SEATTLE – For the first time in the Jimmy Lake era Washington will play an authentic spring football game

Earlier this week the coaching staff held a draft, with senior tight end Cade Otton and senior left tackle Jaxson Kirkland selected to be the captains for the respective Purple and Gold teams.

Naturally, Purple selected sophomore quarterback Dylan Morris to lead the offense with Otton.

Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach John Donovan is one of four assistant coaches on the Purple team. Wide receiver coach Junior Adams, defensive backs coach Will Harris and outside linebackers coach Ikaika Malloe are the other three coaches that will be on the Purple sideline.

Morris will have a familiar cast to throw to on Saturday, but he won’t have senior wide receiver Terrell Bynum.

Redshirt freshmen Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan will be at Morris’ disposal, along with sophomore Texas Tech transfer Ja’Lynn Polk as his three scholarship receivers. For the majority of this spring Polk has been working with the second-team offense led by Patrick O’Brien.

Saturday will give an opening for Polk and Morris to grow their connection on the field.

The two spent over half an hour after one practice earlier this spring working on their timing in the red zone. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds Polk possesses ideal size, along with impeccable hands, to become a key weapon for UW this fall.

Donovan and the Purple team selected five running backs to help Morris balance the offense.

Sophomore Cameron Davis, redshirt freshmen Sam Adams II and Jay’Veon Sunday, senior Kamari Pleasant and redshirt freshman walk-on Christian Galvan offer Morris a diverse stable of backs to roll with.

Davis, a former four-star recruit out of Upland High School (Upland, California), has gotten increased reps with the first-team offense throughout spring and is likely to be the lead back for the Purple team.

Adams II hasn’t taken as many reps compared to his 2020 classmate, Sunday, which makes his potential impact Saturday all the more intriguing.

There may have to be a handful of post-draft trade negotiations between the two teams before Saturday, at the very least to make Morris’ blindside more secure.

Senior right guard Henry Bainivalu and senior center Luke Wattenberg are the only two established starters, at the moment, who will protect Morris on Saturday for the Purple team.

Five other scholarship offensive linemen; junior Matteo Mele, sophomores Julius Buelow and Nate Kalepo, and redshirt freshmen Geirean Hatchett and Myles Murao are on the Purple roster, along with a pair of walk-on’s, Noah Hellyer and Gage Harty.

Mele has taken all of his 161 career snaps at center combined between 2019-20. This spring, however, Mele has taken a majority of his snaps at right tackle next to Buelow, who has played extensively at right guard with the second-team offense.

Kalepo took 10 snaps at left guard last season, all of which came in the second half against Arizona. Buelow also played the same number of snaps against the Wildcats at right guard.

Hatchett has switched to center this spring while Murao has moved to right guard with the third-team offense.

Both players have the ability to play guard and center, which could mean that they will see time at a variety of positions along the offensive line Saturday – or be trade chips to get redshirt freshman offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten from the Gold team.

Given who likely will be coaching the Purple team – Lake – it makes sense that the secondary features an eclectic mix of styles.

Junior cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon will have the opportunity to go head-to-head Saturday leading their respective defensive backfields.

McDuffie is joined by senior nickel Brendan Radley-Hiles, junior safeties Cameron Williams and Asa Turner, sophomore corner Mishael Powell, and four redshirt freshmen; safety Makell Esteen and three cornerbacks; Elijah Jackson, Meke Pei and James Smith for the Purple team.

For the Gold team Gordon is accompanied by senior Alex Cook, juniors Julius Irvin and Dom Hampton, sophomore Kamren Fabiculanan and a pair of redshirt freshmen, Jacobe Covington and Kasen Kinchen.

In an interesting twist, both teams have a unique touch to their front seven.

The Gold team drafted five scholarship defensive linemen – juniors Sam Taimani and Tuli Letuligasenoa, sophomore Faatui Tuitele, and redshirt freshmen Voi Tunuufi and Kuao Peihopa – while Otton and the Purple team have just three; junior Draco Bynum and sophomores Noa Ngalu and Jacob Bandes.

However, only two players listed at outside linebacker that the Gold team selected are expected to be able to play; senior Ryan Bowman and sophomore Bralen Trice.

Junior edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui was taken by the Gold team and sophomore Laiatu Latu went to the Purple team. Neither will be suited to play, but the symbolic nature of their selections suggests the two will play some type of role Saturday in the game.

UW announced earlier this week that Saturday’s spring game is sold out. However, some time on Friday fans will have the chance to claim and tickets that have been made available.

The UW Spring Game will be shown on the Pac-12 Network with Yogi Roth and Nigel Burton on the call at Husky Stadium. The game is scheduled to kickoff at Noon.

Gold Roster:

QB: Patrick O’Brien (No. 10), Sam Huard (No. 7), Jesse Martineau (No. 13)

RB: Sean McGrew (No. 5), Richard Newton (No. 6), Caleb Berry (No. 25), Capassio Cherry (No. 34)

WR: Terrell Bynum (No. 4), Taj Davis (No. 17), Sawyer Racanelli (No. 19), David Pritchard (No. 30), Sean Toomey-Stout (No. 30), Charlie Fuller (No. 31), Camden VerStrate (No. 38)

TE: Jack Westover (No. 37), Carson Smith (No. 42), Caden Jumper (No. 49), Mark Redman (No. 81), Devin Culp (No. 83)

OL: Jaxson Kirkland (No. 51), Troy Fautanu (No. 55), Cole Norgaard (No. 63), Gaard Memmelaar (No. 64), Samuel Peacock (No. 65), Chase Skuza (No. 67), Ulumoo Ale (No. 68), Will Pliska (No. 69), Roger Rosengarten (No. 72), Corey Luciano (No. 74), Victor Curne (No. 79).

DL: Sam Taimani (No. 94), Tuli Letuligasenoa (No. 91), Voi Tunuufi (No. 90), Kuao Peihopa (No. 98), Faatui Tuitele (No. 99), Bradley McGannon (No. 97)

OLB: Bralen Trice (No. 45), Ryan Bowman (No. 55), Zion Tupuola-Fetui (No. 58)

LB: Josh Calvert (No. 14), Daniel Heimuli (No. 15), Alphonzo Tuputala (No. 40), Edefuan Ulofoshio (No. 40), Drew Fowler (No. 54), Ruperake Fuavai (No. 56),

DB: Kyler Gordon (No. 2), Alex Cook (No. 5), Jacobe Covington (No. 12), Dominique Hampton (No. 21), Julius Irvin (No. 29), Kamren Fabiculanan (No. 31), Kasen Kinchen (No. 36),

P: Triston Brown (No. 32)

K: Tim Horn (No. 37), Addison Shrock (No. 85)

Purple Roster:

QB: Dylan Morris (No. 9), Camden Sirmon (No. 20)

RB: Cameron Davis (No. 22), Kamari Pleasant (No. 24), Jay’Veon Sunday (No. 26), Sam Adams II (No. 28), Christian Galvan (No. 35)

WR: Jalen McMillan (No. 11), Rome Odunze (No. 16), Ja’Lynn Polk (No. 23), Brennan Holmes (No. 29), Nick Juran (No. 32), Mason Wheeler (No. 36)

TE: Cade Otton (No. 87), Quinten Moore (No. 88), Javon Forward (No. 27), Zeke Pelluer (No. 39), Mason West (No. 80), Wilson Schwartz (No. 82)

OL: Henry Bainivalu (No. 66), Luke Wattenberg (No. 76), Nate Kalepo (No. 71), Julius Buelow (No. 77), Matteo Mele (No. 78), Geirean Hatchett (No. 56), Myles Murao (No. 50), Noah Hellyer (No. 62), Gage Harty (No. 73)

DL: Draco Bynum (No. 59), Jacob Bandes (No. 96), Noa Ngalu (No. 92)

OLB: Jeremiah Martin (No. 9), Laiatu Latu (No. 13), Sav’ell Smalls (No. 17), Carson Bruener (No. 42), Jordan Lolohea (No. 51)

LB: Jackson Sirmon (No. 43), MJ Tafisi (No. 53), Miki Ah You (No. 10), Cooper McDonald (No. 41), Ben Heins (No. 35), Anthony Ward (No. 57)

CB: Brendan Radley-Hiles (No. 4), Cameron Williams (No. 6), Asa Turner (No. 20), Trent McDuffie (No. 22), Makell Esteen (No. 24), Elijah Jackson (No. 25), James Smith (No. 27), Meke Pei (No. 26) Mishael Powell (No. 34)

P: Race Porter (No. 46)

K Peyton Henry (No. 47), Jarrett North (No. 38)

LS: Jaden Green (No. 89)