Me and My Shadow: Odunze, McMillan Match Each Other Catch for Catch
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Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan have run the same career pass routes, almost step for step. It's always been that way since they arrived on campus, whether they like it or not.
As pandemic replacements, these University of Washington wide receivers each started their first college games as true freshmen in 2020 against Stanford, lining up opposite each other and sometimes side by side.
A year ago, both missed the season opener against Montana with injuries, with Odunze held out an additional two games.
Through 11 games this season, these sophomores still can't shake each other at all in their football exploits, with each heading into Saturday night's Apple Cup against Washington State in Pullman with 65 catches, though Odunze has played one fewer game.
The 6-foot-3, 201-pound Odunze has more receiving yards than his Husky sidekick, 931 to McMillan's 890 — they're just a Michael Penix Jr. sideline flick apart — but the 6-foot-1, 186-pound McMillan has one more touchdown catch, 7 to Odunze's 6.
McMillan holds the longer Husky pass reception, 84 yards to Odunze's 61, but Rome averages more yardage per catch, at 14.3 to 13.7, and more yards per game, at 93.1 to 80.9.
In horse racing, they call this a photo finish. With these thoroughbreds, it's a dead heat to see who becomes the Huskies' No. 1 receiver in the stat categories, if that's even possible.
The presence of Odunze and McMillan made it easy for Penix to leave Indiana and the Big Ten and choose the Huskies over Central Florida and presumably many other suitors had he waited any longer to change schools. When the quarterback watched video of these bookend receivers, he instantly was sold on the idea of finishing up in Montlake.
"They have different skill sets and that's a good thing," UW offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said. "They have different strengths that you can really push to in your offense."
Jalen McMillan scores on a double-reverse pass and teammates Taj Davis (3) and Roger Rosengarten (73) join him in the end zone to celebrate.
Skylar Lin Visuals
With their different body types, McMillan is more of the deceptive one similar to Tyler Lockett of the crosstown Seattle Seahawks while Odunze uses his size to advantage much like DK Metcalf.
Yet they're both deep threats at any time, depending on which opposing defensive back is more lax, gets confused or simply can't keep up.
"Jalen is a really an elite option runner a guy you can get isolated on people," Grubb said. "He's going to win and separate. At the same time, he's a guy who can take people deep where they think he's just going to line up on the inside. You find a way to get him out isolated on the corner and then put the ball over the top."
Odunze has some of those same attributes only he's the bigger and heavier target of the two, and is able to use his body more to his advantage.
"For Rome, I think there's two things with him: His ability to win over the top because he's a big long receiver that can win over the top and, at the same time, his catch-and-run skills for a longer receiver I think are different than a lot of guys. where you'll see him catch an underneath throw and all of a sudden he's got 20 yards," Grubb said. "That's where you see some of the screens and hitches and things like that where Rome turns a 5-yard play into 25."
While having two elite receivers in the same starting lineup such as this is clearly a bonus for the Huskies, they've avoided the trappings of one guy wanting all the glory and the notoriety as so happens sometimes, especially in the NFL.
Usually one receiver has to be somewhat subservient to the other and check his ego at the door coming out of the locker room. Not in this instance. These guys genuinely like and support each other, knowing they're both pro football prospects, and gladly give way to the other when the situation dictates.
Rome Odunze's top catch of the season so far has been this juggling, 45-yarder for a touchdown against Arizona.
Skylar Lin Visuals
Odunze has registered five 100-yard receiving games while McMillan has two and just missed a third against Colorado by two yards, while their teammates in Jay'Lynn Polk and Giles Jackson amazingly have one each.
"They're very humble kids," Grubb said. "We're lucky with that, that that can be tough. You get guys in a room and somebody wants the ball so much they become selfish. I don't think that's reared its head at all. I think that's one of the keys to having a good offense — is having the right kind of guys in the room. For us, we've been fortunate with that."
In Kalen DeBoer and Grubb's spread offense, these two pass-catchers present major headaches for opposing secondaries with their comparable but slightly different styles.
What's even more troublesome for the other side going forward is Odunze and McMillan gradually are becoming more like each other as receivers all the time. Don't think you can pigeonhole them to run certain routes and respond to specific situations.
"I think they're developing all their skills," Grubb said, "where you can intermix those guys."
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