Inside The Huskies

Here's a UW Defense for Ryan Walters to Work With

We've picked out a senior-laden crew for the new defensive coordinator.
Dan Raley|
Edge rusher Zach Durfee, when healthy, makes opposing quarterbacks nervous.
Edge rusher Zach Durfee, when healthy, makes opposing quarterbacks nervous. | Skylar Lin Visuals

As he pores over last season's game footage and considers the available personnel, Ryan Walters, the new University of Washington defensive coordinator, might find lots to like as he puts together his initial Husky stop unit.

Yet after giving up a generous 451.6 yards of total offense and nearly 40 points per game on his watch as the Purdue head coach, Walters probably won't need much to feel like he's making inroads again.

If he can get them all healthy by late August, the new Husky defensive leader could have plenty of unique pieces to work with on game day.

For instance, any FBS team would be hard-pressed to have two taller cornerbacks who are proven coverage guys than 6-foot-4, 190-pound senior Tacario Davis and 6-foot-4, 193-pound senior Ephesians Prysock.

Those two corners will be reunited as starters at the UW after they were paired together at Arizona in 2023.

For edge rushers, Walters will note that 6-foot-5, 256-pound senior Zach Durfee and 6-foot-3, 217-pound junior Russell Davis II were one-hit wonders last season with games of 2.5 and 3 sacks, respectively, before injuries shut them down.

Walters will find those two bookends have spent an inordinate amount of time together in the training room and weight room, but they've played together as Huskies only against UCLA last season.

The new defensive genius likewise will find he has the Parker twins, Jayvon and Armon, at his disposal. Purportedly bringing the same talent at defensive tackle, they enter their fourth seasons in Montlake having never played together in a Husky game.

For that matter, Armon has not appeared in a UW game yet, with or without his sibling. They're both coming off season-ending injuries in 2024. For the twins' sanity sake, Walters needs to reunite them on game day for the first time since high school.

Husky linebacker stands to be a position unfamiliar at first with Alphonzo Tuputala and Carson Bruener leaving after appearing in 53 and 52 career games, respectively, with Tuputala starting every game except one over the past three seasons.

Walters will try to find a pair of starters from among senior Jacob Manu, an Arizona transfer coming off a knee injury; junior Xe'ree Alexander, a UCF transfer returning home to the Seattle area. junior Taariq Al-Ugdah, coming over from Pullman; and maybe even touted freshman Zaydrius Rainey-Sale coming up from Spanaway.

Likewise, the safeties and nickelback positions possibly will have all new faces, with a pair of transfers in Northern Arizona junior Alex McLaughlin and Florida International senior CJ Christian brought in to shore up the back row and either senior Dyson McCutcheon or even sophomore Leroy Bryant opening in the slot.

Five weeks from spring ball, the following is a stab at a defensive starting lineup, which has seniors in 7 of the 11 roles, with the reason why for each selection:

UW DEFENSIVE STARTERS

AND WHY

ER -- Zach Durfee, 6-5, 256, Sr.

Both DeBoer and Fisch staffs said he's a special player.

DT -- Jayvon Parker, 6-3, 297, Jr.

Graded out as one of the nation's best DLs at Rutgers before tearing his Achilles.

DT -- Simote Pepa, 6-3, 340, Sr.

Huskies need immovable object up front and Utah transfer fits the bill.

ER -- Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei, 6-4, 280, Sr.

Arizona transfer has ability to switch inside and out on D-line.

LB -- Jacob Manu, 5-11, 228, Sr.

Healthy in 2023, he was first-team All-Pac-12 and led the league with 116 tackles.

LB -- Taariq Al-Ugdah, 6-0, 232, Jr.

Was 2024 playmaker: 5 fumble recoveries, 3 caused, 3 interceptions, 1 pick-6.

CB -- Tacario Davis, 6-4, 190, Sr.

Second-team All-Pac-12 and All-Big 12.

CB -- Ephesians Prysock, 6-4, 193, Jr.

29-game starter at UW and UA.

S -- Alex McLaughlin, 6-2, 190, Jr.

Unanimous first-team All-Big Sky in 2024.

S -- CJ Christian, 6-1, 196, Sr.

24-game starter, 5 interceptions at FIU.

NB -- Dyson McCutcheon, 5-11, 192, Sr.

Grandson of the great Lawrence McCutcheon.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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