Washington Huskies hybrid defensive lineman Voi Tunuufi has been with the program through thick and thin. He was with the team during the lows of 2021 under Jimmy Lake and the highs of reaching a national championship.
Tunuufi has also gone through his own ups and downs in terms of his production and usage during his career. Luckily, coach Jedd Fisch was able to keep him in the fold for his final season when he came to Washington.
With a shaky defensive staff in place under Kalen DeBoer, the Huskies didn’t know how to best utilize Tunuufi, leading to a career-low 2 sacks and an overall lack of on-field production. In this day and age of college football, with players leaving for situations where they could get more playing time, Tunuufi is a rare exception.
With Fisch and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick bringing in plenty of talent along the defensive line, it was fair to wonder where and how much Tunuufi would play in the new defensive system. As it turns out, the answer is quite a lot. Belichick has clearly taken a liking to Tunuufi’s rare versatility, and against Northwestern, he played extensively in what was easily his best game as a Husky.
He has been splitting time between a traditional edge rusher spot, three-technique defensive tackle, and standing up over the center or A gap within Belichick’s new trademark third down front in a role tailored specifically for him that finally doesn’t box him into a position he isn’t suited for.
Tunuufi is a unique athlete at his 6-foot-1, 280-pound size and recognizing and exploiting this has always been the key to unlocking his potential.
Saturday’s matchup against Northwestern was a prime example of this. Tunuufi may have only had one sack on the stat sheet, but according to Fisch, he also forced 4 pressures, which were so much more impactful to the defense.
One of Tunuufi’s key reps was when he forced Northwestern quarterback Jack Lausch up into the pocket speeding up his process, which led to an interception for linebacker Carson Bruener, but won’t show up on Tunuufi’s stat sheet.
On other plays he is a more direct contributor, though he doesn’t get the sack on the play below, the ability to execute a successful spin move at his size is jaw-dropping. Tunuufi likely collects a sack on this play if the Northwestern offensive lineman doesn’t attempt to trip him by sticking his leg out.
One guy I did not give enough credit to when watching live was EDGE/iDL hybrid Voi Tunuufi.
Tunuufi’s pressure numbers will likely be extremely impressive. For example here he executed a filthy spin move that could have been a sack of the OL doesn’t try to trip him. pic.twitter.com/cLKDA1LkOD
— Ben Glassmire (@BenGlassmireNFL) September 23, 2024
He may be in his final season of eligibility, but that isn’t stopping him from truly breaking out. Belichick has committed to getting his plethora of defensive line options in the game as much as possible, which includes Tunuufi, who can fill in anywhere that Belichick needs.
Fisch reaffirmed Tunuufi’s dominance on Monday calling him a “defensive disruptor” and praising the flexibility and versatility that he offers for the defensive. With the favor he has gained with both Fisch and the defensive staff, he should continue to be one of the best players on Washington’s defense going forward.
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