Huskies notes: UW set to host WSU in Apple Cup in this week

There may only be one game left on the Washington Huskies’ schedule, but interim head coach Bob Gregory noted during his Monday press conference the energy is still there.

“These guys have been awesome,” Gregory said. “We had a great practice out there. We had a ton of energy out there. I’ve told you guys this before, these guys have never, ever quit.”

The Huskies can’t reach bowl eligibility with a win this week over Washington State.

Saturday’s loss to Colorado confirmed it — UW (4-7) will finish the season short of qualifying for the first time since 2009.

The Huskies also can’t play spoiler to their in-state rival in that regard. WSU (6-5) already has the needed wins to advance after topping Arizona State last weekend.

The Cougars are also still in the running for a Pac-12 North title, if they win this week and Oregon State also beats rival Oregon.

But, UW’s season will end with the Friday evening rivalry game against WSU regardless of outcome.

Still, the Apple Cup itself gives the Huskies — who have won the past seven meetings — something to play for.

For those who have played in the game before, like cornerback Kyler Gordon.

“It’s the biggest thing right here,” the fourth-year sophomore said postgame Saturday. “We’re not trying to let that trophy go at all. So, we’re going to keep it in Seattle, for surely. I want to finish strong. ... So, Apple Cup’s got to stay with us.”

For those who could play in the game for the first time Friday, like running back Cameron Davis.

“It’s a big emphasis,” the third-year redshirt freshman said Saturday. “We need to keep that trophy at UW. So, we’ve got something to play for this week.

“It’s a big game. That game’s been circled on our schedule the whole year. So we’re going to come with our energy and just play hard next week.”

And for those who have been around this rivalry game — and others — for years, like Gregory.

Gregory played for Washington State during his college career, has coached at UW for the past eight seasons, and also previously coached at two other Pac-12 schools in Oregon and California, among other places.

“I have been involved in a couple rivalries in this league, and this one is pretty special, I think,” Gregory said Monday. “And maybe because I’ve been a part of it for a while, but it’s a good one.”

The Huskies lead the all-time series over WSU, 74-32-6, have won each of the past seven contests by two or more possessions and last lost to the Cougars in 2013 in Pullman.

This year’s edition of the Apple Cup — which will be played for the first time since 2019 after last season’s meeting was canceled due to COVID-19 — kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday at Husky Stadium.

EXTRA POINTS

▪ When Gregory was asked postgame Saturday if five-star freshman quarterback Sam Huard might get more playing time in the Apple Cup he said, “We’ll see about next week.”

When asked again Monday about the plan for Huard this week, Gregory still didn’t give any hints.

“I’m not going to divulge … no injuries, no quarterback updates,” he said.

Huard has played five series across three games this season against Arkansas State, Arizona and Arizona State — he is 5-for-11 passing for 51 yards in his 35 offensive snaps — and could appear in UW’s final game against WSU while still preserving his redshirt season.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Dylan Morris has started every game at quarterback for the Huskies the past two seasons and played the majority of the snaps, though both Huard and graduate transfer Patrick O’Brien have also appeared.

Morris is 287-of-473 passing for 3,355 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 15 career starts.

Friday’s meeting with Washington State would be the first Apple Cup appearance for any of the three quarterbacks.

During the most recent Apple Cup in 2019, Morris was a true freshman and did not play, O’Brien was playing at Colorado State and Huard had just wrapped up his junior season at Kennedy Catholic.

▪ Gregory also did not give any injury updates ahead of the annual rivalry game. UW was without several of its regulars against Colorado, including running back Sean McGrew and wide receiver Terrell Bynum, who have missed the past two games, tight end Cade Otton, who left the Arizona State game two weeks ago on crutches, defensive lineman Faatui Tuitele and outside linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui.

▪ T.J. Hall, a consensus three-star athlete from San Joaquin Memorial High School (Fresno, Calif.), became the fifth player to decommit from the 2022 recruiting class on Sunday. Hall announced his decision to reopen his recruitment on Twitter.

The defensive back committed to UW three days after the Huskies offered in July, after decommitting from Arizona. Hall also holds offers from nine other programs, including four more Power Five schools in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan and Oregon State.

Four more recruits in this upcoming class — athlete Anthony Jones (committed to Texas), defensive lineman Sir Mells (Oregon), offensive lineman Mark Nabou and defensive lineman Ben Roberts (Oregon) — also decommitted from UW earlier in the year.

UW has nine recruits still committed in the 2022 class, including four-star recruits in wide receiver Germie Bernard, tight end Ryan Otton and running back Emeka Megwa (enrolled in September), and three-star recruits in offensive linemen Parker Brailsford and Vega Ioane, outside linebacker Lance Holtzclaw, tight end Chance Bogan, wide receiver Denzel Boston and quarterback Jackson Stratton.

The class is currently considered eighth among Pac-12 schools and 59th nationally, per 247Sports.com rankings.