All Eyes Are on the Quarterback Battle: Who Will Lead the Huskies?
The last time the University of Washington football team opened up the starting quarterback competition to countless candidates was 2014, Chris Petersen's first year as coach.
Cyler Miles, Jeff Lindquist and Troy Williams each drew long consideration for the job and received starting assignments during the season.
One of the current UW candidates, Jacob Sirmon, was a sophomore at suburban Bothell High School back then. He's all grown up now.
The Huskies are young at quarterback, but they've recruited the position well with Sirmon, Dylan Morris and Ethan Garbers, and they have a graduate transfer quarterback in Kevin Thomson.
Husky Maven's Trevor Mueller and Mike Martin look at the skills that each player possess and his chances of leading the Huskies this season.
Jacob Sirmon (RS sophomore): The No. 2-rated, pro-style QB in the class of 2016 has a strong arm and can make all of the throws. In fact, there's not another player on this list that has Sirmon's arm strength.
He's been at Washington the longest and has had the most experience against one of the nation’s top defensive secondaries every day in practice.
“The ball comes out of his hand differently,” Martin said. “You can teach a player many things, but arm strength is not one of them.”
Kevin Thomson (grad transfer): In his final season at Sacramento State, Thomson was a Division II All-American and he came in third for the Walter Payton Award that recognizes the top FCS player. He is dual threat who can beat defenses with his arm and his legs.
He moves well in the pocket, giving himself more time to find receivers. Thomson brings valuable experience to the quarterback room.
Dylan Morris (RS freshman): Morris fits the mold of a Chris Petersen-type quarterback such as Jake Browning and Kellen Moore. He doesn’t have the biggest arm, but he succeeds with elite accuracy and pre-snap reads.
He's automatic when converting receptions from 20 yards or fewer. Jake Grant of 4th and Inches podcast on Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated is high on Morris, saying, “He has the uncanny ability to make all the right reads. He doesn’t put his team in bad positions, plus he will surprise you with an explosive play.”
Ethan Garbers (freshman): Garbers, brother of California's starting quarterback, is a very determined player, and this shows in his performance.
"What I like best about the California native is that he won't take no for an answer," Martin said. "He loves proving doubters wrong, and he did that often in his run to a state championship."
Garbers made believers out of everyone during his senior year in Southern California. He moves well in the pocket and has tremendous touch down the field. He isn’t the fastest runner, but he's very comfortable stepping up in or escaping the pocket.
He wowed coaches and evaluators at the Elite 11 passing camp and shot up the recruiting boards. In his final season as a high schooler, Garbers led Corona Del Mar High School to a state title.
“Garbers knows how to win,” Husky Maven's Kaila Olin said. “He is so competitive and talented that I wouldn’t be surprised if he won the job.”
Summary: The odds-on favorite to win the job is Jacob Sirmon. However, each quarterback has strengths that could make every one of them a starter at some point in their careers.
