Huskies Return to Fall Football Practice Next Week
The University of Washington football team won't begin fall-camp practices for another week while it puts everything in place for COVID-19 testing and awaits yet another Pac-12 schedule to be finalized, the third for this fall.
The Huskies and the other 11 schools will play their first games on or around Nov. 6 at the earliest, which is a Friday, making them the last Power 5 teams to return to fall competition.
Players are limited to testing protocols, weight-lifting and walk-throughs this week, a school spokesman said.
New UW coach Jimmy Lake, senior cornerback Elijah Molden and junior tight end Cade Otton will address the media and discuss all of these new football developments in a virtual news conference on Tuesday.
Molden is the Huskies' only preseason All-America selection of three to return for the abbreviated season, with junior outside linebacker Joe Tryon and senior defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike choosing to opt out before the Pac-12 backtracked on its postponed season.
The UW and the rest of the conference members are hustling to come up with policies for game-day settings and press operations, though it is certain social distancing will dictate team and outsider interactions. All interview sessions will take place remotely.
No fans will be permitted to attend any Pac-12 football games when play resumes, unlike other conferences that are permitting up to 25 percent capacity.
The Huskies will have seven games in November and December, down from the original 12 that were planned.
Lake's team originally was scheduled to open with Michigan at home on Sept. 5 and, in the second conference-games-only iteration, begin with Stanford at home on Sept. 26, games that were wiped out by cancellation and postponement, respectively.
This past weekend, the Associated Press poll returned Pac-12 schools to consideration for its top 25 ranking and only Oregon, at No. 14, was included.
It's clear the Huskies and the conference have some catching up to do.
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