It's a Yard Sale: Huskies Once Again Choose Running Back by Committee
Richard Newton stood on the University of Washington sideline, looking like an astronaut with a shiny plastic shield covering the front of his helmet and gloves nearly reaching his elbows.
These days, it's seemingly much easier to become a space traveler than a Husky running back. At least you know where your spacecraft is headed at all times.
Newton was fully dressed for battle as he watched the 27-24 loss to Oregon State in Corvallis. Yet he didn't stir from the bench area for the second consecutive game, this after starting the first three.
The 6-foot, 215-pound sophomore was available to play but idle as Sean McGrew drew his second consecutive start and rushed for 104 yards — the first Husky to break the century mark dating back to 2019, when Salvon Ahmed went for 174 ... against these same Beavers.
The 5-foot-7, 180-pound McGrew, of course, didn't get on the field for the UW's first two games in September, not one snap.
And so it goes in the disjointed Husky backfield, where a legion of players have been rotated in and out over the past two seasons without any discernible order during the John Donovan era.
Against Oregon State, the Huskies even lined up in a three-tailback formation with Kamari Pleasant, Cam Davis and McGrew bunched together and quarterback Dylan Morris split out wide.
So what's up with this continual experimentation at tailback and, with eight scholarship players at this position, including three from Texas, will it ever revert from its perpetual Keystone Cops mad scramble to something that makes sense? When will a Husky rusher run for 1,000 yards again?
"We've got four guys who are legitimate back there," Donovan said. "There's not one who's so much better than the others, so it's really hard to lean on just one guy. I think they all have their attributes and they all can contribute in one shape or form."
So what's a player to do?
For now, it's just ride it out until a couple of the backs graduate following this worrisome season, maybe one or two hit the transfer portal, and somebody once and for all steps up and claims the position.
While Donovan says there's no easy away around this job share, it's not necessarily working. Even following a 176-yard day against Oregon State, the Huskies still rank 10th in the conference while averaging a modest 116 yards per game, topping only Stanford and Arizona.
Sean McGrew scored twice against Oregon State, including on this 39-yard run.
Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports
In fall camp, UW running-backs coach Keith Bhonapha said flatly the Huskies would use just two backs most of the time to get them in a rhythm as Newton and Davis moved to the forefront. Yet after 65- and 50-yard team rushing totals in losses to Montana and Michigan, the staff deemed that four backs were the solution once more.
With seven regular-season games left on the schedule, we take a look at the Huskies' eight men out for tailback glory and where they stand:
Sean McGrew
The sixth-year senior leads the Huskies with 38 carries for 188 yards and 6 touchdowns. Again, his production has come in just 3 games. His 39-yard scoring run against Oregon State was the team's longest of the season, points or no points. He provides a burst unlike the others but not the size. He'll be the starter until, well, he's not.
Kamari Pleasant
The 6-foot, 225-pound Pleasant picked up a career-best 84 yards rushing on 12 carries against the Beavers in what might have been his best Husky performance. Another sixth-year senior and a two-game starter in 2020, he seems determined to increase his minutes. The UW must continue to his use this guy in clutch situations.
Kamari Pleasant had a career-best 84 yards rushing at Oregon State.
Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports
Richard Newton
Jimmy Lake insists that Newton sat out the last two games while in uniform because of minor injuries incurred after rushing 39 times for 138 yards and a score against the first three opponents. The coach, however, just as easily could have other reasons for not using Newton, such as he did last year when the back missed two of the four games for attitude issues. At Oregon State, Newton was in good spirits while idle, encouraging teammates and hardly sulking.
Cam Davis
This guy has really regressed after he ran as the No. 1 back at times in spring and fall camp. The 6-foot, 205-pound redshirt freshman drew a solitary carry at Oregon State and fumbled the ball away deep in Husky territory, a fateful miscue that might make his minutes scarce for awhile.
Jay'Veon Sunday
This Texan, a second-year freshman who made people notice him in spring practice with his playful antics, has just 3 carries for 3 yards and remains well down the depth chart. He was in uniform at Oregon State. When he's older, the 6-foot, 195-pound back will be fun to watch, hopefully for the Huskies.
Caleb Berry
The true freshman, another Texan and packing a solid 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame, is paying his newcomer dues and likely sitting out the season as a redshirt. He's the biggest back in the position room.
Sam Adams II
As a touted Seattle-area running back and son and grandson of former NFL players, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound second-year freshman appeared to be making strides this fall before going out with an injury, believed to be a shoulder. Some thought he was a better defensive back coming out of high school and still might end up there.
Emeka Megwa
Giving up his senior high school season in Texas to reclassify and enroll at the UW last week, the 6-foot, 210-pound Megwa soon will begin practicing with the Huskies, according to coach Jimmy Lake. Megwa arrived in Seattle nursing some sort of leg injury. There are great hopes for this highly recruited guy, who had nearly 40 scholarship offers.
So will McGrew continue as the starter or will Newton reclaim his leading role for the UCLA game on October 16? Pleasant has to figure in there somewhere, too, doesn't he?
The Husky coaches had hoped to find a No. 1 back and ride with him this fall. Yet they're no closer to narrowing things down than they were a year ago.
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