4 things to watch in UW Huskies spring game
Washington opened 10 practices to fans this spring. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that was the first time spectators entered Husky Stadium since the 2019 season.
On Saturday, the Huskies will bring in what should be the largest crowd of spring for the spring game — an event that was canceled last season. There will limited seating available and all tickets have now been claimed, but the game will also be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.
As UW gears up for what it hopes will be a much-more routine 2021 season, here are four things fans should keep an eye on when the Huskies take the field:
1. The quarterbacks, of course.
Plenty of eyes will be on Sam Huard, a five-star recruit and one of UW’s most anticipated players in years. But throughout spring practice, redshirt sophomore Dylan Morris and graduate transfer Patrick O’Brien have been leading the Huskies’ quarterback competition.
Morris has the advantage as UW’s returning starter and he’s taken most of the snaps with the first-team offense this spring. But O’Brien has also started playing more with the first-team offense recently, although he’s mostly gone against the second-team defense.
While fans got a glimpse of what Morris could do in last year’s four-game season, Saturday’s game will offer the first taste of O’Brien in a Husky uniform — unless you made it to once of the open practices this spring.
UW brought in O’Brien from Colorado State this offseason after transfers left the Huskies with just one scholarship quarterback (Morris) before Huard arrived.
“(O’Brien’s) a done a great job,” offensive coordinator John Donovan said this week. “He’s obviously got a lot of experience. He’s a good kid. He’s smart. He’s got a good arm. He’s sneaky athletic. I’m really happy to have him. I’m impressed with him. He’s making us better. He’s pushing everybody to get better, too.”
O’Brien had 591 yards, three passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and two interceptions for the Rams in four games in 2020. In 2019, he threw for 2,803 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
“I’ve been impressed with the way Pat has been able to learn the stuff,” Donovan said. “I’m impressed with his vision. I’m impressed with his demeanor. Can he take the heat?
“I already knew D-Mo could. D-Mo can take the heat. Sometimes you got a new guy and you have to see how they react to certain situations. I think he’s been pretty cool. He can laugh at some of my dumb humor and whatnot. He can take the heat, too.”
Donovan stressed that it’s early in the process. And while Huard has been inconsistent and is currently playing behind Morris and O’Brien, Donovan said he’s not struggling to adjust to the speed of the college game.
“I don’t think that’s as much of an issue,” Donovan said. “I think it’s more about how it’s all on top of him right now. It’s being able to sort out each (responsibility) on each particular play. We’ve got a ton of plays in. We’ve got a lot of formations. We’ve got a lot of cadences. We’ve got a lot of different situational-type stuff. I think it’s more that than anything else.”
2. Who’s next up at outside linebacker?
Sixth-year senior Ryan Bowman will be one of UW’s starting outside linebackers this fall. But beyond Bowman, the Huskies have had bad luck with injuries at the position. Not only was Laiatu Latu forced to medically retire from football, but his replacement turned All-American Zion Tupuola-Fetui ruptured his Achilles tendon during spring practice and will miss six to 10 months after undergoing surgery.
Keep an eye on Sav’ell Smalls, a five-star signee in the Class of 2020. Right now, he seems like the favorite to replace Tupuola-Fetui as a starter. The Huskies also added senior Jeremiah Martin, a transfer from Texas A&M. Redshirt freshman Cooper McDonald and sophomore Bralen Trice will likely see the field, too.
“Every dude that we have in there has the ability to play college football,” Bowman said during spring practice. “We don’t have dudes in there where you’re like, ‘OK, why is this guy here?’ Every dude in there can ball. It’s just a (matter) of dudes coming along mentally.
“We’ve got a lot of dudes. Cooper McDonald is an extremely hard worker and a really talented kid. Bralen is really talented. Jeremiah is really talented. Jordan (Lolohea), Sav’ell, all those dudes can play.”
Trice’s name has come up multiple times from UW’s defensive coaches, including head coach Jimmy Lake. Defensive coordinator Bob Gregory also singled him out this week.
“One guy that keeps jumping out — and I feel really glad and good for him — is Bralen Trice,” Gregory said on Monday. “He made a couple big plays today. Every practice he seems to make big plays and get better.”
3. The depth at running back.
UW is deep at a few positions, but it would be difficult to find a group with more options than the running backs. Five running backs — sixth-year seniors Sean McGrew and Kamari Pleasant, junior Richard Newton, sophomore Cameron Davis and redshirt freshman Jay’Veon Sunday — have taken snaps with the first-team offense this spring.
The Huskies have traditionally used multiple running backs, and it’s safe to say that this year will be no exception. It’s difficult to imagine a consistent rotation of five players. Not to mention there are two more scholarship running backs — redshirt freshman Sam Adams II and early enrollee Caleb Berry — in the room, as well.
As with the quarterback position, there is plenty of time for the rotation to sort itself out. But the spring game will offer some insight into which backs could play the biggest roles for the Huskies in 2021.
“I think over time it will sort itself out,” Donovan said. “There’s been some guys that have done a great job. I think it’s very similar to the QB room — they’re going to push each other. I think at some point, I think we’re going to narrow it down once we get close to the season and really try to hone in on getting guys in the rhythm and groove.”
Davis, a former four-star recruit, could be primed for a breakout year.
“There’s a guy who’s a difference-maker with the ball in his hands,” UW running backs coach Keith Bhonapha said of Davis. “He has the ability to change gears.”
McGrew led UW in 2020 with 227 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while Newton paced the Huskies with 11 touchdowns in 2019. Newton’s role significantly decreased last season.
“(Davis) ran hard the other day,” Donovan said Monday. “You earn the right to play and if he runs like that, he’ll earn the right to play. He’s done a good job.
“I thought Rich Newton did a great job of running hard and pass protection. Jay’Veon, if you guys have seen him, he’s got some great ability. Sean McGrew’s been around. He’s a guy you know you can trust, and he’s made plays in games. Kamari’s the same way. Those guys have been around. We know what they can do.”
4. The improvement of Kyler Gordon.
Kyler Gordon’s athleticism has never been in doubt, but it’s taken the defensive back longer to develop his technique. But Gordon, who has made a name for himself on special teams, has been a standout performer this spring. He seems like a sure bet to start alongside Trent McDuffie at cornerback.
Gordon started four games at cornerback in 2019 before inconsistent play caused McDuffie to replace him. He started one game in 2020.
“It’s tough,” Gordon said this spring of his up-and-down career. “It gets frustrating, but you can go about two ways really. You can be sad and pout about it or you can just go out there and find your weaknesses and get better and find the reasons, give (the coaches) reasons to put you on the field. It’s definitely tough, but you’ve got to have a good mindset about you and do your best.”
Gordon, who is entering his redshirt junior season, has played with the first-team defense all spring, and appears to have given UW’s coaches plenty of reasons to play him. Gregory said Gordon is “understanding the defense and playing more consistently.”
“We’ve had some great corners around here … over the years,” Gregory said. “He’s every bit as athletic as any corner we’ve had. Just the experience, playing consistently and really knowing the defense.”
While primarily serving as a backup in 2019 and 2020, Gordon said he concentrated on watching film and studying the position. Focusing on the details, he said, made all the difference.
“The minor details are really the big part of playing (cornerback),” Gordon said. “During that time when I did play (in 2019) and I got taken out, I was able to focus up on those things and was able to correct myself and really grow. It was good for me to go through that because I feel like a learned a lot through that.”
Defensive backs coach Will Harris agreed.
“He honed in on watching tape with us and understanding the techniques,” Harris said. “We all know he’s very athletic. But as far as him understanding the position and our techniques, that’s what’s separating him right now, is coming up and watching tape.”
