Offensive-Line Changes Evident in UW's Opening Practice

Kalen DeBoer scheduled his first University of Washington football practice on Wednesday for 8:45 a.m. Yet players and coaches already were on the field at 8 for what a school official described as "a walk-through."

Nobody walked, not then or for the next few hours.

DeBoer and his coaching staff conducted a practice decidedly more up-tempo than the previous regime.

Whistles and and loud voices kept everyone moving from drill to drill. Music could be heard in the background at times, but it was muffled. Nothing went unnoticed. Things seemed a lot more demanding than before, which should be the case for a team coming off a 4-8 season.

Ja'Lynn Polk dropped a pass and DeBoer went from putting his hands on his hips to thinking about it to reminding the receiver, "Got to catch that."

Always animated receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard continually ran routes with his players and corresponding defensive backs. He got in their faces and loudly congratulated his guys or asked for more from them.

Paul Creighton, a quality coach and special-teams coordinator, sat in the middle of a circle and stretched with his kickers and snappers in what looked like a new-age yoga class.

The first spring practice had a little of everything.

"They like to keep us moving, keep it up-tempo, not much standing between," UW edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui said. "You'll see that pick up. We're still learning the way they operate."

Jaxson Kirkland still awaits NCAA approval to practice.

The Husky edge rushers used a pad to practice tackling.

Michael Penix Jr., with ball, rotated at quarterback with Dylan Morris (5) and Sam Huard (7).

Kalen DeBoer ran his first Husky practice

Quentin Moore had to move with a ball in his hands after practice.

Kalen DeBoer addressed his team.

Jaxson Kirkland, the Huskies' two-time All-Pac-12 selection, showed up in his Husky jersey No. 51, shorts and a black boot on his right foot to watch. He's still awaiting an NCAA decision on whether he can play a sixth season after once leaning toward entering the NFL draft.

Kirkland likely wanted to see what the new coaches are doing to his offensive line, too, a group that didn't always match expectations over the previous season.

Fixing the O-line appears to be a top priority.

A notable change was 6-foot-4, 320-pound junior Victor Curne, a two-year starter at right tackle, moving to right guard.

Curne teamed with 6-foot-4, 307-pound sophomore left tackle Troy Fautanu, 6-foot-6, 333-pound sophomore left guard Nate Kalepo, 6-foot-4, 291-pound senior center Corey Luciano and 6-foot-6, 295-pound junior Matteo Mele at right tackle. Kalepo showed a significant weight gain while the others have slimmed down or held steady.

Returning starting right guard Henry Bainivalu, the only senior up front if Kirkland is denied coming back, was in uniform but he didn't run through plays, likely dealing with an injury.

Center is far from a settled position. Geirean Hatchett, Myles Murao, Owen Prentice, Mele, Fautanu and Luciano all showed off their shotgun hiking skills at one point.

Julius Buelow, a 6-foot-8, 319-pound sophomore who started five games at left guard last season, worked at left tackle with the No. 2 offensive line.

Buelow shared reps with a second group of linemen that consisted of 6-foot-4, 292-pound left guard Gaard Memmelaar, the 6-foot-4, 299-pound Hatchett in the middle, the 6-foot-3, 320-pound Murao at right guard and 6-foot-6, 294-pound Roger Rosengarten at right tackle, those other four all redshirt freshmen.

Hatchett's younger brother Landon, like his sibling a nationally recruited lineman from Ferndale, Washington, attended the opening practice.

The third Husky O-line involved 6-foot-7, 282-pound redshirt freshman Robert Wyrsch at left tackle, 6-foot-2, 255-pound true freshman Parker Brailsford at left guard, 6-foot-5, 283-pound walk-on junior Will Pliska at center, the 6-foot-3, 299-pound redshirt freshman Prentice at right guard and 6-foot-6, 286-pound redshirt freshman Samuel Peacock at right tackle.

The running back position looked totally depleted.

Only New Mexico transfer Aaron Dumas and redshirt freshman Jay'Veon Sunday were available among the scholarship runners to take handoffs.

Veterans Richard Newton and Cam Davis, a junior and sophomore, were in sweats watching, out for the spring with injuries. Redshirt freshman Sam Adams wore a yellow jersey, signifying no contact for him. Redshirt freshman Emeka Megwa likely is out for the spring while still dealing with a nagging high school injury. Redshirt freshman Caleb Berry, supposedly one of the few healthy ones, was not present.

The Huskies return for practice No. 2 on Friday.

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