Washington Huskies Taking No Chances With Jake Browning

One thing that has been clear during spring football practice, is the Washington Huskies will continue to take things nice and slowly with Jake Browning’s recovery.

Spring practice is always an intriguing time of the year for the Washington Huskies (and college football teams in general). Among other things, we get our first look at the new players and anticipation starts to grow for what lies ahead.

This year is especially significant, as the Huskies look to build on their first conference championship since 2000, as well as their inaugural appearance in the College Football Playoffs. However, any progression will depend greatly on Jake Browning.

The 2016 season was a breakout campaign for Browning, who threw for 3,430 yards and a stunning 43 touchdowns. Unsurprisingly, he was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, while finishing sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

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And yet, there is a certain element of what could have been in respect of the 20-year old’s success. That’s because he suffered a shoulder injury towards the end of the season against Arizona State, which clearly affected his arm strength and, consequently, his production.

Browning underwent right shoulder surgery in January, with the initial prognosis being that he would be shelved for six weeks. A couple of weeks later, Huskies’ head coach Chris Petersen said he expected his young quarterback to be back for the beginning of spring practice.

However, if the early days of spring football are any indication, the Huskies are continuing to take a cautious approach with the Folsom, California native. This was particularly evident during Day 5 on Wednesday.

As reported by Adam Jude of The Seattle Times, Browning took his first snaps of the spring during a team competition period. However, he did not attempt any passes, instead handing off on all six of his snaps with the first team offense.

It would be understandable if this initially caused some concern among Huskies’ fans. Why was the former four-star recruit not involved with the first unit earlier than Day 5 and why did they not let him attempt any passes?

However, it really is just a case of the Huskies’ coaching staff being extra careful with Browning. Petersen said he is still on track after his surgery, and fully expects him to be more involved as spring continues.

It also helps that the 2016 All-Pac-12 First-team selection is taking part in his third year of spring football practice. He’s been here before and at this stage is more comfortable with the process.

Not that this means Browning doesn’t have to continue improving, especially if the Huskies really do have aspirations of becoming National Champions. However, as long as he is indeed fit and healthy for the start of his junior year, the Huskies will be in good hands.

Next: Huskies Strike Big With Austin Osborne

Are you confident Browning will be fit and ready for the 2017 season? Further, what kind of year are you expecting from the young quarterback? Share your thoughts in the comments section.