SEATTLE – University of Washington football coach Tyrone Willingham said today’s Spring Game will be a true game pitting two teams against each other.
The game, free and open to the public, begins at 12:45 p.m. at Husky Stadium.
Willingham said the game will not match starters against everyone else.
“They will be split, we will not have a ones versus all-comers kind of game,” Willingham said. “I’m interested in competition and I think the best way to do that is split the teams up fairly evenly and let them have some fun.”
The game will be the first chance for most of the public and the media to see the Huskies this spring. Willingham has closed practice, though he opened one Saturday practice to the media.
The biggest concern before the game was Washington’s depth at cornerback. Matt Fountaine, Kim Taylor and Roy Lewis are the only scholarship corners on the roster (redshirt freshman Wade Gurnett is also on the roster). The Huskies had hoped to have transfers Chris Handy, Qwenton Freeman and Marlon Wood available, but all three failed to qualify academically in time to be eligible for spring practice.
“We’re not deep at cornerback, but I think we’ll have enough to play a game,” Willingham said.
The Huskies are also somewhat short at linebacker and on the defensive line due to injuries. Much of the focus will be on the defensive side of the ball, where plenty of inexperienced players will get an opportunity.
However, most eyes will be on quarterbacks Isaiah Stanback, Casey Paus, Johnny DuRocher and Carl Bonnell, all competing for the starting job. Speculation has been that Stanback has taken the lead, though Willingham has consistently refused to comment on the situation except to say that no player has played their way out of the race, and that he’s comfortable going into fall with the job undecided.
Willingham said that none of the quarterbacks will be live in the game, meaning they can not be hit.
“I once saw (Florida State’s) Bobby Bowden have his quarterbacks live and he lost one of them during the spring game and it affected the season tremendously,” Willingham said. “We will have a quick whistle. I’ll try not to take any chances. … In the rush of the moment, things happen.”
Running back will also be a spot of interest. Kenny James, Chris Singleton, Shelton Sampson, Louis Rankin and Johnie Kirton are all competing for time.
Willingham said the game will be coached as an actual game would be.
“I’ll let the offense handle all of the offense and the defense will do the same,” Willingham said. “That way it will let us become familiar with how to work with each other since we are a new staff.”
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