Since the departure of Vita Vea, who was selected No. 12 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2018 NFL draft, the Washington Huskies have been looking for one of the most important things in college football: game-wrecking defensive tackles who can get after the quarterback. While there have been some nice pieces at the position in the six years since Vea left, there hasn’t been a lot of production at the position.
Coming into 2024, the Huskies tallied 25 sacks from interior linemen over the previous six seasons, with Voi Tunuufi, who has spent the majority of his time over the last two seasons lined up as an edge rusher, leading the way with 9 since he arrived on campus in 2021.
After the Huskies managed only one sack from a defensive tackle in 2023, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick appears to have revitalized the interior rush, as the group has already recorded 3 sacks this season.
“It’s huge to be able to push the pocket, it’s part of the Belichick defense,” Fisch said on Monday. “You’ve got to be able to push the inside of the pocket; you’ve got to squeeze the pocket down from the perimeter. The goal is not to just have to bring extra rushers to get sacks, it allows you to cover when it’s time to cover, it allows you to rush when it’s time to rush.”
“When I look at how we’re doing with it, [Sebastian Valdez], [Elinneus Davis], [Jayvon] Parker, Bryce Butler…we’re able to substitute a lot of guys…we’ve got a lot of guys that can play a lot of snaps inside and outside which has allowed us to make some plays with our defensive front.”
Here’s how everyone on the interior has looked through the first two weeks.
The Montana State transfer has looked like an excellent pickup from the transfer portal. After a productive three years with the Bobcats, Valdez recorded his first sack as a Husky against Eastern Michigan and has been a reliable force in the middle of the line, playing a position-high 39 snaps against the Eagles.
After coming in as a defensive tackle, Tunuufi, who was one of Washington’s most reliable pass rushers as a true freshman in 2021, is back on the interior after spending the last two years listed as an edge rusher. The 6-foot-1, 280-pounder has a unique body type for the position but discussed being the most comfortable as a 3-technique and has thrived as a pass rusher.
Even though Lynch has mainly played edge rusher, the Sacramento State transfer has also looked like an excellent pass rusher from all over the formation. Belichick like to deploy him as a 0-technique nose tackle on third and long, and with his 6-foot-5, 292-pound frame, he has shown an impressive combination of power and speed no matter where he’s lined up and like Valdez, recorded his first sack as a Husky against Eastern Michigan.
After redshirting in 2023, Davis looked like an exciting prospect at the position against Eastern Michigan. He recorded his first career sack and showed off a great combination of burst and power as he hit home on quarterback Cole Snyder and could be a promising depth piece this year.
After missing the Weber State game while recovering from a knee injury he suffered in spring practice, Parker showed a lot of growth in his season debut, tallying a half sack and consistently winning one-on-one reps.
The junior college transfer has been extremely impressive through two games. He’s proven to be an elite gap shooter, penetrating the A and B gaps along the offensive line, adding another promising depth piece if he can continue to see more reps, after taking just 6 snaps against Eastern Michigan.
While Bandes hasn’t shown much push as a pass rusher just yet, he has used his frame to effectively take on double teams, allowing more opportunities for his teammate to get into the backfield.