Skip to main content
Inside The Huskies

UW Fresh Start (No. 16): Odunze's Game Might Benefit Most from Coaching Change

Having his team-best receiving stats double is not out of the question.
Dan Raley|
UW Fresh Start (No. 16): Odunze's Game Might Benefit Most from Coaching Change
UW Fresh Start (No. 16): Odunze's Game Might Benefit Most from Coaching Change

As he becomes much more familiar with his personnel, new University of Washington football coach Kalen DeBoer will find he has four players who are better than the rest.

Two years ago, edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui was as disruptive as any college football player in America before he tore an Achilles tendon in the spring and then suffered either a shoulder or a head injury during the season. He should be at full strength this fall. 

Inside linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio, in some circles, was called the nation's top returning linebacker entering last season before an arm injury ended things for him at the halfway point.

Offensive tackle Jaxson Kirkland likewise damaged an ankle that left him at 60 percent of his ability yet he was still limped to a first-team All-Pac-12 selection.

The fourth?

Rome Odunze, who began last season sidelined with an undisclosed injury, is poised to become the elite wide receiver that virtually everyone expects from him.

At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he's got a DK Metcalf frame without all the muscles.

He's possesses exceptional hands as the assorted photos in the accompanying gallery demonstrate.

Most of all, Odunze now has a more wide-open offense that should make him a star.  

Rome Odunze walks to practice with the UW running backs. 

Rome Odunze and his teammates arrive at Reser Stadium.

Wide receiver Rome Odunze interacts with UW students. 

To help with concentration, Rome Odunze wore an equipment bag.

Rome Odunze catches a practice pass.

Rome Odunze reaches for a sensational TD pass against WSU.

Rome Odunze celebrates a TD catch against Arizona.

In fall camp, Rome Odunze makes a difficult catch.

Rome Odunze is flanked by Jalen McMillan and Mark Redman.

A month and a half until spring practice, we're offering intel and observations gathered on the UW football personnel in a series of stories on every scholarship player from No. 0 to 99. We'll review each Husky's previous starting experience, if applicable, and determine what comes next under DeBoer.

As is the case with any coaching change, it's a new football beginning for everyone, including for the Huskies' No. 16 on offense.

Still just a sophomore, Odunze started 7 of the 9 games he played last fall and 1 of 4 the season before.

Even with the idle time, the Las Vegas product led the Huskies in receiving with 41 catches that led to a second-best 415 yards and a team-high 4 touchdowns. If he doesn't double all of those numbers, he should consider the coming season a disappointment.

Odunze and fellow sophomore wide receiver Jalen McMillan are similar in ability and promise, and should wage a fairly friendly but persistent individual competition to become the Huskies' No. 1 downfield target.

Yet the larger UW pass-catcher has two inches and 20 pounds on his buddy and this should be more than enough to push him out front in any kind of spirited comparison. 

It will be imperative for DeBoer and his offensive coaches to find more fruitful ways to take advantage of both Odunze and McMillan than Jimmy Lake did with his ill-fated pro-style offense.

UW Starter or Not: Odunze started seven of the final eight games last season. As long as he's healthy, he's not coming out of the UW lineup again. A potential breakout season for him is one of the more anticipated possibilities with the coaching change. Consider him a marquee player on this roster, and not necessarily fourth in the order.

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Husky Maven stories as soon as they’re published.

Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.

Find Husky Maven on Facebook by searching: Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated

Follow Dan Raley of Husky Maven on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

Home/Football