- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,246,018
- Reaction score
- 59
Washington Huskies coach Jedd Fisch has led a resurgent offense on Montlake.
After the Huskies lost heaps of talent to the NFL and transfer portal following their 2023 run to the national championship game, Fisch came in late in the coaching cycle but led an offense that ranked 104th in red zone offense and 101st in 3rd down conversions in the FBS in Washington's first season in the Big Ten.
In 2025, those numbers leaped to 7th and 10th in the FBS, respectively, with a red zone scoring rate of 92.59 percent and a third down conversion rate of 49.68 percent.
That marked improvement can likely be attributed to a nearly completely remade offensive line between 2024 and 2025. Fisch said before and during that season that the Huskies' goal was to get bigger in the trenches to compete more consistently in their new conference, but Washington also entered spring practice in 2024 with only nine scholarship offensive linemen.
Adding Kansas State transfer tackle Carver Willis, who went on to be a fourth-round pick in the NFL draft, and Freshman All-American John Mills at left guard while bringing guard Geirean Hatchett back from Oklahoma gave Washington three new starters to accomplish that goal. Landen Hatchett stepped in at center after rotating in at all three interior line spots, while right tackle Drew Azzopardi took a massive step forward after struggling in his first season following his transfer from San Diego State.
Four of those five return in 2026, with five-star freshman Kodi Greene replacing Willis at left tackle. But Washington has been hard at work building depth around that core, with redshirt freshman Champ Taulealea expected to push the older Hatchett for the right guard job and Sam Houston State transfer Kolt Dieterich backing Greene up. That unit has said all spring that their goal is to win the Joe Moore Award, which the 2023 unit of Troy Fautanu, Nate Kalepo, Parker Brailsford, Julius Buelow, and Roger Rosengarten won.
Three of those players are now NFLers after Brailsford was drafted in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns this April, reuniting him with second-round pick Denzel Boston.
Washington should have at least three future draft picks on this line as well: Azzopardi profiles as a mid-round pick if he has another solid season this year, Mills will be a candidate to declare early for the 2028 NFL draft, and Greene's recruiting pedigree and instant starting status make him another favorite to leave school early. Taulealea could grow into an NFL-caliber player as well, while the younger Hatchett brother could earn his way into the late rounds with a strong season.
With questions at running back after sophomore Jordan Washington suffered a neck injury during spring practice, the effectiveness of the Huskies' offensive line will be even more important this season. If Washington can start to move bodies in the trenches at a high clip in the competitive Big Ten, the run game should be able to remain effective enough to keep the Huskies' offense on track.
Combine that with the running ability of quarterback Demond Williams Jr., and Washington should be able to continue to get themselves into favorable third down situations and keep teams on their toes in the red zone.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington football improvement driven by blossoming offensive line
Continue reading...
After the Huskies lost heaps of talent to the NFL and transfer portal following their 2023 run to the national championship game, Fisch came in late in the coaching cycle but led an offense that ranked 104th in red zone offense and 101st in 3rd down conversions in the FBS in Washington's first season in the Big Ten.
In 2025, those numbers leaped to 7th and 10th in the FBS, respectively, with a red zone scoring rate of 92.59 percent and a third down conversion rate of 49.68 percent.
NFL pedigree, relentless passion and constant innovation. UW offensive improvement led by @CoachJeddFisch
Red zone offense: 104th7th
3rd down conversions: 101st
— Washington Football (@UW_Football) July 19, 2026
That marked improvement can likely be attributed to a nearly completely remade offensive line between 2024 and 2025. Fisch said before and during that season that the Huskies' goal was to get bigger in the trenches to compete more consistently in their new conference, but Washington also entered spring practice in 2024 with only nine scholarship offensive linemen.
Adding Kansas State transfer tackle Carver Willis, who went on to be a fourth-round pick in the NFL draft, and Freshman All-American John Mills at left guard while bringing guard Geirean Hatchett back from Oklahoma gave Washington three new starters to accomplish that goal. Landen Hatchett stepped in at center after rotating in at all three interior line spots, while right tackle Drew Azzopardi took a massive step forward after struggling in his first season following his transfer from San Diego State.
Four of those five return in 2026, with five-star freshman Kodi Greene replacing Willis at left tackle. But Washington has been hard at work building depth around that core, with redshirt freshman Champ Taulealea expected to push the older Hatchett for the right guard job and Sam Houston State transfer Kolt Dieterich backing Greene up. That unit has said all spring that their goal is to win the Joe Moore Award, which the 2023 unit of Troy Fautanu, Nate Kalepo, Parker Brailsford, Julius Buelow, and Roger Rosengarten won.
Three of those players are now NFLers after Brailsford was drafted in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns this April, reuniting him with second-round pick Denzel Boston.
Washington should have at least three future draft picks on this line as well: Azzopardi profiles as a mid-round pick if he has another solid season this year, Mills will be a candidate to declare early for the 2028 NFL draft, and Greene's recruiting pedigree and instant starting status make him another favorite to leave school early. Taulealea could grow into an NFL-caliber player as well, while the younger Hatchett brother could earn his way into the late rounds with a strong season.
With questions at running back after sophomore Jordan Washington suffered a neck injury during spring practice, the effectiveness of the Huskies' offensive line will be even more important this season. If Washington can start to move bodies in the trenches at a high clip in the competitive Big Ten, the run game should be able to remain effective enough to keep the Huskies' offense on track.
Combine that with the running ability of quarterback Demond Williams Jr., and Washington should be able to continue to get themselves into favorable third down situations and keep teams on their toes in the red zone.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington football improvement driven by blossoming offensive line
Continue reading...
