Not Much Offense as Huskies Turn in a Night Practice

Points were hard to come by for the UW in the three-hour workout.

Keith Reynolds tap dances on the sideline after a fall camp catch. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Three weeks before the season opens, the University of Washington football team tried a nighttime practice on for size on Saturday and the Huskies came away thinking it's probably a good thing they have some time to get it right.

For the first half of the three-hour workout, Jedd Fisch's team scored no points, with the offense taking a definitive backseat to its defensive brethren. You read that right -- zero.

Fisch wasn't shy about pointing this out, saying afterward, "The offense certainly got their tails kicked for the first half of the scrimmage."

The reasons for this were many, with some key players such as No. 1 running back Jonah Coleman banged up and held out of most of the action, and the offense fairly conservative in approach for an outing such as this -- with a smattering of alums invited to watch, as well as the media given full access to the proceedings.

The Huskies might have thrown the ball deep just once in the long session, whereas last year's team couldn't go a handful of plays without sending one long.

The first points didn't go until until 7:53 p.m., or two-plus hours into the action, when reserve back Daniyel Ngata raced around the right end and into the end zone from 7 yards out -- with the time noteworthy because the Huskies will kick off at 8 p.m. against Weber State at home on Aug. 31 to get the season started.

Better news is the fact that Fisch's staff opened the practice with previously injured junior edge rusher Zach Durfee and sophomore center Landen Hatchett used as starters when play began. The day before, they were inserted into contact for the first near the end of practice.

"Durfee is a game-changer," Fisch said. "He's a fantastic football player. We're really excited we've got him healthy and playing."

While those two veterans were on the field for the start of the scrimmage, they were pullled not long into it to further protect them from injury.

Fisch said he fully expects to have Durfee, Hatchett, Coleman and safeties Kamren Fabiculanan and Makell Esteen back and without any limitations by the middle of the week, especially with a mock night game coming up next weekend.

Once Ngata provided the first scrimmage points, the Huskies scored fairly quickly again with sixth-year senior running back Cam Davis scoring twice from 1 yard out and freshman tight end Decker DeGraaf catching a 25-yard touchdown pass from fellow freshman Demond Williams Jr.

With the defense playing well early on, Oklahoma safety transfer Justin Harrington gave up a 24-yard pass play to tight end Keleki Latu, who appeared to push off, but the former Sooners defender made up for it three plays later when he intercepted Will Rogers' ball sent in Denzel Boston's direction.

San Jose State transfer Bryun Parham had his moments, as well, when he came up with a big hit on receiver Giles Jackson and knocked his helmet off his head. Parham also dropped Davis for no gain with a superb open-field tackle when it appeared the back had a lot of room to run.

The Huskies will go through a walk-through on Sunday that is not considered a full practice and then take Monday off.

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