Hatchett Misses Spring Ball, But Gets No Slap On The Wrist

Center Landen Hatchett met with the media following Thursday's University of Washington spring football practice, the eighth one of 15, which put everyone past the halfway mark.

To be sure, no one shook hands with him.

No one will see him snap the football either.

The 6-foot-3, 314-pound senior confirmed he will miss the entire spring while he recovers from a broken wrist suffered last season and the resulting surgery.

The younger of two Hatchetts -- who ironically or unfortunately are both out with physical issues -- Landen recounted for the first time publicly what happened to him last season, describing an injury that forced him to miss the final four games.

On the third play of the Illinois game, Hatchett broke his right wrist but didn't exactly know it at the time. He heard clicking in the hinge whenever he snapped the ball thereafter. He had wrist checked out at halftime. He played on adrenaline to finish.

After the game, which the UW won 42-25 at Husky Stadium, he finally realized the situation was a little more serious than he first envisioned.

"After the game, they were singing the fight song and I was kind of holding my helmet up and it kind of flopped on me," Hatchett said.

Still, he wasn't quite done with that Husky season. With a bye week before the next game at Wisconsin, he spent two weeks practicing with his left hand for snapping and had a club placed over his right wrist.

"It was different," he said.

Hatchett started against the Badgers on the road, in game the UW lost 13-10, but gave way to his back-up Zach Henning after realizing he wasn't as effective as he needed to be.

Landen Hatchett prepares to snap the ball against Ohio State. | Dave Sizer photo

Since spring practice began, Hatchett either has been off to the side doing exercises and running, offering pointers to his replacement, redshirt freshman Jake Flores, and he's even taken a few walk-through snaps at offensive guard where his wrist isn't needed.

His brother Geieran initially replaced him at center to begin spring practice, but early on appeared to injure his shoulder, has been wearing a sling and is presumed out for the spring.

The Hatchet brothers, Geirean and Landen, line up next to each other last season. | Dave Sizer photo

Missing spring ball is nothing new to this younger Hatchett. Two years ago, Landen found himself in a similar situation, when he was coming back from knee surgery and forced to work out around the periphery of everyone else when they were scrimmaging and engaging in contact drills.

"This spring, I'm just focused on taking the weight off it," Hatchett said. "I don't want to push it. I'm disappointed to not be out there this spring, but I'm taking advantage of the opportunities I do have."

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