For Washington, Alex McLaughlin has turned into the kind of safety who keeps showing up exactly where the play is about to break.
Through three games, the UW senior has piled up two interceptions, three pass breakups, two sacks, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble and 22 tackles. That line doesn’t just pop - it jumps off the page. McLaughlin is also the only player in the FBS this season with at least two interceptions and two sacks, according to Stathead.
A big reason for the surge is simple: for the first time in his four-year college career, McLaughlin is working in the same defensive system in consecutive seasons. That continuity has mattered under second-year Washington defensive coordinator Ryan Walters.
“I think just having a year under my belt in a system - that’s never happened to me in my career before, to be able to play (in the same system) two years in a row,” Walters said when asked about his success this season following UW’s 48-16 win over Eastern Washington on Saturday.
“And then just coach Walters putting me in positions to make splash plays.”
McLaughlin’s path to Seattle explains some of why this season looks different. The Chandler, Ariz., native spent his first two college seasons at Northern Arizona, where he played under two different defensive coordinators. He was an FCS Freshman All-American in 2023 and earned first-team All-Big Sky honors in 2024.
After transferring to Washington, he was an All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2025, finishing with two interceptions, six pass breakups and three tackles for loss. This fall, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound safety has taken another step, blending speed, physicality and anticipation into a steady stream of impact plays.
His biggest moments have come in bunches. In the Apple Cup, McLaughlin grabbed a tipped ball for a game-sealing interception in Washington’s 24-10 win over WSU.
A week later against Utah State, he delivered a huge fourth-quarter sequence in a 16-14 victory, blitzing for a sack and then ripping the ball away from Kaina Watson for an interception. He also added a third-down pass breakup and a third-down sack earlier in that game.
Against Eastern Washington on Saturday, McLaughlin forced another turnover when he punched the ball loose from Wesley Garrett, allowing Xe’ree Alexander to recover it. Later, he nearly added yet another takeaway when he ranged across the middle for a diving pass breakup.
McLaughlin said safeties coach and former USC All-American Taylor Mays has helped him sharpen his anticipation.
“I’d say just my anticipation, my overall understanding of what’s coming in certain moments,” Mays said when asked about his biggest improvement this fall. “I just owe that credit to coach Mays on how he explains what’s coming in certain down-and-distances and certain parts of the game.”
So far, McLaughlin has had a hand in three of Washington’s seven takeaways while helping anchor a defense allowing just 13.3 points per game.
“Just being super comfortable in the scheme and having great playmakers around me,” McLaughlin said. “So for me to do my one-eleventh, it becomes super easy with so many playmakers around you.”
In Other News...
Washington Looked Sharp In One Win That Still Raised Two Concerns
Washingtons non-conference win over an FCS opponent gave the Huskies plenty to like on film. They piled up 546 total yards and averaged 8.8 yards per play, with Demond Williams looking poised in command of the offense, showing good anticipation and letting the receivers and tight ends do much of the damage. The passing game produced several touchdowns and explosive plays, while the defense did its part by limiting the opponents scoring and yardage with solid work up front and in coverage.
Even with the comfortable final result, the performance was not spotless. The rushing attack was less efficient than the rest of the night, which left some balance questions for a team trying to sharpen its offense before tougher tests arrive. There were also signs that discipline and protection will need cleaning up, leaving Washington with a win that looked convincing on the surface but still offered a few reminders of what has to improve. [Read more 🡒]
Washington May Get A Key Defensive Boost At Crucial Time
Washingtons defense has managed to hold up despite being shorthanded, with other players stepping in and keeping the unit steady through the absence of a couple of key pieces. Now the Huskies are set to get a notable lift for their next matchup with Minnesota, as fourth-year defensive tackle Elinneus Davis is expected to be back after sitting out with a calf injury.
The same cant yet be said for cornerback Emmanuel Karnley, whose status remains up in the air after a soft tissue injury. For a defense that has already shown it can function without him, the question now is whether the Huskies can get one important reinforcement back while waiting to see if another arrives in time for a crucial stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Opens Big Ten Play With More On The Line Than Usual
Washingtons first Big Ten game at Husky Stadium brings a little more weight than a typical conference opener, and not just because the league switch has changed the stakes for the program. Minnesota comes in as a familiar but infrequent opponent, with the schools having crossed paths 17 times over the years, and the meeting adds another layer to a matchup that already carries some historical texture for both sides.
Jedd Fisch has made clear he respects what P.J. Fleck has built in Minneapolis, pointing to the Gophers as a well-coached group that consistently does the little things right. For Washington, that means the opener is about more than settling into a new conference routine, with an old series edge and a fresh Big Ten chapter both quietly hanging over the night. [Read more 🡒]