Three questions for the 2026 Washington Huskies if Jedd Fisch stays

Washington head coach Jedd Fisch game-plans a red zone possession with quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) during a college football game against the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (Nick Wagner / The Seattle Times)

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By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter

Jedd Fisch has never shied away from trying to manifest major goals. 

He talked about signing UW’s highest-rated recruiting class during his first signing day news conference. Spoke about winning Big Ten championships despite taking over a depleted roster. 

So Fisch’s answer when asked about UW’s expectations for 2026 didn’t seem outlandish. In fact, it might’ve been his most reasonable statement as Huskies coach. 

“The plan,” Fisch said Saturday after Washington’s 38-10 win against Boise State in the LA Bowl, “is to be preparing to play next weekend (during the first round of the College Football Playoff).” 

Of course, the biggest question surrounding UW’s future still revolves around Fisch and his decision to stay at Washington despite rumors connecting him to the vacant Michigan job. But if the 49-year-old coach stays for his third season on Montlake, here are three questions for Washington looking forward to the 2026 season:

Can the offense take the next step?

Washington proved, in 2025, that it was capable of competing against the best teams in the Big Ten. If the Huskies want to make a legitimate challenge for a 2026 College Football Playoff berth — which Fisch said is a realistic expectation — then they need to turn those close losses into wins.

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UW will certainly have chances to prove itself. Indiana, Penn State and Iowa will travel to Husky Stadium in 2026, while USC and Oregon await on the road schedule. And if UW wants to beat the conference’s best, then it has to improve offensively. 

The Huskies averaged 45.1 points per game during their nine wins. They averaged 9.3 points per game during their four losses, despite allowing just 21.8 points per game. 

Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. will be a large part of this. The catalyst of UW’s entire offense, Williams’ four least-productive performances came in Washington’s four losses. Fisch said the experiences from this season will propel Williams into an improved junior season, but 2025 proved UW will go only as far as the Arizona native takes it. 

How does the offensive line shake out?

Fisch and the Huskies certainly have some options in the trenches next season. Washington will return four starters: Left guard John Mills, center Landen Hatchett, right guard Geirean Hatchett and right tackle Drew Azzopardi. Guards Champ Taulealea, Paki Finau and center Zachary Henning also played significant snaps in 2025. 

Washington will also add Kodi Greene, the 247Sports composite five-star offensive line prospect from Mater Dei High. Fisch said on Dec. 3 that he expects the Renton native to immediately compete at left tackle. The Huskies can certainly slot Greene into the starting spot previously occupied by Carver Willis and call it a day. 

But there are some other options. While Fisch has regularly started freshmen offensive linemen, he’s rarely done it at tackle. Mills, who spent 142 snaps at right tackle in 2025 primarily while Azzopardi was injured according to PFF, is essentially the only true freshman Fisch has trusted to bookend his offensive line. 

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And Mills generally thrived at tackle this season when he played outside. Against outmatched competition in Purdue and UCLA, the San Francisco native allowed zero pressures in 133 snaps and helped UW rush for 424 yards. If tackle is part of Mills’ future, maybe he’s the answer at left tackle and Greene can play guard during his first season. 

Then there’s the other guard spot. Geirean Hatchett was granted a seventh season of eligibility before the LA Bowl, and Fisch confirmed he will return to UW in 2026. Hatchett’s durability was invaluable for the Huskies in 2025 — he was the only starting offensive lineman to play in each of UW’s 13 games — but also surrendered more sacks than any other player and the second-most pressures behind Willis and the second-most penalties behind Azzopardi. 

Can Finau, a third-year sophomore in 2026, or Taulealea, a redshirt freshman, push Geirean Hatchett for a starting spot? Or perhaps even Henning, who played admirably at center after Landen Hatchett’s hand injury and allowed just four pressures in 333 snaps? Fisch and offensive line coach Michael Switzer certainly have decisions to make entering 2026. 

Will the pass rush improve?

Perhaps the only area where Washington’s defense didn’t show major improvement was the pass rush. 

The Huskies registered 24 sacks in 2025, a slight increase from the 20 they totaled in 2024 under former defensive coordinator Steve Belichick. UW tallied just 13 sacks during Big Ten play, better than only UCLA, Northwestern and Rutgers. Fifth-year edge rusher Zach Durfee, whose four sacks jointly led the team with junior Jacob Lane, said he expected to be out of eligibility for 2026. 

Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said he felt the Huskies did a good job generating pressures in 2025 — they created 206 according to PFF — even if they weren’t able to consistently convert sacks.

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But Washington will lose a large majority of its pass-rush production in 2026. Three of their top four pressure producers will potentially leave. Durfee and defensive tackle Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei are out of eligibility. 

Defensive tackle Anterio Thompson, who previously said he’d consider returning because he played a season of junior college football, later posted on his social media accounts that he expected to end his college career after the LA Bowl. Sixth-year edge rusher Deshawn Lynch, who had one sack, eight pressures and led the nation in batted passes, is also out of eligibility.

The Huskies will return Lane, who enjoyed a strong season in his first year playing consistent snaps, and junior edge rusher Isaiah Ward. Lane tallied four sacks and 33 pressures in 2025, Arizona transfer Ward missed five games with a lower body injury after leading UW in tackles for a loss in 2024. UW will also get junior Russell Davis II back after he missed the entire 2025 campaign with a patellar tendon injury. 

Additionally, the Huskies are going to add a pair of highly rated freshmen: Kennedy Catholic High edge rusher Derek Colman-Brusa and versatile Mission Viejo High’s JD Hill. Both were composite four-star prospects. 

An improved pass rush will also be crucial to protecting what’s shaping up to be a young secondary. Senior cornerbacks Ephesians Prysock and Tacario Davis, along with sixth-year safety Makell Esteen, are out of eligibility in 2026. 

And unless UW adds some defensive backs in the transfer portal, it will be relying on a group that includes nickel Rahshawn Clark, cornerback Dylan Robinson and safety Rylon Dillard-Allen. Only safety Alex McLaughlin, a 2025 consensus All-Big Ten honorable mention, will have played more than two seasons of college football.  

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