UW football observations: Dylan Morris dials it up and injuries mount

Dylan Morris dialed it up.

Washington closed its 10th practice of fall camp Monday with another special situation. The Husky offense was placed at its own 12-yard line with 1:18 left, trailing its imaginary opponent 20-17. After completing a 7-yard out to tight end Jack Westover and then missing on his next two passes, Morris hit wide receiver Terrell Bynum over the middle for a 5-yard gain to move the chains on fourth-and-three.

From there, Morris was money.

On the next play, the redshirt freshman passer from Puyallup stepped up in the pocket and delivered a strike across the middle to wide receiver Rome Odunze for a 30-yard gain. After hurrying up field, Morris took another snap and lofted a looping liner down the seam for Bynum, who hauled it in for 26 more yards as inside linebacker Jackson Sirmon nearly missed a diving pass breakup.

At the defense’s 20-yard line, Morris did it again — taking a shotgun snap, looking right and delivering a rainbow dime to a diving Bynum in the corner of the end zone for a practice-ending touchdown.

In all, Morris and a pair of Husky wideouts canvassed 76 yards in three consecutive plays. And in doing so, Morris continued to separate himself from fellow signal-callers Patrick O’Brien and Sam Huard.

But that wasn’t the only notable UW development Monday.

Here are some other observations from the Huskies’ 10th practice of fall camp.

The injuries mount

Washington didn’t fare well on the injury front Monday.

Defensive tackle Kuao Peihopa — almost certainly UW’s most impressive true freshman thus far — did not participate with his right foot encased in a walking boot. The Huskies also lost redshirt freshman inside linebacker Daniel Heimuli, who has taken significant strides this offseason, to a left leg injury sustained when a teammate fell on top of him during an offense vs. defense running drill.

Second-year freshman wide receiver Jalen McMillan left practice with what appeared to be an injured thumb on his right hand. In his place, Texas Tech freshman transfer Ja’Lynn Polk took reps with the starters alongside Odunze and Bynum. Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Noa Ngalu departed practice with an apparent injury as well.

Beyond that list, safety Asa Turner and wide receiver Sawyer Racanelli were not present for the fourth consecutive practice, and linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala, offensive lineman Samuel Peacock, cornerback Elijah Jackson and outside linebacker Milton Hopkins Jr. watched from the sideline.

On a positive note, second-year freshman outside linebacker Jordan Lolohea was back to work after sitting out several practices.

Extra points

• For the second consecutive practice, redshirt freshmen Julius Buelow and Nate Kalepo took reps with the first-team offense at left guard, while returning starter Ulumoo Ale worked at right guard with the second unit. After the practice concluded, left tackle Jaxson Kirkland was very complimentary of Buelow’s development this fall. We’ll have to keep monitoring whether Ale is simply cross-training at a second position, or if his starting spot is truly in jeopardy.
• O’Brien threw a 75-yard touchdown on a short pass to true freshman wide receiver Jabez Tinae, who corralled it and sprinted untouched down the left sideline. It appeared that the UW defense either thought Tinae had been tagged off or the play was blown dead, but the celebratory siren sounded anyway.
• After dropping three passes earlier in practice, tight end Quentin Moore redeemed himself by hauling in a short touchdown from Huard with the third-team offense. It might be some time for Moore, who has missed much of fall camp with an apparent injury, to return to top form.
• O’Brien also threw an interception directly to inside linebacker Carson Bruener on what looked like a miscommunication in a seven-on-seven drill.
• Despite tackling not being allowed Monday, inside linebacker M.J. Tafisi made arguably the most physical play of the day — meeting Richard Newton in the hole to stand up the running back during an early drill.
• Oklahoma nickelback transfer Brendan Radley-Hiles nearly made a spectacular diving interception of Huard, but the pass dribbled off the tips of his fingers to fall incomplete.
• NFL scouts from the Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts attended practice.