Washington Huskies

H-back Joshua Perkins and walk-on running back Willis Wilson have been dismissed from the Washington football team due to a violation of team rules, coach Steve Sarkisian announced Thursday.

A statement issued by the university said Sarkisian and the school would have no further comment on the dismissals.

After Deontae Cooper suffered his third ACL tear on the first day of fall camp, Wilson was seeing time in the running back rotation behind Bishop Sankey and Jesse Callier. The loss is a hit to the Huskies' depth at that position.

Perkins, a redshirt freshman, began his career as a receiver.

SEATTLE -- When the ball was snapped, Kasen Williams sprinted down the field. The sophomore receiver tried to shake walk-on cornerback Tre Watson.

He couldn’t.

When the pass sailed toward a receiver on the other side of the field, Watson made sure Williams understood what happened.

“You should know better than that,” Watson said.

As Washington works through its second week of fall camp, Watson is doing everything he can to prove he belongs on the field. Through eight days of practice, he is one of three players -- Greg Ducre and Marcus Peters are the other two -- fighting for a starting spot opposite senior corner Desmond Trufant.

The chance to earn an opportunity with the Huskies is something Watson has worked for since he graduated from Burien (Wash.) Kennedy Catholic. After stops at West Hills College in Coalinga, Calif. and Central Washington University, Watson is right where he always expected to be -- making plays as a Division-I cornerback.

“Every day he makes a play,” Williams said.

After being limited by shoulder injuries during both his junior and senior seasons in high school, Watson didn’t get recruited as heavily as he hoped.

“He didn’t get recruited the way I thought he should have,” said Kennedy Catholic coach Bob Bourgette. “He always thought he was a Division-I player and so did I.”

Watson played in 10 games at West Hills College as a freshman before starting 10 of 11 games the next season for Central Washington.

Two years into his college career, Watson still wanted to prove he was a Division I-caliber corner. So he transferred to Washington as a walk-on.

“It was more me wanting to see my opportunity to play at the next level,” Watson said. “I felt like I was in a situation where I had a good experience at Central, but I wanted to take that next step, so that’s why I made the decision.”

After sitting out the 2011 season due to NCAA transfer rules, Watson was impressive during spring practices. All that is left for him is to secure a starting spot.

“He fits in great,” Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said. “He’s just got such a knack for the football.”

He also carries the confidence to compete against anyone at any time.

“You can’t come out here and not have confidence,” Williams said. “You’re going to get abused if you don’t. Every time he comes out here, he has the confidence that he’s going to dominate."

But, while his expectation is to earn a starting spot in 2012, he points all praise toward other players.

When asked about making plays throughout fall camp, he said he was simply in the right place at the right time. He added that the pressure provided by the defensive line makes his job easy.

Ever since he stepped on campus, Watson said he has felt like part of the program.

“They’ve shown me the reins,” he said. “They’ve told me, ‘If you’re going to be here, you’re going to be able to contribute.’ ”

Watching from a distance, Watson’s success is enough to bring tears to Bourgette’s eyes. The longtime high school coach said Watson is “like a son” and uses him as an example for the players on the Lancers’ roster.

The more plays Watson makes, the closer he gets to a starting spot -- the closer he gets to a scholarship.

Watson, though, isn’t worried about the future. He is making sure highly-touted teammates like Williams know it’s not going to be easy when they line up on Watson’s side of the field.

“That’s not something I’m really focusing on right now,” Watson said. “I’m more focusing on the aspect of preparing for San Diego State. A scholarship will come when it’s supposed to come.”

SEATTLE -- Washington gave its young players an extended chance to prove they can play in a simulated Saturday setting during the Huskies' eighth day of fall camp Tuesday afternoon.

The offense lined up on one side of the field, with the defense on the other. The coaching staff sent the players out on the field and let them make decisions.

The Huskies scrimmaged for a majority of practice, providing a chance for the coaching staff to assess where the team is and where it is headed.

“This was the first time we let them go out on the field and have to play, without a coach in their ear telling them what to do, without being able to look at a script to see what might be coming,” Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said.

Sarkisian said the end result was “pretty good.”

The offense spent too much time in the huddle and some of the young players on defense struggled with communication, but Sarkisian was encouraged. Any issue can be addressed and fixed.

“I didn’t see something glaring where, jeez, we’re playing the wrong guy at the wrong spot,” Sarkisian said. “It’s about being confident. It’s about doing what you’ve been prepared to do throughout camp. We’ve got to go look at this thing and then point out those errors, those mistakes that are definitely correctable.”

The practice was an opportunity to put freshmen like cornerback Brandon Beaver and receivers Jaydon Mickens and Kendyl Taylor in similar situations to the ones they will see on Saturdays.

Sometimes they succeeded -- Taylor caught a 35-yard touchdown from quarterback Keith Price. Sometimes they didn’t -- receiver Marvin Hall beat Beaver deep, catching a 45-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Cyler Miles.

Sarkisian said he sees progress from the offense and defense, a significant improvement since spring practice. But there is still plenty to improve on.

“I thought there was plenty of good things out there, but I know we can be better,” Sarkisian said.

Price provided the play of the day, hitting on a 47-yard scoring strike. Safety Sean Parker picked off Price and linebacker John Timu provided a welcome-to-college hit on running back Erich Wilson II.

But both Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox see room for improvement.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Wilcox said. “There were way too many mistakes today. We showed some good things. There were obviously some bad things.”

Quotable

When asked about Taylor and Mickens, Sarkisian said, “They’ve both had great camps. I feel like I talk about them every day. Again, they are going to have probably a handful of plays they want back from today as well, but that’s all part of putting them in the same situation and letting them play.”

Notes

• Safeties Justin Glenn and Shaq Thompson missed a second day with mild concussions, but there were no new significant injuries.

• Miles continues to make a case for securing the backup quarterback spot as a freshman, tossing a pair of touchdowns.

It was the very first open gym of Katie Collier's college career. The forward was on the floor with fellow Washington freshman Heather Corral and a few players from the program’s past.

The scrimmage was supposed to be a simple step forward in her transition from McDonald’s All-American to college freshman. It was part of the process of moving beyond a senior season spent battling post players and chemotherapy.

After playing her senior season while overcoming acute promyelocytic leukemia, Collier was ready to have her life back. She was ready to focus on basketball, not her health.

But 15 minutes into that first scrimmage, she felt the pop that sent her back to the sideline.

Collier caught the ball in the paint. She faked one way, then turned the other. She planted her right leg. It locked. When she heard the pop, she fell down.

“I was just hoping and praying it wasn’t my ACL,” Collier said. “It ended up being my ACL, MCL and meniscus.”

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SEATTLE -- Here is a quick-hitting look at Washington's seventh day of fall camp.

DT Potoa'e determined to earn opportunity

When Sione Potoa'e signed with Washington coming out of high school, he was widely considered a blue-chip recruit.

The 6-foot-2, 271-pound defensive tackle was one of the biggest prizes in the Washington's 2010 recruiting class.

He played in 11 games each of his first two seasons but has totaled only 13 tackles. With younger teammates pushing him for playing time, Potoa'e has found fresh fight.

"This year I feel more motivated," he said. "I'm a junior now, so I need to step up my game. All these younger guys coming in, I've got to step up my game, play in the games."

Potoa'e said he has been more receptive to coaching, which has helped his technique. Now he is working to get a "chance to make plays."

Finding a spot for Feeney

With injuries mounting among the linebackers and an abundance of talent at safety, Travis Feeney has switched positions.

As Washington's staff works to get its top 11 playmakers on the field, the 6-4, 209-pound redshirt freshman is getting a chance to earn an opportunity at linebacker.

"He fits there really nicely," coach Steve Sarkisian said. "He's long and he's rangy. We're trying to find a home for him. We'll see if it works."

Offensive line gets good news

As the Huskies prepared for fall camp, Colin Tanigawa was one of the players Sarkisian often singled out.

He talked about the left guard returning from the knee injury he suffered during the Oregon State game last year. But, while the redshirt sophomore was cleared to play at the start of camp, he slowly worked his way back into the lineup.

Tanigawa saw his most significant action of fall camp Monday, positive progress for the offensive line.

"Colin's been good," Sarkisian said. "He is getting back in the flow of it. Colin provides that nasty streak on the offensive line that we relish."

Two-way specialists

There are several players who will see time on the other side of ball in specific situations. Defensive end Pio Vatuvei fits into that category.

The 6-2, 281-pound freshman played fullback in high school and has spent some time filling that role with the Huskies.

"We've got a few packages that we think he can help us," Sarkisian said. "So far, the results are good."

Coons is comfortable

When Sarkisian talks about Travis Coons, he comments on the kicker's "tremendous" leg and ability to stay calm in tense moments.

The junior college transfer has looked better with each passing practice. He hit his first five field goals Monday before missing a pair from 59 yards out.

The Huskies put pressure on Coons during each long kick, his teammates cheering him on like it was a potential game-winning attempt. Sarkisian wants Coons to be put in situations designed to "bring out the best in him."

While he didn't make the deep kicks in the evening practice, he hammered a 55-yard field goal last week that would have been good from 60 yards out.

SEATTLE -- Washington wrapped up its seventh day of fall camp Monday and, once again, a lot of attention was paid to injuries.

The Huskies did get some good news with offensive lineman Colin Tanigawa seeing extensive time at left guard. The redshirt sophomore continues to work his way back after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the Oregon State game last season.

Linebacker Jamaal Kearse missed practice with a thigh bruise, while safeties Shaq Thompson and Justin Glenn were both out with mild concussions. After suffering a sprained knee Saturday, linebacker Thomas Tutogi is recovering faster than originally expected.

Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said receiver Kevin Smith, who is recovering from an ACL injury, saw significant action during the team’s morning practice, but he didn’t practice in the later session.

Notes:

• Defensive end Pio Vatuvei spent some time at fullback, and Sarkisian said the freshman will see time at the position specific offensive packages.

• Redshirt freshman Travis Feeney has moved from safety to linebacker. With the rash of injuries at the linebacker position, Feeney provides depth. If there is one position where the program has an abundance of athletes, it’s at safety, making for an easy move.

• Kicker Travis Coons made his first five field goals during Washington’s evening practice, making two from 38 yards out and one each from 35, 38 and 47. He missed back-to-back attempts from 59 yards out.