It wasn’t certain that Washington’s fifth-year senior linebacker, would play against Northwestern after injuring his left arm in the fourth quarter of the Apple Cup against Washington State. However, not only did Bruener take the field, but he also made a significant impact in Washington’s 24-5 win at Husky Stadium.
One of Carson Bruener’s standout moments came late in the second quarter when he intercepted a pass, halting what had been Northwestern’s best drive of the half. This play allowed the Huskies to maintain a 17-2 lead going into halftime, and with the defense’s dominance, that lead felt insurmountable.
“Seeing Carson make that interception energized the entire defense to keep forcing three and outs,” said UW edge rusher Isaiah Ward, who recorded his first career sack during the game.
Bruener, whose father Mark was a star tight end at UW before a lengthy NFL career, also contributed six tackles, tying for the team lead with Sebastian Valdez.
“We discussed all week about how hard we could push ourselves,” said UW coach Jedd Fisch. “Carson was confident, saying, ‘Coach, I got it, we’ll be fine.’ He and Zo [Alphonzo Tuputala] are outstanding leaders, and that interception was a fantastic play.”
In the Apple Cup, Bruener played a crucial role as a spy on WSU quarterback John Mateer, who poses a running threat. The Huskies managed to limit Mateer’s success while Bruener was in the game. After Bruener left the Apple Cup with about eight minutes remaining, Mateer found more room to run, making Husky fans relieved to have Bruener back for Northwestern.
Ward expressed his admiration, saying, “He’s our leader. Watching him recover from injury and perform so well motivates me to emulate his determination.”
Bruener, a team captain from Redmond High School, has been impressive all season, entering the game with 15 tackles, second on the team, including two for loss.
With several defensive players missing, Bruener’s presence was crucial, especially since Northwestern had averaged only 21 points and 355 yards in their three nonconference games. It quickly became evident that even those averages would be hard for the Wildcats to achieve on Saturday.
As the season progresses, the challenges will increase, and Bruener’s leadership will be vital for the Huskies.
“I’m excited to see him continue to lead us in the next eight games and beyond, and to help teach the younger players how to be the leaders he is,” Fisch said.
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