With one football and five running backs, something’s got to give.
Four of them have been featured in Washington’s 2-0 start — graduate student Wayne Taulapapa (23 carries, 151 rush yards, 6.6 yards per carry, two touchdowns), sophomore Cameron Davis (18 carries, 88 rush yards, 4.9 YPC, 3 rush TD, 37 receiving yards), redshirt freshman Will Nixon (12 carries, 46 rush yards, 3.8 YPC, 1 TD, 27 receiving yards) and junior Richard Newton (10 carries, 59 yards, 5.9 YPC). Redshirt freshman Sam Adams II, who impressed in preseason camp, will also be available after missing the past two games because of an undisclosed injury.
But when Washington (2-0) hosts No. 11 Michigan State (2-0) on Saturday, who will draw the short straw?
“This week will be even more tricky. I thought the touches were pretty equal this last week and the guys all had some pretty good opportunities,” offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said Monday, after UW rushed for 241 yards, 6.0 yards per carry and five touchdowns in the 52-6 win Saturday over Portland State. “Now this week, with Sam Adams back with us and also Rich [Newton], we’ll have to be pretty picky on who’s getting in the game.
“We made it really clear to the running backs, whoever has the best grasp of the game plan early on in the week will have a good chance to get the ball.”
The 6-foot, 212-pound Newton is certainly an intriguing addition, after he gained 59 physical yards in a return from a torn ACL. Grubb said, “Rich made progress Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday [last week]. We gave him more reps every day. His body responded well, and they cleared him really just on Thursday to get him in the game. It was awesome to see him out there breaking some tackles.”
The Husky tailbacks will need to do just that against a Michigan State defense that has allowed an average of 81.5 rushing yards and 2.55 yards per carry in wins over Akron and Western Michigan.
The good news? The Huskies won’t be hurting when it comes to fresh legs.
“You don’t want to get into a tendency situation where a certain guy comes in to do certain things,” UW coach Kalen DeBoer said. “There’s enough versatility within the group to where I don’t think that’s going to happen. But [for running-backs coach Lee] Marks, you know, it becomes a tougher task to make sure you have the right guys on the field.
“You can overanalyze it, and I don’t think that’s the case or that’ll happen. But it gets harder and harder as we get five, six guys that are ready to go. But that’s a good problem.”
Injury updates
When two-time first-team All-Pac-12 left tackle Jaxson Kirkland was cleared to return for a sixth season by the NCAA, it was under the condition that he’d sit out UW’s season opener against Kent State.
He also sat out Saturday because of an undisclosed injury.
But with a smile Monday, Grubb said: “Officially … we’re planning on him playing. We really are.”
That doesn’t mean Kirkland will start or handle all the snaps, considering sophomore Troy Fautanu has impressed. But Kirkland should provide a valuable presence against a Michigan State defense that leads the nation with 12 sacks in two games.
“We’re just following the medical advice,” Grubb said. “I know Jaxson is itching to get out there and making progress every day. He had another good practice even yesterday and looked really good on the field. So we’re just trying to make sure we don’t have any setbacks.”
Two other starters who sat out Saturday because of minor injuries, wide receiver Rome Odunze and cornerback Jordan Perryman, are expected to play Saturday.
Huard’s cameo
Though quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is UW’s obvious starter, and sophomore Dylan Morris lays claim to the backup role, redshirt freshman Sam Huard made a brief cameo Saturday — going 2 for 2 for 24 yards on a 53-yard drive that culminated in a Denzel Boston touchdown run.
But Grubb found ample room to improve.
“We had discussions leading into the game with coach DeBoer and I, that if we got into the situation where we were fortunate enough to get the game under control that getting Dylan more game reps was not a priority, because Dylan’s played a lot of football and Sam obviously hasn’t,” Grubb said. “So if we got into a position where Dylan had already had a series or two, then we were going to get Sam in there just for mechanics.
“I would like to see Sam do a little bit better with a couple of those things. He had a couple plays where he needed to get the offense lined up and he failed to do that. We had one fumbled snap. There were just some things he’s got to get cleaned up, and I know Sam will keep working at that.”
Better late than never
Germie Bernard was destined to play inside Husky Stadium.
The only question was which sideline he’d stand on.
Bernard — a 6-0, 200-pound freshman wide receiver — signed with Washington in December, after being ranked as a four-star recruit and the No. 37 wideout in the 2022 class by 247Sports. But after wide receivers coach Junior Adams exited to Oregon, Bernard asked out of his national letter of intent and ended up at Michigan State.
In East Lansing, Michigan, Bernard has compiled three catches for 73 yards — with his first career catch going for a 44-yard touchdown — in two games.
But DeBoer holds no ill will.
“He’s a great kid, and it was a crazy time that he was going through,” he said. “He was an early enrollee, and I’m going to wish him nothing but the best … except for this week.”
Extra point
- Grubb praised senior center Corey Luciano’s play Saturday. Grubb said: “I didn’t feel like we had great center play Week One. I thought Week Two Corey had a lot of calls, a lot of different fronts. The guys were definitely looking to him, and he stepped up, had a really good week of practice.”