SEATTLE – It was back to the basics for UW players and coaches Wednesday morning as the team begins its sixth spring under Chris Petersen.

For the first time under the Huskies head coach, eight true freshmen are getting an early start to their college career with nine total new faces on the roster including Corey Luciano, a junior college offensive lineman who signed as part of the 2019 class.

Two of the new freshmen, inside linebacker Miki Ah You and offensive tackle Julius Buelow, have both gained at least 10-pounds since UW their last recorded measurements, which were released in February on National Signing Day.

Ah You, a three-star recruit from Laie, Hawaii, has grown an inch to 6-foot-1 while bulking up from 207 to 218, gaining 11-pounds. Buelow, one of five prospects to sign with UW from Hawaii including Ah You, has gained 10-pounds up and now listed at 6-foot-8, 341-pounds.

Petersen also got to see Junior Adams, his fourth wide receivers coach since coming to UW before the 2014 season, for the first time. Redshirt senior Chico McClatcher was also back participating Wednesday.

McClatcher, a former four-star recruit out of Federal Way High School (Federal Way, Wash.), played just seven games in 2018 before stepping away to take care of some personal issues.

One of the more concerning position groups last season were the receivers. Only two players – Aaron Fuller and Andre Baccellia – recorded over 500 receiving yards with seven different Huskies recording at least one touchdown reception.

Both receivers are back as seniors in 2019 and, along with junior Ty Jones, are expected to lead the group this fall. However, as last season showed, the depth behind the upperclassmen trio will prove just as important if not more so.

Having depth is one thing. Developing quality depth is another task.

For UW, who returns a trio of redshirt freshmen in Austin Osborne, Marquis Spiker and Trey Lowe, there is talent abound in the receiver room. One trait that led Petersen to hiring Adams back in January was his well-documented background for teaching and developing players.

It’s also the tradit Adams takes the most pride in.

“I take pride in all of it,” Adams said after practice on Wednesday. “I want to be great, but I know it takes having players to do that. But I do pride myself on, not only teaching the position of wide receiver, but just being a good teacher. Being a teacher in the classroom of concepts.

“We talk about being an expert at your position. By no means do I think I’m an expert, but I think that allows me to keep growing each day and keep getting better.”

Petersen noted after practice that he’s never had Adams on any of his previous staffs, but that Adams does share a similar ideology.

Before becoming an offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky from 2017-18, Adams spent three seasons as an assistant at Boise State, after Petersen left for UW.

Petersen elected to promote Bush Hamdan from within the program to replace Brent Pease after the 2015 season, when Adams could have been an option.

Nevertheless, all three are now on the same staff.

“And with the staff around I’m around here, I mean gosh. Bush was a wide receivers coach at one point. Coach Petersen was a wide receivers coach at one point, and those guys are coaching an elite level.

“So, the cool thing is I can walk into a room and I can learn from those two guys that have coached the position at a high level. I couldn’t ask to be in a better situation.”