Letuligasenoa is Back and Huskies Feel Certain Comfort Level
Tuli Letuligasenoa is like an old pick-up truck. Sometimes his engine doesn't turn over and he sits parked off to the side, but eventually he sputters to life and goes chugging down the road.
While wide receiver Jalen McMillan's lengthy absence has been felt on offense, taking the University of Washington's high-powered attack down just a notch, Letuligasenoa's recent two-game injury exile had the Huskies scrambling to find someone to effectively plug up the middle on defense.
Letuligasenoa, not really a stat guy at all, is one of those UW players who doesn't show off his full football impact until the defensive tackle is not out there and the difference is so obvious.
All of a sudden, opposing teams snap off big runs and move the ball to the end zone faster than they would have trying to negotiate their way around this grizzled veteran of many trench wars.
"It's super hard, especially when you see the team could definitely use me," the well-liked Letuligasenoa said, slapping hands with a passing teammate while doing an interview. "I don't like being on the sideline, especially because this is my last year. I'm trying to play every game I can."
The 6-foot-1, 292-pound sixth-year senior from Concord, California, had someone roll up on his legs from behind on a play at Arizona, causing him to miss more than half of that game and subsequent outings against Arizona State and Stanford, and return on a pitch count against USC.
His presence was unmistakable as he terrorized Heisman Trophy quarterback Caleb Williams on a couple of plays, getting deep into the USC backfield, and he shot through with Carson Bruener to drop Utah running back Ja'Quinden Jackson for a third-quarter safety. The coaching staff was greatly encouraged when Letuligasenoa was cleared for maximum duty against the Utes.
"He's getting stronger and stronger every week," UW co-defensive coordinator William Inge said. "We knew on Tuesday in stretch, with his beautiful smile, he said, 'This is the game for me.' We knew he was going to be a force to be reckoned with. That's one of his strengths. When they physically tried to overpower guys at the point of attack, that's one of his strengths in helping our football team."
With two regular-season games remaining, Letuligasenoa has appeared in 49 career games for the Huskies, starting 30. He has 104 tackles, including 15.5 for lost yardage and a pair of sacks. With a little defensive back in him, also he has 7 pass break-ups and an interception.
As someone who's seemingly been around forever, Letuligasenoa has the unique distinction of appearing in games in each of the past six Husky seasons, even getting on the field against North Dakota and Colorado way back in 2018. He was one of the bright spots of the UW's dismal 4-8 season in 2021, earning All-Pac-12 honorable-mention honors.
On Saturday in Corvallis, he'll be asked to help slow down possibly the most potent rushing attack the Huskies will face all season in Oregon State's 1,024-yard rusher Damien Martinez and his productive backup Deshaun Fenwick, who has 497 yards, and his approach to this assignment is all Tuli.
"I'm just trying to do anything I can," Letuligasenoa said in a way that only he can articulate, "to give the team a helluva win."
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