With 4 Well-Utilized Tailbacks, Huskies Can Run And They Can Hide
After two games, Jimmy Lake seems pretty well set on his personnel.
The University of Washington football coach, in fact, made just one starting lineup change from the Oregon State opener to playing Arizona.
Lake shuffled the order of his running backs.
Like a deck of cards.
He didn't show his hand until the first series either.
How Lake uses these guys throughout this pandemic-disrupted season promises to be one of the more fascinating developments for the Huskies. Who's on first?
"We like fresh tailbacks," the coach explained. "We are very fortunate to have four tailbacks that we feel very comfortable in."
Lake has a quartet of runners whom he considers prime-time players. Four on the floor. Always shifting gears.
These guys could fill a four-man shell and row around the lake. Be a Husky relay team. Form an IMA pickup basketball team.
Instead, Lake uses them like pitches, as something to keep opposing defenses guessing and swinging away, as a way to keep the stat keepers and public-address announcer on their toes.
Senior Kamari Pleasant started against the Beavers, but senior Sean McGrew led the UW in rushing that night.
McGrew was rewarded with a starting role against Arizona, but sophomore Richard Newton, who was sent onto the field third last Saturday, topped the Huskies in rushing against the Wildcats.
McGrew has the highest single-game rushing total with 91 yards, but Newton has the longest scoring run at 54 yards.
Oh, and don't forget redshirt freshman Cam Davis. He has more catches than any of them.
"When you're able to pepper a defense with fresh guys over and over and over, behind a massive offensive line, that's a good recipe to get some rush yards," Lake said.
They look different, too. Pleasant made himself a lot bigger in the offseason, while Newton showed up smaller. You get 230 pounds, 210, 205 and 175 thrown at you, in no particular order. You get quick, shifty or physical from these ball carriers.
So will Newton become the third different tailback starter whenever the Huskies line up another game, now that Friday night's Apple Cup in Pullman has been boxed up and put away like a string of Christmas lights that don't work?
Newton deserves it. He comes off an 8-carry, 81-yard, 2-touchdown performance. Unlike Pleasant and McGrew, he hasn't drawn a game-opening assignment yet. It might be time.
All Newton has done is score 13 touchdowns in 12 career Husky games, a fairly amazing rate for getting into the end zone. Especially in a reserve role all along.
Yet Pleasant has enhanced his standing on the roster after serving as a third- or fourth-stringer previously. He's scored in each game. He looks like a starter.
McGrew, the loyal soldier, is trying to go out a flourish in his final season. He's scored in each game. He has more starts than any of them with four.
Davis is the back of the future, but he's not waiting around for any future. He looks ready to score at any time. Certainly ready to play.
As the Huskies regroup for an Apple Cup replacement team or have to wait until Dec. 5 to host Stanford, the Huskies' Fearsome Foursome or Fab 4 will continue to alternate series carries, catches and sips of Gatorade.
It's fun to watch how Lake moves these guys around like chess pieces. Confident in their abilities. Determined to make it work with four tailbacks when the game's on the line. Giving everyone a group hug.
Here's how they stand stat-wise:
McGrew, 20 carries, 126 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns, plus 1 reception for 2 yards
Newton, 23 carries, 122 yards rushing and 2 TDS, and 1 catch for 7 yards.
Pleasant, 18 carries, 104 yards rushing and 2 TDs, and 1 catch for 9 yards.
Davis, 10 carries and 52 yards rushing, and 5 catches for 26 yards.
They fill out a scouting report that will only confuse opponents and make them have to study even harder if they hope to shut off or slow down the Husky ground game.
As Lake will tell you, that's the whole idea.
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