Washington’s defensive front will have to adjust again on Halloween night.
The Huskies head to Lincoln, Neb., for a 5 p.m. PT matchup against Nebraska on Oct. 31, and true freshman edge rusher Ramzak Fruean has been ruled out, according to the team’s official injury report released Wednesday.
Washington is coming off a bye week after picking up its first Big Ten win of the season, a 38-26 victory over Purdue on Oct. 16.
Fruean left that game with a knee issue that has lingered since. Jedd Fisch said in his Oct. 19 weekly news conference that Fruean would be held out of practice during the bye week but was expected to return for the Nebraska game.
Fisch then said Monday that Fruean would either be a game-time decision or miss another week. The latter is what happened.
A key piece on the edge from the start of the season, Fruean was one of the highest-rated players in Washington’s Class of 2026, a group that ranked 12th nationally. He had originally committed to UCLA before changing course and signing with the Huskies.
Through seven games, Fruean has totaled 14 tackles, 12 of them solo, along with a half-tackle for loss, a half-sack and one pass defended. He had one tackle against Purdue before exiting.
With Fruean unavailable, Washington is expected to turn to either Logan George or Russell Davis II. George, a fourth-year edge rusher and transfer from Ohio State, is listed behind Jacob Lane on the depth chart.
Davis, a fifth-year player, is behind Fruean’s spot. George has appeared in six games this season and has nine tackles, including a half-tackle for loss.
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 🡒]
Washington Needs Kodi Greene As O-Line Turmoil Keeps Growing
The shuffle along Washingtons offensive line just got a lot more complicated, with center Landen Hatchett now out for the rest of the season after suffering a head, neck and spine injury in practice. Kolt Dieterich is moving back to center, which means the Huskies are once again trying to piece together the front five on the fly, a tough ask for any team and especially one still searching for stability in protection and run blocking.
Amid all of that movement, true freshman Kodi Greene has become a name to watch. He opened as the starting left tackle, then has bounced between tackle and guard as the staff looks for the right mix, and coaches have noted that he has been improving as the reps keep coming. With the interior and edge spots still in flux, Washington needs Greene to keep settling in and giving this line some semblance of continuity. [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 🡒]
