Tale of Two Husky Tailbacks: The Return and the Reminder
Showing up in short shorts in the unmistakable morning chill, a look that ran contrary to what everyone else was wearing, a robust Richard Newton made his spring football debut.
After sitting out two games last year and missing the opening practice two days earlier, the University of Washington junior running back on Friday joined his teammates who seemed extra happy to have him around again.
He playfully patted helmets with fellow tailback Sean McGrew.
Even more emphatic, he head-butted with starting quarterback Dylan Morris.
Newton remains an enigmatic player who's so highly regarded he appeared on last season's Doak Walker Award watch list but whose career veered off to where he wasn't even called on to play against Utah or Stanford in 2020.
It has been suggested that he let his success go to his head some and had to be humbled, but no one in a position to know has confirmed that.
Regardless, the 6-foot, 210-pound Newton wearing the legendary No. 6 looked like the best Husky running back out there as the Huskies pushed through another two-hour session on the edge of Lake Washington.
With the wind whipping in off the water, the Lancaster, California, native appeared fit, thick and quick as he darted around defenders and enthusiastically sprinted upfield.
Quick as in having another gear that no one else in his position group possesses.
Thick as in having thighs the size of an NFL running back.
Fit as in presenting a well-chiseled overall physique that made it look like he's put in plenty of offseason work so far.
Newton returns to a running-back stable that also consists of McGrew, fellow senior Kamari Pleasant and sophomore Cameron Davis, plus a host of younger candidates topped by Jay'Veon Sunday.
While it's clear Newton has a little showman in him, Sunday, a similar-sized redshirt freshman back from Waco, Texas, appears to have a lot more.
On Friday, he paid for it, too.
The youngster from the Lone Star state in his No. 26 went upfield with the ball high-stepping and trying to be physical in a non-contact drill.
Trent McDuffie let him know what he thought of this display.
The junior cornerback came over at an angle and took the back off his feet with a well-placed forearm shiver, spilling him on the turf.
As Sunday went down hard, laughter was heard coming from the UW defensive sideline.
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