Dieterich Is Questionable, Making UW Dig Deep for Center

Two and a half weeks ago, everyone associated with the University of Washington football program thought the center position was finally settled once and for all with the return of 2025 starter Landen Hatchett from a broken wrist.

Think again.

Real hard.

The snapper's role is more muddled than ever, with Hatchett out for the season with a neck injury, his continual replacement Kolt Dieterich injured and unable to finish the Nebraska game, and Geirean Hatchet now a potential starter over the ball for Saturday's game against Penn State.

Geirean Hatchett (56) started nine UW games next to his brother Landen (66) in 2025 before his sibling was injured. | Dave Sizer photo

The 6-foot-6 Dieterich, who made the transformation from tackle to center in fall camp when the younger Hatchett was in recovery and has started six games there, suffered multiple injuries against the Cornhuskers, UW coach Jedd Fisch confirmed on Monday, though he didn't spell them out.

The Huskies don't know if he'll be ready to play against the Nittany Lions or not.

"He's probably, you know, certainly in the questionable department," Fisch said of the Sam Houston State transfer. "We'll see, but it'll be a challenge. He wasn't able to finish the game and we're navigating those waters."

The older Hatchett, a seventh-year player, has started 21 games on the offensive line in his long-winding college football career, but none at center.

He's opened three games this season at right guard for the Huskies, all 13 games there in 2025 and four games in that spot for the 2023 national runnerup team. He also drew a lone guard start for Oklahoma before a season-ending biceps injury in 2024.

This 6-foot-4, 310-pound Hatchett played both center and right guard for the UW during its 17-10 victory at Nebraska in Lincoln this past Saturday night -- offering what were believed to be his first game snaps in a Husky game.

Adding to all the confusion in the middle of the line, second-year player Jake Flores, who made the conversion to center from guard during spring ball when both Hatchetts and Dieterich were injured and unavailable, missed the Nebraska game with an injury.

Jake Flores (78) was the UW's No. 1 center for the final 13 spring practices. | Dave Sizer photo

The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Flores, however, is expected to return to practice this week and back up Geirean Hatchett and Dieterich. Or just Hatchett.

"It's been an interesting year at the center position, to say the least," Fisch said. "Hopefully Kolt will be able to go."

With all the position turnover and a deafening stadium, the Huskies were called for five false start penalties, with five of them on offensive linemen, three on John Mills alone.

The good news for these guys is freshman left offensive tackle Kodi Greene, who returned to the starting lineup at Nebraska after coming off the bench for two games, graded out higher than he has all season.

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