Observations from Husky Spring Practice No. 12

A lot of new faces stepped up with big plays during the near three-hour workout.

Rashid Williams and Drew Azzopardi knock heads. | Dave Sizer photo

The second of two Saturday scrimmages for the University of Washington football team brought out the best in a lot of players, with some performances expected if not overdue while newcomers stepped up.

On a sunny yet chilly day at Husky Stadium, wide receiver Rashid Williams got everything off to a rousing start in the 12th spring practice, providing heroics on the first series in which the chains moved upfield.

On the fourth play, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior from Brentwood, California, got behind nickelback Ramonz Adams Jr. to catch a 33-yard pass from Demond Williams Jr., putting the offense on the 17-yard line.

Three plays later, Williams ran to the back of the end zone to haul in an 18-yard throw, this one going over cornerback Dylan Robinson's reach.

For Williams, it was his best day of the spring. He's been a bit rusty after missing all but two games of the 2025 season with collarbone and hand injuries.

In particular, he had a difficult practice 11 days earlier at the Seahawks' VMAC facility, dropping no fewer three balls. Williams looks confident now.

Rashid Williams had his best spring practice on Saturday. | Dave Sizer photo

While a lot of attention has been given starting freshman offensive tackle Kodi Greene, his older brother, Kayden, a walk-on cornerback, put the spotlight squarely on himself on Saturday.

This particular Greene and wide receiver Justice Williams went up for a Demond Williams Jr. pass in the end zone, both got their hands on the ball and Greene had the better grip and won that battle, bringing defensive players spilling onto the field to celebrate.

Another player emerging from the shadows was redshirt freshman edge rusher Victor Sanchez-Hernandez, who received his first meaningful snaps of the spring after missing the first 10 practices with an unspecified injury.

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound defender from Mukilteo, Washington, ran with the second-unit defense and bent walk-on running back Beck Walker over backward in stopping him for no gain on one play.

Freshman safety Gavin Day had an interception and a big hit in Saturday's scrimmage. | Dave Sizer photo

Freshman safety Gavin Day, Alex McLaughlin's understudy from Las Vegas, had a couple of big plays in him.

He intercepted an overthrown Elijah Brown pass and returned it 30 yards and later slammed into 6-foot-2, 235-pound freshman Ansu Sanoe, who was 40 pounds heavier than Day, and dropped him for a 2-yard loss.

We saw a different side to edge rusher Devin Hyde -- his out and out feistiness. The 6-foot-5, 253-pound sophomore from Menlo Park, California, twice got into shoving matches at the end of plays.

Hyde first put his hands on junior offensive tackle Elishah Jackett in a violent manner, with flags flying and Jackett and the offense actually getting penalized. Later Hyde got into with redshirt freshman Kini McMillan, a quarterback of all things.

Bodpegn Miller had a 31-yard catch in Saturday's spring scrimmage. | Dave Sizer photo

Another player showing up for the first time was Ohio State wide receiver transfer Bodpegn Miller, who ran to the goal line and then came back to catch a 31-yard pass from Brown on the 2-yard line, beating the aforementioned Green.

A redshirt freshman and former quarterback still learning his position, Miller is notably a big target with his long and lean 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame.

Yet another big play came from freshman cornerback Elijah Durr, who ran with freshman receiver Mason James to the corner of the end zone, where Durr intercepted the throw.

Kicking hasn't received a lot of scrimmage attention this spring, but for the most part those guys looked strong on Saturday.

Freshman CJ Wallace drilled a 52-yard field goal that cleared easily. Texas State transfer Tyler Robles connected on a 44-yarder that had maybe 10 yards to spare. However, Eastern Washington transfer Hunter McKee was not so fortunate, hitting the right upright on a 33-yard attempt.

The Huskies are down to a practice, a walk-through and the Spring Game, with the practice coming on Tuesday, not Monday as previously scheduled.