Carver Willis Offers His Take On Next Husky Offense

Carver Willis has a unique way of looking at things.

He does this with vivid images. With wit. Without any hesitation.

Asked about the potential of the University of Washington football offense going forward after he had gone through Husky Pro Day activities with NFL scouts everywhere, Willis crunched some numbers to make his point.

"You've got four starters returning with your No. 6 offensive guy on the O line," he said, making a reference to redshirt freshman offensive guard Champ Taulealea as the add-on player. "What more can you ask for?"

The Huskies' starting left tackle for most of last season, he next acknowledged his own health to support his point. bravely venturing down a path without a care where others might have felt he was tempting fate.

"Now if I had torn like my ACL against Ohio State, you would have five-for-five returning," a smiling Willis said of a midseason injury that cost him three games, but not the season. "Thankfully it was only my MCL."

Ouch.

Willis wasn't done sizing up a Husky offense that will continue on without him this coming season.

"You've got a quarterback returning who's ridiculous." he said, referring to junior signal-caller Demond Williams Jr., the 13-game starter. "You've got a deep receiver corps. You've got everything you want to go into games."

Willis said all of this in Dempsey Indoor after spending several minutes with those aforementioned four returning Husky offensive linemen who started alongside him.

Carver Willis (50) has shown he can get downfield in a hurry. | Dave Sizer photo

Surrounding him was sophomore left guard John Mills, an 11-game starter in his first season and already beginning to move into All-American conversations.

Coming off wrist surgery and still wearing a protective sleeve, senior center Landen Hatchett is a 15-game starter over the past two seasons.

Joining this gathering was Geirean Hatchett, Landen's brother who is a seventh-year grad and the right offensive guard. He was the only UW offensive lineman who started all 13 games in 2025, and has opened 18 games in his career, counting one at Oklahoma in 2024.

Carver Willis gets in a stance against Ohio State before suffering a second-quarter injury. | Dave Sizer photo

Then there was senior right offensive tackle Drew Azzopardi, who is a 30-game starter, counting six games at San Diego State.

"Put a blindfold on and point and pick your favorite player and they're going to have a great year," Willis said.

The Huskies will just about everyone except for Carver Willis, who will be sending postcards from the NFL and doing everything to keep that ACL intact.