Washington Huskies’ defensive line showcasing their experience
Washington defensive lineman Anterio Thompson gets a piece of the pass from Wisconsin quarterback Carter Smith to disrupt the play in the third quarter. The 23rd-ranked Washington Huskies played the Wisconsin Badgers... (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)
By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter
Jedd Fisch has no qualms about playing freshmen.
Almost every Washington position group has at least one true freshman in its two-deep depth chart. Wide receivers Raiden Vines-Bright, Chris Lawson and Dezmen Roebuck, safety Rylon Dillard-Allen, edge rusher Devin Hyde, cornerback Dylan Robinson and linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale have all burned their redshirts this season
Only one group hasn’t been part of Fisch’s burgeoning youth movement: The defensive line. Which is exactly what the UW coach prefers.
“You have guys who’ve played four, five or six years of college football,” Fisch said Monday. “So when you have that group going, they’re allowing us to be the tougher team up front and be able to stop the run because of their size. Their weight. Their age. That’s allowing us to get some stops.”
Washington’s veteran defensive line has been a strength throughout the season. UW (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) is allowing 108.1 yards rushing per game — a significant improvement on the 161.8 yards rushing per game it surrendered in 2024. Against Purdue, the Huskies put together one of their best pass-rushing games of the season, tallying 26 pressures according to Pro Football Focus.
“I just thought they were aggressive,” UW defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said Tuesday. “I thought they did a great job executing the game plan, studying film prep throughout the week — and not only what they’re trying to do offensively, but who are the matchups? The guy I’m going against every snap, what does he like? What does he not like? What is he good at? What is he not good at? And developed some tools throughout the course of the week to go attack those weaknesses.”
No position group at Washington has as much experienced depth as the defensive line. Fifth-year edge rusher Zach Durfee has played in 26 career games. Senior defensive tackle Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei has played in 43 career games, including 27 starts across four seasons at Arizona and Washington.
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Senior defensive tackle Anterio Thompson has appeared in 42 games at four different schools. Sixth-year edge rusher Deshawn Lynch, who’s emerged as a crucial piece of the rotation, appeared in 23 games at FCS Sacramento State before transferring to UW, where he’s played in 20 games during the past two seasons.
Walters said UW’s veteran defensive line has provided him some serious advantages this season. Along with improved size and strength from years in a college weight room and as part of a college nutrition plan, Washington’s older defensive line group has adapted to his schemes quicker and been comfortable executing any stunts or twists Walters and defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi want to install.
The UW defensive coordinator also said having a veteran group allows the Huskies to rotate well and keep their linemen fresh for an entire game. Thompson said they’re simply a reliable group, who make the game easier for each other.
“The guys we have in this room are very dependable,” Thompson said Tuesday. “And just understanding they’re all going to be in their gaps, you don’t feel like you’ve got to do as much and make every play.”
Additionally, Washington’s defensive line is one of the only groups in which the team’s depth is also fairly experienced. Junior defensive tackle Bryce Butler, who had six pressures against Purdue, has been one of the surprises of the season defensively. Defensive tackle Elinneus Davis and edge rusher Jacob Lane — both third-year players — are the youngest contributors on the defensive line.
And the Huskies have dealt with defensive line attrition all season. Lynch missed the first several games recovering from an undisclosed injury. Junior edge rusher Isaiah Ward, who led the team in tackles for a loss in 2024, hasn’t appeared since suffering a lower-body injury Oct. 18. Fisch said he’s “a longshot” to play against UCLA on Saturday.
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Junior defensive tackle Jayvon Parker has essentially missed the entire season while recovering from an Achilles tendon injury that prematurely ended his 2024 season. And his twin brother, junior defensive tackle Armon Parker, finally made his long-awaited Washington debut in 2025 and was becoming a real contributor before being ruled out for the season Saturday. Fisch announced Thursday that Armon Parker suffered another anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Thompson said the group has persevered because each player brings something unique to the unit. Davis, for example, has an incredibly helpful football intelligence and is good at recognizing defensive keys early, Thompson said. Uiagalelei, a converted edge rusher, has become one of the country’s best interior pass rushers.
Lynch, however, might have one of the most interesting skill sets. The 6-foot-5, 295-pound Folsom, Calif., native has batted six passes this season, the most among FBS edge rushers despite facing just 165 passing snaps, according to PFF. No other edge rusher has more than four. Lynch is currently tied with senior cornerback Ephesians Prysock for the most pass breakups on the team.
“He’s got good hand-eye coordination, for one,” Walters said. “He’s a bigger guy, so he always has separation between him and the offensive line. He’s got a natural feel for it. We work on it every Tuesday. We have a takeaway circuit, and the D-line guys do a lot of mirroring the quarterback’s hands and things like that.”
Thompson is similarly coming off one of his best games in purple and gold. He registered his first sack of the season against Purdue, and he almost blocked a punt to go along with four tackles. Thompson said the work he’d done with Kaufusi has helped him take major strides in his development, getting off blocks quicker, keeping his eyes focused and locking in on the details of his game. Walters praised Thompson for playing without any hesitation.
“He’s just playing fast,” Walters said. “Playing fast. Playing aggressive. Using the tools he’s been given. He has continued to improve every week.”
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Washington’s defensive line has another chance to assert itself Saturday, when UW travels to the Rose Bowl to play UCLA at 7:30 p.m. The Bruins (3-7, 3-4) are averaging 151 yards rushing per game, 76th nationally. They’ve also given up 2.2 sacks per game, ranking 91st in the country.
“First-and-10 is turning into second-and-nine,” Fisch said. “Now you’re in those downs like, are you going to make them throw it twice? That’s what we’re going to have to do this week.”
Extra points
• Senior running back Jonah Coleman (knee) is still on track to make his return against UCLA, Fisch said Thursday. The Stockton, Calif., native missed UW’s 49-13 win against Purdue last week despite initially being expected to play after tweaking his injury during final warmups, but Fisch said he’s “confident” Coleman will return Saturday.
• Wide receiver duo Denzel Boston (ankle) and Vines-Bright (concussion), however, seem less likely to play against the Bruins. Fisch said Boston, the junior from South Hill, is “going to be a stretch” to make his return after missing the Purdue game. The UW coach added that Vines-Bright will likely miss the UCLA game, too, but said they still have to do final tests before officially ruling him out.
• Fisch said Lawson will likely get extended snaps because of Vines-Bright and Boston’s absences. Fisch noted sophomore wide receiver Audric Harris, who caught a 61-yard touchdown against Purdue, is still deciding whether or not to redshirt this season. He’s played in four games, meaning an appearance against UCLA will cost him a season of eligibility.
• Redshirt freshman wide receiver Justice Williams was ruled out for the season before the Purdue game, and Fisch announced he’d suffered a toe injury. The Huskies decided it wasn’t worth trying to rush him back, so they ruled him out for the season to let him focus on healing up for spring football.
Andy Yamashita: ayamashita@seattletimes .com. Andy Yamashita is a sports reporter at The Seattle Times, primarily covering Washington Huskies football.