Faasolo Thins Down, Rebuilds Career After Trying Debut

UW Roster Review: The offensive tackle pushes playing scars aside and presses on.

Soane Faasolo hits John Mills during a blocking drill. | Dave Sizer photo

It was an unfair situation.

Following the 2024 coaching change, the University of Washington football team needed to replace an entire offensive line and young, soft-around-the-edges players or someone else's hand-me-downs were the only ready candidates.

Among them, Soane Faasolo.

Just a redshirt freshman without any game experience, the Huskies sent him onto the field as the starter at left tackle, as a replacement for eventual NFL No. 1 draft pick Troy Fautanu, and wished him luck.

Faasolo lasted four games as the first-teamer, followed by Max McCree, who drew five starts, and Kahlee Tafai, who likewise opened four games.

Left tackle turned into a weekly job fair, an unemployment line leading to a suicide mission each weekend.

Two years later, the well-scarred McCree and Tafai have left town and bounced around, ending up at Washington State and California, respectively.

To his credit, Faasolo, whose first name is pronounced Swan-EE, has stayed the course in Montlake, doing whatever he can to remake his body and earn another shot at Husky playing time.

Soane Faasolo checks to see who's coming before the snap. | Dave Sizer photo

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the UW roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did in spring practice and what to expect from them going into fall camp.

For his fourth year in the program, Faasolo from East Palo Alto, California, unveiled his newly sculpted 6-foot-8, 320-pound physique, which was some 10-15 pounds lighter than when he first arrived.

For the first time, he looked chiseled, streamlined, like he was worthy of major responsibility on game day.

"Soane has dropped a lot of weight from his first year here," UW offensive-line coach Michael Switzer confirmed. "He's just under 320, which is a great accomplishment for him. He's worked incredibly hard this winter, this offseason. He's taking it very seriously and very excited about his opportunity to compete."

Soane Faasolo heads for the huddle in the Spring Game. | Dave Sizer photo

Of course, nothing comes easy when the competition levels are running high at the UW.

To get back on the field at left tackle, Faasolo would have to move past highly regarded freshman Kodi Greene, who settled right in as the spring starter and isn't going anywhere if he can stay healthy.

A newer, lighter and more determined Faasolo is ready when needed.

What he's done: Now a veteran, Faasolo has 26 Husky game appearances on his ledger, including those four long-ago starts. In 2025, he played mostly on special teams, on place-kicking downs. He provides the UW with depth.

Starter or not: A better bet for Faasolo as a starter might be right tackle, which senior Drew Azzopardi will vacate following the upcoming season. Either way, he's a veteran now, more physically developed, in need of being rewarded at last with rotational snaps.