The Washington Huskies start spring practice on Wednesday with plenty of captivating storylines to watch unfold. Coach Jedd Fisch will have his work cut out for him as the team is replacing almost all of the starters from last year’s Sugar Bowl-winning team.
This means that practices will be a chance for players who were reserves last season to duke it out for the available starting spots. One of the position groups that will need the most attention, but also has the most available talent, is the defensive line.
Last season, the defensive front was led by veterans Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui who both declared for the NFL draft leaving a void at both edge spots. The interior of the defensive line was not spared from the exodus either. Starters Tuli Letuligasenoa and Ulumoo Ale are off to try to make an NFL roster and Faatui Tuitele has retired from football. This means that the team will be relying on a potent blend of transfers and talented young players to fill all of the missing snaps.
The new coaching staff did address the defensive line in the transfer portal, bringing Isaiah Ward and Russell Davis with it from Arizona as well as retaining the commitment of Montana State transfer Sebastian Valdez. This does give the defensive line some experience, as Ward and Valdez both started for their respective teams last season and will likely be expected to do the same at Washington.
A dark horse in the defensive line room is Zach Durfee who was denied eligibility in a controversial NCAA decision that forced him to sit out most of last season. Durfee will now return to spring camp after playing in two games last year and is expected carve out a role for himself.
Despite the arrival of the reinforcements from Arizona, spots are still open and the rotation is to be determined. It will important to see if the new “veterans” are able to claim starting spots quickly during spring practice or if they are challenged by some of the incumbent talent.
As for the aforementioned incumbents, Lance Holtzclaw and Jacob Lane on the edge, and Jacob Bandes and twins Armon and Jayvon Parker on the inside all possess upside that could propel them into breakout seasons. These players will be the key for the impact the defensive line is able to make this upcoming season. If one or two can step up and claim starting roles during the spring, the defensive line could immediately become a force to be reckoned with.
The defensive staff, led by defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, should have plenty of confidence in its abilities to get the most of this talented but unproven roster. Lane, Holtzclaw, and Jayvon Parker all flashed their upside at different points last season, and getting them under the tutelage of defensive staff with NFL pedigree could help them turn those flashes into consistency.
That seems to be what the team will be working on during spring practice. Rotating bodies as much as possible to get the needed reps will help not only the defensive players develop, but also put the offensive line in situations that help that develop as well. The spring is the perfect opportunity for younger players to learn the new scheme and build chemistry with the defenders they will be playing with on a weekly basis.