Washington may have dodged a bigger problem than first feared on defense heading into Saturday’s trip to Nebraska.
First-year edge rusher Ramzak Fruean, who was initially listed as out on Wednesday’s injury report, is now considered questionable for the Huskies’ 5 p.m. PT matchup with the Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. Head coach Jedd Fisch said Thursday the team updated Fruean’s status after a strong day of rehab.
"Yeah that was actually (Wednesday's) report," Fisch said in a weekly news conference held via Zoom on Thursday. "We adjusted that today.
He had a really good day of rehab yesterday, so he is now questionable for the game and I think he's trending the right direction to have some ability to play. We're not exactly sure what that ability will be. ...
He was listed as out yesterday and then really had a fantastic day of recovery and rehab and woke up this morning in a lot better place."
Fruean injured his knee in Washington’s 38-26 win over Purdue on Oct. 16 and sat out practice last week because of the same issue. He has started every game so far as a true freshman and has become a key part of the Huskies’ front.
There’s still a chance Washington uses him in a limited role if he can go. The Huskies have already shown they’re willing to work around an injured defender in a specific package, with third-year defensive back and starting nickelback Rahshawn Clark playing only on special teams in his normal return role during the Sept. 27 loss to Minnesota.
Fruean’s speed off the edge gives Washington another possible option, even if he isn’t ready for a full workload. He has 14 total tackles this season, including 12 solo stops, along with a half-sack, a half-tackle for loss and a pass defended.
Even with Fruean’s uncertainty, the Huskies are making a change in the starting lineup. Fifth-year edge rusher Isaiah Ward will start on the opposite side from Jacob Lane, with Ward taking the place at the front end of the defensive line for Saturday’s game.
Ward has 13 total tackles this season, nine of them solo, plus three tackles for loss, half a sack, one pass defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
In Other News...
Washington Faces Two Offensive Concerns With Nebraska Up Next
Washingtons offense heads into the Nebraska game with a couple of obvious concerns, and both trace back to the same place the Huskies would rather not spend much time talking about: stability. Christian Caple recently pointed to a familiar Jedd Fisch storyline from Arizona, where a change at quarterback helped settle a team down and lift its play, as a reminder that a backup can sometimes change the tone of an offense. For Washington, though, the bigger-picture issue may be the line in front of the quarterback, where injuries have already forced the unit to keep adjusting.
The Huskies have had to manage that front through a difficult stretch, and the depth chart does not look as comfortable as it did earlier in the season. Landen Hatchetts season-ending neck injury only sharpened the concern about how much room there is for error, especially with Nebraska coming in under Matt Rhule and the game drawing extra attention in preview talk around both programs. Washington still has plenty to play for, but this matchup feels like one where the offensive answers will matter as much as the opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Finally Gets A Key Transfer Back For The Opener
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Sprinkle said Beasley is set to practice and start ramping up for the opener, giving him a few days to get his legs back under him before the games count. For Washington, the timing matters as much as the return itself, since Beasleys presence should help stabilize the offense and give the Huskies another experienced option in a guard room that was missing one of its most anticipated newcomers in October. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Faces A Familiar Problem In A Game It Can't Waste
A trip to Memorial Stadium after a bye week puts Washington in a spot where the Huskies know exactly what kind of afternoon they may be walking into. Nebraska is treating the Blackout game as a chance to reset its season in the final month, and the Cornhuskers are trying to clean up two of the issues that have nagged them most of the year: a running game that needs more consistency and defensive breakdowns that have too often shown up late.
For Washington, the quarterback picture adds another layer to a road game already heavy on noise and urgency. The Huskies are working through uncertainty under center, and that kind of situation tends to shape everything from play-calling to tempo when a team is trying to survive a difficult setting. Nebraska would love nothing more than to make this a game where the pressure keeps building, but Washington still has enough around it to make the matchup feel like more than a simple tune-up for the home team. [Read more 🡒]