EAST LANSING, Michigan — A 3-touchdown Washington receiving outing against Michigan State is beginning to become tradition for Kalen DeBoer's Huskies.
Last season, it was wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk who piled up 3 touchdown catches and his first career 100-yard game against the Spartans at Husky Stadium.
On Saturday, senior tight end Jack Westover matched Polk for scores bydoubling his UW career touchdown total in the first half alone at Spartan Stadium.
Westover appeared to be motivated to succeed well before kickoff by when he delivered his senior talk to the team on Friday night, something the Huskies do before their games.
“Westy is an extremely hard worker,” UW sophomore receiver Ja’Lynn Polk said. “He brings a lot of positivity to this team. What he did out there tonight, he does that every day in practice. It doesn’t surprise us because he works his tail off every single day.”
Fellow receiver Rome Odunze echoed the same sentiment, noting Westover’s longstanding ties to the program going back to his father.
“He’s one of those guys, he’s been a Dawg for life,” Odunze said. “He told us a little bit about it. This week, he was able to do his senior talk. He just inspired us with the culture in his family – being a Dawg. He comes in each and every day with that mindset trying to make his family proud and Husky Nation proud.”
Westover scored his first touchdown on a 5-yard pass, to cap a short three-play, 44-yard drive that began inside MSU territory.
He found the end zone twice more in the first half, the next one coming on a 13-yard pitch and catch from Michael Penix Jr. with 6:49 remaining in the second quarter. His third score, a 7-yard reception with six seconds seconds left before halftime, extended UW’s lead to 35-0.
Following his three touchdowns in the first half, Westover caught a final pass against MSU — a 12-yard completion from Penix late in the third quarter — to finish with the same number of receiving yards that he wears on his jersey, 37.
“Everyone’s going to want to have their senior talk now on Friday night,” DeBoer said with a wide smile after the game. “He’s put so much in this program. This is a place he wanted to be at, at a very young age. His heart and soul are in this place. You can see by how he plays and how he works. He loves our team and our team loves him. Really, really cool to see him have a big game."
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