30 Day Countdown – Day 2: UWDP Staff Temperature Check

A lot can change over the course of a month. Other than a few weeks of limited reporting during Spring Practices, August is our first chance to get in-depth updates on the roster’s development and coaches’ approach. How have our writers processed those changes and what can we expect when real games kick off?

1. What is one new thing you have learned or an opinion you have changed about the Huskies through this year’s fall practices?

Andrew Berg- I have learned that a lot of experts see the Huskies as a sleeper team in the Big 10. I can see why they feel that way. Jedd Fisch has a good reputation for turning programs around and he has consistently added talent though HS and the portal since he came to Seattle. Demond Williams Jr. was so exciting in his limited playing time last year that pundits see upside in the offense. With a trusted coach and an explosive QB, the most visible elements of the program are trending up. Can the offensive and defensive lines hold up their ends of the bargain? That remains to be seen, but I’d rather have experts think highly of UW than think we’re overrated going into the season. 

Max Vrooman- I’ve definitely learned a lot about the wide receiver depth chart. My assumption was that Omari Evans was coming in to be a starter and his experience at Penn State was enough to nearly guarantee him that role. If he didn’t win the job I thought it would be because either Kevin Green or Audric Harris, both of whom the coaches seem to really like, were viewed as a more natural fit in the slot and so took control there. But Raiden Vines-Bright starting and Dezmen Roebuck looking like maybe the next best receiver during practices definitely surprised me.

Mark Schafer- One thing that I have learned is that we have some good depth at receiver. I definitely knew that RVB and Roebuck were going to be good, but I didn’t think they would impress as much as they have coming into their Freshman seasons. Likewise, I am pleasantly surprised by the emergence of John Mills and think that his presence on the line will help us in a conference that is highlighted by big defensive front sevens. Time will tell if he will eventually supplant Paki Finau at the guard spot, but I feel very good about having him here at UW after fall practice.

2. What is one thing you feel better about after fall practices than you did coming into the fall?

AB- As soon as Tacario Davis committed as a transfer, I felt pretty confident in the secondary. The more we hear about the position group, the more I think it could be one of the better defensive backfields in the conference. Makel Esteen and Alex McLaughlin have emerged through camp to be versatile safeties to support the proven CB pair of Davis and Ephesians Prysock. On top of the players, I have growing faith in the secondary coaches. DC Ryan Walters is a secondary specialist John Richardson might be the best coach on the staff, not to mention Taylor Mays, who has drawn great early reviews. 

MV- I think I feel better about the depth along the defensive line than I did coming into training camp (it’s still summer, it’s not fall yet). It isn’t a good thing that Russell Davis II is out for the season and Isaiah Ward and Jayvon Parker weren’t ready to come back to practice yet before the end of media availability. But hearing about the positive plays made by guys like Armon Parker, Hayden Moore, and Devin Hyde who have a combined zero snaps with Washington makes me feel a bit better.

AB- As you will see in my response to the next question, I think the fact that guys like Parker and Moore have assumed bigger roles is an “eye of the beholder” question. Is it good that they earned playing time or evidence of a lack of depth? The eternal dichotomy of scrimmages.

MS- I will echo Andrew’s sentiments and say that the secondary is probably going to be where the defense is best, with Davis and Prysock comprising a scary corner duo, at least on paper with both standing at 6’4” and weighing close to 200 pounds. Davis at least has been putting in all kinds of work after practice, according to the Seattle Times, and will look to build on an All Big 12 Second Team performance last year. Outside of them, Alex McLaughlin and Makell Esteen will hopefully make a solid safety duo making the secondary a force to be reckoned with.

3. What is one thing you feel worse about after fall practices?

AB- It’s a good thing I like the secondary because there are legitimate reasons to worry about the pass rush. Zach Durfee was named a captain and has received lots of positive comments, but he has been injured more than he has been available at UW. There are enough injuries to potential contributors that converted ILB Hayden Moore looks like he could be part of the edge rotation in week one. I hope that’s a vote of confidence in Moore and not a statement about how thin the position is. 

MV- It’s sometimes hard to feel much worse about things in training camp because the media aren’t reporting on every drop or missed tackle. I’m going to agree with you and partially contradict my last answer though. I feel better about the depth in the sense that we now have guys who even if they haven’t been in a game, they have at least performed well in practice. But that doesn’t mean that I now feel confident about them playing major snaps against Ohio State. If Isaiah Ward and Jayvon Parker can’t get back by the start of conference play to go along with Russell Davis’s season-ending injury and Zach Durfee’s health track record then things could still go downhill quickly.

MS- I’m going to agree with you both because we didn’t have much production along the defensive line in terms of sacks and Durfee has been hampered by health issues for his entire tenure at UW. Zooming out, I still have questions about the scheme and how it will look with our personnel, even though I do not question the fact that Walters produced standout defenses at Illinois. These questions will likely be answered within the first couple of games, but until then, we’re just going to have to wait until Saturday to see!  

4. What is your win projection for the Huskies right now (regular season only, not including a bowl game or a very unlikely Conference Championship Game)?

AB- 8-4. There will likely be winnable games that turn into losses and difficult matchups that become wins, but I think the overall talent level of the team has elevated enough to avoid the really crushing upset losses like WSU and Rutgers last year. I think eight wins is a “holding serve” result and there is upside for more, especially if Walters can get the defensive front clicking. 

MV- I’m usually a bit of a pessimist and I was sorely tempted to go with 7-5. On paper there are only 3 games where Washington is currently projected to be more than about a 3-point underdog (OSU, @Mich, Ore). Illinois is highly rated in the polls but the computer metrics are more skeptical so I’m going to count that a win. Last year’s UW team would almost certainly have dropped multiple of these road games against teams that appear worse than Washington. But I’m going to jump into the spirit of preseason optimism and go 9-3 winning the games they’re supposed to and losing the games they’re supposed to which still represents progress.

MS– I’m an optimist, so I will go with 9-3. I bet there’ll be one game where the Huskies really rise up to their competition, but I’m not sure which game it will be. Hopefully Oregon, but if it’s Michigan or Ohio State, I’ll take that too. I’m confident that this team will be closer to where Coach Fisch wants it to be, and mistakes will be cleaned up, and there hopefully won’t be as many headscratching moments or brutal mistakes like there were last year, plus the line is better on the offensive side and that will open up bigger holes for Jonah, and give more time for Demond to make plays, hopefully resulting in a season that’s an improvement over last year and a solid foundation to build on for ‘26!