Breaking Down Jacob Lane Replacements If He Can't Play

Over two seasons, the one thing the University of Washington defensive unit could count on was Jacob Lane always would turn up in the starting lineup at edge rusher.

For 19 consecutive games, it's been that way. Lane is one of just two Husky defenders, along with strong safety Alex McLaughlin, who have opened every game over that time.

Yet in the latest Big Ten availability report released this week, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound player from Puyallup, Washington, is listed as questionable for Friday night's game at Purdue, putting his personal streak in jeopardy.

On the opening defensive possession of the second half against Iowa, on the second snap, which was a 2-yard run by the Hawkeyes' Kamari Moulton, Lane didn't get up right away.

He just sat on the artificial turf for the longest time, being attended to by medical staffers, before slowly climbing to his feet and walking off on his own power.

However, Lane didn't play again in the 41-24 loss to Iowa and now is a question mark heading into West Lafayette, Indiana, where the Huskies (3-3 overall, 0-3 Big Ten) hope to end a three-game losing streak against the Boilermakers (3-3, 2-1).

He has 16 tackles this season, including 4 tackles for loss, 3 quarterback hurries and a pass break-up. He also was ejected from the Eastern Washington game for throwing a punch at the end of a play.

UW edge rusher Jacob Lane is questionable for Friday's game at Purdue. | Dave Sizer photo

If Lane can't go, the obvious question is who draws the start in place of him and opposite freshman Ramzak Fruean, who has been a six-game starter at the other edge?

The candidates would seem to be as follows: Isaiah Ward, Devin Hyde, Logan George and Russell Davis II.

While the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Ward is the only one of this group who has previously started -- 11 times at Arizona and 8 at the UW -- George and Davis were listed as the edge-rusher back-ups on the lineup card handed out for the Iowa game.

Isaiah Ward had a forced fumble and recovery in the Apple Cup. | Dave Sizer photo

Ward finished with 2 tackles against the Hawkeyes, as did George, while Hyde had a lone tackle.

Hyde, however, was shaken up late in the Iowa game and had to come off the field, though he doesn't turn up on the Big Ten availability listing right now, so he should play.

Of all of these Husky edge rushers, Lane included, they have just a pair of sacks among them over six games.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Davis collected one in the first outing of the season, and on his first snap in two injury riddled years, against Washington State.

Fruean and Ward each have a half sack.

Lane, after sharing the team lead with 4 sacks in 2025, still doesn't have one this season.

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