Good, Bad, and Ugly from Washington Football's Non-Conference Slate
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
And just like that, the Washington Huskies' regular season schedule is 25 percent complete. The non-conference schedule has come and gone, as the Huskies will now gear up for Big Ten play. Jedd Fisch's team managed to avoid any catastrophic upsets throughout the preseason, but it wasn't necessarily pretty.
As Fisch and company shift their focus to Minnesota next Saturday night, here are a few takeaways from the first quarter of Washington's regular season.
1. Ryan Walters' Defense Has Lived Up to The Hype
Before the season started, the Huskies' defense was one of the most anticipated units in the Big Ten. Led by a veteran linebacker corps featuring Jacob Manu, Xe'ree Alexander, Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, and Buddah Al-Uqdah, the front seven has been a brick wall against its opponents. Through three games, the front seven has held opponents to an average of 105 rushing yards per game and has totaled 8 sacks to go along with it.
The defensive line has also turned heads, led by a healthy rotation including freshman standout Derek Colman-Brusa, senior Elinneus Davis, and transfer Kai McClendon. In the secondary, second-year Husky Alex McLaughlin has been arguably the most impressive player on the field. The Swiss Army Knife safety is currently leading the team in tackles, sacks, and interceptions, and is the only player in the FBS with a pair of sacks and interceptions. With Walters' defense featuring a unique blend of wily veterans, talented freshmen, and experienced transfers, the unit has come together as one of the most impressive squads in the country thus far.
2. Jedd Fisch's Recruiting Is Starting to Pay Off
Entering Week One, there were four true freshmen in starting roles for Washington: defensive tackle Derek Colman-Brusa, cornerback Jeron Jones, edge rusher Ramzak Fruean, and left tackle Kodi Greene. While learning curves are natural when making the jump from the high school ranks to Division I college football, all four have shined in their respective moments. Colman-Brusa has generated 2 tackles for loss and a sack, Fruean has 10 tackles, Jones has an interception and a pass breakup, and Greene has shown big leaps since a shaky debut in the Apple Cup.
It doesn't stop there, though. Due to injuries at the skill positions, more first-year players have emerged as essential pieces of the offense. Receivers Jordan Clay and Trez Davis have thrown themselves into the mix on the outside, both recording their first-career touchdowns in Week Three against Eastern Washington. In the running back room, a pair of freshmen in Brian Bonner Jr. and Ansu Sanoe have emerged as the featured backs following injuries to transfer Jayden Limar and sophomore Quaid Carr. After bringing in the highest-rated class in program history in 2026, Fisch has had no other choice but to rely on his young playmakers to step up.
3. Penalties, Penalties, Penalties
As great as the defense has been, it has struggled to stay out of its own way. The Huskies have been called for a total of nine unsportsmanlike or personal foul penalties. In their season opener against WSU, Washington was called for 12 penalties that gave up a whopping 130 yards in penalties. The issue remained through non-conference play, as the Huskies were flagged eight times for 101 yards against Eastern, including a drive where the defense gave up 48 yards in penalties.
While Fisch and his defensive staff encourage tenacity on the field, there's a point where players must be able to have the discipline to know the line. So far, they have not shown their ability to do that. Three players have already been ejected from a game this season: Rylon Dillard-Allen in the Apple Cup, and Jacob Lane and Xe'ree Alexander against Eastern. The Huskies have managed to avoid anything too disastrous through the first three weeks, but playing with fire against Big Ten opponents will get you burned.
4. Offensive Questions Still Loom
It took until the third and final game of non-conference play for the Huskies to find a comfortable win, but the offense finally showed signs of rhythm. Entering the season, Washington had one of the more highly touted offenses in the conference, led by a second-year starter in quarterback Demond Williams Jr. and an offensive line littered with blue-chip talent and veteran experience. However, talent doesn't always equate to instant success, and that was obvious in the first few weeks.
The Huskies found themselves in one-possession games late against both Washington State and Utah State, but managed to escape unscathed thanks to a couple of stellar plays from Williams' legs. Heading into Week Three, the veteran quarterback had just one passing touchdown before throwing four against the Eagles. After the 48-16 win, there are signs that indicate steps are being made in the right direction. Despite being plagued with injuries at receiver and running back, the young talent has stepped up and shown improvement in just a short time. Now, those expectations will remain while the level of competition takes a massive jump forward.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Good, Bad, and Ugly from Washington Football's Non-Conference Slate
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos