Lauren Kirschman

The News Tribune

Right after Jake Browning threw his only interception against Utah, running back Myles Gaskin approached him with some advice.

But head coach Chris Petersen didn’t say anything.

“If there’s one guy in the stadium that knows that needs to not happen, for sure, it’d be him,” Petersen said at his press conference on Monday.

Browning completed 14 of 24 passes for 155 yards in UW’s 21-7 victory over the Utes, passing for one touchdown and running for another. But Browning also threw an interception while trying to avoid a sack, an effort he’s often been critiqued for.

With the Huskies’ driving early in the fourth quarter, Browning scrambled backward to avoid pressure and his desperate throw landed in the hands of Utah defensive tackle Pita Tonga.

Enter Gaskin.

“Right after that, Myles told me to just take the sack and stop doing that,” Browning said after the win, “so I’m probably going to do that from now on.”

Luckily for UW, Tonga bobbled and dropped the ball steps before the end zone and then the Huskies’ defense held the Utes scoreless. After the game, Browning was asked about the interception being the one thing fans would remember about his performance.

“I hope people remember that we came down to Utah and won by 14,” he said. “I think people can nitpick quarterbacks pretty hard. I’m going to nitpick myself pretty hard. On some of those third downs, in my mind I’m thinking I’m just going to battle for the first down.”

Later, Gaskin stepped in to defend his quarterback, saying Browning’s interception would be a “dumb takeaway” from UW’s victory.

“I feel like people really don’t respect Jake as much as they should,” Gaskin said. “He’s been a four-year starter. He’s been a leader of this team for four years. He came in as a true freshman and played his heart out. He’s been playing his heart out this whole time.”

On Saturday, Petersen said those kind of plays don’t fall solely on Browning’s shoulders. Still, when asked about the topic again two days later, Petersen said Browning needs to learn to throw the ball away or take a sack when there are no other options. Browning has thrown four interceptions so far this season, including two against North Dakota.

“He knows it,” Petersen said. Monday. “We’ve got to improve, there’s no question. Like I said after the game, we need to help him. But there’s going to become times where we help him as much (as we can) and the game of football goes how it goes.

“Somebody misses a block, they bring a blitz and he’s going to have to throw the ball away or he’s going to have to take a sack. It is what it is.”

Petersen also echoed something Gaskin brought up after Saturday’s game: When Gaskin scrambles, it doesn’t always end in a sack. Against Utah, the decision led to him finding Ty Jones in the end zone to put the Huskies ahead 21-7. Offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said after the win that Browning was “just trying to make a play.”

“We want him to go for it,” Hamdan said. “We think he does. He’s as competitive a kid as there is.”

As Browning and the Huskies move forward, it’s all about finding the right balance.

“I don’t think we realize how many plays that kid has made with his feet,” Petersen said. “That’s part of his game. Now, do we need to clean up the other part? No question.”

Linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven named Pac-12 defensive player of the week

Washington linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven was named the Pac-12 defense player of the week on Monday for the first time in his career.

A senior from Menlo Park, Calif., Burr-Kirven led UW with 11 tackles in the 21-7 victory over Utah in Salt Lake City. The Huskies’ defense held Utah to seven points and 261 yards of total offense.

Burr-Kirven is averaging 11.0 tackles per game, which leads the Huskies and ranks fourth in the Pac-12.

The Utes made three trips deep into UW territory in the fourth quarter on Saturday, but the Huskies kept them out of the end zone each time.