Incredibly Shrinking Ulumoo Ale Builds Bigger Husky Reputation
Ulumoo Ale was one of Kalen DeBoer's first big program adjustments when the football coach took over at the University of Washington.
DeBoer and his staff looked the massive offensive guard up and down and saw a defensive tackle.
A year later, the football alterations for Ale keep coming.
Where he once stepped on the scales at 370-plus pounds — making him the second-heaviest player in the Pac-12 — the 6-foot-6 Ale checks in at a much more svelte 318 pounds these days.
With returning starters in 6-foot-1, 302-pound senior Tuli Letuligasenoa and 6-foot-3, 314-pound junior Faatui Tuitele easing into spring practice following offseason medical procedures, Ale has run with the No. 1 defense for the first five workouts and looks ever so nimble and confident.
"I think I'm starting to reach a point where it's becoming second nature," said the sixth-year senior from Tacoma, Washington. "It's less thinking and I'm playing a lot faster. I'm excited."
Ale was moved to the other side of the ball by DeBoer to bolster a problem position area after opposing teams ran all over the Husky defense in 2021.
Upping the competition level, Ale will attempt to unseat one of those returning DL first-teamers while holding off the promising Parker twins, 6-foot-3, 316-pound freshman Armon and 6-foot-3, 302-pound sophomore Jayvon.
"I think we all push each other, the whole room really," Ale said. "We've got the younger guys, too, with the twins, with the Parkers coming up. We've got challenges all over the place. I think we're all learning from each other and everyone's getting in the groove. We'll see what happens. At the end of the day, we want the best guys out there."
Ale was a 10-game starter as an offensive guard in 2020 and 2021 and opened against Colorado as a third D-lineman last fall while playing in 11 games for DeBoer.
While he attempts to increase his Husky football responsibilities, Ale in the meantime would make a perfect TV weight-loss pitchman. Marie Osmond has nothing on the big guy.
He looks ever so trim for a big body, and has learned how to become disciplined in maintaining his fitness.
"I feel really good at where I'm at," he said, "and I like playing at this weight."
Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published.
Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.
Find Inside the Huskies on Facebook by searching: Inside Huskies/FanNation at SI.com or https://www.facebook.com/dan.raley.12
Follow Dan Raley of Inside the Huskies on Twitter: @DanRaley1 or @UWFanNation or @DanRaley3
Have a question, direct message me on Facebook or Twitter.
