Kalen DeBoer updates the timeline for naming Washington's starting quarterback
Washington had its second scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday. Afterward, head coach Kalen DeBoer told local reporters they still haven’t yet made a decision on who UW’s starting quarterback will be.
“We’ve definitely got to transition to where the (No.) 1 quarterback is taking reps with the ones,” DeBoer said, per The Athletic’s Christian Caple.
The Huskies ran through 75 plays on Saturday, DeBoer said. They got a long look at each of the three quarterbacks competing for the job — Michael Penix Jr., Dylan Morris, and Sam Huard. DeBoer said they want to make sure they handle the choice and announcement of that choice in the proper way, so it could be “a few days down the road before we decide.”
DeBoer said they aren’t going to change things based on who’s in the game. He also ran through what each of the quarterbacks has done well so far, per The Seattle Times’ Mike Vorel.
“I think Sam’s playing faster than he did. Ever since the spring game, he got some confidence and has played faster,” DeBoer said. “I think Dylan… I’m taking this from what I heard before and you can see it on the film, he’s always had, people call it a ‘gunslinger’ mindset, but I think he’s really controlled that. He’s got tremendous arm talent.
“I think Mike has just been solid, consistent, day in and day out, does a great job picking up, seeing protections, and getting us in the right plays. He knows what the offense is supposed to look like, so that helps. He makes plays when he needs to and between he and Dylan, they can rip it from one side to the other, which puts a lot of stress on the defense sideline-to-sideline. Time and time again, what you’ve seen from Sam is that he’s pushing balls down the sideline, gets a little air under it, and those guys can go get it.”
Morris was the starter for 11 of 12 games last season. Huard started in his place for the Apple Cup loss to Washington State. Penix was a regular starter at Indiana when healthy, and worked with DeBoer when he was the offensive coordinator for the Hoosiers in 2019.
Washington opens the season against Kent State at home on Sept. 3. It’s getting closer and closer. Decision time, that is.