Last season, long-distance offensive plays were as much of a part of University of Washington football practice as stretching exercises and wind sprints. A daily ritual. Uninterrupted defensive punishment. Carnival stuff.
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. would just step up to the line, take a look around and have his choice of deep options, facilitated by former offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's innovative formations and intricate passing routes. Penix would merely ask himself if it was an Odunze day or a McMillan day, and then let fly with a left-handed missile that usually was spot on.
Yet once Kalen DeBoer's coaching staff, Penix and the rest of the major players in the huddle moved on to Alabama, the NFL and parts in between, Jedd Fisch has had to come in and go heavy on fundamentals during his Husky rebuild. With few exceptions, offensive play after play has ended up as short yardage, especially while the UW transitions to an all-new offensive line.
However on Thursday, which marked the 13th fall practice, Fisch's Huskies seemed to open up the offense some and raise the energy levels another notch, with the season opener against Weber State now two weeks and two days away.
The passes were longer, as were the runs, while even Grady Gross' field-goal attempts were stretched out to maximum distance.
Freshman running back Adam Mohammed got the big-yardage stuff started when took a handoff from Demond Williams Jr., burst over the right side for 50 yards and was brought down on the 2-yard line. Every day, the 6-foot, 212-pound Mohammed, as tough a runner inside as he is elusive on the outside, demonstrates more and more why he's not going to redshirt this season.
Not to be outdone, junior back and projected starter Jonah Coleman a series later came around the right end in a hurry and didn't stop running until he had covered 44 yards before senior safety Kam Fabiculanan touched him down on the 20-yard line.
On this day, Williams seemed determined to find fellow freshman Audric Harris open on a post pattern, but he had two balls knocked away before he delivered a 55-yard touchdown strike to someone else -- delivering it to walk-on Luke Luchini, a redshirt freshman wideout from Meridian, Idaho, who got behind scholarship cornerback Caleb Presley.
Having an extremely productive day, Williams also threw what seems to be his daily scoring pass to redshirt freshman Rashid Williams, who beat junior walk-on cornerback Anay Nagarajan with a 28-yard TD reception.
Gross continues to be a highly reliable place-kicker, stepping up and drilling 50- and 41-yard field goals right down the middle without a second thought.
Projected starting quarterback Will Rogers, maybe feeling pressed by Williams for the first time in a while. finally made a few things happen on his end near the end of Thursday's practice, which was held on a cool, hazy day.
Rogers sent one into the end zone from 27 yards out for California senior transfer Jeremiah Hunter, who emerged with the catch and his shoulder pads all askew after beating junior cornerback Elijah Jackson to the ball. As for Jackson, he remains in a fierce battle with senior corner Thaddeus Dixon to retain his starting job, as one of just two first-teamers returning from 2023, and this didn't necessarily help his cause..
Another Rogers TD pass landed in the hands of sophom*ore wideout Denzel Boston, who appeared to get away with a push-off on freshman safety Peyton Waters before gathering in a 19-yard scoring throw.
The final offensive set was maybe exactly what Fisch wants to get out of his pro-style offense going forward, one that will be put on display in the overly physical Big Ten this season very soon.
Beginning on the 25 closest to the end zone, Mohammad ran for 5 tough yards up the middle. He went over the left side and picked up 10 more yards with a very hard run. Now on the 10, Mohammad went up the middle and met contact, did a complete spin and went into the end zone standing up with Dixon the last man and unable to prevent the score.
The Huskies next will have a short walk-through on Friday before opening the doors to Husky Stadium to its donors and hosting a Saturday night intrasquad game in hopes of raising name, likeness and image funds, as well as showing off much more of their offense.
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