Is Washington closer to finding its QB3? Kalen DeBoer talks Friday scrimmage
Is Washington closer to finding its QB3? Kalen DeBoer talks Friday scrimmage
Alex Johnson, a JUCO transfer who prepped in Seattle, led the No. 3 offense.
SEATTLE — The 11th practice of spring is a fine time to ask about the competition for third-string quarterback, yes?
It was my first thought when coach Kalen DeBoer said after Friday’s scrimmage that the No. 3 offense and defense — units I’m not sure we’ve seen in an 11-on-11 period yet this spring — took about 15 reps at the end.
The quarterback? It was junior-college transfer Alex Johnson, the Bishop Blanchet product who spent the last two seasons at Santa Barbara (Calif.) City College. He won league MVP as a sophomore, then accepted a walk-on offer from the Huskies. (An interesting note from his bio: Johnson originally planned to play for Elmhurst University, a Division III school in Illinois, in 2020, before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)
He enrolled at UW this spring quarter and joined the team when it resumed spring practices March 29.
“He did a really nice job. He made a lot of throws, drove the ball down the field, made some good decisions,” DeBoer said. “Still giving him help, just on making sure you communicate well with the offensive line. … I was impressed, considering how long he’s been here. Threw the ball accurately when he needed to make those throws, bought some time with his legs.”