Husky Offensive Line Shows Its Physical Side -- Maybe Too Much

The University of Washington offensive linemen are not only bigger and better this season, they're apparently a lot feistier, too.

Such was the case during Thursday's seventh fall practice in Dempsey Indoor when freshman edge rusher Devin Hyde was left flat on his back on the artificial surface, unable to get up for several minutes, courtesy of those guys who lined up opposite him.

While trainers ran out to attend to the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Hyde, linemen on both sides began jostling each other and chirping loudly until a clearly agitated Jedd Fisch intervened and used a few choice words to separate everyone.

Hyde would finally climb to his feet and walk off on his own power with a couple of trainers on each side.

He immediately left the Huskies' indoor facility, possibly under concussion protocol to get further checked out, before returning right before the practice ended but not taking part again.

"There was a guy on the ground and we understood the situation, so let's move on to the next play," UW offensive-line coach Michael Switzer said. "We've got to know the right timing of certain situations, for sure."

Asked if the offensive linemen were feeling a little nasty on this day, senior starting left tackle Carver Willis -- who tried to play peacemaker the day before when freshman safety Rylon Dillard-Allen tangled with junior wide receiver Kevin Green Jr. -- chose his words carefully.

While the aggression up front was a good thing, he said, leaving a teammate in what amounted to be road kill was maybe over the top.

"Everything is competitiveness and I think it's good, but it's good to a point," said Willis, a Kansas State transfer. "There's a point where it's counterproductive. Does this team have a lot of competitiveness? Oh yeah."

Last season, a patched-together offensive line was the weakness of Jedd Fisch's first team in Montlake, unable to match up with the more physical teams on the schedule.

Three different players each started at left tackle, left guard and right guard in 2024. The Huskies managed to keep it together against teams such as Michigan, USC and UCLA, yet they couldn't stand in there and get much done against opponents like Indiana, Iowa and Oregon, in particular giving up 10 sacks against the Ducks.

Enter Willis at left tackle from the transfer portal, returning junior starter Drew Azzopardi at right tackle, the Hatchett brothers, Landen and Geirean, a junior and senior, at center and right guard, and redshirt freshman Paki Finau at left guard.

Freshman offensive guard John Mills appears to have cut off some of his long hair. | Dan Raley

While Fisch no doubt was angry after seeing one of his players laid out on the field, he likely would acknowledge it's much better to to have to tone down his overaggressive guys in the trenches rather than try to light a fire under them, which was the case last fall.

Willis would agree with that assessment as the Husky line comes together this month as a noticeable upgrade.

"I'm never one who's going to dampen down someone being passionate and competitive," he said. "I love it."

For something like the third practice in a row, Dillard-Allen, nicknamed "Batman" and pushing the limits every chance he gets, ended up in yet another dust-up. He pushed Penn State senior transfer Omari Evans hard to the ground after the receiver caught the ball over the middle and this ignited some ill feelings.

In one instance during this episode, senior cornerback Tacario Davis and Azzopardi had a few words. Dillard-Allen, a freshman making a serious bid for a starting job, was summoned to the sideline to help cool things off.

Rylon Dillard-Allen takes instruction from safeties coach Taylor Mays. | Dan Raley

Otherwise, practice contact for everyone was notably elevated from the previous days, though players still aren't supposed to levy full-on hits.

Northern Arizona safety transfer Alex McLaughlin, having a productive camp, blitzed and slammed into freshman running back Quaid Carr for a 5-yard loss before letting go of him.

Shades of former Husky Jack Westover, tight end Kade Eldridge lined up in the backfield in a fullback role, took a handoff and impressively zipped through the line for a near 10-yard gain.

The longest scoring play of the day came when freshman quarterback Kini McMillan threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Audric Harris, with the ball settling into the receiver's hands just over ther reach of redshirt freshman safety Paul Meincke Jr., who clapped his hands in frustration after getting beat.

Redshirt freshman receiver Justice Williams had the catch of the day, pulling in a Kai Horton pass with one hand and bouncing off multiple defenders for a 25-yard gainer.

And it just wouldn't be a Husky practice these days without freshman receiver Dezmen Roebuck making a near impossible catch.

Near the end of the workout, Roebuck went to the back of the end zone and, in the tightest of windows, caught a ball thrown by Horton with freshman cornerback Ramonz Adams Jr. all over him but unable to prevent the 20-yard score.

Roebuck, getting more and more comfortable with the Huskies, broke into a little dance, twirling his fingers, to celebrate his big play.

Practice resumes on Saturday at noon.

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