Perryman Injury Turns the UW Cornerback Position Even More Vulnerable

The status for the Big Sky transfer was unknown after the Kent State game.

With a minute remaining in the third quarter, new University of Washington cornerback Jordan Perryman was running with a Kent State receiver on a downfield route when he grabbed at the back of his leg, began hopping in pain and went down on the opposing sideline.

It didn't look good as Perryman leaned on two trainers and walked gingerly across the field to the Husky bench.

Two plays later, veteran defensive tackle Tuli Letuligasenoa suffered some sort of physical mishap and had to leave the game, as well.

Two defensive starters were gone just like that, though it initially was unclear what happened to them.

Following the game, UW coach Kalen DeBoer said he had no information regarding the extent of their injuries, other than to acknowledge that Perryman suffered some sort of leg issue. 

Whether it was a knee, hamstring or something else, the Huskies will need to scramble to replace Perryman, the UC Davis transfer and sixth-year senior who was brought in to give the position — possibly the team's most vulnerable — a much-needed veteran player. 

Julius Irvin, normally a junior backup safety, was inserted as a replacement for Perryman against Kent State, having recently added cornerback responsibilities to his game. 

The son of legendary NFL corner Leroy Irvin, the younger Irvin entered the season having appeared in 20 UW games as a safety or special-teams player and he started against Montana and Michigan last fall. 

"Juice is a guy that can run and guys that can run need to be on the football field for us," DeBoer said, using a nickname for Irvin. "I just love the confidence that I saw in him last week when I went and asked him, 'How do you feel about this?' He was like, 'Coach, I'm ready. This is what it's all about. This is fun. I love it. I'm getting a chance go show what I can do. I'll be ready for wherever you need me.' "

The Huskies were certain to be tested in the secondary after losing a pair of first-team, All-Pac-12 corners in Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon to the NFL. They brought in Perryman, a two-time All-Big Sky selection, and promoted former walk-on Mishael Powell to a scholarship player to offset the loss. Powell, just a sophomore, started three games in 2021.

Not surprisingly, Kent State went after after these two and was successful at times, completing passes of 47, 33, 29 and 22, with the longest one going over Powell's reach for a first-quarter score.

Redshirt freshmen Elijah Jackson and Davon Banks initially were the backups at cornerback, but each were slowed by injuries in fall camp. Jackson didn't play against Kent State while Banks drew snaps briefly in the second half. Hence the need for Irvin.

Dyson McCutcheon, another redshirt freshman who plays both cornerback and the Husky hybrid position, saw his first career game time against Kent State.

Corner remains a vulnerable UW position with McDuffie and Gordon set to begin their NFL careers as rookie starters. If Perryman is seriously hurt, that just magnifies things.

Cornerbacks coach Juice Brown recently pointed out how the Husky secondary largely was filled with a few veterans at safety and corner but mostly younger players, accelerating the need to get more guys ready to play.

"Numbers-wise, we're thinner in the secondary at both spots," DeBoer said. "[Irvin] is a guy where cross-train is a good word to use, where he can play multiple spots. We just always want to make sure we can get the best players on the field."

With Portland State next on the schedule, the Husky options back there appear a little more limited.

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