UW Spring Game Lacks Suspense, But Fulfills Purpose by Connecting Team with Fans
Fans sat in clusters throughout Husky Stadium to watch a University of Washington spring football game that produced no long plays or crushing hits, which was all really by design.
The Huskies didn't want to tip their hand offensively or hurt anybody defensively.
Yet in a 22-13 Purple victory over the Gold on Saturday, Jimmy Lake's football team accomplished what it set out to do — which was begin the process of reconnecting its followers to a program that has big aspirations but is still transitioning to an eager new coach.
Lake's coaching predecessor Chris Petersen never wanted to hold a football game in April or May. He feared that future opponents might spot even the smallest thing and use it later to beat him.
Lake is just the opposite. He wants to unveil the Husky product to score smaller victories, to build momentum around what he and his players are doing. To a point, of course.
"He didn't want to show too much," the coach said of Petersen. "We held back a lot of stuff because we were on TV. But I'd rather our fans and our recruits be excited about our program and see what we're doing."
On a lazy, sunny day alongside Lake Washington, where two boats rather than hundreds dropped anchor outside the stadium, Husky followers caught glimpses of Richard Newton becoming the lead running back they've anticipated, with him leading all rushers with 49 yards on 8 carries and scoring on a 15-yard run for the Gold team in his abbreviated stint.
Asked why he sat Newton for two games in 2020, Lake offered only that it was for multiple reasons, mentioning the pandemic but not wanting to elaborate.
"All I know in where he's at is it's the best version of Richard Newton that I know," the coach said.
The Husky gathering witnessed redshirt freshman cornerback Elijah Jackson stand out on a day where turnovers were practically non-existent. Early in the game, the Carson, California, product and Purple team defender made a break on a Patrick O'Brien pass and came up with the only interception of the afternoon.
Running with the second unit throughout the spring, Jackson seemed to be responsible for a lot of Saturday incompletions.
"He reminds me a lot of Sidney Jones where he was as a freshman," Lake said, alluding to a Husky corner now in the NFL.
Among the UW quarterbacks primarily used behind center on Saturday, returning starter Dylan Morris did nothing to hurt his hold on the top job. For the Purple team, he connected on 18 of 28 passes for 125 yards and a 7-yard touchdown pass to Cade Otton to open the scoring.
O'Brien, while touched for the Jackson pass theft, completed 11 of 18 passes for 107 yards. He split time with touted freshman Sam Huard, who was good on 7 of 12 passes for 74 yards, but was sacked three times and fumbled once.
"I think his progress is where it needs to be," Lake said of the first-year quarterback. "He's right on track. He was better today than he was in the first part of spring practice."
Saturday's game was tied at 10 in the third quarter when normal back-up center Cory Luciano snapped a ball over Huard's head and out of the end zone for a safety to put the Purple team ahead for good.
Both kickers, senior Peyton Henry and junior Tim Horn, supplied two field goals each, all in the 34- to 39-yard range, as they've challenged each other in a close position battle this past month. The only other points came on a 3-yard TD run by senior Kamari Pleasant for the Purple team.
With a roster of 108 players, roughly 20 more than the Huskies have had at any time in the past decade, two players in particular were mentioned for making big strides this spring. Curiously, both opted out of UW football last fall.
Outside linebacker Bralen Trice, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound sophomore from Phoenix, was singled out for his month-long play by senior All-Pac-12 offensive tackle Jaxson Kirkland.
His development has been especially crucial because of the career-ending injury to sophomore Laiatu Latu and likely season-ending injury to junior Zion Tupuola-Fetui, an All-Pac-12 selection last fall.
"I know he was giving me fits," Kirkland said.
For junior inside linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio, sophomore wide receiver Taj Davis caught his eye after coming back from his team absence.
"Taj Davis has just been making big plays," Ulofoshio said. "I'm excited for what he can do in the future."
The Huskies played the spring game without several players, with Texas Tech transfer wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk and junior defensive tackle Draco Bynum unexpected late scratches, presumably for injuries.
Junior safety Asa Turner, junior offensive lineman Will Pliska, sophomore inside linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala and ZTF were all using scooters to get around the stadium while dealing with leg or foot injuries.
Others who didn't play were second-team All-Pac-12 cornerback and junior Trent McDuffie, senior safety Alex Cook, junior offensive tackle Victor Curne, redshirt freshman tight end Mason West and redshirt freshman offensive guard Myles Murao.
They'll all have three months to heal before fall camp begins for a veteran-laden team projected as a Top 20 entry. And then games resume to large crowds again.
"The good news is it's May," Elofoshio said. "We have four months to clean it up."
Follow Dan Raley of Husky Maven on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven
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