UW Position Battles to Consider as Spring Football Winds Down

The Huskies still have a lot of movement ahead on the depth chart.

New coach Kalen DeBoer brings University of Washington spring football to a close on Saturday with a controlled public scrimmage for all to see, having accomplished most of what he set out to do.

He has gone to great lengths to re-establish a winning attitude that disappeared in the throes of the Huskies' 4-8 collapse last season, making sure the players feel good about themselves.

He made everyone get in shape, with 40 percent of his roster losing weight, which should be an infomercial.

He's kept everyone relatively healthy during spring drills, avoiding the disastrous injuries that last year sent Zion Tupuola-Fetui and Alphonzo Tuputala to the sidelines with ruptured Achilles tendons.

The next thing for DeBoer's coaching staff will be to settle on the top 22 players between now and the Sept. 3 season opener against Kent State, and there is plenty of work to be done.

With Pac-12 Networks set to televise Saturday's scrimmage, which begins at 11:30 a.m., the following are the UW's biggest question marks in sorting out the personnel.

Offensive Line

The Husky position area that could be shuffled the most between now and then is the offensive line, which might leave some of you scratching their heads at hearing this.

Hasn't the No. 1 group here been kept solidly intact throughout the spring lining up, from right to left, Troy Fautanu, Nate Kalepo, Corey Luciano, Vic Curne and Matteo Mele?

True, but past starters Jaxson Kirkland at left tackle and Henry Bainivalu at right guard, both seniors and largely relegated to spectator roles this spring, should become NCAA eligible and fully healthy, respectively, by the fall and bid for their jobs.

Add to that, the steady emergence of redshirt freshmen Geirean Hatchett and Roger Rosengarten, two of the most heavily recruited players on the roster, who could unseat older guys ahead of them at guard and tackle.    

Only Fautanu and Luciano appear established, having made it extra difficult this spring for anyone to move them out of their O-line spots.

Cornerbacks

The previous starters were Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon, who were drafted among the top 39 players in the NFL draft over the last two days.

The first-team replacements to begin the spring were sophomore Mishael Powell and UC Davis transfer Jordan Perryman, who form a fairly confident duo. 

However, sophomore Jacobe Covington and redshirt freshman Davon Banks have made big plays in recent scrimmages and would surprise no one if they earned the No. 1 jobs.

After all, as McDuffie and Gordon will remind you, it's DBU.

Quarterback

Entering the final scrimmage, the working order of Husky QBs is Indiana transfer Michael Penix Jr., returning starter Dylan Morris and Apple Cup starter Sam Huard. 

Penix has a skill set that, when healthy, made him a second-team All-Big Ten selection, capable of throwing 5 touchdown passes in one afternoon at Ohio State and able to beat Michigan and Michigan State on back-to-back weekends.

However, Morris appears to be a much improved quarterback under the guidance of a new staff and ready to play under any circumstance. 

Huard is still in development and will be a solid contributor when that happens.

Running Back

New Mexico transfer Aaron Dumas and redshirt freshman Jay'Veon Sunday have received nearly all of the carries this spring, giving them a big leg up on injured teammates Richard Newton, Cam Davis, Sam Adams, Caleb Berry and Emeka Megwa, plus Virginia transfer Wayne Taulapapa and Nebraska transfer Will Nixon, who arrive in August.

Fall camp should be interesting as the coaching staff has everyone except Megwa available. Among this crew, only Newton (3 games) and Davis (2) have started as a UW running back. Yet Dumas, a sophomore, is capable of being the first-teamer after leading his Mountain West team in rushing (658 yards) as a true freshman last fall.

Gentlemen, start your engines.

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