Day 8: Notes, observations and highlights from Huskies spring practice

The Huskies officially ventured past the halfway point of their spring practice schedule on Monday, working out for about two hours on a mostly sunny morning. Here, as always, are some notes, observations, and yes, even some highlights from UW’s eighth practice of the spring.

WHAT DID JAKE BROWNING DO TODAY?

This was the most real, live throwing we’ve seen Browning do since the start of spring. He still didn’t make any throws during 11-on-11 periods, but he did participate in other passing drills, and during a 7-on-7 period, he tossed a perfect, 45-yard-ish pass into the hands of Chico McClatcher up the left sideline (in between coverage from cornerback Byron Murphy and safety Taylor Rapp). Browning also threw a couple pretty deep passes during 1-on-1s, but both of those fell incomplete (though neither was necessarily his fault).

--- Some personnel notes: OLB Benning Potoa’e seems to be progressing from whatever injury it is that has limited him so far, as he wore a yellow, no-contact jersey but was able to participate in some drills. ... OLB Connor O’Brien, LB DJ Beavers, DL Greg Gaines and DB Brandon Lewis remain out. LB Ben Burr-Kirven participated in more drills than he had been, but still didn’t do any 11-on-11 work. RB Lavon Coleman and QB Tony Rodriguez were absent.

--- The first-team defense featured Vita Vea and Jaylen Johnson up front; Keishawn Bierria and Azeem Victor up the middle; Tevis Bartlett (sam) and Myles Rice (buck) at outside linebacker; and a nickel look with Jordan Miller and Byron Murphy at corner, Taylor Rapp and Jojo McIntosh at safety and sophomore Myles Bryant getting some time at nickel.

--- The second-team defense rotated personnel quite a bit more, but the group that took the field for the final live period of the day included Levi Onwuzurike and Jared Pulu up front, with Sean Constantine and Brandon Wellington at the inside linebacker spots Amandre Williams and Jusstis Warren at outside linebacker, and a defensive backfield of Kentrell Love, Jomon Dotson, Ezekiel Turner, Trevor Walker and Isaiah Gilchrist.

--- The first and second-team offensive lines remain the same. First team: Trey Adams, Andrew Kirkland, Coleman Shelton, Nick Harris, Kaleb McGary. Second team: Jared Hilbers, Henry Roberts, Matt James, Jesse Sosebee, Devin Burleson.

--- Outdoor practices mostly take place on the practice field next to Husky Stadium, but the team went into the stadium for the final, 11-on-11 period of Monday’s practice. It went well for the defense. K.J. Carta-Samuels led the first-team offense on the first series, completing a short pass to WR Andre Baccellia before throwing a pair of incompletions, the second of which was batted down by Vea. Then, on 4th-and-5 from his own 29-yard line, Carta-Samuels threw a pass directly toward Victor, who hauled it in and fell to the turf to win the series for the defense.

Daniel Bridge-Gadd quarterbacked the No. 2 offense against the No. 2 defense on the following series, and after a short run by RB Kamari Pleasant, Bridge-Gadd took a sack and scrambled just shy of the first-down marker. He converted the 4th-and-short with a completion to WR Jordan Chin, but threw an interception to Love on the next play.

Carta-Samuels was back under center for the third and final series, which was highlighted by his 38-yard completion up the left sideline to WR Dante Pettis. Carta-Samuels also converted a 3rd-and-5 with about an 8-yard completion to McClatcher underneath, but the drive stalled at the defense’s 25-yard line and K Tristan Vizcaino capped the series with a 42-yard field goal.

--- The Huskies practice again on Wednesday morning.

This story was originally published April 10, 2017 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Day 8: Notes, observations and highlights from Huskies spring practice."