Husky Mailbag
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:20 pm
By Mike Vorel
Seattle Times staff reporter
It’s mailbag season on Montlake.
Which, of course, coincides with another UW football season — as, fresh off a 45-20 win over Kent State in Kalen DeBoer’s debut, the Huskies look to move to 2-0 against Portland State at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Let’s get to the questions.
To address the first question, I’d expect the backup quarterback competition to continue throughout the season — and that particular role is more important in this program than many others. It’s been well documented that starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has never appeared in more than six games in a season, the result of four separate season-ending injuries.
Though sophomore Dylan Morris and redshirt freshman Sam Huard are listed as co-backups on UW’s depth chart, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has made it clear that Morris is currently situated in the No. 2 spot. Even so, he said at the conclusion of camp that the competition is “close. Of all three guys, the guy who made the biggest jump overall in camp was Sam. There was some operational things and sacks and turnovers from the spring, where I thought Sam grew light-years in that regard (in August).
“Operationally, Dylan’s a guy that everybody trusts. He’s going to get up (to the line of scrimmage). He’s going to know exactly what to do, how to move somebody, change the protection. That’s where he’s just a little ahead of Sam. That’s a tight deal, though. Those guys were tooth and nail, all three of them. It says a lot about the room.”
It also says, when you consider how far Huard has apparently come, that the gap between No. 2 and No. 3 was fairly dramatic in the spring. But the redshirt freshman and former four-star recruit has closed that gap, and Morris — meanwhile — completed 3 of 5 passes for 48 yards, while taking a sack and nearly throwing an interception, in mop-up duty last week.
Granted, it’s understandably challenging to enter a game you didn’t start, with mixed personnel and a game plan that wasn’t catered specifically to you, and immediately find a rhythm and produce.
Still, it would not be remotely surprising to see Huard eventually step into the No. 2 spot.
But the best case scenario would not include Morris or Huard starting a game this fall.
As the second questioner suggested, Penix is inarguably UW’s premier quarterback — from an experience standpoint, a savvy standpoint, a knowledge standpoint, you name it. With Penix operating the offense, the Huskies are very realistically an eight- or nine-win team.
They’d have to work to sniff a bowl game with anyone else.
But Husky fans can hope to see more of Huard (or, if you prefer, Morris) in mop-up duty in the coming weeks — starting against Portland State on Saturday.
“They both deserve (to play); they’ve both worked hard,” DeBoer said of his dual backups this week. “It’s hard, because you’re trying to put the game away from a play calling standpoint, but you’re (also) trying to let these guys play football. So sometimes it’s hard to let them show their best ball in the last 7-8 minutes of the game. We would definitely love to get those guys more and more snaps as we go through the next few weeks.”
Yes, it’s fair for UW fans to be worried about the state of the cornerback position.
After all, in the wake of Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon’s NFL exits, that’s suddenly the thinnest position (outside of maybe tight end, from a numbers standpoint) on the roster.
The Huskies have little in the way of quality, experienced depth. Their starters are an FCS transfer (Jordan Perryman) and a former walk-on (Mishael Powell). Their primary back ups are a converted safety (Julius Irvin) and a pair of redshirt freshmen (Eijah Jackson and Davon Banks) who have appeared in a total of seven combined games.
Granted, Perryman was perhaps UW’s best defender in preseason camp, and Powell has earned a reputation as one of the Huskies’ hardest workers. Irvin is also a former four-star recruit with elite athleticism, and both Banks and Jackson have flashed in practices.
Perryman allowed four receptions on five targets, while also missing two tackles, before leaving the Kent State game in the third quarter with an upper left leg injury. (UW’s coaches are hoping he’ll play against Portland State). Powell was burned for a 47-yard touchdown as well.
“The one thing we know is Mish (Powell) is going to be someone who definitely takes that personally,” said co-defensive coordinator William Inge. “He wants to get it right. He wants to be the guy who’s going to make that play at the point of attack.”
But will he be? And will Perryman be the player he looked like this offseason? And will the unproven back ups produce when called upon?
The are questions to be answered at cornerback. And whether good or bad, the answers are coming.
The easy answer is yes.
It’s unclear whether sixth-year senior left tackle Jaxson Kirkland will be healthy enough to make his season debut on Saturday. Even if he does, expect sophomore Troy Fautanu to get plenty of time — either at left tackle or elsewhere. Junior Matteo Mele will also continue to rotate with Corey Luciano at center, and don’t be surprised if Geirean Hatchett gets playing time at one of the guard spots as well.
UW offensive line coach Scott Huff has made it clear that he wants to play his best five guys.
But maybe not only five guys.
“(Mele) had a really good fall camp,” Huff said Wednesday. “He’s a guy that’s played for us in the past. I don’t think anyone’s opposed to having (more than) five guys. If there’s someone that deserves playing time, we’ve done that in the past. We’ll keep working those guys in. I definitely don’t think it hurts. We’re trying to reward guys for doing a good job.”
Not yet.
To clarify, Chris is asking if I’m ready to change my prediction for the UW-Oregon game on Nov. 12. In our season preview section last week, I picked the Ducks to earn a 31-21 home win.
And while it’s easier to react to last weekend’s results, I didn’t see much to change my mind. I picked UW to topple Kent State 41-17, and the final score (45-20) was fairly similar. The Huskies’ perceived strengths (passing offense particularly) were confirmed, as were their weaknesses.
Plus, while Georgia’s 49-3 drubbing of Oregon was certainly eye-opening, it’s also likely true that three programs — Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State — are a whole lot better than everyone else. That game may have said more about Georgia than it did about the Ducks.
Is it possible Oregon was intensely overhyped, and the Huskies might steal a win inside Autzen Stadium? Sure. But with Eastern Washington, BYU, WSU, Stanford, Arizona and UCLA next on the docket for the Ducks, we’ll get a better idea of UW’s chances in the next six weeks.