Wednesday’s question hanging over Washington is simple: what exactly are these Huskies right now?
That uncertainty sits at the center of the week, and it’s hard to avoid with the injuries piling up. The real version of this team still feels hidden, and Saturday should help reveal more of it.
The big unknowns are plain enough: can Washington keep getting better with Elijah Brown at quarterback, or does the season drift all the way to missing a bowl game? The next stretch may start answering that.
The injury picture has forced another shuffle up front. With Landen out, the offensive line is expected to return to the configuration it used before Landen came back.
That means Kolt Dieterich at center, Kodi Greene at left guard, John Mills at left guard, Champ Taulealea at right guard and Drew Azzopardi at right tackle. Coach Fisch said Greene had his best game against Purdue, and Geirean Hatchett is expected to be available as depth at either guard spot.
There is some good news on the other side of the injury ledger. Running back Jayden Limar has been back at practice after getting hurt in the Apple Cup, and Trey Cooley should return as well.
Fisch said on Monday, “Looks like Cooley will be back,” Fisch said during his Monday press conference. “He had that shoulder situation at the end of the game, but he’ll be back.
He was able to practice yesterday. Jayden Limar has been able to get some practice reps, so we’ll see what that looks like, but we’re able to get him back into the equation.”
On Tuesday, a handful of Washington coaches and players were made available to the media. Coach Walters spoke about what it was like playing in Lincoln, both as a player and later as a coach, including a win there while he was the defensive coordinator at Illinois.
He also broke down the challenge of Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea and called him “He’s the most challenging quarterback that we will have faced to date.” Dawgman has a ($) transcript.
Coach Switzer discussed the offensive line group, including Kodi Greene, Kolt Dietrerich, John Mills and Drew Azzopardi. He also said there has been a lot of communication with NFL scouts about Drew. Dawgman has a ($) transcript.
From the defense, Zaydrius Rainey-Sale and Jacob Manu talked about the win over Purdue and the work of getting better. Dawgman has a transcript (free).
On offense, Rashid Williams and Drew Azzopardi discussed the difference between having Elijah Brown or Demond Williams at quarterback, saying they’re “glad to have both.” Dawgman has a transcript (free).
The Seattle Times also laid out the range of possibilities for the rest of the season. Andy Yamashita made the case for Washington winning all of its remaining games, and he also made the case for the Huskies losing every one of them. His practical read: UW has a realistic chance to win two of its next three games.
One more note on the schedule: the game time for Penn State, Washington’s next home game, won’t be announced until this weekend. It will start at either 12:30 or 1:15.
Around the rest of UW athletics, volleyball is set for Twilight Night this Friday when the Huskies host Iowa at 7 PM. Fans can get pictures taken with cutouts of Edward and Jacob, children 12 and under can trick-or-treat on the concourse, and there will also be a meet-and-greet with the UW men’s basketball players.
And on the women’s basketball side, Avery Howell has landed on the Ann Meyers Drysdale preseason watch list. She was one of 20 players selected for the list, which recognizes the top shooting guard in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.
In Other News...
Washington Keeps Nebraska Guessing As Cornhuskers Face New Concern
Washington enters its Big Ten matchup with Nebraska carrying more than the usual pregame uncertainty, and it starts at quarterback. Demond Williams Jr. is working back from a rib injury, and coach Jedd Fisch said the Huskies are still evaluating where he stands after confirming that he is recovering but has not fully shown he is ready for full action.
Nebraska has its own list of questions, even as it plans to start Anthony Colandrea under center. The Cornhuskers are also monitoring injuries at running back, with Jamal Rule and Mekhi Nelson both dealing with issues before a game that already had enough on the line without the added concern at quarterback for Washington. [Read more 🡒]