Today was the day Huskies defensive players and coaches meet with the media, and among the first words out of everybody's mouth was "discipline.''

"We've got to be very disciplined in keying on our reads,'' said UW secondary coach J.D. Williams.

Oregon likes to use the play-action pass a lot, which puts a premium on linebackers and defensive backs not getting fooled.

"Almost every pass comes off of some type of play-action,'' Williams said.

And because the Ducks typically line up in formations without a fullback, the Huskies might use a lot more nickel this week. LB Dan Howell said today this could be a game he doesn't play a whole lot if the Huskies decide to go with a defense designed to better cover the pass (Chris Stevens and E.J. Savannah often play on the nickel teams).

And for those of you wanting UW to pressure more this week, defensive coordinator Kent Baer says that's unlikley. "You'd like to think you can but you have to be smart about it,'' he said. "You have to have patience against an offense like that.''

MORE NOTES
--- Willingham said RB Kenny James and QB Carl Bonnell each "worked very well'' in practice Tuesday and that he was "pleased with what they gave us.'' So barring no further setbacks, each should be ready Saturday.

--- Howell took the blame for blowing the coverage on Arizona State's winning touchdown Saturday, saying he expected ASU tight end Brent Miller to run an out route. Miller instead turned up and ran down the sideline and into the end zone and caught a 25-yard pass to win the game. "That's a mistake I'll never make again, guaranteed,'' he said.

--- Linebacker Scott White is battling a touch of the flu.

--- Willingham said LB Donald Butler is unlikely to play this week with a calf bruise.

--- Jordan White-Frisbee is back practicing after sitting out last week with an arm injury. But he is unlikely to see time on the OL this year as he adjusts to his new position.

--- A few of you asked why the Huskies chose to play the overtime going into the open end of the stadium instead of the closed. I was talking to kicker Michael Braunstein today and he told me that he asked Willingham to take that end if he could because overtimes "tend to become field-goal kicking contests.'' Braunstein said he feels more comfortable kicking into that end because he likes to use the scoreboard to line up his kicks. "I have every little angle picked off from practice so I feel more confident on that end just a little bit,'' he said.

--- Braunstein also complimented the holds of punter Sean Douglas on the PAT that tied the game and the field goal in overtime. Douglas had never before held in a game but was forced into duty when Bonnell was hurt. Johnny DuRocher is the backup holder but Braunstein said once DuRocher had to play QB he began working with Douglas on the sideline and it was decided to let Douglas do the holding. Douglas admitted to me he was pretty nervous on the first one but got it down and did the second one with relative ease.