Some Observations from UW Spring Practice No. 6

Six practices into spring ball, the University of Washington football team is beginning to take shape, with the same players rotating through scrimmage segments over and over, and lineups looking familiar.

On Saturday, while the Huskies used Dempsey Indoor for the first time because of the inclement weekend weather, the atmosphere under cover took on a festive mood as several spectators showed up and filled an entire sideline.

Offensively, the player making the biggest move for a starting role up for grabs is freshman wide receiver Jordan Clay, who had the play of the day during the two and a half hour workout. Or at least he had the snap that drew the biggest reaction from his teammates.

On the 1 yard line, the 6-foot-3, 207-pound Clay from San Antonio ran to the very back of the end zone and went up with sophomore cornerback Dylan Robinson, who likewise stands 6-foot-3, for a football lobbed to the player with the best set of springs.

That was Clay.

He came down with the ball in a spectacular manner. He next was engulfed by a large number of offensive teammates who came at him in a raucous, celebratory mood, and that included injured running back Jayden Limar, who didn't let a protective boot stop him from joining in this scrum.

QB coach JP Losman gives direction to Elijah Brown. | Dave Sizer photo

Earlier, Clay showed a little feistiness, giving freshman cornerback Jeron Jones a healthy shove, unhappy about something after the play ended. There have been no fights at practice so far.

Clay is seeking the third starting receiver spot alongside junior Rashid Williams and sophomore Dezmen Roebuck and pulls the most snaps there these days. Kennesaw State transfer Christian Moss and sophomore Chris Lawson are other candidates and are in uniform, but have been slowed by nagging injuries.

Elias Johnson had a good week of practice at Husky corner. | Dave Sizer photo

Defensively, the player making the biggest effort to get the attention of the coaching staff and increase his playing time in the fall is sophomore cornerback Elias Johnson.

Running with the second unit, it was boom or bust inside Dempsey for the Tualatin, Oregon, product, who collected a pair of pass break-ups and has no fewer than five PBUs over the past three practices.

The slender 6-foot-2,, 179-pound Johnson also got picked on some, with freshman wide receiver Mason James beating him on an 8-yard touchdown throw and yet another freshman Trez Davis coming up with a 26-yard gainer at his expense.

Davis, a 6-foot, 190-pound newcomer from West Monroe, Louisiana, also caught a 20-yard pass by leaping in front of safety Paul Mencke Jr. to flag it down.

Sophomore safety Paul Mencke Jr. makes a tough grab in Dempsey Indoor. | Dave Sizer photo

Mencke, a 6-foot-3, 201-pound sophomore from Cibolo, Texas, redeemed himself with an interception of an Elijah Brown pass by breaking perfectly on a ball intended for James.

While assorted players walki around unavailable because of various bumps and bruises, the Huskies have enjoyed a fairly healthy first two weeks of practice.

Only sophomore running back Jordan Washington, with a neck injury on the previous Saturday, has been seriously hurt to the point he's done for the rest of the spring.

Other sights and sounds from practice No. 6 include the following:

Ball State transfer Darin Conley keeps drawing No. 1 snaps at defensive tackle, rewarded for getting upfield. | Dave Sizer photo

Ball State transfer defensive tackle Darin Conley continues to draw playing time with the No. 1 offense, rewarded for his ability to get upfield.

While all of this was going on, the huge guy in a gray hoodie, blue jeans, cowboy boots and a white UW hat worn backward looking on was recruit Ben Lowther, a 6-foot-7, 335-pound offensive tackle from Centennial High School in Peoria, Arizona.

He fits the prototype of the big-body offensive lineman the Huskies continually seek to join 6-foot-6, 338-pound sophomore left guard John Mills, 6-foot-6, 321-pound freshman left tackle Kodi Greene and 6-foot-7, 356-pound freshman offensive tackle Dominic Harris.

Practice ended with Texas State transfer kicker Tyler Robles drawing three field-goal attempts and he made them from 30 and 38 yards and just missed a 35-yarder.