4 Best Plays of Husky Spring Football Practice
They've put away the helmets, hung up the shoulder pads.
Spring football practice at the University of Washington concluded with Saturday's game, giving the players a well-deserved break before they head into the weight room and bulk up over the next four months.
While spring ball had its limitations, with the quarterbacks always off limits to contact and tackling not permitted on kickoff or punt returns, the Huskies still had their memorable plays, some noteworthy for their fierceness.
Here are four unforgettable UW moments, ranked in order of their spectator appeal, that highlighted 15 days of workouts through April and into May.
1) Josh Calvert
This solidly built sophomore inside linebacker, most often running with the third-unit defense, leveled redshirt freshman running back Jay'Veon Sunday with a ferocious tackle in a Saturday scrimmage.
Sunday came out of the backfield reaching for a Camden Sirmon dump pass and never saw the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Calvert, who took the Texas runner off his feet with a crushing blow.
The flamboyant Texas back was slow to get to his feet and sort of stumbled his way to the sideline.
"We watched it so many times on the defense, it was like 'Woooo!' " fellow linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio said.
Unfortunately, while the UW documented just about everything inspiring from spring practice and posted it on social media, the school didn't release any footage of Calvert's debilitating blow.
2) Trent McDuffie
Sunday made another new friend in Husky junior cornerback Trent McDuffie. While showing off some high-stepping moves early in spring practice, and drawing a negative reaction from the defense, Sunday was doing his routine and running toward the end zone when the second-team All-Pac-12 cornerback took him out on the goal line.
It was a no-contact drill.
McDuffie felt he had to send a message to the young, unbridled running back from Waco, Texas.
"He's a young dude out there," McDuffie said of Sunday. "We're going to try and bring him to that next level. Show him how U-Dub football is. Set the standard for what it's like to play on this team."
3) Jeremiah Martin
The former Texas A&M outside linebacker dropped back in coverage, which was fairly impressive for a guy packing a 6-foot-3, 265-pound frame, leaped high and stuck up a hand to deflect a Sam Huard pass.
Then Martin caught it for an interception.
If that wasn't enough, the defensive player decided to motor 60 yards to the end zone. Huard inadvisedly tried to stop him before waving him through, and the newcomer dove over the goal line with defensive teammates racing to catch up and let him know how great that play was.
4) Quentin Moore
The defense couldn't capture all the Husky glory this spring. Moore, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound tight end and transfer from Independence Community College in Kansas, had his moment when he showed off his innate receiving ability with an overly athletic grab.
Cutting over the middle, Moore reached back to one-hand a Patrick O'Brien delivery and haul it in, all without breaking stride. Coach Jimmy Lake was so impressed, he mentioned it in a later press briefing.
Follow Dan Raley of Husky Maven on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven
Find Husky Maven on Facebook by searching: HuskyMaven/Sports Illustrated
