Living Out His Husky Dreams, Westover Scores Touchdown Hat Trick

Michigan State football has enough troubling issues these days, trying to disassociate from one coach and find another, but the Spartans definitely need to overhaul their scouting department.

Their past two games against Washington have revealed this glaring weakness as much as anyone.

A year ago in Seattle, the Big Ten team no doubt emphasized stopping Husky wide receivers Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan and out of the blue, make that purple, third wheel Ja'Lynn Polk burned them for 3 touchdown catches in the UW's 39-28 victory.

Last weekend, while fully aware of Polk and friends on the flank, the Spartans took another one on the chin from UW tight end Jack Westover, who produced his own 3-score outing in a 41-7 win in East Lansing, Michigan.

"I'll take my targets when I can," said Westover, who caught first-half TD passes of 5, 13 and 7 yards from Michael Penix Jr. "When No. 9 is back there, you always have to be ready." 

The season before, Westover didn't even start against Michigan State, with him and Devin Culp actually giving way to Quentin Moore, usually the third UW tight end in the rotation. Westover came off the bench to catch one pass, a 27-yarder. 

This time, the 6-foot-3, 248-pound sixth-year senior from Bellevue, Washington, was first up at Spartan Stadium, with Culp and Moore following him onto the field. 

Husky coach Kalen DeBoer raved about how dependable Westover is on the football field, that the former walk-on always runs to the right spots on his routes, hence he's in position to make things happen.

"I think it's right call, right time, right yardage," Westover said, simplifying things a bit. "If the ball is thrown to you, you get it, next play."

Where Westover is a little different from most of his teammates is he has a deeper connection to Husky football than them. He's the local kid whose family had season tickets and he sat in the stands on Saturdays envisioning himself one day becoming one of these players he so admired.

Before facing Michigan State, DeBoer, who traditionally has a senior speak to the team on the night before a game, coaxed Westover to share his story.

"It's what you dream of growing up as a Husky fan," Westover said. "I was always watching ESPN, hoping that Washington would get brought up — and now we're in that conversation. Now to be part of it, it's pretty cool."

The UW tight end came out of this road trip sharing the team lead in touchdowns with McMillan, each with 4, and just ahead of Odunze and Polk, who have 3 apiece.

If the Huskies and Michigan State somehow get scheduled again next season, when the UW becomes a Big Ten member, Westover and Polk and the other receivers likely all will be off to the NFL, seeking pro careers. 

The Spartans simply will have to carefully scour the UW roster to see who else is capable of a 3-TD performance. 

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published.