DeBoer and Staff Need a Few More Days to Choose the Starting QB
People were power-washing the inside of Husky Stadium on Saturday while others opened cardboard boxes filled with seat cushions and distributed them. A few band members played their instruments at the east end. The season opener against Kent State was just two weeks away.
Down on the field, University of Washington coach Kalen DeBoer met with the media and, no, he and his staff hadn't settled on a starting quarterback yet.
They'll need to discuss it through the weekend and maybe into early next week before they announce the No. 1 guy from among junior Michael Penix Jr., sophomore Dylan Morris and redshirt freshman Sam Huard.
They'll inform the candidates of their decision, as well as the rest of the team, before revealing it publicly. They know full well they have to do it in a careful manner or risk alienating the quarterbacks involved and even part of the team.
"I think Sam has been playing faster since the spring," DeBoer said. "Dylan has always had that gunslinger mindset and I think he's really controlled that, and he has tremendous arm talent. I think Mike has just been solid, day in and day out."
The first-year coach said this after the Huskies turned in a productive second fall scrimmage, which stood as the 15th practice overall, and was not viewed by media members.
This came three days following a Wednesday session in which DeBoer said he wasn't pleased with his team's performance, calling it the low point of fall camp. As he addressed his team that day, the coach could be heard speaking loudly and in a much more animated fashion than usual in voicing his unhappiness.
However, DeBoer said the Huskies have been picked it up ever since and shown better energy and execution, beginning with an off-site practice on Thursday at the Seahawks' VMAC facility that the coach said might have been their best workout.
"It was perfect timing for us, it really was," he said of using the NFL fields. "If there was a practice I was a little disappointed in it was the practice before that on Wednesday. You've been doing this long enough you kind of know when you're going to hit that spot in camp. ... We had probably the most energy at the end of that practice than we've had all year."
On Saturday, DeBoer randomly rattled off the names of players who did well that day, and said he liked where his defense was at.
Linebacker Carson Bruener had an impressive interception.
Edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui collected a pair of sacks and his running mate Bralen Trice continued to show off his physicality.
Safeties Alex Cook and Asa Turner seem to communicate well together and be a step ahead of their opponents.
Defensive tackle Tuli Letuligasenoa has been solid throughout camp.
The offensive line showed dramatic improvement over the past week, which enabled the QBs to play better, according to the coach.
Taj Davis has played well for more than a week now, and DeBoer said he and his staff could use 6 or 7 receivers on a steady basis once the season begins.
New running backs Wayne Taualapapa and Will Nixon broke tackles and appear to be the most consistent, though Sam Adams recently showed off his inside running skills that surprised his coaches and Cam Davis returned to practice duties after an injury layoff. Taualapapa, a Virginia transfer, seems to have moved to the head of the backs.
"Wayne, for sure, and Will remains in the hunt," DeBoer said of the pecking order.
On the down side, defensive backs Dom Hampton, Julius Irvin and Elijah Jackson sat out the practice, though their coach said their physical ailments were nothing major, that their absence was precautionary. Hampton is a projected starter while the others have been back-ups.
Coming off knee surgery, veteran running back Richard Newton still hasn't been able to fully engage himself in practice.
"He's doing everything he can," DeBoer said. "He's easing back into it."
Defensive tackle Faatui Tuitele, who missed the final game last season and all of spring ball with some sort of ankle or leg injury, also remains limited in what he does but is practicing.
Offensive tackle Jaxson Kirkland was in shorts and a tank top and held out, as well.
While DeBoer and his staff choose a quarterback, the Huskies will get a few days off in the coming week to re-energize and then it's game week.
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