UW Practice No. 5 Turned More Physical With Scouts Watching

The Huskies worked on their run game rather than stretching the field.

Maybe it was the dark sky, which forced someone to turn on the Husky Stadium lights to illuminate the fifth University of Washington fall practice. 

Or the presence of seven NFL scouts, jotting down notes on everything that went on. 

Either way, things turned a little more physical, even a little scary for a moment, the day before the Huskies will pull on all of their pads and engage in full contact.

The stadium momentarily turned quiet on Tuesday when Indiana quarterback transfer Michael Penix Jr., with a known history for season-ending injuries, got rolled under by a hard-rushing Jeremiah Martin and went down in a heap of football bodies.

Yet Penix, with four serious mishaps on his college football resume, got to his feet right away to reassure everyone he was OK, though he was limping slightly, before calling the next play.

Besides demonstrating some resilience there, Penix also showed off his quickness for the first time as the Huskies utilized more situational running plays instead of repeatedly try to stretch the field through the air. He clearly could get out and run.

Cornerback Zakhari Spears moves through a DB drill.  / Skylar Lin Visuals

On this day, Husky touchdowns came begrudgingly during the two-hour workout — there were just two, both engineered by Penix and eliciting large roars from the offensive sideline. 

After Penix found Jalen McMillan on a 44-yard pass play to put the ball close, Nebraska transfer Will Nixon followed a convoy around the right side to score from 4 yards out, with defenders getting knocked out of the way. Offensive tackle Troy Fautanu appeared to be in the middle of the action and he came out of the pile to impishly offer a two-handed gesture across the way to the defensive sideline.  

Later, Penix threw a 27-yard TD pass to Rome Odunze, who made a sensational diving catch in the end zone, with cornerback Davon Banks draped all over him.

Husky wide receivers Jalen McMillan (11), Taj Davis (3), Denzel Boston (12) and Giles Jackson (0) head to the next drill.  / Skylar Lin Visuals

Scouts from the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers watched practice and received a detailed briefing from UW strength coach Ron McKeefery about different players. 

They wore windbreakers or shirts with their team logos and some had dark tans. Among them were six men and a woman, the latter representing the Giants.

Asked if he noticed the talent scouts in attendance, Husky edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui, who could be a high NFL draft pick some day soon, quipped: "They weren't wearing purple and gold." 

Two of the scouts used to pull on those colors and intimately knew their way around Husky Stadium. Former Husky quarterback Cary Conklin represented the Lions while ex-UW tight end Mark Bruener was on hand surveying prospects for the Steelers, one of the teams he played for in his 14-year NFL career.

Midway through the workout, the Huskies took a hydration break and a smiling linebacker Carson Bruener came over to the sideline and greeted his dad with a big hug and a handshake. 

Carson Bruener (42) and Cam Bright (2) tap hands / Skylar Lin Visuals

As play resumed in a physical manner, wide receiver Lonyatta Alexander Jr. threw down the pesky Banks and then not much later Alexander got taken off his feet by UAB transfer linebacker Kris Moll on an ensuing pass play.

In keeping with the ruggedness of the practice, JC edge-rusher transfer Sekai Afoa-Asoau received a chance to run a series with the No. 1 defense and he was every bit a strong and powerful player. At 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds, he's the biggest edge rusher. 

Coach Eric Schmidt acknowledged the power in Afoa-Asoau's game, mentioned the progress of redshirt freshman Maurice Heims and broke down the play of his three veteran guys on the corners: Tupuola-Fetui, Jeremiah Martin and Bralen Trice.

"I think the good part about them is Zion obviously is an outstanding pass rusher; that's where he's really good," Schmidt said. "Jeremiah is as strong and physical in the run game as anyone we have. Bralen is really a combination of both of them."

Offensively, All-Pac-12 offensive tackle Jaxson Kirkland was in uniform and participated in most drills, but he was kept out of the scrimmage plays, apparently still not feeling 100 percent sound.

Wednesday's sixth practice will be the final one that the press corps can view. 

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