Deven Bryant Was a Tackling Machine in UW Football Debut

With the University of Washington season opener down to its final four minutes on Saturday and fans heading to the exits with the Huskies up 56-19, what came next was not unlike a movie trailer.

Linebacker Deven Bryant made his college debut against Boise State and in a very short amount of time demonstrated again why he was considered the top high school defensive player in Los Angeles a year ago coming from powerhouse St. John Bosco.

"I thought everyone played very well and we played six guys," said William Inge, the UW co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. "The funny thing is one of the guys who played the best was the true freshman."

That would be the 5-foot-11, 216-pound Bryant, a very active and physical defender who clearly is eager to play right away in his career. Yet what Husky Stadium needed when he stepped on the field for the first time was a voiceover, not a generic play-by-play call over the public-address system, going something like this: "Deven Bryant is no day at the beach, even though he hails from Southern California. If he hits you, it'll hurt and you'll never forget it. Coming to a stadium near you."

Bryant is further indication Kalen DeBoer's coaching staff is making steady recruiting inroads during its brief time in Seattle.

A year ago with games on the line, the Huskies unveiled freshman defensive tackle Jayvon Parker, whose twin brother Armon coming back from a knee injury might be even a little better, this duo hailing from Detroit. During spring ball, they showed off California running back Tybo Rogers as someone likely to contribute early. In fall camp, they put 6-foot-6 freshman quarterback Austin Mack, all of 17 years old and another precocious Californian, on display for a full week and he looked mature beyond those teen years. Back-up center Landon Hatchett, a local from Ferndale, Washington, will get his chance fairly soon, too.

Of the 20 UW freshmen from the most current class, Bryant was one of two who got to play in their first college game, a moment he shared with 6-foot-1, 170-pound wide receiver Taeshaun Lyons from Hayward, California.

Over 10 plays, Bryant piled up four tackles as he ran all over Husky Stadium trying to get in the way of the visiting Broncos before the final gun sounded. He didn't sack anybody or register a tackle for loss, but he basically kept a late drive from getting out of hand and was properly initiated to college football.

He made the tackle on his first college play, hauling down running back George Holani on a 7-yard gainer to the Boise State 32. That was just a taste.

Five plays later, Bryant tackled Holani and limited him to a 3-yard run to the UW 29. He was now getting his legs under him.

Two plays later, this Mike Singletary play-a-like with the laser eyes chased down running back Ashton Jeanty on a screen pass, bringing him down following a 7-yard gain to the Husky 22. Boise State earlier had broken the same play for 40 and 48 yards against the veteran linebackers.

Two plays after that, Bryant tackled wide receiver Eric McAlister after a 5-yard catch to the UW 15. He held up well as the visitors tried to push across a consolation touchdown with the clock winding down to no avail.

The Boise State drive ultimately stalled out at the Husky 10, UW quarterback Dylan Morris took a knee and the game ended.

Six months earlier, Bryant arrived for spring football ready to play and drew a lot of meaningful reps, working as high as the second unit. His drive and enthusiasm was notable.

"I'm just going to dive into that playbook more and know the checks and the ins and outs and learn everything," Bryant said following the spring outing. "I'm going to get in the weight room and get bigger and stronger and faster and work on my flexibility."

Whew.

Overall, the Huskies used a half-dozen linebackers against Boise State in sixth-year senior Edefuan Ulofoshio and junior Alphonzo Tuputala as the starters, junior Carson Bruener and USC senior transfer Ralen Goforth as the back-ups, and junior Drew Fowler teaming with Bryant came next.

As big-play guys on opening day, Ulofoshio registered the Huskies' only sack and Bruener intercepted a Boise pass with an overly athletic play and returned it 33 yards.

The Huskies are trying to bring Bryant along quickly. He'll be needed to handle a much more concentrated role in the 2024 season once Ulofoshio and Goforth have graduated, providing he's willing to wait that long and doesn't force the coaching staff to use him in primetime much sooner.

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