Huskies Prepare Newcomer Dieterich For Greater Responsibility

The Sam Houston State transfer will take center snaps during fall camp.

Offensive lineman Kolt Dieterich (55) was limited in his spring practice involvement by injury. He's healthy now. | Dave Sizer photo

Last week at Big Ten Media Days, Jedd Fisch famously told how he doesn't bring in mercenaries from the transfer portal to restock his roster, that his University of Washington football team will be built, not bought, that his aim someday is have zero players come to the Huskies in this manner.

Well, in the case of Kolt Dieterich, the coach and his staff are willing to make a little exception.

With fall camp under way, the 6-foot-6, 300-pound fourth-year offensive lineman from Sam Houston State is set to show what he can do after an upper-body injury kept him out of all contact drills during the spring.

"Kolt is a really good football player," UW offensive-line coach Michael Switzer said.

This was made clear by both Fisch and Switzer who explained how Dieterich will learn how to play center after arriving with a tackle and a guard pedigree.

An 18-game starter at his previous Conference USA stop, the Riesel, Texas, native is being groomed to play a prominent role just about anywhere this season should one of the projected Husky first-teamers have an issue of any kind.

On top of that, Dieterich, with his growing credentials, seemingly would be a candidate to start in 2027 for any one of the three seniors who were first-teamers last season and will leave after this one, though center Landen Hatchett could pick up a fifth year an following eligibility rule change.

Dieterich will add center to his resume because the Huskies went down two snappers once spring ball began when both Hatchett brothers were injured.

Kolt Dieterich was limited throughout UW spring ball because of an injury. | Dave Sizer photo

He was an offensive tackle for Sam Houston State and took snaps in non-contact drills during spring football at offensive guard for the Huskies.

Now he'll join the Hatchetts and second-year player Jake Flores as ready-made centers to keep the position well stocked.

"You're going to see Kolt Dieterich get some snaps for us in terms of his ability," Switzer said of the center trial.

Kolt Dieterich (79) started 18 games at Sam Houston. | Dieterich

Meantime, the Huskies primarily see this big kid from a small town of 1,000-plus people east of Waco as an offensive tackle, maybe the heir apparent to Drew Azzopardi in 2027.

They took him after looking at his game tape, making him one of those transfer portal exceptions of significant prominence for the program in Montlake.

"How do you make sure our best offensive linemen are able to go in at any situation?" Switzer said. "We want to have a plan moving forward."