Grading the Unbeaten Huskies at Midseason, Position by Position

Seven games in, it's midseason for the University of Washington football schedule — that is, if you optimistically figure the unbeaten Huskies will play at least 14 games.

It's been a busy couple of weeks for Kalen DeBoer's players. Against Oregon, they became bowl eligible with their sixth victory, although that was something barely singled out or celebrated because of the greater goals. Against Arizona State, tailback Tybo Rogers burned his redshirt season with a fifth appearance, one over the limit to preserve eligibility, the first true freshman to do so.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. continues to lead the nation in passing yards with 368 per outing, 22-plus more than Colorado's Sheduer Sanders, and now is tops in overall passing yards with 2,576, three more than Jayden Daniels of LSU and formerly Arizona State.

While the Huskies have found a way to win every game, including 15-7 over the Sun Devils on a rainy Saturday night, they continue to lose personnel almost weekly, with reserve safety Kamen Fabiculanan the latest to be helped off the field with what could be a lengthy injury.

With road trips to Stanford and USC coming up next, we take this brief break in the action to chart the progress of every UW starting position and pass out midseason grades. Yes, we are a fairly tough grader.

HUSKY OFFENSE

QB — It figures that once Michael Penix Jr. directed a lot of Heisman Trophy attention his way, he would have his least productive showing of the season, throwing a pair of interceptions and failing to lead a touchdown drive against Arizona State. Just a mere blip. The senior otherwise has been sensational and remains on track to claim every individual honor within reach as long as the team keeps winning. Grade: A+

RB — One week after the Huskies produced their first 100-yard rusher of the season, with junior Dillon Johnson hitting that number exactly against Oregon, the Mississippi State transfer barely squeezed out 6 yards on 8 carries against the Sun Devils. He needs better blocking. Grade: C+

WR — Rome Odunze drew a lot of coverage and had a somewhat quiet outing against ASU with 5 catches for 62 yards and no points, but the junior is still enjoying an All-America campaign with a team-best 45 catches for 818 yards and 6 TDs. Grade: A

WR — No one in the lineup has upped his game more this season than Ja'Lynn Polk. In seven outings, the sophomore has caught 41 passes for 688 yards and 5 touchdowns, which matches his entire 13-game reception total of 2022 and is just six yards and a TD catch less. Grade: A

WR — This was junior Jalen McMillan's domain until he hurt a knee at Michigan State and re-injured it against Oregon. He's missed three games and most of two others. He has 20 catches for 311 yards and 3 TDs. Sophomore Germie Bernard, likewise injured, and senior Giles Jackson have started in his place. The Huskies miss their playmaker and position stability here. Grade: C+

TE — Senior Jack Westover remains solid among a cast of characters at this position, starting four times while Devin Culp has pulled two opening assignments and Quentin Moore has one start. Westover totals 17 catches for 161 yards and 4 scores. Grade: B

LT — Seven-game starter Troy Fautanu is the UW's best bet for all-conference honors up front, but the junior and his peers took a big hit in reputation following the Huskies' meager 13-yard rushing output against Arizona State. Grade: B

LG — Nate Kalepo has opened six games on the left side and another on the right in his first year as a full-time starter, so the junior has made personal strides, yet he likewise carries that 13-yard rushing stain around. Grade: B-

C — The Huskies thought they were all set at center when senior Matteo Mele started the first two games, but he got hurt and was replaced by redshirt freshman Parker Brailsford, who's started the past five outings. However, freshman Landen Hatchett drew significant center snaps against Arizona State after Brailsford suddenly was moved back to guard mid-game. Consider this position highly unsettled. Grade: C

RG — Even more of an unknown is what the coaching staff plans to do with right guard moving forward. Brailsford started the first two games, Kalepo has one start and Geirean Hatchett has opened the past four at this particular position. Yet Brailsford replaced Hatchett against Arizona State and it's unclear what comes next and who does what. Grade: C

RT — Roger Rosengarten is responsible for Penix's blind-side protection and he's been more than up to the task. He's an honors candidate waiting to happen, yet the Huskies' low rushing totals might hurt the sophomore in personal accolades. Grade: B

PK — Sophomore Grady Gross has been reliable all season by converting 7 of 8 field-goal attempts and all 33 extra-point kicks, with three field goals coming against Arizona State, including a career-best 47-yarder. Grade: A

HUSKY DEFENSE

ER — Junior Bralen Trice has picked up a solitary sack through seven games. In contrast, former UW teammate Laiatu Latu, likely facing the same double teams each week as Trice, has logged 6.5 sacks for UCLA. The lack of pressure made the Sun Devils' Trenton Bourguet look like a much better quarterback against the Huskies than he is. Grade: B-

DL — Senior Tuli Letuligaseno sat out Saturday's game with an undisclosed injury and his absence was duly noted as the Sun Devils outrushed the Huskies 145-13. Faatui Tuitele took Letuligasenoa's turn against ASU and Jacob Bandes stepped in for the well-worn Tuli as the starter at Michigan State. Grade: B

DL — The coaches said senior Ulumoo Ale had one of his best games against Oregon, drawing game-long double-teams. The seven-game starter appeared to have one of his least effective outings against ASU, getting moved off the ball and credited with no stats. Grade: B-

ER — Zion Tupuola-Fetui similarly has been neutralized when coming off the corner, with just a pair of sacks to his credit for the season. The sixth-year senior has begun to share more time with senior Sekai Asoau-Aloa. Grade: C+

LB — Never out of position, senior Edefuan Ulofoshio ranks second among Husky tacklers with 45, five fewer than safety Dominique Hampton. He has a pair of sacks and a pick-6 against California from 45 yards out. However, he can't do it all and could use more playmakers around him to highlight his talents. Grade: B+

LB — Typical of junior Alphonzo Tupulala's season was when he grabbed ASU receiver Elijah Badger and forcefully threw him toward the ground only to have the guy keep his balance and continue on for an 11-yard gain. Like many on the defensive side, Tuputala needs to wrap up and drop him. This team is guilty of way too many missed tackles. Grade: B-

CB — Where would the Huskies be without Jabbar Muhammad this season? In big trouble. The Oklahoma State transfer has lived up to his advance billing as an elite coverage guy every time someone has thrown at him. The junior has 21 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 pass break-ups, an interception return for 42 yards and a sack. Grade: A

CB — Opponents make it a regular habit to pick on sophomore Elijah Jackson, who appears vulnerable at times but seems to be hanging in there as a seven-game starter. He has 31 tackles and 4 pass break-ups, and came up with a field-goal block against ASU. Grade: C+

SS — Sixth-year senior Dom Hampton has appeared in 49 Husky games, more than anyone, and started 21. His experience shows as he leads the UW in tackles with 50 and has an interception. Grade: B

FS — At another position in flux, Asa Turner returned as the free-safety starter against ASU after missing four games with an injury. In his absence, junior Kamren Fabiculanan started three times and sophomore Vince Nunley opened once. Fabiculanan, however, could be out for a while after leaving the ASU game with what appeared to be a knee injury. Grade: C+

NB — Often unsung but a steady player, junior Mishael Powell won the ASU game with an 89-yard interception return for a score when everything looked bleak. Rome Odunze's game-winning, 18-yard TD reception against Oregon and Powell's pick-6 easily rate as the Huskies' plays of the year. Powell and Fabiculanan share the UW lead in pass thefts with a pair each. Grade: A

P — Sophomore Jack McCallister doesn't get a lot of action these day because of the Huskies' usually prolific offense and tendency to gamble on fourth down mindset, but he's averaging 41.4 yards per kick on 17 boots. Grade: B