A Moment With Upbeat Edge Rusher Sav'ell Smalls

The UW sophomore feels encouraged as he goes through spring practice with a new coaching staff.

Following the third University of Washington spring football practice, it was edge rusher Sav'ell Smalls' turn to answer media questions. He seemed upbeat enough.

He barely noticed as the brisk wind rustled his white jersey. He clutched a green energy drink, a smoothie, that he said tasted much better than it looked.

Smalls spoke highly of his new position coach, Eric Schmidt, who has own unique way of communicating to his players. 

"He'a a really funny guy," he said. "In the meetings, he'll be teaching us and he's got his way where he'll say something funny but he's really serious at the same time. I like coach Schmidt. He's on all the details. He's teaching us right."

It's Schmidt's responsibility now to bring out the full potential in the 5-star recruit from Kennedy Catholic High School who's been projected for great things all along.

"I've got a lot to show," Smalls said, "and I plan on showing it."

For those who might be impatient with his Husky football progress over two seasons, Smalls doesn't know it, see it, hear it. He hasn't had Twitter installed on his phone for a year and a half. He doesn't see any of the disparaging words. 

He can only imagine what people have been saying about him and quarterback Sam Huard, his fellow Kennedy and UW teammate and 5-star recruit, because they haven't been miracle workers.

"I would assume, because I'm feel I'm a pretty smart guy, [and] I come to assumptions pretty well, I would assume people would be mad because we haven't come and been blowing things out of the water," Smalls said. "Me and Sam know it's a process. It's a process and a journey, and it's our journey. We enjoy being on that journey together."

The 6-foot-3, 260-pound edge rusher is still seeking his first college sack. He nearly had one on the first play of his Husky career in 2020 against Oregon State. He figures once he gets the initial one, a lot more will follow. Same with Huard in leading the UW to victory.

"Sam's my guy," Smalls said. "I have complete faith in him and trust in him that he's going to be a great quarterback at this level and the next level, and I can say the same about me."

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