Huskies RB Jonah Coleman has ‘good chance’ to return against UCLA

Jonah Coleman congratulates Demond Williams Jr., left, and Dezmen Roebuck after they connected for a two-yard touchdown in the third quarter, Nov. 15, 2025 at Husky Stadium, in Seattle. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)

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By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter

Jedd Fisch and the Washington Huskies enjoyed their most productive rushing game in more than two months against the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday. 

Despite playing behind an offensive line missing two of its regular starters. Despite facing a Purdue front seven that featured two players with at least 9.5 tackles for a loss. And despite missing senior running back Jonah Coleman, the Huskies compiled 212 yards rushing and five touchdowns against the Boilermakers. 

And now, Coleman — who still ranks fourth nationally in total touchdowns and 14th in all-purpose yardage — is expected to make his return from the knee injury which held him out against Purdue. 

“Jonah will have a really good chance at playing,” Fisch said Monday. 

Fisch provided several updates Monday on the litany of injuries Washington’s dealing with entering its penultimate game of the season against UCLA on Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Coleman was one of four regular offensive starters who didn’t appear against Purdue — joining junior right tackle Drew Azzopardi (lower leg), junior wide receiver Denzel Boston (ankle) and junior center Landen Hatchett (hand) — on the sideline. 

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Out of that group, Fisch seemed most optimistic about Coleman’s availability against UCLA. The Stockton, Calif., native was injured during the second quarter against Wisconsin Nov. 8, but was expected to return against Purdue.

He was fully dressed and went through final warmups for the Huskies (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten). However, he was eventually ruled out shortly before kickoff after feeling discomfort while trying to decelerate, Fisch said Saturday. 

Coleman is in a similar spot this week, Fisch said Monday. But the UW coach was hopeful that an extra week of treatment will allow Coleman, who has 645 yards rushing and 335 yards receiving this season, to play against the Bruins (3-7, 3-4). 

“I did think that last week, going into the game, that we were in a good place to get him some reps,” Fisch said. “I think that will be the same.” 

Boston, Washington’s leading receiver, sustained an ankle injury while returning a punt against Wisconsin. He returned and finished the game with eight catches for 62 yards and a touchdown, but was ruled out hours before the Purdue game. 

Fisch said Boston will be evaluated throughout the week before a decision is made about his status against UCLA, and noted Boston did some running Sunday. The UW coach also added that the late kickoff will essentially give Boston, who has 52 catches for 730 yards receiving and eight touchdowns, an extra day of treatment. 

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However, Fisch was less confident about the availability of his missing offensive linemen. Azzopardi, the 6-foot-7, 315-pound right tackle, will likely miss a second consecutive game, Fisch said. 

The San Diego State transfer was injured during the first half against Wisconsin. He was replaced by true freshman John Mills, who moved from left guard to right tackle where he played every offensive snap against Purdue. Mills was replaced on the interior by redshirt freshman Paki Finau. 

Hatchett was fully dressed and went through final warmups against Purdue while wearing a ball cast on his right hand — his snapping hand — for an injury he picked up against Illinois on Oct. 25. He did not appear versus the Boilermakers.

Fisch said Hatchett is physically able to play, but the cast means he has to snap with his left hand. The ball cast also makes blocking more difficult because Hatchett can’t grab opposing defensive linemen. 

The Ferndale native tried to play with the cast on against Wisconsin, but was removed before halftime because Fisch said Wisconsin’s defensive line schemed to target him because of his limited effectiveness with the cast. Sophomore Zachary Henning replaced Hatchett during the past two games, and Fisch complimented his ability to step into a difficult situation. 

“Take out the two snaps that got away from him,” Fisch said, “and I think 61 of the 63 snaps, he played really well. Did a great job at center for us.” 

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Henning and Mills did not allow a single pressure against Purdue, according to Pro Football Focus. Finau surrendered one, a hurry.

Fisch also offered an update on true freshman wide receiver Raiden Vines-Bright, who exited the game against Purdue early after suffering a concussion. The Tempe, Ariz., native was placed on a stretcher after taking a big hit early in the second quarter against Purdue, and loaded into an ambulance which took him out of the stadium, but Fisch said it was all precautionary treatment. 

“He’s doing good,” Fisch said. “He’s doing very good, actually. Very good. He’s already begun his protocol to return.”  

The UW coach admitted Vines-Bright’s injury was a “scary moment,” and said it was an emotional situation for his team. He praised the work of the training staff and particularly Syndric Steptoe, UW’s senior director of player engagement, for helping communicate with Vines-Bright’s family and keeping them up to date with the situation. 

Fisch said he was also extremely thankful that it was quickly apparent Vines-Bright was responsive and was able to move his extremities. One of the true freshman receiver’s first questions, Fisch said, was whether he fumbled the football. And the UW coach said it’s easier to reassure a team when the situation is mostly precautionary. 

“I think those are a lot easier to come back from,” Fisch said. “I don’t know what it would be like — and I pray I don’t ever have to know what it would be like — to have to handle an emergency situation where it’s not just for precautionary reasons.” 

Extra points:

• Washington’s game against UCLA will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and will be broadcast on NBC. The game had previously been put on a six-day hold by the Big Ten and its television partners. It’s UW’s latest kickoff since the pair of 8 p.m. starts it had at the beginning of the season against Colorado State and FCS UC Davis. 
• UW’s final regular-season game, hosting No. 8 Oregon at Husky Stadium on Nov. 29, was also put on a six-day hold by the Big Ten and the television networks Monday. The game will kick off at either 12:30 p.m. or at 4:30 p.m. CBS will broadcast the 12:30 p.m. game, while NBC will take the 4:30 p.m. game. 

Andy Yamashita: ayamashita@seattletimes .com. Andy Yamashita is a sports reporter at The Seattle Times, primarily covering Washington Huskies football.