UW Football Primer: A Look at Jacob Sirmon

In a year's time, the Huskies quarterback has gone from the transfer portal to the leading candidate for the starting job.

Jacob Sirmon wears No. 11 for the Washington football team. Double pennies. It's a jersey that signifies Husky success.

The following quarterbacks have had it on when each of them directed the UW to a Rose Bowl or two: Bob Hivner (1961), Bill Douglas (1964), Mark Brunell (1991, 1993) and Marques Tuiasosopo (2001).

Athletic events have been put on hold everywhere because of growing pandemic fears, but that won't keep the rest of us from thinking and talking about sports every opportunity we get.

For the next few weeks, while everyone waits to see if there is a UW spring football game or even practice, we'll examine prospective starters and others, and what we know about them.  Hold our own tryouts. Give each one a preliminary grade.

Beginning with Sirmon.

Before he can dare to dream about spending any time in Pasadena, the Bothell, Washington, product first must win the job outright. He has to beat out redshirt freshman Dylan Morris, a smaller, more mobile player, and incoming freshman Ethan Garbers.

Sirmon's statistical sample size isn't much. A 6-foot-5, 234-pound sophomore, he appeared at the tail end of five games last season. He threw just three passes and completed two. 

A year ago, Sirmon completed 4 of 8 passes for 30 yards in the UW spring game. He made a crucial mistake, throwing a pick-six to Isaiah Gilchrist. He next drew headlines by putting his name in the transfer portal, along with fellow Huskies QB Colson Yankoff, but he pulled it back.

While he brings advantageous height to his position, Sirmon doesn't possess the million-dollar arm of Jacob Eason. But who does? In fact, most highlight clips found on the internet show Sirmon only lobbing the ball.

He comes from good genes; he's part of an extended football family. His cousin Jackson Sirmon is a strong candidate for a UW starting inside linebacker job. His uncle Peter Sirmon is the Cal defensive coordinator and a former Huskies assistant coach. His father David Sirmon is a former Montana linebacker and a professor at the UW Foster School of Business.

Jacob Sirmon arrived at Washington as a 4-star recruit, turning down serious suitors in Michigan, Nebraska and Washington State in favor of the Huskies. He was the nation's No. 8 pro-style passer and 171st recruit overall as rated by 247 Sports. He was considered a big-time get. 

Sirmon brings a deeply spiritual approach to everything he does, as this 2019 tweet demonstrates. When he chose to remain at the UW, he put a verse and his team name together on social media: Jeremiah 29:11 #GoDawgs. 

He Has Risen!!!🙏🏼 What a way to spend Easter. #Saved pic.twitter.com/0TZxhDI3UO

— Jacob Sirmon (@JacobSirmon) April 22, 2019

The biblical quote he cited reads: "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The Huskies haven't had a publicly verse-sharing starting quarterback since Mark Brunell took snaps. Sirmon would best be advised to emulate that other No. 11 any way he can. 

SUMMARY: Sirmon has seen up close how other Huskies quarterbacks such as Jake Browning and Eason do it. He's put in his time as the backup. He considered leaving last year but stayed. The job is his to lose. 

GRADE (1 to 5): He gets a 3. He had a huge reputation coming in. Two years later, Sirmon has almost zero college game experience. His challenge? Handling the immense pressure that comes with the job. At least he's wearing a productive number.