Husky Roster Review: Nunley Ready to Pull Off the Cobwebs at Safety

Vince Nunley no doubt watches a lot of film these days, anything to better himself as a University of Washington safety. It's not clear if he's ever seen the Hollywood movie "Encino Man," but he should check it out.

In it, one-time, real-life Seattle resident Brendan Fraser, an Oscar winner this past winter, portrays a caveman who thaws out from a deep freeze and has to adjust to modern times in comedic fashion.

Nunley readily can identify with that frigid existence.

He's largely been MIA as a football player since 2019, still scrambling to catch up with everyone else.

His senior season in 2020 at Freedom High School in Oakley, California, was wiped out by the global pandemic.

He practiced but didn't play for the Huskies in 2021 as a young defensive back in training wheels, as a redshirt.

Finally last season, with a new coaching staff on board and high on his football talents and him ready to get started as a college player, Nunley took the field against Kent State in the opener, on the kickoff-return team, injured his leg and was done for the season.

"I went to block," he said, "and I took a wrong step."

Going down the roster from No. 0 to 99, Nunley, who wears No. 28 on defense, is next up in a series of profiles about each of the Huskies' scholarship players and assorted walk-ons, summing up their spring football performances and surmising what might come next for them.

Vince Nunley, shown with cornerback Thaddeus Dixon, missed all of the 2022 season except for a few plays as a special-teamer in the opener against Kent State, but he had an injury-free spring.

Sophomore Vince Nunley likely will back up senior safeties Asa Turner and Dominique Hampton this coming season and contend for a starting job in 2024.

UW co-defensive coordinator Chuck Morrell says 6-foot-1, 179-pound Vince Nunley has all of the all-around skills at safety, with his length a big plus.

Vince Nunley had to sit out a few early drills in spring ball before he was cleared for full participation.

In 2022 spring football, safety Vince Nunley's autograph was a sought-after item for the fans.

California's Lu-Maggia Hearns III and the UW's Vince Nunley, Bay Area friends, shared a game-day moment in 2021.

Entering his third UW season, Vince Nunley is looking to stay healthy and play a lot as a sophomore in class standing.

Luckily, Nunley's injured limb didn't require surgery, yet it set him back once more.

"Vince Nunley was a player that I absolutely had monster expectations for us," co-defensive coordinator Chuck Morrell said. "He would have been our third or fourth safety."

After 15 spring practices, Nunley finds himself highly visible again on the depth chart, more often running with the second-team defense.

It's just been a matter of getting his football bearings again and returning to form.

"Coming off an injury, it's been a struggling process getting back into everything," said Nunley, who's still been up for the challenge. "I feel we're picking up everything going into summer. I feel pretty good."

Morrell describes the 6-foot-1, 179-pound sophomore as someone with all of the necessary tools, which include great length and football smarts.

Nunley hasn't played in a full football season since 2019, when he was a junior at his first high school, Encinal in Alameda, California, and was an All-Metro player as selected by the San Francisco Chronicle for an 11-2 team.

His uninterrupted spring was a victory in itself for the well-rested, well-healed player.

"Vince is on the rise," Morrell said. "We're making up for a little lost time."

The Encino Man eventually found his place in the world. This Montlake man should be able to do the same.

VINCE NUNLEY FILE

Service: As a sophomore and a junior in high school, Nunley appeared in 25 outings. He's logged just one brief Husky game appearance in three seasons, seven plays overall.

Stats: As a junior at Encinal High, his last season of regular play, he helped the Jets shut out six opponents and intercepted 5 passes.

Role: Nunley long ago picked the Huskies over Utah, Kansas and a Kalen DeBoer-coached Fresno State team. He's finally ready to play for that man, for anyone for that matter. Expect him to back up senior safeties Asa Turner and Dominique Hampton in the coming season and draw a lot of game snaps before pushing for a starting role.

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