Washington’s offensive line has become a moving target this season, and true freshman Kodi Greene has been right in the middle of it.
The latest change came earlier this week, when the Huskies learned that fourth-year center Landen Hatchett will miss the rest of the season because of a head/neck/spine issue. Hatchett, who had already sat out the first five games with a wrist injury from last season, was hurt after suffering stingers in practice last week. His absence sends fourth-year lineman Kolt Dieterich back to center after he spent most of the last two games at guard.
That kind of constant reshuffling has defined Washington’s front this year, and Greene has had to grow through it. The Renton, Wash., native arrived with plenty of buzz as the top recruit in the Class of 2026, a class that ranked 12th nationally, and he was installed as the starting left tackle almost immediately in spring ball after Carver Willis was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The early returns were uneven. Greene had a rough stretch at left tackle in his first few starts, which pushed the Huskies into a rotation that bounced him between left tackle and guard alongside second-year lineman John Mills.
Now, with Hatchett out and the line still in flux, Greene is headed back into a guard rotation with Mills, as well as seventh-year lineman Geirean Hatchett and second-year lineman Champ Taulealea, for the Nebraska game at 5 p.m. PT on Oct. 31 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.
Washington’s coaches said this week that Greene’s work has been trending up, and they pointed to the Purdue game on Oct. 16 as his best showing so far in a 38-26 UW win.
"After the Purdue game, I think he played his best game. I think (head coach Jedd Fisch) said that yesterday," UW offensive line coach Michael Switzer said in a weekly news conference Tuesday.
"Starting out the season as the starter, having to cede some reps in terms of getting other guys in the game and some rotational stuff, I think that benefitted him. I think that it puts him in a position to take some time on the sideline, not have to play every play throughout a game, I think it's been beneficial.
I think he's also taken it personally in terms of how he wants to continue to improve and be the guy out there. Where he's at from Week 1 to now is definitely improved, and that's an exciting thing. ...
He's challenged himself in terms of answering the bell and I think he's had a really nice last couple weeks."
Greene hasn’t had the same week-to-week climb as some of Washington’s other touted true freshman starters, including defensive lineman Derek Colman-Brusa and cornerback Jeron Jones. Even so, the progress is there, and the staff’s belief in him remains clear. The version of Greene taking the field now is a better one than the one that opened the season, and the Huskies are still seeing him move closer to the player they expected when they put him in the lineup from day one.
In Other News...
Nikola Dzepina Suddenly Carries A Huge Washington Frontcourt Burden
Washingtons frontcourt looks a lot different this season, and the changes leave Nikola Dzepina in a spot the Huskies probably did not envision for a second-year forward. With Hannes Steinbach and Franck Kepnang gone, the post rotation is thinner, and coach Danny Sprinkle has been clear that Dzepinas value now stretches well beyond spot minutes or a developmental role. He is expected to help anchor the rebounding and give the Huskies some production around the rim.
Mady Traore is the only other true big on the roster, which only sharpens the pressure on Dzepina to handle a bigger load inside. Sprinkles emphasis on his rebounding and post offense suggests Washington will need him to be a steady presence rather than just a supplemental piece, and that makes his progression one of the more important storylines hanging over the frontcourt as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Washingtons Defensive Line Just Took A Tough Hit Before Nebraska
Washingtons defensive front is heading into a tricky Big Ten test without one of its emerging pieces. Ramzak Fruean, a true freshman who had been starting on the line, left the Purdue game with a knee injury and will not be available against Nebraska, leaving the Huskies to reshuffle a pass rush that has already been adjusting on the fly.
The next-man-up plan now points to Logan George and Russell Davis II, both of whom are in line for expanded snaps with Fruean sidelined. For Washington, it is a tough development at a spot where early-season continuity matters, especially with Nebraska waiting and the margin for error on defense likely to be thin. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Faces A Familiar Problem In A Game It Can't Waste
Washington heads to Memorial Stadium for Nebraskas Blackout game coming out of a bye, and the matchup arrives at a time when the Huskies are still sorting through their own offense. The quarterback picture remains unsettled, with Demond Williams Jr. dealing with a rib injury and Elijah Brown in the mix, leaving Nebraska to prepare for more than one possible look. For the Huskies, it is the kind of road test where stability at the most important position can matter just as much as scheme.
Nebraska, meanwhile, is treating this as a chance to clean up two recurring issues before the final month of the season tightens the pressure. The Cornhuskers want more from their running game and fewer late-game defensive breakdowns, knowing a game like this cannot be wasted if they want to carry momentum into November. Washington does not get the luxury of easing into that conversation, because the Huskers will be coming out of the bye ready to make the most of it. [Read more 🡒]