UW Played Spring Game Without Half Of Its RBs, Including Bonner

The freshman was one of four scholarship ball carriers who sat this one out.

Brian Bonner Jr. runs behind the blocking of John Mills during a spring practice. | Dave Sizer photo

The University of Washington running back corps fell into even worse shape when the Spring Game finished up a month of practices on Friday night, with freshman Brian Bonner Jr. held out with a hamstring injury.

Bonner, a 5-foot-11, 196-pound newcomer from Santa Clarita, California, was one of four Husky rushers -- half of the scholarship total -- who were sidelined and forced to watch the game go on without them.

He joined Troy transfer Trey Cooley (knee), Oregon transfer Jayden Limar (ankle) and sophomore Jordan Washington (neck) as unavailable rushers for the UW, though his situation in dealing with "hamstring tightness" was deemed precautionary.

"We need Brian to have the whole summer and be fully engaged in the offseason program," coach Jedd Fisch said. "There was no reason to have any setbacks [Friday] when we've got to get going."

Bonner, a 4-star recruit, previously took part in at least 13 spring practices, which were followed by a walk-through and the Spring Game.

Becker Walker had a 31-yard run in the Spring Game and led all rushers with the lone carry. | Dave Sizer photo

Without him, the Huskies had just four scholarship runners able to play in redshirt freshmen Quaid Carr, Julian McMahon and D'Aryhian Clemons and freshman Ansu Sanoe, plus a pair of walk-ons in Ryken Moon and Beck Walker.

In Friday night's Spring Game, the coaching staff spread the ball-carrying duties around to the survivors. Walker actually led all rushers with a lone 31-yard gainer.

Sanoe ran three times for 28 yards while Moon packed the ball five times for 28 yards. Carr had just two runs for 7 yards

Among the quarterbacks, redshirt freshman Kini McMillan carried five times for 29 yards.

Curiously, starting dual-threat quarterback Demond Williams Jr. didn't run the ball at all.

Jordan Washington, the UW's No. 1 back to when spring ball began, watched Friday's game while wearing a neck brace. He was injured during the third practice while trying to make a tackle on an interception return.

Fisch said the 5-foot-10, 181-pound Washington from Long Beach, California, should know by July 1, after consulting with medical professionals inside and outside the program, whether he can play this coming season or not.

Previously, Bonner had run the ball steadily throughout spring practice, lining up anywhere from the third- to the first-unit offense.

"It's been a great learning curve for the young guys," Fisch said, referring to Bonner and Sanoe. "The young guys got more reps than they normally would have gotten if this was traditional spring football."