The Washington Huskies are moving out of camp mode and into game mode, and Thursday’s practice made that pretty clear.
At roughly 100 minutes, it was one of the shortest sessions of fall camp, but the focus was tight and specific. With Washington State now exactly 10 days away on September 6, the Huskies spent more time on situational football and less on the broader competition that usually defines August.
Head coach Jedd Fisch let his assistants handle much of the day-to-day coaching, including the playcalls into the quarterbacks. Senior offensive assistant coach Matt Cavanaugh did a lot of that work while Fisch mostly observed, checked the practice sheet and talked with other coaches and UW Athletic Director Pat Chun.
When the practice shifted into game-situation work, though, Fisch took over with the bullhorn and started firing off down-and-distance scenarios, along with detailed instructions for both players and position groups. The Huskies were tested on getting on and off the field, then on quickly shifting into specific personnel groupings. Fisch would also call out individual players or groups without warning and see how they responded.
There were still familiar camp elements mixed in. Washington had another pair of “look” periods, with the first-team offense and defense working against the scout team to prepare for what they might see from an opponent. Special teams also got plenty of finishing work.
A few players were out of action. Donovan Robinson and Elijah Durr did not practice.
Landen Hatchett and Charlie Crowell took part early but were not involved in the final periods. Devin Hyde and Bodpegn Miller handled most of their work on the east field.
Up front, Champ Taulealea appears to have locked down the right guard spot, while Geirean Hatchett continued splitting time between right guard and center behind Kolt Dieterich.
At quarterback, the rotation in team periods pointed to Demond Williams as the starter, with Elijah Brown next and Dash Beierly third.
The running back order followed a similar pattern: Quaid Carr first, Brian Bonner second and Trey Cooley third. Cooley had what looked like his best practice of camp, showing a quick burst downfield. Jayden Limar was there as well, though he spent a good amount of time working on the east field.
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USCs Ticket Surprise Raises An Uncomfortable Question About Fan Interest
USCs season opener against San Jos State came with an unexpected side story before the first snap: resale tickets were sliding to around $9, a striking number for a program that usually treats home dates as a premium draw. The matchup itself offered one explanation, given the Spartans modest profile, but the soft market also pointed to bigger factors around the program, from scorching game-day temperatures to a growing sense of fan fatigue with what has unfolded under Lincoln Riley.
The Trojans have tried to make the Coliseum experience more appealing with several game-day upgrades, and the schedule still gives them chances to reset the mood. Multiple ranked opponents are coming to Los Angeles this season, which should tell a better story about where demand really stands. For now, though, the cheap opener is a reminder that interest can cool quickly when expectations and results stop matching the brand. [Read more 🡒]