Huskies' Friday night Spring Game to feature fans, too

Washington's new Spring Game format, playing it on a Friday night instead of a Saturday, was mostly a way to avoid conflicting with the Windermere Cup.

But the school is also hoping a different atmosphere might put a spark into the event, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at Husky Stadium with actual kickoff at about 7. Admission is free.

Among the new wrinkles are some contests involving students.

"We'll be bringing a few students down to do some throwing and running and eating and all sorts of fun stuff," said coach Steve Sarkisian.

Players also say the new time might bring a different tenor.

"It will be the first time any of us have really played a Friday night game since high school," said sophomore tight end Chris Izbicki. "So it will be fun to be under the lights, feel like playing a high school game again."

Sarkisian said Thursday that the roster will be split up with the No. 1 offense and No. 2 defense facing off against the No. 1 defense and No. 2 offense.

Jake Locker and Keith Price will quarterback the No. 1 team with freshman Nick Montana guiding the No. 2 team. The assistant coaching staffs will be split, with defensive coordinator Nick Holt coaching the team with Locker and Price, and offensive line coach Dan Cozzetto coaching the team led by Price. Sarkisian will oversee it all.

The game will feature 15-minute running clock quarters, the clock stopping only for change of possession. Also, there will be no special teams other than field goals and point-after touchdowns to reduce the risk of injury.

With the team being taped for a television replay, the Huskies won't show off many new wrinkles, keeping things basic.

That will put the emphasis on execution.

"I really just want to see our guys play and be successful," Sarkisian said. "I know what I don't want to see are false starts and offsides and holdings and pass interferences. I want to see our guys play a really clean football game and see them having fun and excited and play a crisp fast-paced scrimmage with a lot of interaction with our fans."

The game will mark the first time many fans will get their first look at Montana, a freshman who signed in February and then graduated from high school early to enroll in time for the spring. He is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana, who is in town for the game.

Sarkisian has said there is no pecking order for the backup QB spot and that position is likely to not be determined until well into fall camp.

Notes

• WR Jermaine Kearse will likely not play after spraining his foot in practice Tuesday. WR D'Andre Goodwin (hamstring) also remains out, so that leaves the starting receivers for Friday as James Johnson, Devin Aguilar and Cody Bruns.

• Sarkisian said that the career of running back Brandon Yakaboski is over as he has been unable to recover from a knee injury suffered initially in the 2008 season. A graduate of Mount Si High, Yakaboski played in two games in 2008, scoring a touchdown on a 38-yard pass against Oklahoma and also rushing six times for 15 yards against the Sooners. Sarkisian said he will stay in school on a medical scholarship.

• Daniel Kanczugowski, a graduate of O'Dea who walked on in 2008, has moved up the depth chart and will work with the starting unit at right tackle Friday. That is the spot that where two-year Cody Habben, out for the spring with a shoulder injury, will play in the fall.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com.