Ngata Is One of Those Counted On to Fill UW RB Void Left by Injured Davis
After playing in 26 games and starting twice for Arizona State, running back Daniyel Ngata arrived at the University of Washington and immediately went to the back of the line.
While offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb tabbed him as the runner most likely to break a long one for the Huskies this season, Ngata not only has had to learn the intricate playbook, he's had to demonstrate he could meet all of the position requirements.
"If you can't be a complete running back, you will not play for us," position coach Lee Marks said flatly. "Every guy that we recruit, if they obviously can't run, and above that it goes without saying catch the ball and block, we don't recruit those guys."
The Huskies, however, liked what they saw in Ngata, whose older, linebacker brother Ariel played for the Huskies (2017-19), welcomed him to the program this spring when he left the desert following the Sun Devils' coaching change from Herm Edwards to Kenny Dillingham.
Since then, the California native increasingly has shown flourishes with the ball in his hands after working his way up the depth chart.
Now with projected starter Cam Davis out with a season-ending injury, Ngata and the others need to regroup, mesh and provide the UW with a productive rushing game in his absence.
"Losing a leader, that's not easy," Ngata said. "The whole group is heartbroken, for sure. He's the guy who sets the tone, who gets it all started off. It's a big loss to us, but we're going to keep carrying on. We know the opportunity that comes to us and we're going to do it for C.D. and the rest of the team."
In spring football, Ngata had plenty of opportunity early on to show what he could do before he came up lame after pulling something in his leg and wasn't at his best the rest of the way.
Once fall camp began, the 5-foot-9, 192-pound junior now from Reno, Nevada, was well down the UW list of runners competing hard for carries before he began receiving meaningful scrimmage snaps again.
"It's been tough, for sure, but it's possible — it's possible to get done," Ngata said. "I'm getting the hang of it right now and I feel real positive going into the season. The coaches are helping me. There ain't nothing easy in life."
Rather than become discouraged, Ngata has continued to battle to establish himself in Montlake and now there's more of a need for him and the others. He seems to be thriving in coach Kalen DeBoer's school of high accountability.
"In school, football, everything I had to do in Seattle, I've had to change, had to adapt," the compact back said. "That's what I love about school in Seattle, it made me change to be a better person and athlete. I know I'm only going up from there."
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