Robinson Could Be Next UW Freshman to Make Starting Breakthrough

Each week, the University of Washington football starting lineup not only gets a little better, it seems to become even younger.

Consider the second half of the Apple Cup when the Huskies, still in a close game with rival Washington State, had five true or redshirt freshmen manning important roles.

There was freshman John Mills at left offensive guard, blocking and obliterating a WSU defender while leading running back Jonah Coleman into the end zone.

Freshmen wide receivers Dezmen Roebuck and Raiden Vines-Bright opened their second consecutive game as starters.

Nickelback Rahshawn Clark, a redshirt freshman, drew his first game-opening assignment against the Cougars.

Then there was freshman cornerback Dylan Robinson, who was inserted for more than two-dozen plays to replace sophomore Leroy Bryant, who had an uncharacteristic off day while in pass coverage.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Robinson from La Verne, California, was steady, coming up with 3 tackles, which included a tackle for loss, and forcing a fumble by WSU quarterback Zevi Eckhaus.

"I thought Dylan did a really nice job," UW coach Jedd Fisch said. "He did a really good job in coming in and punched the ball out, which was an A-plus play."

Turnovers, in particular forced fumbles, have come in dribbles and drabs for the Huskies in recent seasons. They fell on just six loose balls in 2024.

If Robinson had a freshman stumble, he lined up offsides with the Cougars running a play on first-and-goal at the UW 1. At least no yardage was marked off. Eckhaus scored on a sneak on the following play.

As a reward for his overall game performance, Robinson entered into competition this week with Bryant and Clark for the starting cornerback role initially held by injured senior Tacario Davis, who remains questionable for Saturday's game against No. 1-ranked Ohio State.

Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said the freshman had as good a chance as anyone to open against the Buckeyes at corner should the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Davis not make it back.

"Obviously, what he put on tape in the game was impressive," Walters said. "He obviously has some physical traits that are much like Tacario, with his size. I think he even weighs more than Tacario."

Dylan Robinson (6) and Rahshawn Clark (2) share an Apple Cup moment. | Dave Sizer photo

Robinson, a 4-star recruit from Southern California who picked the UW over Notre Dame, UCLA and Arkansas, previously played special teams and rotated in on scrimmage snaps on occasion in earlier games.

If needed, he has a chance to become a starter against the vaunted Buckeyes, with his Husky coach not hesitant in the slightest to reward one of his first-year players and throw him out there with a lot of responsibility.

"Dylan is a true freshman and he's going to learn a lot," Fisch said. "But just like the other true freshmen who were playing, you get better by playing football."

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