College Football

Washington Football: 5 players to watch in 2017 spring game

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:38 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Zach Bigalke/FanSided via Saturday Blitz

As Washington football tries to defend its Pac-12 title and return to the College Football Playoff, who should you keep an eye on at this year's spring game?

It was a year of highs and lows for Washington in 2016. The Huskies beat rivals Oregon and Washington State en route to their first conference title since 2000. They beat out Penn State for a spot in the College Football Playoff. But then they were bounced by Alabama in the Peach Bowl and now must regroup after losing several key players to the NFL and graduation.

Chris Petersen still has many of the ingredients to field another championship contender in 2017. This spring is largely about figuring out which players will replace the departed starters and filling out depth. Petersen and his staff will likely hold many of their star players to limited participation as they try to prevent injuries heading into the offseason.

With that in mind, there are a couple key storylines to follow as Washington begins its spring practices. Click ahead to see the five players to keep a close eye on heading into the Huskies' spring game on April 22.

Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Jake Browning (3) throws against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter in the 2016 CFP semifinal at the Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Jake Browning

QB, Washington

There are no questions about who will start at quarterback for the Huskies this season. Jake Browning ranked seventh nationally in passing efficiency, second in touchdown passes thrown, and 11th in yards per attempt.

The Pac-12 returns plenty of high-quality quarterbacks. But Browning was the best among the group last season. Though he fell short in losses to USC (17-of-36 for 259 yards, 1 TD/2 INT) and Alabama (20-of-38 for 150 yards, 1 TD/2 INT), he still led the pack in the Pac-12.

As such, the thing to watch with Browning is just how much Petersen allows him to participate this spring. He is recovering from an injury to his throwing shoulder and was pretty much inactive through Washington's first practice.

The plan is to slowly ramp up Browning's activity as the practice period progresses, culminating in getting reps in front of the fans on April 22 at the spring game. Keep a close watch on how much play the quarterback gets in the spring game, and how limited spring action might affect his play.

Nov 5, 2016; Berkeley, CA, USA; Washington Huskies running back Myles Gaskin (9) scores a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Myles Gaskin

RB, Washington

Lavon Coleman is still on the roster this year, and the senior tailback was second in the Pac-12 last year with 7.5 yards per carry. But he's still probably going to be the change-of-pace option behind junior workhorse Myles Gaskin.

After rushing for over 1000 yards as a true freshman in 2015 and as a sophomore last year, Gaskin should top the depth chart yet again. For Washington to take the next step, he'll need to elevate his performance against teams like USC and Alabama.

What you'll want to avoid is reading too much into the amount of practice time Gaskin gets this spring. Like Browning, Gaskin will probably have his time scaled back as they try to keep him fresh for the carries that count. Coleman will probably see more work in the spring game, and it will be tempting to interpret that as a shift in workload.

Watch to see what Gaskin does with the carries he does get, as it will tell a lot not only about his condition but also the state of the offensive line.

Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Huskies wide receiver Dante Pettis (8) scores a touchdown ahead of Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Marlon Humphrey (26) during the first quarter in the 2016 CFP Semifinal at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Dante Pettis

WR, Washington

Nobody will be able to replace the speed that John Ross brought to the Husky passing game, because nobody else currently playing has John Ross speed. But Dante Pettis averaged more yards per reception than Ross last year. He also caught just two fewer touchdown passes than Ross despite 28 fewer receptions.

Now that he is no longer overshadowed by the All-American burner, Pettis could potentially outdo his former teammate's numbers from last year.

Especially given the fact that Browning is getting limited spring action, the rapport built last season between Pettis and the quarterback will be critical to Washington's success in 2017. With more targets, he should easily break the 1000-yard receiving mark and could threaten to hit the 20-touchdown mark.

This spring, watch to see how he leads by example for a young receiving corps as he demonstrates not just catching ability and elusiveness but also commits to downfield blocks and all-around growth.

Sep 24, 2016; Tucson, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Jake Browning (3) and offensive lineman Andrew Kirkland (73) high five after scoring against the Arizona Wildcats during the second quarter at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Kirkland

OG, Washington

Both guard positions lose their primary starters from last season's offensive depth chart. But Chris Petersen has the advantage of returning a redshirt senior who has a dozen starts over the past two seasons.

Andrew Kirkland is a versatile lineman who has played at both tackle and guard for the Huskies over his time in Seattle. In 2015 he started seven games at the tackle spots, and last year he earned five starts at right guard.

If Kirkland can slot in full-time at the position he split with Shane Brostek in 2016, it would provide the continuity necessary to focus on other aspects of the offense. The right side of the line should be fairly solid as long as Kirkland can hold down his spot for the entirety of the season.

In the spring game, watch to see how well he works with center Coleman Shelton and right tackle Kaleb McGary to open up holes for the running game and keep Browning and the other passers clean.

Nov 25, 2016; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Jordan Miller (23) intercepts the ball against the Washington State Cougars during the second half at Martin Stadium. The Huskies won 45-17. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Miller

CB, Washington

The Washington secondary was one of the best in the country last year, finishing eighth nationally in interceptions. The Huskies made it to the College Football Playoff on the strength of that back-end defense. But now they must replace several key starters from last year's unit, including both starting cornerbacks.

With Sidney Jones and Kevin King gone, Washington needs players to step into the void and perform immediately. Luckily they have a guy like Jordan Miller returning.

Last year Miller was the team's leader in interceptions from the outset at fall camp. But the glut of talent in the defensive backfield restricted him to a reserve role on the team. Now that vacancies have opened up, Miller will need to become a shutdown presence right away as a starter.

In spring practice, he will need to work on his footwork and positioning in covering receivers. That will be more important to watch than how much he showcases his obvious ballhawking skills.

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