Choosing a UW Starting Lineup: Left Guard Could be Start of Something Fun

He might have the best Husky football name since Sonny Sixkiller.

He certainly has one of the more interesting personal itineraries.

He comes to the University of Washington from Fife, Washington, by way of Australia and Samoa.

He possesses a boxing and a rugby background, not to mention that he plays a little tackle football.

At his American high school, he competed in the Mountain Division.

No kidding.

Ulumoo Ale, the man formerly known as M.J. Ale, before choosing this offseason to answer to his formal Samoan name, represents the biggest body now holding down a UW roster spot. The extra-large offensive guard ducks and squeezes through the doorway at 6-foot-6 and 352 pounds.

He's part of the Huskies' recent splurge in massive girth meant to build an impenetrable human fortress around their pro-style offense.

Of all the players supplying the UW with excessive inches and pounds — among them Henry Bainivalu, Nate Kalepo, Matteo Mele and Julius Buelow — Ale supplies the greatest curiosity.

After taking the requisite redshirt season to taper his frame, he played in every game last season in a reserve role in 2019. He appears ready to handle a lot more responsibility.

The Huskies fan base might be most eager to see Ale play regularly just so it can serenade him with "Oooooo-loo-mooooo!"

From the above photo accompanying this story — he's shown at the far right wearing No. 68 with his arm raised triumphantly — Ale appears to have an infectious and enthusiastic personality.

With the UW football team in a pandemic pause, Husky Maven is selecting a starting lineup for the restart, whenever that might be.

Here's the breakdown at left guard and how Ale fits into the competition:

Leading LG candidates: Ulumoo Ale, 6-6, 352, sophomore; Luke Wattenberg, 6-5, 297, senior; Matteo Mele, 6-5, 305, sophomore; Myles Murao, 6-2, 304, freshman; Cole Norgaard, 6-5, 285, junior.

LG starting experience: Luke Wattenberg, 27 games as the LG first-teamer after 5 games at LT starter.

Our selection: Ale. He's the biggest Husky on the roster. A husky Husky. He was the backup left guard and played in all 13 games in 2019 as a redshirt freshman. He's seasoned now. With his super-sized body, he easily could slide into a tackle slot. Yet the UW seems determined to keep him at left guard if only to scare the wits out of opposing teams once they pick up this runaway train pulling out of his stance and come lumbering around the corner. He's the second sophomore on our UW line, joining Victor Curne. With his rhythmic name and an infectious personality (again see Ale in photo, at right), he could become a certifiable fan favorite.

Other options: Wattenberg, the starter for every game over the past two seasons, could return to left guard from center should the Huskies somehow struggle to move the ball with its initial lineup and someone such as Mele or Murao show himself ready to hike the ball as the first-teamer. Wattenberg, however, was moved to center for a reason — senior leadership.

Greatest Husky LG: Benji Olson. He remains the Huskies' only two-time, first-team AP All-American among its linemen. He started 35 games, all but three coming at left guard, the others on the right side. He didn't even play as a senior, forgoing his final UW season to enter the NFL draft. Closing out his college career, Olson made it near impossible for defenders to get to his quarterback, giving up the fewest amount of sacks in the conference in 1997. He spent 10 seasons in the NFL with Tennessee.

Other legendary UW LGs: Mike Zandofsky, 41-game starter, 21 at left guard in 1985-88; Rick Mallory, 23-game starter at left guard after opening three times as a Huskies TE; Phil Foreman, 1978 Rose Bowl starter and 39-game regular; Rick Redman, consensus first-team AP All-American left guard in 1963 and 1964; Chuck Allen, the starter on the 1960 and 1961 Rose Bowl teams; Milt Boharth, a second-team AP All-American pick in 1953; and Ray Frankowski, a consensus All-American in 1941.

The UW Starting Lineup:

Left tackle — Victor Curne

Left guard — Ulumoo Ale

Center — Luke Wattenberg

Right guard —

Right tackle — Henry Bainivalu

Tight end —

Wide receiver —

Running back —

Quarterback —

Kicker —

Punter —

Outside linebacker —

Defensive tackle —

Outside linebacker —

Inside linebacker —

Cornerback —

Nickel back —

Strong safety —

Free safety —

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