Pepa, Key UW Newcomer, Makes Himself at Home in Montlake

Glimpses of Simote Pepa over the two months he's been part of the University of Washington football team show him wearing a neon purple and gold Husky jacket, hanging out with fellow defensive tackles Jayvon Parker and Logan Sagapolu, and preparing to squat a significant amount of weight.

It's good to keep tabs on this guy because Pepa, a 6-foot-3, 340-pound transfer from Utah, just might be the most important roster addition entering potentially the most unsettled position battle anywhere across the lineup.

While the UW defense is certain to steadily shuffle personnel between spring football that begins on April 2 and the season opener against Colorado State that kicks off in late August, finding a playmaker at defensive tackle is a priority.

Pepa should bring a veteran and mature approach to Montlake. On Valentine's Day, he celebrated his 24th birthday, making him one of the oldest UW players.

In two months, he'll welcome his first wedding anniversary, making him one of the few wedded Huskies in recent seasons.

Pepa also is five years removed from serving a two-year Mormon church mission before heading off to college.

Yet before he showed up in the UW locker room this winter, the Huskies encountered this guy in 2023 and there's a very good chance former Husky quarterback Michael Penix Jr. hasn't forgotten him.

HBD 🥳, @SimotePepa pic.twitter.com/ymrvfOvdh5
— Washington Football (@UW_Football) February 14, 2025

In a game in which an unbeaten UW team won 35-28 in a memorable struggle at Husky Stadium, Pepa stepped up late in the fourth quarter and dropped Penix for no gain on a third-and-1 play at the Utah 38, run with no huddle, to momentarily give the Utes hope they might pull this one out.

The Huskies are hoping the Pepa name has a similar ring to it as Vea, as in Vita Vea, the last elite UW defensive lineman who now starts in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Pepa comes to Jedd Fisch's program after playing in 37 games and starting just once in each of the past three seasons for Utah. Injuries and no doubt stamina concerns with his extra-big body prevented him from more receiving game-opening assignments.

This coming season, Pepa could be paired in any number of Husky DL combinations. One might be alongside Jayvon Parker, one of the twin brothers on the team and now is a touted player coming off an Achilles tendon tear at Rutgers in late September that should prevent him from being at full strength until late in fall camp or even later.

Pepa might line up next to Sagapolu, the one-time Miami transfer who packs a 6-foot-2, 368-pound frame. Together, they present a combined 708 pounds of defensive tackle, which could tilt the field in their favor, if not simply plug up a lot of holes.

A Salt Lake City product, Pepa now answers to Husky defensive-line coach Jason Kaufusi, with the two of them. sharing a lot in common. Kaufusi grew up in tbe same city, likewise played for Utah with high-level success, though as an edge rusher, and tried to recruit Pepa as far back as 2018 for UCLA.

While nagging injuries made him miss a number of games over the past two years, Pepa was at his best in 2022 when he appeared in all 14 outings, including a 47-24 victory in the Pac-12 championship game over USC, and a 35-21 loss to Penn State in the Rose Bowl.

Even while starting just once that season, he received first-team All-Pac-12 honors from the Associated Press.

The Huskies seem eager to use him as much as possible while looking for maximum results. Size simply won't be a problem with this guy.

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