On his very first snap as a University of Washington football player, Decker DeGraaf caught a 33-yard touchdown pass. Demond Williams Jr. ran 9 yards on his introductory play to the college level. Needing just a little bit more of a warm-up, Adam Mohammed toughed out 7 yards on his initial carry before mesmerizing the Husky Stadium faithful with a tough-minded 32-yard jaunt on his second try, pulled down a yard shy of the goal line.
Welcome to the show.
These eager freshmen came ready to play on Saturday night in the Huskies' 35-3 victory over Weber State, unwilling to just sit back and wait for end-of-the-game handouts going forward with Jedd Fisch's coaching staff.
Of the UW's 19 true freshmen on the roster, DeGraaf, Williams and Mohammed were part of nine fresh-faced newcomers who drew opening-night playing time, getting their feet wet immediately as college players, and for those three it happened in spectacular fashion.
"We'll see who can play," UW coach Jedd Fisch said. "We're not afraid to play freshmen. That's been proven at our last place and this place. We're going to play freshmen. We're going to play young guys. We don't really talk about redshirting."
DeGraaf, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end from San Dimas, California, was pressed into service in the second quarter against Weber State, maybe a little sooner than scripted, but necessary after senior starter Quentin Moore went down with an apparent knee injury and was helped off the field.
This freshman lined up in the backfield and found himself wide open after Weber State's defensive backs didn't notice him run to the right sideline.
All DeGraaf had to do in front of 60,000-plus people was catch the ball and it wasn't automatic.
"That's not a an easy catch for your first ever touchdown as a guy playing high school football a year ago, over your shoulder, up the sideline," Fisch said. "He caught a beautiful ball."
One play before the third quarter ended, Williams -- the Husky quarterback of the future -- called the huddle for the first time as a Husky and called for a pass play. As he is wont to do, the 5-foot-11, 192-pounder from Chandler, Arizona, tucked the ball under his arm and took off for the sideline for a healthy 9-yard gain.
HUSKY FRESHMAN DEBUTS | |
|---|---|
Davit Boyajyan, OTA | Didn't appear in opener |
*Rahshawn Clark, NB | Played late in opener |
Charlie Crowell, TE | Season-ending injury in practice |
*Decker DeGraaf, TE | Caught 33-yard TD pass |
*Paki Finau, OG | Appeared on final series |
*Audric Harris, WR | Targeted once, no catches |
*Khmori House, LB | Played on defense |
Justin Hylkema, OT | Didn't appear in opener |
Elias Johnson, CB | Didn't appear in opener |
Omar Khan, DT | Didn't appear in opener |
Paul Mencke Jr., S | Didn't appear in opener |
*Adam Mohammed, RB | Rushed twice for 39 yards |
Jason Robinson Jr., WR | Didn't appear in opener |
Jordan Washington, RB | Didn't appear in opener |
Michael Levelle Watkins, OG | Didn't appear in opener |
*Peyton Waters, S | Played on special teams, defense |
*Demond Williams Jr., QB | Passed for 6-yard touchdown |
Justice Williams, WR | Didn't dress for game |
*Rahim Wright II, S | Finished with 1 tackle |
* made Husky debut |
Williams finished with 17 yards rushing on three tries. Better yet, he completed 3 of 5 passes for 28 yards and a 6-yard touchdown throw to sophom*ore wide receiver Denzel Boston in the fourth quarter for the game's final points, capping a 74-yard drive.
"It worked out well," Fisch said. "It was great to get him a drive, great to get him a touchdown pass."
Mohammed entered the game at the same time with Williams and dazzled everyone when he showed off his speed and balance on his 32-yarder through the middle of the Weber State defense. The plan was to get him a touchdown on the next play, but the Huskies' Landen Hatchett was guilty of a false start, putting the ball back on the 6 and the play-calling changed, though that's not to say Mohammed couldn't have scored from there.
"He's physical, he's clearly built in a way he can handle this type of game," Fisch said. "He's 215 pounds and one of our stronger young players on our team. he eats right, he does things right, he lives right."
Meantime, Mohammed, from Glendale, Arizona, will continue to be mentored by starting running back Jonah Coleman while he works his way into more playing time.
The Huskies also put freshman defensive backs Peyton Waters, Rahshawn Clark and Rahim Wright, linebacker Khmori House, wide receiver Audric Harris and offensive guard Paki Finau on the field for their college debuts, leaving nine others still waiting on their initiation.
Fisch said he considered using a couple more of his first-year players, but they were involved with the scout team during the week and not schooled on the game plan, and he didn't want to put them in awkward roles last Saturday.
"I didn't think it would be right to throw them in there and put them in the possibility of a situation where they would be embarrassed," he said.
One game into the season, the battle-tested freshmen have demonstrated a good feel for the game, no doubt with more to come.
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