Notebook: UW WR Jalen McMillan’s immediately iconic catch, a controversial damage stoppage and extra

Jalen McMillan rose to the problem.

Tired cliches however, that’s actually what he did.

Last Wednesday, UW affiliate head coach and huge receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard was requested about his undeniably proficient sophomore huge receiver — whose breakout 2022 season had been dotted with a number of unlucky drops.

“There’s no question about it: J-Mac is a high-level player, and he expects to make those plays,” Shephard mentioned, three days earlier than UW’s beautiful 37-34 upset of then-No. 6 Oregon. “I think when those opportunities come up, he’ll make them. Certainly we’ll do some things differently in the offseason to try and help him. We’re doing all the little things now to help him. But it’s very uncharacteristic of him, really, to be honest about it.”

The actual McMillan confirmed up on Saturday.

With 4:02 left within the second quarter, in a 10-10 tie, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. took a shotgun snap, faked a hand off and unleashed a laser excessive over McMillan’s helmet. Oregon defensive again Christian Gonzalez, who was positioned behind McMillan, appeared to return down with an interception.

But in an second of “competitive stamina” — Ryan Grubb’s phrases — McMillan ripped the ball away for a 34-yard acquire.

“McMillan comes away with it!” bellowed disbelieving FOX announcer Jason Benetti. “Oh my goodness, he wrestled it away from Gonzalez!”

That catch led to a Peyton Henry area objective, the eventual distinction in a three-point win. The 6-foot-1, 186-pound McMillan — who has recorded 57 catches, 792 receiving yards, 13.9 yards per catch and 6 touchdowns in 10 video games — led the Huskies with eight grabs for 122 yards.

None extra immediately iconic than his mid-air wrestling match.

“I know in some of the plays he hadn’t made and the drops he had, he was the first one to say, ‘I’ve got to make those catches, coach. You’ve got to be able to count on me in those moments,’” mentioned Grubb, UW’s first-year offensive coordinator. “Honestly, I never thought about averting the football away from him, because I’ve seen him make those kind of catches from spring ball till now. So we’ve got a ton of trust, and obviously so does Mike (Penix).

“He tried to frame him with the ball and let J-Mac make a play, and honestly the kid (Gonzalez) made a tremendous play. The ball was a little bit high. He came up over the top of J-Mac. We showed that play quite a few times in the offensive meeting yesterday and just talked about the competitive stamina it takes when you’re in the middle of that, and how J-Mac never quit on the ball. Some guys would feel somebody come over the top and initially make the catch and just kind of crumble under the weight of the defender. J-Mac literally fought until the last second and took the ball away. It was a phenomenal play, and I thought that was something that really sparked us.”

A controversial damage stoppage

With 14 seconds left and nil timeouts Saturday, Bo Nix rolled left and located Oregon huge receiver Kris Hutson — who was tackled in bounds after gaining 12 yards and a primary down. Because the completion moved the chains, the clocked momentarily stopped with six seconds left — however ought to have restarted as soon as the ball was set.

Hutson stood up.

Then, after tight finish Terrance Ferguson appeared to say one thing to him, he sat again down.

The clock remained stopped whereas trainers charged the sector to evaluate Hutson’s damage, permitting the Ducks time to get set and set up a play. After his proper knee was stretched out, Hutson walked off on his personal energy. He was proven receiving a bottle of water — reasonably than extra medical consideration — after reaching the sideline.

Given the additional time it afforded Oregon, plus Hutson’s near-immediate restoration, UW followers instantly questioned the legitimacy of the damage.

And it seems they weren’t alone.

“Yeah. No comment,” UW co-defensive coordinator Chuck Morrell mentioned of the damage stoppage. “I don’t think I can say anything on that. I’ll give you my true feelings on it someday.”

Added DeBoer, when requested if he noticed Hutson sit on the turf close to the house sideline: “That’s what we see, too. It’s just one of those things. What can you do? The officials have to acknowledge (the injury). I don’t want to be insensitive. If there’s an injury, that’s part of the game. Those things happen. I know those things are always looked at from a league level, and it’s a part of college football that we get into in our discussions in the offseason.

“But the officials have to acknowledge and honor that it’s an injury. As a coach, I guess that’s the way I have to (approach it), too. Just the timing of it is hard, because you know the clock would have started. It is what it is. You know, fortunately we were on the right end of it. We’re talking here today with a victory. So I do hope he’s OK.”

When requested if he submitted the play to the Pac-12 workplace, DeBoer mentioned: “I think they’re certainly well aware. From an official standpoint and everything, those things certainly happen in reviewing each and every game.”

An onside kick tipoff

Oregon notably recovered a shock onside kick throughout its win over UCLA on Oct. 22.

When the Ducks tried it once more on Saturday, the Huskies weren’t stunned. Redshirt freshman huge receiver Lonyatta Alexander Jr. recovered the kick and UW shortly transformed the possession right into a Henry area objective to take a 13-10 lead.

“They came out with some jersey numbers in different spots for that kickoff,” DeBoer famous, earlier than including “there were some indicators that something fishy was up and we needed to be ready.”

Extra factors

• UW took dwelling a slew of weekly awards Monday — as DeBoer was named Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week for the second time this season, Penix was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week, senior middle Corey Luciano took dwelling Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week honors and senior kicker Peyton Henry repeated as Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week.
• Starting cornerback Jordan Perryman — who left Saturday’s recreation within the first quarter and didn’t return — is daily, per DeBoer. Redshirt freshman nook Davon Banks — who didn’t make the journey to Eugene, Ore. — is out for the season with an damage. “I don’t anticipate (Perryman) practicing early in the week but as the week goes on my hope’s he would be out there playing on Saturday,” DeBoer mentioned.
• The Apple Cup on Nov. 26 has been positioned on a six-day maintain to find out the kickoff time and channel. It will both be performed at 12:30 p.m. and be broadcast on ABC or ESPN, 1 p.m. on the Pac-12 Network or 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. The resolution will likely be introduced on Sunday.