McMillan Makes Appearance, But UW Receiving Corps Remains Fragile
Jalen McMillan drew a couple of plays against Utah, still not quite right with his injured knee. Denzel Boston couldn't finish against the Utes. Giles Jackson never got started.
Such is the fragile state of the University of Washington receiving corps, which lately has been greatly thinned down.
McMillan, last year's leading receiver with 79 catches, appeared in his sixth game against Utah, but half of them have been brief comeback attempts that didn't get too far.
However, UW coach Kalen DeBoer said the junior pass-catcher from Fresno, California, accomplished what he set out to do in Saturday's 35-28 victory over Utah.
"He did a nice job as the week went on, just continued to ramp up the reps and was feeling better about it — that was the biggest thing was him getting out there," DeBoer said. "He was going to be on a pitch count seeing how things felt. He probably could have played a little more. He's making good progress."
Still, McMillan has now gone two full months without catching a pass for unbeaten and fifth-ranked UW (10-0 overall, 7-0 Pac-12) after hauling in 20 in the first three games.
Boston, a redshirt freshman who has played in all 10 games this season, was injured in the third quarter on a punt return when he took a high, hard hit from Utes linebacker Sione Fotu that was ruled targeting and led to Fotu's ejection.
Replaced on a subsequent punt runback by junior Rome Odunze, Boston couldn't continue in the game, DeBoer revealed without elaborating.
"Denzel had to be out and that's why we had to put someone else in there," the coach said.
Jackson, a senior who's bounced back from a broken thumb and the coaching staff is trying to save for next season if possible, didn't play against Utah. That kept him at three game appearances this season with the ability to play against either Oregon State and Washington State but not both in order to return in 2024. The postseason doesn't count against his game totals.
"He could have played maybe, but he's working through some stuff from last week's game," DeBoer said.
Consequently against Utah, the Huskies were led in receiving by senior tight end Jack Westover, who had 7 catches for 64 yards, and sophomore wide receiver Germie Bernard, who hauled in 6 for 63 yards while starting in place of McMillan. Odunze, the UW's leading receiver, made his presence felt with 3 catches for 111 yards and 2 scores.
For the season, Bernard ranks as the Huskies' fourth-leading receiver with 27 catches for 351 yards and a TD, behind Odunze (59-1,100-9), Ja'Lynn Polk (55-943-8) and Westover (28-260-4).
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