SEATTLE – Saturday was the coming-out party for University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker, and if not a gala debut it was still a pretty good show.
Locker, the youngster from Ferndale, passed for one touchdown and would have run for another had there not been a “touch” rule to protect quarterbacks in the team’s annual intrasquad scrimmage at Husky Stadium, which is the finale to spring football practices.
On this day, though, Locker had nothing on senior QB Carl Bonnell, who was the hands-down winner in the statistics battle. Bonnell, a 2006 backup who overcame injuries to help the Huskies to a November Apple Cup victory over Washington State, completed eight of 15 passes Saturday for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
Locker, a redshirt freshman, finished with four completions in eight attempts. He also threw one interception.
In a surprise move by the coaching staff, Locker and Bonnell were both assigned to the Purple team, which defeated the Golds 44-7. The rout was probably predictable, considering the Purples had virtually all the projected starters for the upcoming season, plus some key backups.
In his post-game remarks, Willingham sort of skipped over why he put the top two quarterbacks on the same team instead of opposing teams. Still, it was really no big deal, given all the other special rules used in this game.
Among them, all quarterbacks wore yellow jerseys and were down with a touch – Locker had his TD taken away when someone got a few fingertips on him as he sped to the end zone. Also new punter Jared Ballman, a junior transfer from California’s Grossmont College, handled the punting for both teams.
The big story of the day was the play of Locker and Bonnell. Granted, their Saturday numbers came against reserve players, many of whom will be bench-warmers come fall, but still the Huskies expect to start their 2007 season with “two guys who can win in this league,” according to offensive coordinator Tim Lappano.
Locker, who is a wonderfully gifted athlete, got the first-team job at the start of spring practices, and that status is unchanged, said UW head coach Tyrone Willingham.
“We’re always going to work to identify our best quarterback,” he said, “but right now we’re very comfortable with Jake No. 1 and Carl No. 2.”
The gap in the Locker-Bonnell battle “is close,” Lappano said. “How close, that’s between (the coaching staff). But Carl has kept this thing very competitive, and I think Jake would be the first one to tell you that. … Carl’s throwing the ball better right now than he ever has. He’s throwing it really good.”
Locker has one obvious edge over Bonnell, and that is an ability to run the football. However, no one saw much of that talent on Saturday because the coaches took those plays out of the offense (Locker’s near touchdown was a scramble on a passing play).
“I run, and that’s one of the strengths of my game,” Locker said. “But I don’t want to be known as someone who just runs the ball. I want to be a true passer.”
Aside from his interception, which he called a “bad throw,” Locker said he “felt really comfortable throwing the ball. I’m pretty sure I threw it where I needed to every time, except for that one mistake.”
“He can throw the football better than a lot of people think he can,” Lappano said. “The thing he has to work on right now is accuracy. There’s no flaw in his release or his arm strength or anything like that. It’s all in his footwork. So we just have to get his feet right and he’ll be OK.”
Lappano, who is also Washington’s quarterback coach, seems to foresee brighter days ahead after back-to-back losing seasons for Willingham and his staff. And a lot of that optimism obviously has to do with Locker.
“I drive to work every day with a smile on my face,” Lappano said. “(Locker) is a talented kid. He’s a good person, too. It makes my life a little bit easier when you have someone like that. They don’t come around like that all the time.”
Since last fall, Locker has added almost 15 pounds – he’s up to 223 on a 6-foot-3 frame – mostly through long hours in the weight room.
“I’ve been around guys who were fifth-year seniors who couldn’t do the things he’s doing right now, as far as the weight room stuff,” Lappano said. “He’s a winner, he’s a leader, he’s a competitor and he won’t be 19 until the end of the month.
“Sometimes when I’m hard on him I have to remember that he’s only 18. But I’ll tell you what, he’s hard on himself. He doesn’t need me (to do that). He expects great things from himself.”
Quick hitters: The game was watched by a UW-estimated crowd of 10,000. … Senior linebacker Dan Howell, a three-year letterman and returning starter, did not play because of an undisclosed illness. … Willingham said his team came out of the game with only minor injuries suffered by redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Derek Kosub (shoulder) injury and senior walk-on wide receiver Charles Hawkins (finger). … There were a handful of personal foul penalties in the game, including one after the whistle in the game’s early moments, “and I don’t care who you play, that shouldn’t be part of what we do,” Willingham said. … Senior tailback Louis Rankin finished as the leading rusher with 99 yards on 16 carries, including a 42-yard TD dash. … Redshirt sophomore running back J.R. Hasty, who missed last season because of academic problems, picked up 35 yards on 10 carries against the first-team defense. “The thing that I liked about J.R. today,” Lappano said, “was that he made one cut and got (upfield), and that’s what you have to do against a defense that’s good.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
