Husky Roster Review: Kini McMillan Offered Playmaking Glimpse

The freshman from Hawaii made a difficult throw turn into a Spring Game touchdown.

Freshman quarterback Kini McMillan looks for a receiver in the Spring Game. | Skylar Lin Visuals

It was just one play of the Spring Game, but it revealed a lot about University of Washington freshman quarterback Treston "Kini" McMillan, the newcomer from Hawaii.

Surveying the end zone, he spotted freshman wide receiver Raiden Vines-Bright off to his right, tightly covered by D'Aryhian Clemons but more open than anyone else.

The 6-foot, 205-pound McMillan from Mililani, Hawaii, next delivered the football to the only place he could have put it -- over the outside shoulder of his pass-catcher and nearly out of reach for everyone.

Vines-Bright made a circus grab while coming down off balance yet toe-tapping just inside the line to make the play count for a near-impossible touchdown.

As the Husky Stadium crowd loudly roared its approval, showering its attention on the receiver's incredible grab, McMillan slipped off the field somewhat anonymously after showing himself to be able do do whatever was necessary to put points on the board.

In other words, he's a gamer.

Kini McMillan strengthens his wrists with rubber balls during spring ball. | Skylar Lin Visuals

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the Husky roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did this past spring and what to expect from them going forward.

When spring ball began, it was widely assumed that McMillan was the second best of the two first-year quarterbacks brought in by Jedd Fisch's staff.

After all, freshman Dash Beierly was inserted third in the spring QB rotation behind sophomore Demond Williams Jr. and Tulane transfer Kai Horton, leaving McMillan fourth in line to receive scrimmage snaps, which were considerably fewer than for the rest of the guys.

Kini McMillan threw a touchdown pass in the Spring Game. | Skylar Lin Visuals

McMillan had his initiation by twice showing up to spring practice wearing earrings, a team no-no, with it explained to him the first time was an honest mistake, the second not so much and not a desired trait for a QB. He learned quickly to be more accountable.

Beierly and McMillan, as it turned out, had a lot in common. Both showed themselves to be freshmen who experienced high and low moments in the Spring Game, only in reverse.

McMillan followed up his first-series TD throw by serving up a goal-line interception to Northern Arizona safety transfer Alex McLaughlin that was returned 80 yards.

Beierly threw a pick-6 on his first series and closed out the Spring Game with a touchdown pass to Marcus Harris.

While these guys learned some hard lessons, they showed enough ability that the UW quarterback position should be in good shape when it's their time to step up, with McMillan and Beierly poised to have a good battle someday.

KINI MCMILLAN FILE

What he's done: As a junior for Mililani High School, McMillan passed for 3,521 yards and 42 touchdowns, and ran for 11 more, and was named Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year. So he has a history of getting things done.

Starter or not:  While both are behind starter Demond Williams Jr., plus veteran back-up Kai Horton, McMillan and Beierly looked promising enough they should enter into a fairly competitive battle for the No. 1 job in the future whenever Williams chooses to move on.

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