Polk's Favorite Play Came Against Ducks — Can He Top It?

The Husky wide receiver burned Oregon deep in 2022.

The Autzen Stadium crowd was roaring when midway through the third quarter last November Ja'Lynn Polk and two fellow University of Washington wide receivers lined up wide to the right.

Each of them spaced out five yards apart on the Husky 24, with Polk in the middle.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. clapped once, then walked to the line of scrimmage. He leaned in and said something to his linemen on the right side and did the same with the guys on the left side.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," Polk said. "Those are the moments you really dream of, sold-out stadium, you're in Eugene. That's one of those plays I was definitely ready for it. We got that same look in practice from what we were seeing. Whenever he gave the call, I knew. 'All right, lets go do it. Lets go finish.' "

This was Polk's favorite play in three seasons as a Husky, a 76-yard scoring strike and a dagger to the heart of the defense during the UW's 37-34 victory over Oregon on the road.

To finish if off, Penix clapped once more and took the snap. His three receivers took off. Two of them broke off the route after 10 yards, but Polk kept going, racing down the left hashmark in a full sprint. 

Oregon senior safety Bennett Williams backpedaled furiously, but soon he had no chance as the 6-foot-2, 204-pound Polk went flying by him

Two steps behind the defender, Polk reached up over his right shoulder to haul in a perfect Penix pass on the Oregon 30, stepped out of Williams' diving tackle at the 15 and scrambled into the end zone all alone to complete a play that put the UW up 27-24 with plenty of game left and quieted the Autzen gathering.

"I remember how I felt," Polk said. "I remember listening to the crowd, of everybody just [going] ooooh, then aaaaah as soon as you catch it, then just finishing it off, breaking that last tackle, getting past that defender, going and finishing and turn up with my boys."

As the UW and Oregon meet again this weekend at Husky Stadium, the Ducks have an almost all-new secondary. No doubt these defensive backs have been made aware they can't let this dangerous receiver get behind them again. 

Meantime, Polk has to be dreaming of coming up with a new favorite play.  

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