A Spring Football Primer for Those Lucky Fans with Saturday Access
Welcome to Husky Stadium, you're going to like the place.
For sure, none of you have been inside this beloved college football shrine of yours —thanks to COVID-19 — for the past 17 months.
Walking through it the past few days, it looks cavernous, clean, lonely.
For those of you allowed inside on Saturday, here are 10 numbers from the University of Washington roster to look for as you find a comfortable seat with a good vantage point, admire the metallic architecture overhead, soak in the lakeside atmosphere and take copious notes on spring practice No. 3 of a scheduled 15.
No. 7
Of course, the guy you first want to see is Sam Huard. You've been told over and over how good he is. He's the thin, left-handed quarterback. He's the one who wears his dad Damon and uncle Brock's old Husky number. He throws a really nice spiral, especially deep. He continually grabs his helmet with both hands when he misses on them. No, he's not the starter. Third-teamer. He's two weeks out of Kennedy Catholic High School, still adjusting to the speed of the college game. He's gone from 25 mph on city streets to 70.
No. 4
If you see this guy with his helmet off, don't be alarmed. It's just cornerback Bookie Radley-Hiles who, with his long, flowing beard, looks like a grizzled 10-year NFL veteran. He might be that some day. He might be the second-most famous Oklahoma football player to come to Seattle. Oh, you've never heard of Brian Bosworth.
No. 9
Dylan Morris is the Huskies' starting quarterback. Before Sam Huard showed up and after he showed up, at least for the coming season, Morris is the guy. He had a Drew Timme mustache before Drew Timme grew one, doesn't get nearly enough credit for being an unflappable, savvy leader and a lot of college teams would die for a mistake-free player like him. QB-1 is No. 9, not 7.
No. 6
Richard Newton looks and runs like an NFL running back. Still, he needs to start pulling serious minutes and maybe a start or two for the Huskies first before considering a long pro career. If he doesn't have a prior commitment on Saturday, he'll be the extremely well filled-out guy taking handoffs, wearing Sonny Sixkiller's old number. If only someday he can get his face on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
No. 10
What's this, another quarterback? Patrick O'Brien, with previous stops at Nebraska and Colorado State, looks like he's very capable while throwing balls alongside Morris and Huard. Needless to say, the quarterback position appears to be in very good hands for the coming season. O'Brien wears Jacob Eason's old number. Wait, it was Ethan Garbers' jersey more recently. Hope the new guy gets some use out of it.
No. 68
If you see this number, you won't see anything else. It belongs to Ulumoo Ale, also known as M.J. He's been putting on some LBs. Ale, from Fife, Washington, by way of Australia and Samoa, tips the scales at 365 pounds. That's no typo. Not 305 or 335. It's three-sixty-five. If he gets any bigger, he'll have to travel to games on the equipment truck rather than the charter flights. He takes up so much space he almost could start at left guard and center simultaneously.
No. 22
Readers seemed to think we besmirched cornerback Trent McDuffie's skill set when we recently mentioned that the Huskies didn't have a big-name defensive back such as Budda Baker, Taylor Rapp or Elijah Molden. It had nothing to do with McDuffie's talent, just his national reputation. Come out and see him launch one, maybe by knocking another cocky freshman running back on his backside.
No. 51
Playing next to Ulumoo Ale, left tackle Jaxson Kirkland might literally be overshadowed by all that humanity. Chances are the 6-foot-7, 315-pound Kirkland is the most fit offensive lineman you've ever seen. No belly roll. No side handles. Extremely low body fat for a lineman. He easily could have entered this month's NFL draft and began making a good living for himself as a pro football player. Kirkland came back to make himself into a first-rounder.
No. 20
This number is extremely difficult to find. It belongs to Asa Turner. His hair is so long now, it practically covers the double digits on his back. It's like a car with a mud-covered license plate. Turner, however, isn't taking part in every drill just yet. He's got some health issue. A bad case of dandruff maybe?
No. 16
So you thought all of the Husky wide receivers left? Rome Odunze will show you otherwise. He's one of the reasons those other guys left. He's huge, fast and gifted, the best the Huskies have to offer. Huard overshot him the other day and sought him out after the play possibly to say that won't happen again. Please be patient with Odunze — Rome wasn't built in a day.
