Huskies want to entertain, but they also want to stay healthy

SEATTLE – Ultimately, Tyrone Willingham said, the main point of today’s University of Washington spring football game is to come out of it healthy.

That doesn’t mean there will be major restrictions on the game – only the quarterbacks will be off-limits in terms of contact – but you can expect there to be quick whistles at the end of every play.

“We need to come out as healthy as possible so we can begin the next phase of our work,” Willingham said. “We don’t have a bye week (in the 2006 season), so our ability to strengthen ourselves during the summer is very important.”

That said, Willingham wants his team to put on a good show when it concludes the spring season with the game, beginning at 12:45 p.m. today at Husky Stadium. With season-ticket sales slow after the worst two-year stretch in the program’s history, and with spring camp mostly closed to the public and media, an entertaining spring game would certainly help the program.

If nothing else, today’s game has to be more entertaining than last year’s game which ended with a final score of 3-0. Willingham might have been the only one who walked away from that game satisfied, saying he looks to make every scrimmage as competitive as possible.

“It’s nice to score more points,” Willingham said. “But my main thing is competition. I had a pretty good idea that it could be 0-0 or 24-24. The teams were pretty even.”

On paper, this year’s teams don’t appear to be particularly even, despite Willingham’s hopes. The Purple team seems to be much stronger, led by returning starter Isaiah Stanback at quarterback.

Stanback will work behind what is expected to be the starting offensive line, including redshirt freshman Ben Ossai, who apparently has moved ahead of Nathan Flowers at left tackle. The top two tight ends – Robert Lewis and Michael Gottlieb – and the most experienced running backs – Kenny James, Louis Rankin and Mark Palaita – are also on the team. Stanback will be throwing to a group of receivers that includes Anthony Russo, Corey Williams, Cody Ellis and Chancellor Young. Johnny DuRocher is the other quarterback.

On defense, Purple has returning starters Greyson Gunheim, Wilson Afoa and Donny Mateaki up front, first-stringers Roy Lewis and Dashon Goldson and cornerback and expected starters Tahj Bomar and Chris Stevens at linebacker.

The Gold team will be quarterbacked by Carl Bonnell (and Felix Sweetman). Bonnell does have leading receiver Sonny Shackelford, but beyond that there’s mostly inexperience. One interesting thing to watch is redshirt freshman J.R. Hasty being the only tailback on the team, meaning he should get plenty of chances. Bonnell will work behind the second-string line that includes former Jackson star Johnie Kirton at tight end.

The defense is also mostly made up of reserves, though with Brandon Ala, Erick Lobos, Anthony Atkins, Caesar Rayford and Walt Winter up front, it could put pressure on Stanback. Returning starter Scott White is by far the most experienced defender, with safety Chris Hemphill and cornerback Jordan Murchison also worth a look. Also on the team are former Snohomish County stars Trenton Tuiasosopo and Kyle Trew.

The specialists will compete for both teams.

The game will feature a running clock with four 15-minute quarters except in the last two minutes of each half and after scores and changes of possession.

“I’d like to see our guys perform very well,” Willingham said. “But I’m going to look at the body of work I’ve seen from our guys. Usually, you limit yourself in the spring game. You don’t show all of your plays. The No. 1 thing I’ve always concerned myself about is getting through it healthy. That’s the big thing.”

Sitting it out: Starting strong safety C.J. Wallace leads the list of players who will sit out the spring game with injury. Also in the group are linebacker Linus Chou, receiver Quintin Daniels, cornerbacks Wade Gurnett and Josh Okoebor, safety Darin Harris, defensive linemen Jasper Henry, Dan Milsten and Jordan White-Frisbee and center Robert Lukevich.