Durfee Braces For Possible Final Husky Stretch Run Coming Up Quick

Zach Durfee sat down for a media inquisition this week and the University of Washington edge rusher crossed his arms -- which was a very good thing.

This past Saturday against Michigan, the senior edge rusher from Dawson, Minnesota, wore a thick, protective black brace on his left elbow during the 24-7 loss, this coming a year after he was forced to play at times with a similar device covering his right elbow.

While always imposing in coming off the corner with his 6-foot-5, 258-pound football physique, Durfee outfitted in all of those contraptions often resembles the lead character in the "Robocop" film series that swept Hollywood well before he was born.

After what's happened to him for three seasons in Montlake now, Durfee would probably like to arrest someone.

"It's been frustrating with a lot of injuries and having to sit out a year, like when I got here," he said on Tuesday. "The road I took to get here was sort of a long one."

Zach Durfee chases after Colorado State running back Jalen Dupree. | Dave Sizer photo

In his latest mishap, he came off the field in the Ohio State game after injuring an elbow and heading straight to a trainer. He had got through three and a half games before football extracted another toll from him.

His 2024 season was interrupted by double turf toe injuries that limited him to playing in parts of six games and three starts.

That previous April, he came off the field with an injured right elbow that cost him half of spring practice and forced him to wear a brace for the first time.

And, of course, the NCAA made him miss the entire 2023 regular season after ruling that he was a double transfer after playing for Sioux Falls and attending classes at North Dakota State.

All of this has greatly interrupted what could have been a much more involved and decorated Husky football career.

While he might be able to obtain another season of eligibility, there's also a chance he could be coming down the home stretch of his time in Montlake.

"I've always been like trying to be a hard-working guy," he said. "My sense of urgency has definitely picked up. My time is ... we have five games left, six games of the season with the bye week. The urgency has definitely picked up."

Zach Durfee and Carson Bruener have a 2024 Apple Cup moment. | Skylar Lin Visuals

In 11 career games so far, he's piled up 28 tackles, including 3.5 sacks -- all but one coming against Eastern Michigan in 2024 -- and a couple of pass deflections. For a while this season, he ranked among the national leaders in quarterback pressures.

Durfee drew 30-plus snaps against Michigan and came up with 4 tackles after his two and a half game layoff.

"I thought he played physical," UW defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said. "On Tuesday, you could tell he was a little bit apprehensive, but once we got the pads on for Wednesday's practice, he was physical. I thought he was physical on game-day, as well. We are better when he's in there."

If Durfee can ever get enough game time on video, or play next season, he's probably an NFL draftee some day. However, football can be totally unforgiving in a random manner, sending people to the training room repeatedly for reasons unknown.

People might call him injury prone, but anybody who's played the game knows how physical football mishaps are a lot like flying into turbulence on an airplane -- you never see it coming and just have to ride it out.

"It's definitely difficult," Durfee said of being injured. "It's not something that's fun. A lot of rehab. It's just a lot more hours that go into the day. You control what you're able to control. It's part of the game. That just comes with it. I'm just happy that I'm able to play."

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