Eddie and the Bruisers: A Look at the Huskies' Young, Fearless Linebacking Corps
The University of Washington defense lost few major contributors from 2019, though Joe Tryon's recent departure at outside linebacker will be felt. Yet several positions not only bring back talent but experience as well.
Inside linebacker is where the most work must be done.
The position area lost both starters from the beginning of last season. Departed seniors Brandon Wellington and Kyler Manu were inconsistent at best as first-time regulars, with Manu finishing up as a reserve.
New faces were inserted late and did well, and that lends to plenty of optimism moving forward.
“Despite their relative youth, I think the linebacking corps is in much better shape going into the fall than some may think,” said Mike Martin, Husky Maven college football analyst. “Edefuan Ulofoshio came on late in the season and did a pretty good Ben Burr-Kirven imitation, and Jackson Sirmon looked the part of a coach’s son and had a nose for the ball.”
While other position groups are anchored by upperclassmen, the linebacker room still has no juniors or seniors. Conventional wisdom would say that Sirmon and Ulofoshio are the probable starters when play resumes, but look for plenty of players to cycle through as the season goes along.
Edefuan Ulofoshio, sophomore
Known as ‘Eddie," Ulofoshio forced two fumbles on special teams in 2018 and burst onto the scene late in 2019. The former walk-on brings natural instincts and is consistently around the football.
Ulofoshio is plays well in coverage and became more comfortable dropping back into zones and forcing quarterbacks to overthrow receivers. As the Alaska native’s confidence grew and the coaches used him over Manu, Ulofoshio’s productivity spiked.
In the final three regular-season games he collected 32 of his 47 tackles and earned Pac-12 Player of the Week honors against Oregon State.
Of the returning linebackers, Ulofoshio appears to be the most well-rounded and the swiftest.
Jackson Sirmon, sophomore
Older football fans surely noticed Sirmon, who broke out a neckroll that harkened to the days of massive hits, 8-track tape players, and VCRs. Much like Ulofoshio, the linebacker from Tennessee improved as he earned extra reps late in the season. Thirteen of his 29 tackles came in the final three games of the season.
The son of Peter Sirmon, California’s defensive coordinator, this Sirmon often is in the right place to make plays and is effective as a straight-line tackler. He improved his angles as he got more used to the speed of the college game.
Sirmon excelled in stopping the run in 2019 and could expand his game as a multi-faceted defender with more lateral quickness. He plays similar to former husky Tevis Bartlett, but with a bigger upside.
MJ Tafisi, sophomore
In his redshirt freshman campaign, Tafisi appeared in the first seven games before a scary neck injury sidelined him for the rest of the 2019 season.
In the time before the injury, Tafisi showed off his ability up the middle as a sure tackling linebacker who excelled in taking quality angles and shooting between blockers.
He flashed his playmaking potential with four defensive stops in 2019, two coming in the win against USC.
Daniel Heimuli, RS freshman
One of the jewels of the 2019 class, Daniel Himuli was a candidate to play right away. He wasn’t fully healthy at the start of the season so he kept his redshirt, but he learned the speed of the game. Heimuli is a smart linebacker who diagnoses plays quickly and reacts. He disrupts the passing game with his quickness and his relentless motor.
Nicknamed "Danny Hammer," Heimuli is another hard hitter who doesn't give up on plays, often punching for the ball out to force fumbles.
Josh Calvert, RS freshman
The Huskies envisioned the next generation of linebacker tandems when Calvert and Heimuli committed in the same class. Calvert, however, suffered an ACL tear in camp that ended his 2019 campaign. He's a patient linebacker who waits for plays to develop and then explodes. He's explosive and reaches top speed quickly. Calvert will turn heads whenever camp begins and push to get immediate playing time.
Carson Bruener, freshman
This incoming freshman should be ready for D-1 football based on good genes. The son of a one-time UW standout tight end, Bruener quickly diagnoses plays and reacts. He understands angles and is a sure tackler. Coming in as a freshman with a loaded room. Bruener likely either will redshirt or bea reliable special-teams player.
Cooper McDonald, freshman
The hard-hitting Texan is an aggressive tackler against the run. He moves well to the point of attack and explodes on the ball carrier. Much like Bruener, McDonald will have a hard time finding a spot in the rotation early. Look for him to be developed into an effective player later in his career.
Verdict: Inside linebacker looks in good hands. There is no upperclassmen leadership, but these younger players should feel comfortable in setting the pace. To begin the coming season, Tafisi, Heimuli and Calvert most will likely be in the rotation, but look for Ulofoshio and Sirmon to start the season as the two starting inside backers.
