SEATTLE — Apparently, this year’s University of Washington football program is a new, more fan-friendly version in Tyrone Willingham’s third season.
Last weekend brought the news that players will have names on their jerseys for the first time since Willingham started at Washington. On Monday, the coach announced that Saturday’s practice will be open to the public.
“We’re going to open our practice up, give our fan base an opportunity to come out and watch our practice on Saturday afternoon,” Willingham said. “It will be a good opportunity for the entire Husky family to come out and see the Huskies go through practice.”
The practice, which should include some scrimmaging, begins at 2:30. It is the first time under Willingham that the Huskies have held an open fall practice. It will be the second chance for fans to see August football at Husky Stadium in as many weeks. Last week the Seahawks held an open practice at the stadium.
@5. Sports notes lead:Improving accuracy: The reports from players and coaches are that the quarterback play has improved greatly in the first week.
@5. Sports notes:In the team’s opening practice, the quarterbacks struggled with accuracy. Things have been getting better each day, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tim Lappano said.
“They’re doing really well,” said Lappano, who thinks some of the first-day struggles were due to a conditioning test the team did before practice. “The opening day I was really, really disappointed. I wanted to go hide a little bit…The next couple of days they both [Locker and Carl Bonnell] threw it really well. Saturday’s practice, we threw the ball as well as we have since I’ve been here. Both guys were pretty much on point. They were throwing it pretty much all over the field. Deep, short, intermediate, they threw it really, really well. That was good to see.”
@5. Sports notes lead:Injury update: Freshman kicker Erik Folk, who was unable to kick last week because of a back injury, kicked for the first time in practice Monday. Willingham said Folk practiced just one kickoff, but that it was a good one. Jared Ballman, who is also in the running for the punting job, is leading the kicking race right now, Willingham said… Defensive tackle Wilson Afoa was wearing a red jersey at practice for an unknown injury. Willingham made no mention of the injury at an earlier press briefing … Cornerback Byron Davenport was in uniform but continues to be held out of practice while recovering from a hamstring injury suffered last week.
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