UW Roster Review, No. 2-99: Morris Has All the Answers, But No Questions
After enrolling early at the University of Washington, Dylan Morris joined the Husky football program in January 2019 and proceeded to redshirt, never to be heard from again for nearly two years.
Among the quarterback replacements for the graduated Jake Browning, Morris got in line behind Jacob Eason, Jacob Sirmon and Jake Haener — as an outlier who seriously should have considered changing his name to something that began with a J in it.
Morris didn't emerge again until November 14, 2020, on a cold night in the middle of the pandemic, when he trotted out unannounced at Husky Stadium for the first offensive series against Oregon State.
The 6-foot, 210-pounder from Puyallup, Washington, was a surprise starter.
Yet he was unexpected only because there had been no way to chart his progress in the program that changed coaching hands from Chris Petersen to Jimmy Lake and was put under wraps by COVID-19.
Spring football was canceled six months earlier. The 2020 season was delayed for two months.
With the quarterback competition involving transfer Kevin Thomson, freshman Ethan Garbers, Sirmon and Morris, Lake provided no updates to the media whatsoever, citing his need to maintain a competitive advantage.
You'll find out at kickoff like everyone else, the coach promised. After Oregon State sent the opening boot to Sean McGrew, who made a fair catch at the Husky 1, a murmur went through the sparsely occupied press box high above the otherwise empty stadium as Morris took the field, becoming the shortest UW starting quarterback since 6-foot Tim Cowan in 1982.
Going down the roster in numerical order, this is another of our post-spring assessments of all of the Husky talent at hand, gleaned from a month of observations, as a way to keep everyone engaged during the offseason.
The player known as D-Mo won the job with his ability to make plays and limit his mistakes, showing himself to be an adept scrambler, though with an average arm.
"It helps when you've got a guy who can extend plays and make things happen, and Dylan's got very good feet and he's got good quickness," offensive coordinator John Donovan said.
The kid had a mustache, too, making him the first Husky quarterback to have his upper lip covered since Tom Porras in 1979.
Morris led the Huskies to three victories in four outings, throwing a last-minute touchdown pass to tight end Cade Otton to beat Utah, and was named All-Pac-12 honorable mention.
Even while starting last fall and throughout spring practice, he remains somewhat of a mystery to outsiders, with his personality well hidden from the public, though the school has done its own brief outtakes.
The UW curiously has not made him available for any media interviews even though he's now in his third year in the program, protecting him from who knows what. Name another Pac-12 school that hasn't presented its starting QB to the press.
While his coaches swear by him, a large segment of fans are not yet sold on Morris. They want someone taller, more pass-oriented. Someone like Sam Huard or Patrick O'Brien.
Meantime, Morris just quietly goes about his job, without any outside distractions, not required to explain anything to the guys with notepads or cameras, apparently not worried what any fans think, taking on all comers.
2021 Outlook: Projected quarterback starter
UW Service Time: Played in 4 games, started 4
Stats: 67 for 110 for 897 yards and 4 TDs passing, with 3 interceptions; 17 for 57 yards and 2 scores rushing.
Individual Honors: All-Pac-12 honorable mention
Pro prospects: 2024 NFL free-agent signee
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