Former Georgia quarterback Jacob Eason has already picked up his first victory at Washington.
Huskies coach Chris Petersen named the former Bulldogs quarterback as the team's starter on Friday, according to a report from Seattle radio station 950 KJR. Eason, a native of Lake Stevens, Wash., will take over the Huskies' new-look offense. The 6-6, 227-pound redshirt junior spent his first two collegiate seasons under Kirby Smart at Georgia before transferring back to the Pacific Northwest.
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Petersen's starting quarterback slot was up for grabs after the graduation of Jake Browning, a four-year starter who tallied 94 passing touchdowns over his career. Browning helped lead the Huskies to the College Football Playoff in 2016, a 24-7 Peach Bowl drubbing against Alabama.
Petersen chose Eason over Jake Haener in a somewhat-surprising battle given Eason's undeniable talent. The general consensus was that the job was Eason's to lose, but Haener clearly impressed the coaching staff enough to consider going in a different direction.
Eason, a five-star quarterback in the class of 2016, has shown positive signs at the college level, totaling 16 passing touchdowns during his freshman year at Georgia in 2016. His sophomore campaign wasn't nearly as smooth, though: Eason suffered a knee injury in the 2017 season-opener against Appalachian State, and wound up losing the starting job to true freshman Jake Fromm. Eason recorded just seven passing attempts the entire year.
At Washington, efficiency will be key for Eason. Though he is known to have the physical tools to thrive at the collegiate level and potentially advance to the NFL ranks, a lukewarm career 55.2 completion percentage must see substantial improvement.
Regardless, expectations will be sky-high for the promising quarterback who aims to continue Washington's uptick under Petersen. Washington fans will hope Eason can propel the program to postseason success, a feat Browning was unable to accomplish. Though Browning did help the Huskies make a mark on the national landscape, Washington hasn't won a bowl game since 2015.