Caple: Notes and thoughts from Day 3 of UW Huskies camp

Aug 3, 2024, 10:53 AM

UW Huskies Jedd Fisch fall camp 8-2-24...

UW Huskies coach Jedd Fisch fields questions from reporters at fall camp. (Christian Caple/On Montlake)

(Christian Caple/On Montlake)

UW Huskies Insider

SEATTLE — “Where’s Washington?”

Those words were printed across the back of Jedd Fisch’s shirt, superimposed over a preseason top-25 ranking that, as you might guess, did not include the Huskies. Fisch ordered the shirts, he said, for everybody on the team. The words “Just Work” run down the front.

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I’ve been trying to figure out whose preseason rankings these are, considering neither the AP top-25 or coaches’ polls have been released yet (and no poll I’ve seen has ranked Utah as low as No. 25). Fisch said he didn’t know which rankings they used, saying it was simply “whatever ranking I saw last.” The coach did tweet an “eyes” emoji in response to UW being omitted from a top-50 ranking assembled by esteemed thing-ranker Big Game Boomer, though that list does not match the one on Fisch’s shirt. Might be a good assignment for the amateur sleuths among us.

A large crew from the Big Ten Network was on campus Friday, gathering footage as part of its programming welcoming its four new members. There were a couple familiar faces – former Pac-12 Network host Ashley Adamson and analyst Yogi Roth – and others, like former Vanderbilt, LSU and Indiana coach Gerry DiNardo, with whom you will become familiar as UW’s Big Ten era unfolds.

Maybe Fisch wanted to create some fodder for the cameras with his sartorial decision.

The Huskies wore pads for the first time this camp after a couple of light workouts on Wednesday and Thursday (if you’re wondering why there was no practice report yesterday, it’s because there was very little to report). There still wasn’t a ton of scrimmaging, though there were a couple 11-on-11 periods – first in the red zone, and then the length of the field – that produced a few highlights.

The top offensive play went to Will Rogers and Denzel Boston. The senior quarterback found the sophomore receiver over the middle, and Boston went high in traffic – Carson Bruener, Alphonzo Tuputala and Ephesians Prysock surrounded him – to pull it in. Later, though, Boston couldn’t haul in a well-placed deep ball from Rogers into the end zone with Prysock a step behind him. Prysock also made a nice play to break up a quick slant to Boston during a red-zone rep. Those two battled all spring, too.

“He’s done really well. I’m really impressed with him,” Rogers said of Prysock. “I played him twice at Arizona (while at Mississippi State). I was really impressed with him there. I think J-Rich (John Richardson) does an incredible job of implementing Coach (Steve) Belichick’s scheme, and I think everybody on the defense and the back end, especially, is on the same page.”

Thaddeus Dixon took some reps at cornerback opposite Prysock with the No. 1 defense, as did Elijah Jackson, and Jordan Shaw was the No. 1 nickel. I’m curious to see how Cameron Broussard and Justin Harrington will slot in as camp progresses.

With much of the 11-on-11 activity taking place in the red zone, Fisch estimated that about 75 percent of the snaps were running plays, “because it’s just been pass-fest when you’re in (only) helmets.” Cam Davis has seen a bunch of reps so far, and looks to be fully healthy. Sam Adams also took some carries on Friday. Jonah Coleman didn’t see many carries, presumably for maintenance reasons, and because Davis hasn’t been a full practice participant since last August.

Third-year sophomore safety Tristan Dunn has been absent from each of UW’s first three practices. Fisch didn’t have much to say about it afterward, acknowledging only that “he’s not been here yet, and we’ll see when he comes back.” We’ll keep an eye on that. With veteran transfers Harrington and Broussard still acclimating to their new team, and senior Kam Fabiculanan working with trainers as he shakes off some kind of (presumably) minor ailment, the No. 1 safeties at one point were fifth-year junior Makell Esteen and redshirt freshman Vincent Holmes. A pair of freshmen, Peyton Waters and Paul Mencke Jr., took reps with the twos.

The competition at edge rusher will be something to watch, too. Isaiah Ward and Voi Tunuufi were often the No. 1 duo, with Zach Durfee suited up and participating in drills but still limited as he recovers from elbow surgery. Jayden Wayne saw a few reps and notched a “sack,” as did Lance Holtzclaw, who appears to have bulked up a fair bit. It seems Sacramento State transfer Deshawn Lynch has spent most of his time on the edge so far, rather than the interior. At one point, he lined up opposite Holtzclaw with the No. 2 defense, with Bryce Butler and Elinneus Davis inside, Bryun Parham and Drew Fowler at linebacker, Dyson McCutcheon at nickel, Dixon and Leroy Bryant at cornerback and Waters and Mencke at safety. Butler made a nice play to bust through the o-line and blow up a handoff to Daniyel Ngata.

The first-team offensive line looked mostly the same, but with D’Angalo Titialii maybe taking more of the reps at center, rather than Zach Henning. Landen Hatchett continues to observe and take mental reps as he recovers from injury, though Gaard Memmelaar appears to be doing everything the rest of his teammates are doing, and is taking the No. 1 reps at left guard.

A handful of players, including Fabiculanan, have been working out on the side or are otherwise not suited up. That list includes defensive linemen Jayvon and Armon Parker, tight ends Ryan Otton and Charlie Crowell, edge rusher Russell Davis II and receiver Justice Williams.

Man, was it hot out there today. I noticed that safeties coach Vinnie Sunseri and d-line coach Jason Kaufusi sweated through their sweatshirts. There also were a couple players who, uh, lost some fluids.

As he did at several practices this spring, Pete Carroll showed up again on Friday, obliging autograph requests from several youngsters in attendance.

The Huskies will take Saturday off before returning to the practice field on Sunday.

This article was originally published at OnMontlake.com, the home for Christian Caple’s full UW Huskies football coverage. Subscribe to On Montlake for full access to in-depth UW coverage.