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Inside The Huskies

Position Battles That Have Yet To Be Settled

With spring practice nearly over, who hasn't solidified their spot as a starter?
Roman Tomashoff|
Position Battles That Have Yet To Be Settled
Position Battles That Have Yet To Be Settled

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Washington Huskies

One of the biggest questions that looms over coaches fans, and the media alike every spring is position battles. The Huskies didn't have many battles to follow this spring, as they're set to return 14 starters from the 2022 squad.

A few of the openings were filled by returners who have started in previous years, like edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui, safety Dominique Hampton, and right guard Nate Kalepo. As spring winds down, it appears there are only two spots that are still up for grabs.

The first battle is at cornerback, where it seems that Oklahoma State transfer Jabbar Muhammad has one side locked down, while Mishael Powell will be moving into the nickel to play the Husky role. That has created a three-man competition for the other outside spot between sophomores Jaivion Green and Elijah Jackson, and junior college transfer Thaddeus Dixon. 

While it appears Jackson went into camp with the upper hand, Green and Dixon have closed the gap on him. Co-defensive coordinator Chuck Morrell has said that Green made significant improvements over the course of the offense after being thrust into action too early as a true freshman.

Dixon has been one of the biggest revelations of spring ball. The one-time Oregon State commit recorded three interceptions over two practices and according to head coach Kalen DeBoer, has earned the respect of the team. 

The other battle is at guard, where the Huskies have had to replace both starters from the 2022 season. While Kalepo has one spot locked down, it appears there's still somewhat of a battle going on between Julius Buelow and Geirean Hatchett.

If the season started tomorrow, Buelow would almost certainly be the starter, but Hatchett seems to be closing the gap rather quickly. The coaching staff is clearly trying to find any way they can to get him on the field, as he's taken reps at center, guard, and tackle over the course of the spring.

Both battles should continue well into the fall and no matter who is named as the starter, there's clearly a lot of depth on this roster at both positions.

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Roman Tomashoff
ROMAN TOMASHOFF

I've followed the Huskies for my entire life, and to be in a position where I get to cover them full-time is nothing short of an honor. After graduating from Lasell University in 2019, I moved to Seattle to pursue my dream of working in sports media. While writing for the Husky Haul, I also covered local sports for the Everett Daily Herald before the COVID-19 pandemic. After being hired by Realdawg.com in February of 2021, I also transitioned into doing a lot of entertainment writing, as I work on a variety of magazines as a contributing writer for Centennial Media, and have also contributed to Emmy Magazine, as well as Walt Disney Television Studios. 

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