Huskies Limit Scrimmage Info, But Appear to be Making Strides
Answering questions, everyone was like a quarterback avoiding the rush.
Coach and players from the University of Washington football team deftly sidestepped every specific inquiry about Saturday's scrimmage, offering no pertinent information, no detail, almost nothing.
We know it was held. That's about it. Purposely we don't know much more.
Speaking of quarterbacks, how did those four starting candidates do?
"The quarterbacks all looked fantastic," sophomore inside linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio said.
"They all made quick reads," sophomore cornerback Trent McDuffie said. "They all looked really good."
Oh.
More than ever, it appears the Huskies intend to limit all information regarding progress being made, specifically by the quartet of QB hopefuls, leading up to the Nov. 7 season opener at California.
Actually, defensive-line coach Ikaika Malloe might have helped narrow things down a little with an off-hand comment. Or maybe not.
Without naming guys, he said those who kept the ball and ran gave his defenders some fits.
Redshirt freshman Dylan Morris and senior transfer Kevin Thomson are those more inclined to freelance and scramble a bit. Sophomore Jacob Sirmon and true freshman Ethan Garbers are not.
For that matter, the only quarterback practice footage the UW has released in a week's time has shown Morris and Thomson in action, but not the other two.
Yet that's hardly any confirmation of things.
Actually, Malloe did offer some interesting tidbits about his D-linemen. He said sophomores Tuli Letuligaseno and Taki Taimani, who have been nicknamed "the Twins," have assumed leadership roles in the position room.
The coach also singled out redshirt freshman Jacob Bandes for making a superlative play against the No. 1 offense.
"Jacob made a huge step going forward," Malloe said. "You actually saw him building his confidence."
Meeting with the press for the first time at the UW, McDuffie spoke about having fellow corner Elijah Molden choose to return for his senior year rather than move on like outside linebacker Joe Tryon and defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike.
"I texted him right away," McDuffie said. "He's been a huge role model. I'm glad that he's back."
Ulofoshio, a walk-on until January and now a starter on the inside, keeps a busy schedule. He's a pre-med student. He turned down other scholarship offers to come play for Washington.
The Nevada product, by way of Alaska, said conversations with senior outside linebacker Ryan Bowman and departed cornerback Myles Bryant, both original walk-ons, prepared him for landing his scholarship and role.
"I just knew what it took and how much work I needed to put in," he said.
The Huskies have 20 days until the opener. Twenty days to keep things vague.
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