First impressions: Washington begins spring practice under Jedd Fisch

Thoughts and observations from the Huskies' spring opener.

SEATTLE — Each glance at the practice field required a corresponding peek at Washington’s spring roster.

No. 6 in white? That’s senior transfer Jeremiah Hunter, California’s top receiver the past two seasons.

No. 5 in purple? That’s Bryun Parham, a linebacker transfer from San Jose State who plays the same position as Edefuan Ulofoshio and is wearing the former Husky’s uniform number, too.

No. 9 in gold? Well, we know it’s not Michael Penix Jr. Instead, it’s early enrollee Dermaricus Davis, one of two true freshmen joining senior Mississippi State transfer Will Rogers in UW’s re-made quarterback room.

Even some of the Huskies’ (relatively few) returning players are wearing new digits, which made Wednesday’s spring opener under new coach Jedd Fisch feel, oh, about a decade removed from UW’s national championship run, which occurred only three months and a head coach and two athletic directors ago.

“I think it’s super cool that we’re all doing this thing together, and we’re all just trying to get to know one another,” Fisch said after practice, which ended a little after 7 p.m. at a sunny, but quite chilly, Husky Stadium. “And they know that I’m coming in with no preconceived notions. I didn’t live through the last few years, where they might have felt like it was their time. I didn’t live through some of the recruitment process. But I know this is a talented group of players, and I think together we can grow into a really good ball team.”

Indeed, this felt like a new era, and not only because Washington returns just two (2) starters from last year’s team. While there wasn’t much offense-vs.-defense competition to document on Day 1, I do have some thoughts and observations from the first practice of Fisch’s UW tenure.