Huskies Freed Up To Hit People And Take Full Advantage

Jacob Manu and Donovan Robinson, in particular, had impressive open-field tackles.

Jacob Manu is all business as UW fall camp resumes. | Dan Raley

Let it be known that the University of Washington football team, after going through no-contact conditioning practices and others restricted to touch tackles -- thud plays as Jedd Fisch likes to describe them -- was permitted on Thursday to let loose.

Jacob Manu must have been counting the days until he could punish someone again with an unapologetic, open-field hit.

Eight plays into the 11-on-11action on the East field, the extra-physical, fifth-year linebacker and Husky defensive leader watched as freshman running back Brian Bonner Jr. slipped into the flat to caught a swing pass, picked up 11 yards -- and paid for it with his football life.

The 5-foot-10, 220-pound mini-Dick Butkus impersonator came rushing up on Bonner from the side and proceeded to knock him off his feet and head over heels.

For a moment, Manu just stood there and surveyed the damage, not saying anything, which is how he does things as sort of a silent assassin.

His was one of several well-timed collisions during a practice that lasted two and a half hours.

"We're a great tackling team and we want to stay a great tackling team," fourth-year safety Alex McLaughlin said afterward.

Troy transfer Trey Cooley stretches with his new UW teammates. | Dan Raley

Troy transfer running back Trey Cooley, coming back from two years of injuries elsewhere, took his first carry for the Huskies and picked up a dozen yards while a group of defenders crashed into him and tried to strip the ball out. He later added a 9-yard run and lost a yard.

Understanding the circumstances involved, teammates and staffers roundly congratulated Cooley for his comeback successfully taking place in Montlake.

Bonner, while briefly serving as Manu's foil, ran confidently and with a lot of quickness at times, coming up with a 19-yard run.

The next big hit was delivered by second-year linebacker Donovan Robinson, who caught up with freshman receiver Mason James on a flat pass, took his feet out from under him and basically leveled him.

Gavin Day had a goal-line interception in the sixth fall practice. | Dave Sizer photo

While Husky receivers Chris Lawson and Christian Moss had productive outings [see other story], freshman safety Gavin Day got some of that back with a goal-line interception that he returned 45 yards before getting wrestled out of bounds by receiver Justice Williams.

Day didn't particularly care for how he got jostled and Williams no doubt wasn't pleased about the interception, and they got in a few shoves before teammates separated them.

Practice ended with a heady goal-line stand in which the offense couldn't punch the ball in on four tries and kicker Tyler Robles connected on seven consecutive field-goal attempts without a miss, ranging from 30 to 45 yards.

Two of them required Robles and most of the kicking team to run in from the sideline and get a kick on the way with almost no chance to think about it.

The Huskies hold a normal practice on Friday at noon and then turn to evening workouts on Saturday and Sunday that each begin at 5:45 p.m.