Gary Jennings broke his wrist late in the regular season last year. When or even how, he’s not sure. The whole thing is a little weird, because Dana Holgorsen said Jennings had surgery in the offseason and a pin was inserted to assist in healing. Jennings, though, said he did not have surgery, and the urge is be to believe him or at least admire his refusal to admit that the game got one over on him.

One day during spring football, which began with the sophomore receiver wearing a green jersey and a white wrap on his wrist, Jennings was granted approval to resume full participation.

That was fleeting.

On his first day back, he hurt a shoulder on a bad fall. That limited him out for a while, too. But during the unexpected scrimmage at the practice field nine days ago, Jennings was ready and raring to go, and he was really good.

That was a positive, because when he briefed the media before the scrimmage, Holgorsen did not name Jennings among the receivers he so far liked or the receivers he was looking forward to seeing walk through the doors in the summer.

Jennings, we are told, followed that scrimmage with another good showing Thursday, and in the Gold-Blue Game, he had the day’s longest play, a 69-yard touchdown when he beat Nana Kyeremeh inside and then straightened his slant and outran the speedy cornerback. “I feel like I’m a physical guy,” he said. “I can compete for the ball in the air, and I also have deceptive speed as well. Once the ball is in my hands, I feel like they’re not going to catch me.”

I’m not sure we knew that, or anything, really, about him. We know Shelton Gibson is the burner and Daikiel Shorts is the all-arounder. We believe, based on brief glimpses and rave reviews, Ka’Raun White is a big-bodied target. David Sills is raw but quite athletic. Jovon Durante can pop. Steven Smothers is on his way.

Jennings? The 6-foot-2, 207-pounder played all 13 games last season and caught seven passes. He looked good in the bowl, but he, like so many others, benefited greatly from the practices before the bowl game and then the Arizona State secondary. Still, none of that left us with a clear idea of who he is and what he does. Possession? Precision? Speed? Big plays?

We know a little more now. He finished with four catches for a game-high 92 yards, and his timing couldn’t have been better. He was healthy. He continued his surge toward the finish, when Holgorsen wanted to see something from someone. “The last five practices, he started to emerge as a kid we feel like we’re going to be able to count on,” Holgorsen said.

He did it Saturday with White sidelined and maybe singled out by Holgorsen and Sills, who plays with Jennings behind White, sliding over to quarterback at times because Chris Chugunov was out with a “bum” shoulder, Holgorsen said, that needs rest.

Jennings soldiered on through his injuries. He could be found catching punts with one hand and working on other little parts of his game so he wasn’t losing time. He defied his setbacks and would not be defined by them.

Those injuries made it hard for him to be physical at the line of scrimmage, and his reputation is that of a physical player. In the absence of his accessories, he learned the value of crisp releases at the line, so defenders can’t slow him, and tricks to get into his routes quicker.

“He knows how to get his body in front of yours so you can’t make the play and he knows how to get in your way so he’s the one who gets the pass,” Kyeremeh said. “He’s strong and he can use his body to his advantage.”

And Jennings, it turns out, can run.

“I was surprised,” Kyeremeh said. “Fresh legs.”