On Friday it was Sam Huard’s turn to audition for the University of Washington’s first quarterback job. It didn’t start well, but his time in the bag probably couldn’t have ended much better.
On his second snap during extended scrimmage time in Fall Practice #2, Huard was intercepted by Husky hybrid player Dominque Hampton, who made a veteran move down the middle and wrestled the ball away from Ja’Lynn Polk.
The UW defense loudly celebrated Hampton’s turn-promoting aggressive style. That chorus didn’t last long.
On the very next play, Huard lined up and threw a high-arc shot down the left flank to Jalen McMillan, who caught the ball just beyond cornerback Mishael Powell’s reach and hit it from 57 yards. The play was stunning for the instant turnaround it created.
Later, freshman redshirt quarterback Rome found Odunze, who shoved and shoved with cornerback Jordan Perryman on the right touchline before they parted, and Huard delivered the ball to Odunze, who scored with a 56-yarder, though defensive players claimed he was first stepped outside the bounds.
Still later, Huard threw another high, spinning ball that former high school teammate Jabez Tinae ran under and caught behind safety Cam Williams and corner Vom Banks, turning it into a 71-yarder. By the way, Banks wears the number 10 instead of 16.
While the Huskies had to be content with their young quarterback’s passing performance, the long balls over a rebuilt UW secondary were a bit concerning.
“You think about it, this is basically our second time with our guys getting into the program and obviously we’re early in camp and the guys are going to make mistakes,” said co-defensive coordinator Chuck Morrell. “We have young people in certain positions who have to learn – and that’s the fastest way to learn.”
At her expense, Huard learned to bounce back from his own adversity without batting an eyelid.
The quarterback contest, which involves Indiana’s Michael Penix Jr. and returning starter Dylan Morris, continues to be closely watched.
The more mobile and experienced Penix is perceived as the leader in this two-week positional battle. Nevertheless, coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff keep a very close eye on all employees. In fact, DeBoer stood near his QBs to watch, then moved well across the field for a long angle.
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Unlike the first day when the rain dampened things down a bit, the whole morning was full of sunshine and a light breeze and a padless workout.
Freshman tight end Ryan Otton and walk-on edge rusher Jake Jennings were the first casualties of fall camp, both having to watch from the sidelines from day one with what are believed to be minor discomforts.
Nebraska transfer Will Nixon, a redshirt freshman running back, looked a little upset after being knocked hard off his feet by a giant rubber ball during a passing practice. The balls are used by coaches to trick players into changing direction or taking a fall.
Penix and Nixon also mishandled a handoff that edge rusher Sav’ell Smalls picked up and ran into the end zone from 14 yards to score.
Supporting husky hybrid Kamren Fabiculanan dived and intercepted one of Penix’s passes while playing a few heads-up games on his behalf. The player known as Kam Fab celebrated his passport snatch with Hampton, both swinging their arms and swaying their hips, which was rare for a DeBoer workout but proved commonplace during Jimmy Lake’s tenure.
Edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui had his moments and was credited with hitting Morris in back-to-back games. However, the animated was heard exchanging words with a couple of offensive linemen across the field after the other boys allegedly beat him in a previous game. Not long after, the always lively player named ZTF could be heard singing as he walked the sidelines.
Practice ended with the players stepping into large gray plastic tubs and sitting in ice baths in the shade of the south deck.
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