Delving Into the Husky Defensive Line Great Unknown

The University of Washington defense line is a lot like a cross between the old and new TV shows "Fantasy Island" and "Survivor."

Contestants are going to show up and either ask to have wishes granted or simply do everything they can to will themselves past the other thrill-seekers.

When the D-line competition begins during spring football in April, it will be time to cue to a catchy and customized theme song.

There's a ton of mystery surrounding this Husky position battle. Candidates will consist of two returnees who primarily have been used as subs, two transfers totally new to the FBS game and a sophomore and two redshirt freshmen who have yet to play on game day for the UW.

Talk about getting stuck on a deserted island. Being in the hunt for a pair of full-time Husky starter jobs up front is uncharted territory for all of these guys.

As Jedd Fisch and his defensive-line coach Jason Kaufusi get to know all of the characters involved in a relative hurry, the football pedigree of one player stands out above the others.

Anthony James.

He was the prize signee for Kalen DeBoer's 2023 recruiting class, though he arrived in Montlake without a clear position. The 6-foot-5, 272-pound James, a redshirt freshman from Lavon, Texas, and one-time 4-star recruit committed to Texas A&M, was pegged as either an edge rusher or a defensive tackle, when welcomed by the Huskies and he turned out to be a tweener — not big enough yet to be a down lineman and maybe too bulky to be an edge.

"It's been hard when you don't know where you fit and you're just trying to find all the pieces to put together and develop yourself," James said at the Sugar Bowl. "But we have other guys who are pushing me and helping me figure that out."

The good news for him is Kaufusi will coach the entire Husky defensive line and might be in the best position to determine what's best for James. Also, new defensive coordinator Steve Belichick says he's been making it a habit of asking the UW players he meets why they play certain positions.

With that sort of input from these coaches, James finally might get a better idea of where he belongs at the UW after working at edge rusher for an entire season and not appearing in any games. Certainly defensive tackle presents a position of greater need for someone new to step up.

Recognizing immediate replacements for departing veteran tackles Tuli Letuligasenoa, Faatui Tuitele and Ulumoo Ale, DeBoer's staff signed Montana State's 6-foot-4, 291-pound Sebastian Valdez in December before leaving, and Fisch's staff convinced Valdez to stay and then signed 6-foot-5, 295-pound Kansas JC transfer Bryce Butler after taking over.

Valdez comes to the Huskies as a 34-game starter, which includes eight FCS playoff outings, and as a first- and second-team All-Big Sky selection after collecting 16 career sacks. Butler left Garden City Community College with two-year stat totals of 59 tackles, which included 25.5 tackles for loss and 8 sacks.

Those two hand-picked players could be the Husky starters for the Aug. 31 season opener against the Big Sky's Weber State — Valdez is 2-0 against the Wildcats — or Fisch could turn to the following.

Jacob Bandes and Jayvon Parker.

These are the lone players with UW game or starting experience at defensive tackle. A 6-foot-3, 302-pound sixth-year senior, Bandes has played in 46 Husky games, started three times against Michigan, Michigan State and Arizona State, and picked up a lone sack among his 47 tackles. Parker, a 6-foot-3, 297-pound junior and half of a set of twins from Detroit, has 21 UW games under his belt, including Alamo and Sugar bowl appearances. Neither one of these players should be fazed by anything they're asked to do.

James is not alone in being a totally unknown quantity for the Fisch staff at this position. Two others in need of UW credentials are the following.

Armon Parker and Elinneus Davis.

The 6-foot-3, 307-pound Parker, the other twin and a sophomore, missed the entire 2022 season after suffering a knee injury before reporting to Montlake and then practiced and didn't play last fall. Davis, a 6-foot-2, 322-pound redshirt freshmen and the second-heaviest player on the roster, arrived at the UW wearing a boot and didn't receive any game time either.

A month from spring football, defensive-tackle remains the great unknown. Opportunities abound. James needs a firm position. Fisch needs a pair of reliable starters. Let the introductions begin.

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