With less than 30 days left until the start of the 2026 football season, Washington’s Sept. 6 matchup with Washington State is creeping closer, and the countdown brings a look back at the Huskies who wore No. 29.
If there was one word that fit Beno Bryant at Washington, it was explosiveness. He was one of the key playmakers during the three-year run that sent the Huskies to three straight Rose Bowls and a national title, and he spent four seasons on Montlake as a letterwinner.
His biggest season came in 1991, when Washington finished 12-0, won the Rose Bowl and claimed the national championship. Bryant led the team with 943 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, and one of the runs that still stands out came against seventh-ranked Cal in Berkeley, when he ripped off a 65-yard touchdown straight up the middle late in a 24-17 win.
A foot injury forced him to redshirt the next season, and he returned to finish his career in 1993 with 1,741 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.
Bryant’s value went well beyond the backfield. He remains all over the Huskies’ punt return record book, including the career mark for most punt returns with 112. He also shares the program’s second-best single-season total for punt return touchdowns with three.
Nate Fellner was another Husky who left his mark, especially on defense. He stayed committed through the change from Tyrone Willingham to Steve Sarkisian and earned three letters from 2009 to 2011.
Known as one of the team’s hardest hitters, he closed out the 2010 season with 79 tackles and a team-high five interceptions. Over his Washington career, the Fresno native appeared in 31 games, finishing with 134 tackles and six interceptions.
His family ties added another layer to his story, since his grandfather was Jim Sweeney, the former Washington State head coach from 1968-1975 and the all-time winningest coach in Fresno State history with 144 victories. Fellner passed away in late January of 2024.
Aaron Jenkins had to battle for every touch in a backfield that included Vince Weathersby and Rick Fenney, but he still carved out a productive career. He finished second on the team in rushing with 668 yards in 1987, then led the Huskies with 691 yards as a senior in 1988. Over four letters, Jenkins piled up 1,492 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.
Ernie Steele’s Washington career stretches back more than 80 years, but his place in the program’s return-game history still holds strong. From 1939 to 1941, he was a weapon as both a runner and a returner on teams that went 16-11.
His 79 career punt returns still rank fourth in school history, and his 13.6-yard average is the second-best mark ever by a Husky. Steele also owns one of the program’s classic special-teams plays, an 83-yard punt return touchdown against Washington State in 1940 that still ranks 10th in Washington history.
The Highline High School product was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 10th round of the 1942 NFL Draft and went on to play five seasons and appear in two NFL Championship games for the Philadelphia Eagles.
In Other News...
Washington May Be Closing In On A Massive Recruiting Statement
Washingtons recruiting momentum could be headed toward a huge early statement if Jalanie George follows through on what has been building around his decision. The five-star defensive end from Arizona has already drawn national attention for his versatility and play speed, and after visiting multiple Power Four programs, he appears to be nearing a choice that would give the Huskies a major boost in the 2028 cycle.
George is viewed as one of the elite names in the country, which is why the possibility of landing him has made this feel bigger than a standard early recruiting win. Washington still has not officially secured his commitment, but the outlook around his recruitment has shifted enough to put the Huskies squarely in the conversation as they wait for his final call. [Read more 🡒]
Washingtons New NCAA Rule Could Quietly Change Jedd Fischs Roster
The NCAAs new eligibility framework could end up giving Jedd Fisch a little more flexibility than expected as he continues shaping Washingtons roster. Starting with the 2023-24 academic year, student-athletes can now have five years of eligibility, a shift that eliminates the old redshirt and medical waiver structure and may open the door for several Huskies to come back for another season.
Jacob Lane is among the Washington players whose status could be affected, but the full picture is still cloudy because some eligibility questions remain tied up in legal challenges and other factors. Fisch has acknowledged the rule change without getting into specifics on individual players, leaving the Huskies with an added layer of roster uncertainty as they sort through who might be available moving forward. [Read more 🡒]