Tag: Washington football

Washington offensive line characterized by young contributors

The Washington offensive line began to come into focus Wednesday, with nine freshmen in the rotation as the Huskies opened spring practice.

The opening of spring practice provides clarity in several places, especially for programs like the Washington Huskies, who return only two starters under new head coach Jedd Fisch.

One of the frequently asked questions of Fisch and his offensive staff is what the offensive line will look like. Tackles Troy Fautanu and Roger Rosengarten left for the NFL, while interior starters Nate Kalepo, Julius Buelow, and Parker Brailsford entered the portal. (Kalepo and Buelow committed to Mississippi, while Brailsford followed Kalen DeBoer to Alabama.)

Backup tackle Jalen Klemm left for Arizona State, swing guard Geirean Hatchett transferred to Oklahoma, Matteo Mele graduated, Samuel Peacock left the program in February, and RJ Wyrsch medically retired.

That’s ten offensive linemen total, most of whom were on the two-deep depth chart at some point last season, who are not on Montlake to start 2024. The remaining one, interior lineman Landen Hatchett, is out for spring practice with a knee injury.

All this to say: there were a lot of new faces on the line to open spring practice Wednesday.

The Huskies put multiple groups on the field during practice, as they will continue to do during the remainder of spring camp. But team period provided some potential insight on where Fisch and offensive coordinator Brennan Carroll are leaning.

The first team offensive line for the majority of practice was, from left to right: redshirt sophomore Drew Azzopardi, true freshman Paki Finau, redshirt freshman Zachary Henning, redshirt freshman Kahlee Tafai, and redshirt freshman Elishah Jackett.

Azzopardi, a transfer from San Diego State, and Jackett swapped sides for the end of practice. Finau, who briefly entered the transfer portal this winter, also saw time at right guard while Tafai sat out the final period of practice with what appeared to be cramping issues. Redshirt freshman Parker Cross took reps with the first team in Tafai’s stead.

On the second team, from left to right: 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman Soane Faasolo, redshirt freshman Roice Cleeland, Cross, true freshman Michael Watkins, and redshirt freshman Aidan Anderson.

You’re reading that correctly: only one of the Huskies ten offensive linemen on Wednesday is not a freshman. And he just got to Montlake this year, too.

Asked after practice if he was concerned about the line, Fisch had this to say:

Well, I’d be more concerned if there wasn’t an opportunity to bring in more players. But there is that opportunity. We’ve got guys coming in that are freshmen that signed with us and we’re going to have guys coming in through the transfer portal. We’re going to bring in some big guys.

Center is the most pressing need at this stage, it would seem, considering that the only players on the roster with experience at the position are injured. But from the sounds of it, Fisch plans to add more competition at every spot on the offensive line while continuing to cross-train the players that are on Montlake to find the best unit.

Spring practice continues Thursday and runs through the rest of April, concluding with the Washington spring game on Friday, May 3.

Top 100 2025 recruit Matai Tagoa’i is predicted to commit to the USC Trojans

Matt Entz could be on the verge of landing a big commitment at USC.

National recruiting services predict that four-star linebacker Matai Tagoa’i will commit to USC. Both Scott Schrader of WeAreSC and Greg Biggins from 247Sports have both predicted that Tagoa’i will commit to the Trojans.

Biggins believes Tagoa’i is one of the top linebackers in the country. He added that “At 6-4, 195 pounds, he has a projectable frame and does a little of everything well. He’s an explosive athlete with a quick get-off and can really get around the edge.  He has very good closing speed and can run down plays from behind. He’s a fluid athlete and looks natural dropping in coverage and plays with a nice edge in his game as well.”

Tagoa’i had an unofficial visit to USC last weekend. He returned to campus Thursday to check out practice. He has official visits lined up for Washington in May and two more in June with Utah and Texas.

Doug Belk and Eric Henderson made a significant impact last weekend by securing five commitments from Georgia, Florida, and Texas. Now, it seems that Matt Entz wants to join in by securing the first California commitment for the class.

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Steve Belichick explained he’s different from Bill Belichick by roasting his dad’s unemployment status

Steve Belichick sure has a sense of humor.

New Washington defensive coordinator Steve Belichick spend more than a decade coaching under his dad, legendary New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

However, he’s not afraid to poke fun at his dad’s lack of employment as the younger Belichick gets his career started at the collegiate level.

During media availability on Wednesday, Steve Belichick talked about how his dad is a mentor to him but also roasted him about how the two are different.

“I have a job; he doesn’t,” Steve Belichick quipped to the reporters present.

While you know he’s kidding, it’s still a shocking reality that Bill Belichick’s son has a job in football this year and he does not.

We’re sure that the elder Belichick is ready to get back into football sooner than later, and that some NFL team will give him another chance to lead their franchise to a Super Bowl.

For now, it’ll be Steve Belichick who carries on the family name in the sport. At the least, he’s got a great sense of humor about it.

[lawrence-auto-related count=”3″ category=”1371″]

Steve Belichick explained he’s different from Bill Belichick by roasting his dad’s unemployment status

Steve Belichick sure has a sense of humor.

New Washington defensive coordinator Steve Belichick spend more than a decade coaching under his dad, legendary New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

However, he’s not afraid to poke fun at his dad’s lack of employment as the younger Belichick gets his career started at the collegiate level.

During media availability on Wednesday, Steve Belichick talked about how his dad is a mentor to him but also roasted him about how the two are different.

“I have a job; he doesn’t,” Steve Belichick quipped to the reporters present.

While you know he’s kidding, it’s still a shocking reality that Bill Belichick’s son has a job in football this year and he does not.

We’re sure that the elder Belichick is ready to get back into football sooner than later, and that some NFL team will give him another chance to lead their franchise to a Super Bowl.

For now, it’ll be Steve Belichick who carries on the family name in the sport. At the least, he’s got a great sense of humor about it.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1371]

Bralen Trice could be a good fit for the Los Angeles Chargers

After PFF’s NFL Stock Exchange sent Bralen Trice to the Chargers in a recent mock draft, would Trice be a godo fit for Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers?

Pro Football Focus’ popular NFL and NFL draft podcast, NFL Stock Exchange, conducted a three round mock draft following the conclusion of the NFL combine last week. The show, hosted by Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers, placed former Washington Huskies star pass rusher Bralen Trice in the third round to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Over the past two seasons, Trice has been talked about as a potential first round pick, but many draft analysts saw him as a potential second rounder in last year’s draft before he decided to return to school. That stock remained relatively consistent for most of these season, even as Trice’s raw sack numbers dropped from 9 to 8 despite over 300 extra snaps in 2023.

But when Trice ran a 4.72 40 yard dash at just 245 pounds, well under his listed weight on Montlake of 274, analysts began to question if they had placed the Huskies standout too high. That’s despite his 4.72 time ranking in roughly the 83rd percentile of 40 yard dash times ran by defensive ends since 1987, per Relative Athletic Score.

The Chargers, meanwhile, are facing a crossroads at pass rusher. Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa are both owed more than $36 million this season, and one or both of them have come up in trade talks as the deadline for Los Angeles to clear over $20 million to get compliant with the salary cap looms.

LA does have 2023 second round pick Tuli Tuipulotu on the roster, however. The former USC pass rusher had a strong rookie season and is viewed as a potential franchise cornerstone on defense if he can continue that momentum into his second NFL campaign.

That leads us to Trice, who would likely be EDGE3 as a rookie behind one of Mack and Bosa, as well as Tuipulotu. Regardless of which veteran the Chargers elect to keep heading into 2024, that player will likely not be on the roster in 2025 as Los Angeles continues to remake their squad. Trice would then be able to step in as the primary edge defender opposite Tuipulotu, ideally giving the Chargers one of the better young pass rush duos in the league.

Trice also meshes well with the Chargers defense as a stout run defender who can also wreak havoc on passing downs. Los Angeles has struggled to defend the perimeter run over the past few seasons, even as they’ve remodeled the defense with splash free agent signings on the defensive interior and at linebacker.

The Chargers coaching staff is also familiar with Trice in a roundabout way. Los Angeles hired Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter away from Michigan after the Wolverines beat Washington for the national championship in January.

Trice had only one pressure in that game, tied for his worst showing of the season. But that very well could have been because of Michigan’s focus on him after he generated 79 total pressures over the course of the rest of the season, per PFF.

With Washington’s pro day on March 28th expected to draw staff members from all 32 NFL teams, it’s worth monitoring whether the Chargers will send a high-ranking member of the coaching staff to get a closer look at Trice as a potential addition to a defensive line in flux.

You can watch the rest of NFL Stock Exchange’s three round mock draft here to see where the other Huskies in this year’s class land:

5-star CB Dijon Lee set to visit Georgia football, Big Ten school

Five-star cornerback prospect Dijon Lee sets official visits to Georgia football and a Big Ten school

Five-star cornerback recruit Dijon Lee plans to take an official visit to the University of Georgia on June 7-9. Lee also has scheduled an official visit with the Washington Huskies for June 21-23. Lee previously named both Georgia and Washington to his top eight schools.

Dijon Lee is a member of the class of 2025 and is one of the elite recruits in his recruiting cycle. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound cornerback has rare size and length for a player at his position.

247Sports ranks Lee as a five-star cornerback. The star defensive back plays high school football for Mission Viejo High School in Mission, Viejo, California.

Lee is ranked as the No. 23 recruit in the junior class and the fifth-ranked cornerback. He’s the top-ranked recruit in California in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

Georgia has done an elite job of recruiting top secondary talent in recent years. The Dawgs signed five-star cornerback Ellis Robinson in the class of 2024 and finished with the nation’s No. 1 class in the 2024 cycle.

Dijon Lee’s top eight schools are Georgia, Oregon, Arizona, USC, Washington, LSU, Penn State, and Florida. Chad Simmons of On3 reported Lee’s plans to take official visits to both Georgia and Washington.

Head coach Kirby Smart and Georgia have some work to do with the class of 2025 as the Dawgs have the nation’s No. 8 recruiting class with five total commitments.

Former Alabama safety Vinnie Sunseri hired as Washington’s safeties coach

Former Alabama safety Vinnie Sunseri will be the new Washington safeties coach. Prior to joining the Huskies, Sunseri served as a member of the New England Patriots coaching staff.

It seems like just yesterday that Alabama safety Vinnie Sunseri picked off former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. Fast forward almost 11 years and Sunseri is the new safties coach at the University of Washington.

It has come full circle for the former Alabama standout. Sunseri’s father, Sal has served as an assistant coach since 1985. His brother, Tino played football and is now the quarterbacks coach at Indiana.

Vinnie began his cooaching career in 2019 at Alabama. In 2020, he joined the New England Patriots coaching staff as a defensive coaching assistant. In 2021, he was promoted to running backs coach where he served for the past three seasons in Foxborough.

Now, Sunseri will be joining Jedd Fisch’s staff at Washington and serving as the team’s safeties coach. It will be the first time that Sunseri has served as a position coach on the defensive side of the ball. Needless to say, it will be interesting to see the level of talent that Sunseri attracts to Seattle and how well he develops the safeties for the next level.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program.

Former Alabama assistant coach Robert Bala hired as Washington ILBs coach

Former Alabama linebackers coach Robert Bala will join the Washington staff as their new inside linebackers coach. Bala spent one season in Tuscaloosa as a part of Nick Saban’s staff.

One former Alabama assistant coach will be headed to the Pacific Northwest to continue his coaching career. Several days ago, former Alabama linebackers coach Robert Bala was hired to be the next inside linebackers coach at Washington.

Previously, Bala was hired to be the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan. However, he will now head to the Big Ten to join Jedd Fisch’s staff at Washington.

Bala joined the Alabama coaching staff in 2023 after serving as a defensive assistant at Liberty for one year. He spent one season with the Crimson Tide.

It will be interesting to see how Bala fairs in the Big Ten. In one season at Alabama, he helped develop some of the Tide’s linebackers like Jihaad Campbell and Deontae Lawson. Both of which will return for the 2024-25 season.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program.

USC flips blue-chip 2024 defensive line commit on eve of national signing day

USC beats out Utah for a defensive lineman who decommitted from Washington.

On Tuesday, Ratumana Bulabalavu took to social media to announce his commitment to play football at USC. Defensive line coaches Shaun Nua and Eric Henderson closed in on the Carlsbad, California, four-star lineman after he decommitted from the University of Washington on January 24.

USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has made it no secret that he values versatile linemen who can allow the defense to have multiple fronts without the need to substitute. Bulabalavu is big and athletic. He’s currently listed at 6-4 and 260 pounds, but he has the frame to add significant weight and become an even bigger force.

The multi-sport standout at Army and Navy Academy also starred in rugby and on the track team, where he competed in the discus, shot put, triple jump, and the 110-meter hurdles.  His size, strength and athleticism will allow him to play multiple positions on the line when he has a year or two in a collegiate strength and conditioning program.

In an interview with 247Sports, Bulabalavu shared his thoughts behind his decision:

“I like the scheme fit as well,” he said. “They see me as a combo, outside/inside player. They want a dynamic defensive line that is both athletic but also very heavy up front to compete in the Big Ten, so I’ll move around from tackle to edge.”

Explaining his choice for the Trojans over the Utah Utes, Bulabalavu highlighted the coaching staff’s potential. He added, “I’m completely bought in to being a part of the first class they develop and cultivate into an NFL talent.”

Bulabalavu becomes the sixth player added to the Trojans’ defensive line in the offseason, one more example of Lincoln Riley’s pledge to prioritize the defense. USC currently has the No. 17 recruiting class in the country, and Jadyn Walker is expected to flip his commitment from Michigan State to USC on national signing day.

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Washington transfer DB Jabbar Muhammad announces his decision

Washington transfer defensive back Jabbar Muhammad has committed to a new program… and it’s not one you might expect.

Alabama was in hot pursuit of one former Washington defensive star. On Saturday, Washington transfer defensive back Jabbar Muhammad announced that he was transferring to Oregon. He chose the Ducks over Alabama and Texas.

Muhammad began his college career at Oklahoma State before transferring to Washington last offseason. The Texas native recorded 118 tackles, 26 pass deflections, and four interceptions in four seasons.

Prior to visiting Oregon, Muhammad took an official visit to Alabama. There was belief that the Crimson Tide were firmly in the mix. Texas was viewed as the frontrunner for the majority of his recruitment. Evidently, an official visit to Eugene this weekend sealed the deal for Muhammad.

Alabama will likely look elsewhere for another cornerback in the transfer portal. One option to keep an eye on is Arizona transfer cornerback Tacario Davis.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program and its involvement in the NCAA transfer portal.