Former Georgia QB Eason named Washington starter

SEATTLE — No. 13 Washington named Georgia transfer Jacob Eason its starting quarterback for the season opener against Eastern Washington.

Eason was expected to land the starting job after transferring to the Huskies but was in an extended competition with sophomore Jake

Haener throughout spring practice and into fall camp. Coach Chris

Petersen said Haener will also play in the opener.

Eason started as a freshman at Georgia, playing in 13 games and throwing for 2,430 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2016.

He was injured in the first quarter of the season opener the following year and never regained the starting job after Jake Fromm took over and led the Bulldogs to the national championship game. Eason transferred and sat out last season under NCAA transfer rules.

Eason’s first start at Washington will be his first game action since Oct. 7, 2017, against Vanderbilt.

▶ While Mississippi State’s basketball and football programs dodged postseason bans, the NCAA has put the school on three years’ probation as part of a slew of penalties after an investigation into academic violations.

A review of the self-reported violations determined a part-time student tutor completed coursework for 10 football players and one men’s basketball player in an online class. Mississippi State president Mark

E. Keenum noted that the school reported the violations to the NCAA and removed the student tutor from university employment after learning of “possible serious instances of academic misconduct.”