Who Missed the Montana Game and Who Might Lose a Starting Job
The University of Washington football team provided no injury report for the Montana game — outside of its pride being severely wounded.
No less than 10 players wandered around the Husky sideline in states of football dress and undress without coming anywhere near the field, presumably in some sort of physical distress, most glaringly usual starting wide receivers Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan and Terrell Bynum.
Odunze was in pads, but he kept his head tucked under a hoodie while McMillan had some sort of cast or bandage on a hand that's been surgically repaired and Bynum hasn't practiced for a couple of weeks now.
True freshman wide receiver Jabez Tinae also was unavailable, adding to the pass-catcher shortage.
Add to that Texas transfer Ja'Lynn Polk making an early catch and getting injured and not returning.
Husky coach Jimmy Lake, who prefers to conceal most injuries and let people guess at why his guys are missing in action, said he might address the depleted wide-receiving corps on Monday.
After the stunning 13-7 defeat to FCS member Montana, no doubt many Husky starting jobs will be put into competition this week before the team leaves for the austere challenge of playing Michigan on the road.
Senior running back Sean McGrew wasn't available or simply wasn't used.
Edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui, the first-team All-Pac-12 selection missing from the lineup, is still recovering from his Achilles tendon tear surgery, aiming for a midseason return if possible.
Reserve inside linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala remains unavailable since spring, still dealing with a foot injury that required surgery.
Anthony Ward, a walk-on inside linebacker, was in street clothes, which stylishly included a bucket hat.
Freshman offensive lineman Owen Prentice was not dressed for the game, nor was walk-on OL Chase Skuza.
Freshman running back Sam Adams didn't suit up either for reasons unknown.
Nursing an ankle injury from the final scrimmage, freshman safety Makell Esteen likewise was a civilian for the opener.
Eight UW players made their college football debuts against Montana, among them wide receiver Taj Davis, who started the game; redshirt freshman edge rusher Bralen Trice, who had 1 tackle; walk-on cornerback Mishael Powell on special teams; walk-on wide receiver David Pritchard, whose father Marc was a UW walk-on who appeared in 1 game in the 1990s; freshman linebacker Carson Bruener, son of former UW tight-end standout Mark Bruener; freshman edge rusher Jordan Lolohea, who's 21, went on a Mormon mission to Detroit and last appeared in a high school game in 2016; and new freshmen defensive linemen Kuao Peihopa and Voi Tunuufi.
Peihopa and Tunuufi were the only members of Lake's panned 2021 recruiting class to play right away, with freshman quarterback Sam Huard not budging from the sideline against the Grizzlies.
During the game, the only real offensive change was redshirt freshman Nate Kalepo stepping in for junior Henry Bainivalu at right guard in the second half. It's not clear if this was a permanent move that will hold for Michigan.
On defense, Lake replaced starting sophomore defensive tackle Taki Taimani throughout the game with a series of players, among them redshirt freshman Jacob Bandes, and true freshmen Kuao Peihopa and Voi Tunuufi.
The Huskies also liberally substituted the safeties, beginning in the second quarter by sending former starters Asa Turner, Cam Williams and Alex Cook onto the field after starting redshirt freshman Kamren Fabiculanan and sophomore Julius Irvin. Of the new safeties, Irvin notably whiffed on a blitz attempt.
There could be plenty of lineup movement among the first-teamers for the Michigan game as the UW tries to prevent an 0-2 beginning.
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