Even with Rogers Charged, UW Held Upbeat Fourth Spring Practice

The Huskies weren't distracted by the running back's arrest and team suspension.

Roice Cleeland hits the blocking sled at UW football practice. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Watching Tuesday's football practice, one wouldn't have known that the University of Washington football program had just lost a standout running back, that Tybo Rogers' career likely ended the moment he was accused of rape and arrested.

Instead, while charges were being filed downtown by county prosecutors and Rogers' team suspension was announced, the rest of the Huskies spent two and a half hours running around in a lively, upbeat manner, enjoying their most productive workout of their first four in celebratory fashion.

Such is the transient nature of college football today, where players aren't necessarily that intimately acquainted with many of their teammates anymore, especially at a place such as the UW that has gone through a recent coaching change and a subsequent roster rebuild.

"I don't know half the guys," ex-Husky quarterback Michael Penix Jr. widecracked recently at Pro Day of his former teammates.

Even in his position group, Rogers was competing with a pair of running back newcomers in Arizona transfers Jonah Coleman and Adam Mohammed while holdover rusher Cam Davis missed all of last season with a knee injury. So they all were just getting to know each other in some ways.

One quarter of the way through spring ball, the Husky defense seems to be coming together much faster than the offense from a football standpoint with so many experienced players at hand. The following are fourth-day observations:

A front four of edge rushers Zach Durfee and Isaiah Ward teamed with defensive tackles Jayvon Parker and Sebastian Valdez was trotted out for the first time and very well could be the starters come the Aug. 31 opener against Weber State.

The 6-foot-3, 297-pound Parker, a junior and part of the set of twins from Detroit, has the most Husky experience of this foursome, appearing in 21 career games, 13 last season. The highly regarded Durfee, held up by NCAA red tape after transferring from Sioux Falls, drew just four plays last season, all against Texas in the Sugar Bowl. Ward and Valdez are well-used transfers from Arizona and Montana State, respectively.

Senior Voi Tunuufi, undersized at 6-foot-1 and 260 pounds but a determined defender with 10 UW career sacks, worked as an edge rusher for the first time after coming out of a DL stance during the first three practices.

Similarly, redshirt freshman Anthony James, limited in spring drills by some sort of health issue, took part in a defensive-line exercise, which might indicate he won't be pursuing edge rusher anymore. At 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds, James has a thick, impressive frame that could hold a lot more weight and he stands to be productive player if he can get his body healed and strong.

Among the cornerbacks, returning starter and junior Elijah Jackson drew loud plaudits and a big hand slap from the coaching staff for his coverage on a deep pass. Redshirt freshman Leroy Bryant got his teammates excited by dropping wide receiver Keith Reynolds hard a couple of yards behind the line of scrimmage on a screen pass. Indiana transfer redshirt freshman Jordan Shaw intercepted a Dermaricus Davis out pass and chose to return it 35 yards to the end zone rather than cut the play short.

Offensively, sophomore center Landen Hatchett, coming back from knee surgery and held out of most spring drills and all contact, spent 15 minutes sending shotgun snaps to the top three quarterbacks. Hatchett, in shorts and a T-shirt, would hike the ball and then move into a blocking stance, which was a positive sign for him in getting back.

Quarterback Will Rogers, the Mississippi State transfer, and sophomore wide receiver Denzel Boston continue to be moving in the direction of forming the Huskies' go-to passing combination this season. On one play from 15 yards out, Rogers sent a pass to the back of the end zone that Boston high-pointed over the coverage of Jackson and hauled in. Boston seems to catch just about everything sent his way this spring.

Finally, Bill Belichick attended his second Husky practice outfitted in a purple and white UW cap, gray hoodie and white sweats. The former NFL coach notably cut off the sleeves of his Husky sweatshirt, indicating he wanted to be as comfortable as he can while at practice. During the Montlake chill, he usually had his hands in his pockets. At the end of Tuesday's practice, he stood in the end zone, next to his son Steve, the UW defensive coordinator, sharing insights.

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