Three Takeaways From Dawgs After Dark Spring Game

jedd-fisch

If not for Grady Gross’s 29-yard game-winning kick, the first Washington spring game of the Jedd Fisch era could have been a one-of-a-kind comeback with a few unique twists along the way.

Team Purple, led by Mississippi State graduate transfer quarterback Will Rogers, nearly squandered a two-touchdown lead against Team Gold, in the first annual Dawgs After Dark event at Husky Stadium that featured a heavy presence of current and former NFL players from UW.

“I think hopefully next year’s spring game we could even have more people,” Fisch said. “If everybody brought a friend maybe we’d have a sellout. How awesome would that be? We need to make it more of a party atmosphere on a spring game and really enjoy ourselves out there. That’s what the whole idea is.”

Williams Shows Early Flashes While Rogers Shines Late

Fisch used an assorted combination of offensive and defensive linemen for UW quarterbacks Will Rogers and Demond Williams Jr. to work with Friday night.

Rogers, who completed 14 of 25 pass attempts for 154 yards and 1 touchdown, a 28-yard easy pitch and catch to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Denzel Boston, who beat redshirt freshman cornerback Leroy Bryant, looked much better in the second half.

While Williams displayed a strong running ability, scrambling for 32 yards on 6 carries, his passes were hot and cold, overthrowing receivers by two or three yards while still flexing his deep ball ability.

The true freshman signal-caller completed 7 of 17 attempts for 42 yards, highlighted by a 4-yard touchdown to senior wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter.

However, Williams also gift wrapped a pick six for junior cornerback Thaddeus Dixon just before halftime.

Dixon made the perfect read on a pass intended for true freshman receiver Audric Harris and returned it 42-yards for a score to give Team Purple a two-touchdown edge going into halftime.

Boston Ready to Burst

Throughout spring camp and even dating back to fall camp under Kalen DeBoer, Boston has been a steady riser at the wide receiver position.

His final spring game stat line – 7 catches for 127 yards and 1 touchdown – only added more fuel to a rocket that is expected to soar this fall.

The former Emerald Ridge standout became such a go-to target for Rogers in camp to the point where, at times, he never looked away.

Before halftime in Friday night’s spring game junior cornerback Ephesians Prysock benefitted from that same exact scenario, hauling down an interception after Rogers slightly overthrew Boston as the pass headed towards the end zone sideline.

Despite the play the duo showed consistently in spring camp they shouldn’t have a problem linking up early and often in 2024.

Running Back Stable Has Promise

Expectedly, Washington only used three scholarship running backs in the spring game; senior Daniyel Ngata, junior Jonah Coleman and true freshman Adam Mohammed.

All three have a little different flare to their game that work out to complement each other.

Although Mohammed registered the lone rushing touchdown of the game, a 3-yard score after he was initially stopped at the goal line, the room has a trio of players that can find the end zone in a multitude of ways.