The third-year defensive back has been a key and movable piece for the Huskies through the first two games of the season.
Through the first two weeks of the season, the Washington Huskies football team has been the clear-cut strength of the team.
The Huskies defense has allowed three total touchdowns through the first two weeks and 12 points a game. The two respective showings allowed Washington to prevail 24-10 against the Washington State Cougars in Week 1 and 16-14 against the Utah State Aggies in Week 2 despite disjointed showings and injuries from the offense.
In both games, third-year defensive back Rahshawn Clark has been an integral piece.
Through the first two weeks of the season, Clark has registered two total tackles (one solo), has defended one pass and had an interception to seal the Huskies' win against the Aggies on Sept. 12.
Clark's stats don't jump off the page from a surface level, but his ability and versatility on defense has been key to opening up opportunities for other players on defense.
Clark is officially listed as the team's starting slot corner/nickelback, but often moves up to single-high/free safety. That defensive formation allows the team's listed starting safeties, fourth-year Alex McLaughlin and second-year Rylon Dillard-Allen to move closer to the line of scrimmage.
McLaughlin has taken advantage of those opportunities in the box. Through two games, he has posted 15 total tackles (13 solo), including three tackles for loss and two sacks. These stats come in conjunction with a pass defended and two interceptions.
Dillard-Allen has recorded five total tackles (four solo) and one pass breakup.
Clark's move to free safety is usually when the opposing offense is in 12-personnel (one running back, two tight ends). Those formations and personnel usually indicate a run or shorter-to-intermediate passing concepts, allowing McLaughlin and and Dillard-Allen to move closer to the line of scrimmage.
Adding McLaughlin and Dillard-Allen to the box already adds to a defensive front fraught with a balance of athleticism and experience, including: linebackers Jacob Manu and Xe'ree Alexander, among others, and a defensive line that features players such as Elinneus Davis, Jacob Lane, Derek Colman-Brusa and Ramzak Fruean.
"(Clark moving back to safety) allows us to have some flexibility, defensively, with different variations in coverage," UW defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said in a weekly news conference Tuesday. "When you get bigger, it limits what the bodies on the field can do from a coverage standpoint. With his ball skills, his coverage ability, that's why I kind of put him back there and let Alex and RDA get closer to the box. ... It definitely helps us schematically."
Clark's versatility will likely be relied on a lot in the team's upcoming game against the Eastern Washington Eagles, set to take place at 4:15 p.m. PT on Saturday at Husky Stadium in Seattle. Starting outside corner Emmanuel Karnley might not be able to play due to injury, which would mean fellow nickelback and true freshman Jeron Jones would move outside.
