Huskies Went Without 14 Players, Mostly Defensive, For Mock Game

Jedd Fisch was hopeful some would return in time for the season opener in two weeks.

Jedd Fisch addressed some of his injured players following the UW mock game. | Dan Raley

Less than two weeks before the University of Washington football opener, the Huskies had 14 players -- nine on the defensive side -- who were injured, not in pads and held out of Saturday night's mock game.

The most prominent of the missing were junior defensive tackle Jayvon Parker, who's appeared in 21 Huskies games; Arizona transfer linebacker Jacob Manu, a 2023 All-Pac-12 selection and the league's leading tackler; and junior edge rusher Isaiah Ward, a 17-game starter at the UW and Arizona.

The 6-foot-3, 320-pound Parker, recovering from an Achilles tendon tear suffered against Rutgers 11 months ago, likely won't return until the second game against UC Davis or the third one against Washington State, yet he still hasn't been ruled out of the Aug. 30 opener against Colorado State, according to coach Jedd Fisch.

Manu, a 5-foot-11, 225-pound senior, is working to get back from a knee injury that took place 10 months ago against Colorado in Tucson. He likely won't be ready when the season begins, though Fisch mentioned only that he hasn't been medically cleared.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Ward, who started six of 13 UW games last season and 11 of 13 for Arizona the year before, has been dealing with a sprained ankle but his coach expects his return by the end of the coming week.

Senior edge rusher Deshawn Lynch, who started four games for the UW last season, has missed most of fall camp with an undisclosed injury. No timeline was given for him.

Logan Sagapolu, a senior defensive tackle who appeared in 13 games in 2024 and started once, likewise missed the mock game with some sort of ailment but it wasn't a serious issue and he's expected back soon, Fisch said.

Junior edge rusher Russell Davis II, who's played in 26 Arizona and UW games, remains out for the season following an offseason knee injury.

UW edge rushers Deshawn Lynch, Russell Davis II and Isaiah Ward are all injured. | Dan Raley

Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, a freshman linebacker and the headliner of the UW 2025 recruiting class, is still recovering seven months following knee surgery and, same as Manu, hasn't been medically cleared for contact.

Freshman cornerback D'Aryhian Clemons has been out for more than a week, with his condition and return time unknown.

Redshirt freshman Rahim Wright, who's had an arm in a sling, is dealing with a season-ending injury and won't be back until next year.

Zaydrius Rainey-Sale leaves the field with fellow linebacker Deven Bryant. | Dan Raley

Offensively, the Huskies were missing freshmen wide receivers Marcus Harris and Chris Lawson, both dealing with injuries that have kept them sidelined on and off during fall camp.

Redshirt freshman tight end Charlie Crowell, who injured a knee 12 months ago, has missed all of fall camp and still doesn't appear to be close to returning.

A pair of walk-on receivers in Luke Luchini and Kayden Greene, a sophomore and redshirt freshman, likewise are sidelined. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Greene appeared to be seriously injured in the Husky scrimmage the weekend before and was using a cart to get around on Saturday.

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