If UW Requires Defensive Makeover, Will It Hold Up against Stanford?

Injuries could substantially change the Husky lineup for Saturday night's game.

A beaten-up University of Washington defensive unit enters Saturday night's game against Stanford in Palo Alto looking like a partially peeled orange, with several sections missing.

New Husky starters for this week could turn up at outside linebacker, inside linebacker, defensive tackle and both safety spots.

It's an unwanted mass midseason makeover usually reserved for spring practice or fall camp, predicated on injuries rather than competition.

Expected good news is edge-rushing sensation Zion Tupuola-Fetui, recovering at an accelerated rate from his Achilles tendon tear and surgery, could make his first start in 11 months since ... he opened against Stanford last year.

This would be a well-deserved promotion for the very determined Tupuola-Fetui, who could replace second-year freshman Cooper McDonald, who has kept the position warm for him through the first seven games.

Otherwise, the Huskies will follow their mantra of next man up, which, while noble in concept, generally means an unintentional drop in firepower. Injuries generally dilute a defense, and there's no telling how much falloff this team will show against Stanford.  

Losing linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio for the rest of the season, the Huskies replaced him with redshirt freshman Daniel Heimuli last weekend as the starter against Arizona. Considering he's an East Palo Alto product, Heimuli likely opens once again as he plays for the first time in front of family and friends in the old neighborhood.

If not, second-year freshman Carson Bruener, son of UW tight-end legend Mark Bruener, will get the starting call, his first as a Husky. He had seven tackles in a reserve role last weekend in Tucson. 

Bruener has shown the most development of anyone at the position this season and made the biggest move up the depth chart, and the 6-foot-2, 230-pounder has to be close to cracking the lineup, getting more involved each week.

"There was some ups and downs in the game," UW coach Jimmy Lake said of his young linebackers against Arizona. "There was really good run fits, some really good pass fits, and some where we didn't fit it very well and then, all of a sudden, there was big run play here and there. That's going to part of the growth we're going to have to deal with."

Up front, the Huskies went without sophomore defensive tackle Taki Taimani against Arizona. He could return against Stanford and pair up with fellow sophomore Tuli Letuligasenoa and redshirt freshman Faatui Tuitele, or give way to true freshman Voi Tunuufi once more. Tunuufi is the only true freshman to earn a starting role this season, opening in Tucson.

Where things really get really interesting for the Husky defense are at the starting safeties. The UW could have new starters in both spots this week in sophomores Dominique Hampton and Julius Irvin, replacing injured starters Alex Cook and Asa Turner. The latter two each got hurt in the Arizona game, Cook with a concussion and Turner with a fracture in his shoulder.

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Hampton is in line to draw his first collegiate start at strong safety against Stanford, becoming the sixth different player in this position group to receive a first-team assignment in 2021.

The only position area that remains totally healthy and seems exempt from any lineup tweaks are the coverage backs, corners Trent McDuffie and Kyler Gordon and nickel Bookie Radley-Hiles.

 The Huskies might be prepared to score a lot of points, just to keep up. 

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