Jordan Washington Breaks a Long One, Shows Off His Speed

Redshirt freshman running back Jordan Washington arrived 28 pounds heavier in a year's time for University of Washington spring football practice.

He didn't show up any slower.

On Tuesday in Dempsey Indoor, during the UW's fourth April workout, the extra swift redshirt freshman shot through a sizable hole over the right side, provided by Drew Azzopardi and Champ Taulealea, and no one came close to getting a hand on him as he sprinted 60 yards up the sideline to the end zone.

It was by far the most electrifying play of the Husky spring so far. It was pure, unadulterated speed put on display.

His teammates were so excited by his breakaway run several of them sprinted to the end zone, though not nearly as fast as Washington, to celebrate with him.

Even when back on the sideline, cooling down and guzzling from a green Gatorade bottle, Washington was surrounded by fellow running backs Adam Mohammed and Julian McMahan, who continued to chop it up with him about the play.

Moments later, Washington took a handoff, stutter-stepped on the right side of the line, bounced outside and broke 24-yard run to the 3-yard line. After an incomplete pass, he carried the ball into the end zone, with quarterback Kai Horton raising his arms as the young back went over the goal line.

"He's pretty elite as we saw going down that sideline," Husky coach Jedd Fisch acknowledged.

The coach has mentioned more than once how his 5-foot-11, 185-pound runner from Long Beach, California, is capable of breaking one at any time. He simply didn't play much during his first season in Montlake because was 157 pounds when he joined the program.

The speed hasn't changed. In high school, Washington was clocked at 10.26 seconds over 100 meters, according to Fisch.

It would be something to see the running back and quarterback Demond Williams Jr. in a foot race to determine who's the fastest on the team.

When asked who's faster, Fisch said took the easy way out and said, "I think each guy would say themself."

Observation No. 2: Asked about punter Dusty Zimmer going back to Australia without even giving UW football a try, the coach would only say, "He just felt it was best for him to head back home."

Zimmer watched the first spring practice in sweats and likely didn't see himself fitting into the American game, which he had never played before.

Left with only walk-on punter Troy Peltz on the roster, the UW will turn to the transfer portal when it reopens to find a replacement for Zimmer.

"I'm sure there's some opportunity to find a punter," Fisch said.

Observation No. 3: The Huskies continue to rotate players on the offensive line, especially at right guard, where sophomore Zach Henning, senior Geirean Hatchett and freshman Champ Taulealea each took snaps on Tuesday with the No. 1 offense.

The 6-foot-5, 330-pound Taulealea has made it known he could be ready to play right away fas a freshman or the Huskies. He wouldn't be the only one either.

"I would expect one of the freshmen, if not two, to be a significant contributor if not a starter," Fisch said. "That's what we do. We believe in that."

Observation No. 4: Redshirt freshman defensive back Rahshawn Clark continues to make big plays. Last week, he came up with a couple of interceptions. On Tuesday, he had another pick in a one-on-one drill, leaping high to steal a deep pass in a sensational manner with one hand.

Teammates raced over to celebrate with him but had to turn away. The 6-foot, 195-pound defender, who's been working at nickelback, couldn't get back up after apparently having the wind knocked out of him.

Several trainers attended to him for several minutes. Finally, Clark stood up and walked and then ran it off. He was able to finish practice.

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