Huskies Express Optimism About Getting McMillan Back for Stanford

The UW offense needs a boost and the receiver could be ready to play again.

Dan Raley | Oct 23, 2023

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Washington Huskies

Just when it could use an offensive boost, the University of Washington football team seems to be ready to welcome standout wide receiver Jalen McMillan back for Saturday's road game at Stanford.

At least offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb sounded overly optimistic about bringing the playmaker back into the huddle after McMillan has spent the better part of a month dealing with a knee injury.

"J-Mac, I feel like he's ready," Grubb said at his Monday press briefing. "Honestly, I thought he was ready last week. I know we're being super cautious in trying to take care of him and I know he's itching to play."

McMillan initially was injured on Sept. 16 shortly before halftime of the UW-Michigan State game, sat out games against California and Arizona, returned against Oregon only to leave after a couple of series with a re-injury and missed this past weekend's game against Arizona State.

The 6-foot-1, 192-pound junior from Fresno, California, was seen on the sideline wearing a gray hoodie and being very involved with his teammates, either standing in the sideline huddle during timeouts or approaching players individually and shaking their hands.

McMillan's season totals stand at 20 receptions for 311 yards and 3 touchdowns, plus a fourth score by rushing. He took part in the UW's Sunday workout.

"He was running around out there yesterday and he looks great," Grubb said.

Fellow wide receiver and sophomore Germie Bernard and senior defensive tackle Tuli Letuligasenoa, who each missed the ASU game, appear more questionable in their chances of playing in Palo Alto.

Also, sophomore safety Vince Nunley, who's from the Bay Area, is questionable for this road trip home for him for what coach Kalen DeBoer termed a non-football-related reason, though he didn't elaborate.

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Published Oct 23, 2023

DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.