

The opposition will want to run right at an inexperienced and undersized line. The Huskies will want to get up field so quickly that the opposition feels immediately under siege, much like what Oregon did to Colorado last year in the Fiesta Bowl.

Hopoi was almost unblockable in the spring. Johnson has extraordinary speed for his size. And Stevens is a warrior in the middle. Both Hopoi and Johnson were partial qualifiers at admission and can gain a year of eligibility if they get their degrees in four years.

Johnson began his Washington career as a tight end, but switched to defense a year ago. He came to Washington as what he calls "a pudgy 295-pounder." He is now a solid 285 pounds.

As much talent as there might be, there is still the reality that at times the Huskies couldn't stop the run last season with Tripplett and Marcus Roberson playing in the middle. Only Washington State and Cal failed to gain at least 100 yards rushing against the Huskies, with UCLA rushing for 325 and Miami 211.

Roberson, of course, was injured much of the season while Tripplett was the target of double teams.

"In my heart and head I know we left a lot of the hard work to Larry," Johnson said. "We depended on him too much. For the way we are going to have to play this season, it is vital that we are in good condition. We can't afford to let up."

In the center of the defense is Ben Mahdavi, who led Washington in tackles last year.

"Nobody talks about us beating Michigan or going five games without giving up a rushing touchdown," Mahdavi said. "We gave up a lot of long plays, but not a lot of long drives. I'd be worried if it were the other way around. We need to improve on last season and I think we will.

"If our defensive line can stay in their gaps, then the linebackers can make tackles and let the safeties play pass defense."

It all starts, and hopefully ends, with the guys up front.

Blaine Newnham: 206-464-2364 or bnewnham@seattletimes.com.