UW Football | 1st-year corner gets call to start

Hemmed in by about a dozen reporters and cameramen Tuesday, Washington cornerback Vonzell McDowell Jr. cheerfully greeted his plight.

"I asked for it," he said with a smile.

He's taking the same approach to facing even greater heat in Friday's season opener at Syracuse, when he is likely to become the first true freshman to start a game for the Huskies at cornerback since Nate Robinson in 2002.

It's unknown the last time a true freshman cornerback started a season opener for UW, but it hasn't happened since at least 1976 — and that was the reason for the crowd around McDowell on Tuesday. The only other true freshman to start at cornerback at any point in a season in that span is Derrick Johnson, who started twice in 2000.

"I believe I'm ready," McDowell said.

His potential link in Huskies history to Robinson seems appropriate, given that the two share more than a few attributes. Each cornerback attended Rainier Beach High, and each is listed at 5 feet 9, though Robinson is more accurately about 5-7, while McDowell says he's actually 5-9 ½, having recently grown a half-inch.

"But I don't know if I'm going to the basketball team," he said. "I can't jump like that."

Not that McDowell is without hops — he reports a 35-inch vertical leap — but few compare to Robinson's off-the-charts 44.

The Huskies surely are hoping for a Robinson-esque impact from McDowell. Robinson started the final six games of the 2002 season and helped transform a previously struggling unit into a key reason the team rallied for three straight wins to capture Rick Neuheisel's "Northwest Championship."

Robinson, at least, had half the season to get his feet wet before being thrust into the starting lineup.

No apparent luck for McDowell, who ascended to the starting job this week due to a further depletion at the position when injuries forced Cory Nicol to retire.

Earlier in camp, possible starter Jordan Murchison was essentially suspended after running into legal trouble, while another possible starter, Byron Davenport, suffered a hamstring injury the second day of camp that limited him.

Davenport returned to full practice this week, and Huskies coach Tyrone Willingham said Tuesday there is a "60 percent" chance he would play against Syracuse. Willingham said McDowell is scheduled to be the starter, however.

Willingham said players as young as McDowell "are always a work in progress. But he has shown himself to be a competitor, and that's one of the great qualities you have to have at that position."

McDowell said he hoped to earn playing time this year, but said he never really thought about starting.

"Maybe just special teams, maybe getting in late [in games]," he said. "But I always had the mind-set of coming in and working hard."

The news of McDowell's rapid rise will surely be noticed in Syracuse, where observers are touting the Orange's receiving corps as one of the strengths of the team — even though none of the receivers caught more than 24 passes last season.

The standouts are sophomore Mike Williams, who caught the second-most passes of any true freshman in school history last season (24 for 461 yards); and senior Taj Smith, who had 12 catches for 227 yards and three touchdowns in just four games before breaking his collarbone.

McDowell agrees it's a talented group, calling Syracuse's receivers "NFL caliber," before quickly pointing out that he's been going up every day against UW's receivers — who he thinks are on the same level.

McDowell figures Syracuse will come after him Friday.

"Being my first game and I'm a freshman, I expect them to come throw a lot of deep balls and out routes my way," he said. "I'm a little nervous right now — I'm only a freshman. But when the game comes, I will be [ready]."

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com. Read his blogs on Washington football and basketball at www.seattletimes.com/huskies