Upon further review, 5 takeaways from Washington Huskies spring game
Herb Nightengale
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Last week was the Washington Huskies’ annual spring game. Herb Nightengale shares his thoughts on the game and team.
Washington Huskies‘ spring practice ends with the annual intrasquad game. This year it was offense (purple) vs. defense (white). It was HuskyNation’s first chance to see what the team was like under new head coach Kalen DeBoer. Here are five takeaways
Not your typical O
Though the Huskies didn’t show a lot with the offense, they looked like they would mix things up in a way that makes them unpredictable. In other words, opponents can expect both some razzle-dazzle and changes of pace.
The offense will also feature their deep group of tight ends. Devin Culp, Jack Westover, and Quentin Moore will all have opportunities to play and succeed.
QB Play
None of the Washington Huskies quarterbacks separated themselves from the competition. Michael Penix Jr. started the game, followed by Sam Huard and Dylan Morris. Each man started slowly with some overthrows and drops. But the more they played, the better each QB got. It looked like all three found a comfort level with the offense, which is a good thing.
Penix is still favored despite no clear-cut winner due to his experience running this offensive at Indiana when Kalen DeBoer was offensive coordinator.
Offensive skill players (and some “lack of skill”)
It was a mixed bag for Washington’s offensive skill position players. Production from the running backs was lacking while the receivers shook off some early problems to have a decent game.
New Mexico State transfer started the game for the Huskies. He and Jay’Veon Sunday had most of the reps. Neither man showed much to get excited about.
The other Washington Huskies running backs were injured and didn’t compete in camp, including Richard Newton and Cameron Davis. Hopefully, the two main backs will be ready to go by summer camp.
Jalen McMillan had a couple of good receptions, as did Rome Odunze. The game ended when Odunze caught a touchdown. It was a great catch near the sideline where he slipped a tackle, kept his feet in bounds, and took the rock 30 yards to the house.
Ja’Lynn Polk was limited to one catch, although he missed a few balls as well. Redshirt freshman transfer Lonyatta Alexander Jr. pulled in some impressive receptions, including a one-handed grab from his high school teammate Sam Huard.
Battle in the trenches
UW used a mixture of starters and backup linemen in this game. The running game wasn’t good for the most part, and since the defense couldn’t rush the quarterback, it was hard to see how effective the offensive line was.
The defensive linemen and inside linebackers looked a little better than their offensive counterparts. They did a nice job defending the run. However, with modified rules in the spring game, the men up front didn’t have much chance to show what they could do.
D-Backs getting thinner
Without a pass-rush, getting a good read on the defensive backs is difficult. Between quarterback overthrows and receiver drops, their day was a little easier than it should have been. Safety Alex Cook had a nice interception.
UC-Davis transfer Jordan Perryman and Mishael Powell started at cornerback. Jacobe Covington, who was expected to be one of the starting corners, entered the transfer portal. Last season’s starters Trent McDuffie, Kyler Gordon, and Bookie Radley-Hiles, all left for the NFL, and now with Covington’s exit, the Washington Huskies are a little thin at corner.
Washington Huskies fans, how did you feel about the spring game? Let us know in the comments section below.