Al-Uqdah Ruled Out of Ohio State Game, Injury Extent Unclear

One of the reasons Taariq "Buddha" Al-Uqdah gave for switching schools, from Washington State to Washington, was he wanted to play on "a big stage."

Well, the veteran linebacker is going to miss the biggest one yet, with UW coach Jedd Fisch announcing on Monday that Al-Uqdah is out for Saturday's Big Ten game against No. 1-ranked Ohio State at Husky Stadium and likely even longer with what appeared to be a knee injury.

"He will not play this week," Fisch said at his media briefing. "I don't expect him to play for the next few weeks at least."

When asked if Al-Uqdah has a chance to get back on the field again this season, the UW coach would only say that the player's final test results had not come back.

As far as a linebacker replacement goes, Fisch said junior Xe'ree Alexander, the transfer from Central Florida and Idaho, is a former starter at both of his previous stops and a capable player.

"That's why we brought him here," the coach said.

Buddah Al-Uqdah was injured in his return to Pullman. | Dave Sizer photo

Fisch also said Arizona transfer Jacob Manu, who is recovering from a knee injury and has been in uniform for the past two games, is "very, very close." Manu is a former first-team All-Pac-12 selection who led the conference in tackles with 116 in 2023.

"When Jacob is good to play, he'll play," he said.

Returning to WSU to face his old team on Saturday, Al-Uqdah went down on a rushing play in the fourth quarter with 12 minutes remaining in the Huskies' 59-24 victory in the Apple Cup.

He was on his back for several minutes while trainers attended to him, had to be helped to his feet, limped badly to the sideline and after the game was on crutches.

The 6-foot, 237-pound junior from Los Angeles went down with a combined 24 starts for the UW and WSU and stands as the Huskies' second-highest tackler with 15, one shy of the leader.

Xe'ree Alexander could be a UW linebacker starter against Ohio State. | Dave Sizer photo

Alexander, a 6-foot-2, 242-pound junior from Auburn, Washington, and a fellow offseason transfer, replaced Al-Uqdah in the lineup against the Cougars and could make his first Husky start against the Buckeyes.

No pressure there.

Alexander opened 13 games combined for Central Florida and Idaho before returning home to play for the Huskies. He has 3 tackles in three outings as a reserve linebacker and a special-teams player.

When he first joined the Huskies, the coaching staff determined Alexander was undersized for the rigors of Big Ten play and he has since has put on nearly 20 pounds.

Senior cornerback Tacario Davis, out with an upper-body injury, remains questionable for the Ohio State game.

"We'll see where we are with Tacario as the week progresses," Fisch said. "We'd love to see him make it back."

Leroy Bryant is in cornerback competition this week after a rough Apple Cup outing. | Dave Sizer

Meantime, sophomore Leroy Bryant, who replaced Davis as the cornerback starter at WSU and had a rough outing, and freshman Dylan Robinson and redshirt freshman Rahshawn Clark will go into competition for the position.

Robinson replaced Bryant in the second half in Pullman. Bryant started the first two games at nickelback and Clark opened in that spot against the Cougars.

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