Notebook | UW shuffles lineups, still can't draw win

New looks on Washington's defense Saturday against Oregon State weren't moves made to jazz up a unit that ranked as the worst in school history through the first five games.

Instead, the changes were apparently made due to injuries and illness.

Fifth-year senior Johnie Kirton started at defensive tackle in place of true freshman Senio Kelemete, who had been sick most of the week.

A change to the linebacking corps made up for a recent injury to Josh Gage, who didn't play. With Gage out, the Huskies moved middle linebacker Donald Butler to Gage's strongside linebacker spot, with senior Trenton Tuiasosopo starting in the middle.

The defense held Oregon State to 421 yards — 75 fewer than the 496 the first five opponents averaged.

But big plays ultimately killed the Huskies in a 34-13 Pac-10 loss.

"Our guys did better," said defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. "You look for small victories."

Kirton said he thought the linebacker change helped out.

"That's the best three [linebackers] that we have," Kirton said of the starting unit of Tuiasosopo, Butler and Mason Foster. "I'm not a coach [but] I would say maybe we should have done that earlier. But I can't really say that. I just think it's them making that decision to do what is best for the team."

In another change, true freshman Victor Aiyewa made his first career start in place of Tripper Johnson at strong safety.

Donatell said he would review that lineup to see if it will remain in place.

Dailey back on feet

Another first-time starter was true freshman running back Terrance Dailey. He was one of the few tailbacks still standing by the end of the week, with injuries felling David Freeman and Brandon Yakaboski.

Dailey looked like he was set to join them when he was hit hard by Oregon State safety Al Afalava in the first half and stayed on the ground for a while.

Dailey said he suffered a cut lip and what trainers feared at first was a concussion, though he said he got the wind knocked out of him. After a few moments he bounced to his feet and ran to the sideline.

"They [OSU players] were doing a lot of talking like 'he isn't going to get up, he's not going to get up,' " he said. "They were talking smack, so I got up and gave them a thumbs up like, 'I'm fine.' "

Dailey showed he was recovered when he ran up the middle 59 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, UW's longest play of the season. That run was the main reason he finished with 102 yards, making him Washington's first 100-yard rusher of the season.

"They said I needed to hit the hole faster and harder," he said. "I was juking too much. So that one, I just went straight and used my speed."

Do-everything receiver

D'Andre Goodwin was in no mood to gush about the biggest day of his college career.

"Nobody likes losing especially when you have no wins in the season, but we're not giving up," he said.

Goodwin, who played sparingly in Washington's last outing because of a rib injury, unveiled a big-play ability that had been missing earlier in the season.

He finished with five receptions for 136 yards and hauled in two passes that covered 48 and 46 yards. Goodwin also had a 51-yard reception negated by a holding penalty and nearly tiptoed the sideline for a long reception late in the first quarter.

"Not to brag, but I feel like I can do a lot of different things," Goodwin said.

"I can be a possession receiver, go for the big plays, catch some short and make people miss. I'm trying to be a complete receiver where I can do all of those things."

Huskies kick it away

Washington was 2 for 4 on field goals and is now 3 for 8 this season, though it wasn't for want of trying something new. Jared Ballman, usually the team's punter, took three of the attempts, all from 40 yards or longer. Ballman has been tried at times as the team's long-distance kicker, though Ryan Perkins has usually taken attempts from 45 yards or less.

Ballman missed from 40 but hit from 44 and 45.

Perkins missed a try from 36.

Perkins has gone 1 for 3 this season, and Ballman is 2 for 5.

NOTE

• For most teams, seven penalties for 42 yards isn't much, but Washington ranks sixth nationally for fewest penalty yards and 10th in fewest penalties. Still, the Huskies were penalized three times in the first quarter, including two holding infractions that negated long gains.

"Huge chunks of plays were taken away by stupid penalties," offensive coordinator Tim Lappano said. "That's not us."

• Though only about half of the announced crowd of 63,996 stuck around that long, the loudest applause of the day came when the 1977 Huskies team was introduced at the end of the third quarter. That team, which was coached by Don James and was shown on the jumbo screen, posted an 8-4 record and beat Michigan in the 1978 Rose Bowl.

• Washington's game captains were Paul Homer, Johnie Kirton, Michael Gottlieb and Daniel Te'o-Nesheim.