Alexander Joins Huard in Big Sky, Only He Heads to Montana State
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Just nine months ago, they were University of Washington spring standouts, bullish about their future football prospects in Montlake and brought in for post-scrimmage media interviews.
Wide receiver Lonyatta Alexander Jr. and quarterback Sam Huard.
One grabbed a cell phone and interviewed the other with the regular reporters, and everyone had a good laugh over this exchange.
One was a 4-star recruit, the other earning the highest rating possible as a 5-star prospect, as teammates for Kennedy Catholic High School, south of Seattle. Local guys.
On Tuesday, Alexander signed with Montana State after Huard joined Cal Poly, both becoming Big Sky players now. In fact, they'll find themselves on opposing sides next season on Oct. 14 in Bozeman, Montana.
Last April, they teamed up on a spectacular 37-yard pass play followed by a 9-yard touchdown pass in the final spring outing, reliving old times. Huard finished with 13 completions in 20 attempts for 190 yards in his second spring camp. Alexander, after transferring in from Arizona State, was happy to be home.
"You see the old connection with [Huard] and Junior Alexander, and that was fun to see," UW coach Kalen DeBoer said at the time.
So what happened to these guys?
Each got buried on the UW depth chart and consequently moved on looking for playing time, which happens in big-time football, with these two further evidence of how much DeBoer has elevated the program and made things competitive in such a short amount of time.
Alexander became one of nine UW scholarship players to enter the transfer portal since the regular season ended, joining Huard, offensive tackle Victor Curne (Ole Miss), cornerback Zakhari Spears (Connecticut); defensive tackle Kuao Peihopa (Hawaii), veteran safety Cam Williams (Georgia Southern), linebacker Daniel Heimuli (Arizona), tight end Caden Jumper (TBD) and running back Jay'Veon Sunday (TBD).
The 6-foot-3, 189-pound Alexander played in 11 games this past season for the Huskies before entering the transfer portal prior to the Alamo Bowl
He appeared mostly on special teams, recovering an onside kick against Oregon, and caught a lone pass, a 9-yarder from Michael Penix Jr., against Portland State, another Big Sky team.
Sam Huard and Lonyatta Alexander Jr. celebrate a spring football touchdown pass.
Skylar Lin Visuals
Wide receiver might be the most talented collection of players on the Husky roster, with 11 scholarship recipients in the mix. There was no real chance for Alexander to do what he wanted with his college career.
The UW quarterback depth chart begins with Penix, the returning starter and legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, followed by former two-year starter Dylan Morris, with a pair of signal callers in Austin Mack and EJ Caminong now committed for 2024.
Huard and Alexander expected so much more to happen for them at the UW, but the college game doesn't do anyone any ready favors.
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