Huskies' 12th Fall Practice Had Unusual Visitor

Two days before the University of Washington football team holds its Fan Fest mock game, just about everything turned up status quo for the Huskies during practice No. 12.

The obvious starting candidates maintained their hold on their first-team assignments while the half-dozen injured players continued to work off to the side with trainers. On top of that, a good portion of Husky Stadium got power-washed in anticipation of the season opener against Washington State coming on Sept. 6.

About the only thing out of the ordinary on Thursday was the raccoon that slipped into the East practice field, caused a bit of a stir as it ran down the sideline avoiding team staffers and disappeared beneath a refrigeration trailer.

This wasn't the so-called Jimothy, a weird-looking creature that has roamed North Seattle neighborhoods, rather it was a good-sized animal with a conventional appearance.

Oh, and Kennesaw State transfer Christian Moss proved highly elusive, as well, in his spirited competition with Chris Lawson to secure the third starting wide-receiver position that remains available.

With play moving into Husky Stadium for the 11-on-11 team play, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Moss with his long strides got behind defensive backs Elias Johnson and Paul Mencke Jr. to haul in a 45-yard touchdown strike from Demond Williams Jr. in a spring for his only catch of the day.

His long-distance heroics came a play after he dropped a Williams pass.

For the first time in a while, the aforementioned Lawson didn't answer Moss' touchdown grab with one of his own.

Players begin to gather in Husky Stadium as practice moves off the East field midway through. | Dan Rale

These pass-catchers now have seven more practices this week and next to settle this matter before lineups are posted and game-week preparations begin, and the competition couldn't be much closer or better at any other position.

Outside of Moss standing three inches taller, these receivers seem so similar in speed, hands and playmaking ability.

While second-year Quaid Carr appears destined to be the running-back starter once the season begins, by holding onto a job that became his during spring ball once Jordan Washington was lost to a neck injury, freshman Brian Bonner Jr. is getting an extended look.

The 6-foot, 195-pound Bonner from Valencia in Southern California appeared ever so smooth in the controlled scrimmage play with a pair of carries that showed off both his acceleration and his ability to juke his way through a hole.

He rushed the football seven times, which was more than anyone else during the near two-and-a-half-hour workout.

Other long gainers were a 39-yard pass to Rashid Williams from the other Williams and a 30-yard strike to second-year tight end Baron Naone from Dash Beierly.

The Huskies will hold a Friday morning practice as a lead-in to the mock game, which begins a day later at 6:30 p.m.

Those planning on attending should know that much of Montlake will be shut down around the stadium for constructions purposes, permitting fans to appoach the area only from the north.

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