Hatchett Was Close to Returning, Will Try Again for USC

With the University of Washington football team badly in need of an offensive-line upgrade, Landen Hatchett once again will seek medical clearance for a broken wrist to see if he can make his season debut against USC this coming weekend.

On Saturday night, last year's starting center, who's in a tedious recovery from a broken wrist suffered last season, dressed for warm-ups before the UW-Minnesota game and went through various drills with his fellow linemen before changing into sweats and sitting out another game.

Once again, the 6-foot-3, 315-pound Hatchett will try to convince the medical team he's ready to reclaim his No. 1 spot on the line and help establish a near non-existent rushing attack that was really evident in the Huskies' 27-24 loss to the Gophers.

"He got closer," UW coach Jedd Fisch said. "He took a lot of reps in different aspects of practice, not in the competitive period just yet. We're waiting on clearance there to be able to make a move there. He got closer this week."

The Huskies (3-1 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) likewise were without starting defensive backs Manny Karnley and Rahshawn Clark in the secondary against Minnesota, though Clark handled some kick return duties.

A Virginia transfer, Karnley started the first two UW games at cornerback before he was sidelined with a soft-tissue leg injury.

Clark has appeared in all four games, starting two of them, with his injury not spelled out, though he had offseason shoulder surgery.

Noting their absences, Minnesota went right after the Huskies' secondary replacements in third-year corner Elias Johnson and freshman nickelback Jeron Jones.

Karnley and Clark are expected to return to full-time duty against USC on Saturday in Los Angeles.

"Both should be ready to play defense and special teams," Fisch said of the veteran players.

Hatchett represents an important addition to the UW as a team leader as well as the snapper. He was the only Husky voted in as a captain this year and last.

He's also a 15-game starter for the UW going back to the 2024 season, when he opened games at left guard, center and right guard.

By sitting out the first four games, Hatchett has missed out on the opportunity to play alongside brother Geirean, the starting right guard, in his sibling's seventh and final season as a college football player.

If there's an upside to his absence, the younger Hatchett is more likely to return for a fifth season in 2027 after missing a third of this regular season.

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