Husky Defense Has Another Productive Day, Gets New Faces Involved
Enter Husky Stadium on Saturday and it's raining. Tuli Letuligasenoa does not care. Before dropping into a stance, the 6-foot-2, 310-pound defensive tackle extends his arms out as if to welcome the wet stuff.
Overhead, the music of Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk" pulsates through the stands, and Letuligasenoa begin to dance, seemingly inviting others to join him.
Suddenly, the injured Zion Tupuola-Fetui, his left leg heavily bandaged following surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles, rides up on a scooter to join his defensive teammates.
The junior outside linebacker from Hawaii, orange hair and all, catches a football while seated and is in surprisingly good spirits even though he likely will miss the upcoming season.
Through 11 practices, if it's not clear already, the University of Washington football team is developing a freewheeling defensive personality. With each big play, these guys rush onto the field and celebrate together. They direct big hits and an avalanche of catcalls at any offensive player who dares take them on.
"It's pretty obvious we have good energy and enjoy playing out there," junior inside linebacker Jackson Sirmon said.
During Saturday's scrimmage, the third of four using situational scenarios, the UW defense again seems to have the upper hand, though there are now a few new faces behind the memorable plays.
A few series into the two-hour workout, defensive-backs coach Will Harris prowls the sideline and implores the white-shirted players, "Do not let up on the gas!"
Jordan Lolohea, a redshirt freshman outside linebacker running with the third unit, takes the coach to heart. He picks up senior running back Sean McGrew and throws him down for a 2-yard loss.
A few plays later, Josh Calvert, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound sophomore being tried at outside linebacker presumably as one of the ZTF replacements, draws the biggest reaction of the scrimmage. He sees a screen pass coming to redshirt freshman running back Jay'Veon Sunday and he blows up the play, splattering Sunday on the turf and sending the runner limping to the sideline.
"Josh is a hard worker and a strong dude," Sirmon says. "He goes out and hits people, and you could see that today."
Makell Esteen is next. A sophomore safety looking to move up the depth chart, he separates Sunday from the football and he lays an even harder hit on the same guy while dropping him for a 2-yard loss. Esteen is not done. He intercepts a Sam Huard pass meant for Sawyer Racanelli.
Sophomore linebacker Daniel Heimuli, a back-up to Sirmon, next stops McGrew for a 2-yard loss with a collision that warrants a collective defensive roar.
"This program is built on competition," Sirmon said. "The goal is to always have someone come up behind you."
Things are so physical now, ZTF falls off his scooter and does an incredibly acrobatic summersault so as not to re-injure his surgically repaired hinge.
The offense has a few moments, with quarterback Dylan Morris throwing a scoring pass to tight Cade Otton, who breaks a few tackles to score from 25 yards out. Running backs Kamari Pleasant and Caleb Berry each chip in a short touchdown run. Richard Newton breaks off a couple of sizeable gainers.
The scrimmage comes to a close in comedic fashion with a lineman from each side selected to line up deep and, with everyone watching, simply catch a punt, just haul it in, which is not as easy as it looks.
Redshirt freshman offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten is able to complete this mission to a lot of laughs. Of course, he gets upstaged by the defense.
Sophomore defensive tackle Jacob Bandes looks like he's in big trouble while tracking his towering punt before he finally dives for it, pulls it in and loses his helmet, all in one motion.
Practice ends. The rain won't. The defense doesn't intend to stop its antics either.
The Huskies have 11 practices down, four to go, with the spring game a week away.
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