The Husky Defense Has Won The Spring So Far

As is often the case, the University of Washington defensive unit has been ahead of the offense this spring.

The offense doesn't have a clearcut No. 1 running back, both Hatchetts are nursing injuries and unavailable across the offensive line, and a host of wide receivers have been sidelined.

Yet even if all of those guys were healthy and fully involved, the Husky defense still would be a big problem for them irregardless.

The biggest development during a month of practices that conclude with Friday night's Spring Game has been the steady assemblage of a mostly veteran Husky stop unit that stands to be a team calling card this season.

One by one, defensive coordinator Ryan Walters has been putting strong pieces in place.

"The players continue to get better so it enables him to have a little more flexibility in his scheme," Fsich said of his defensive leader. "He's been able to do more and more things, giving the offense more challenges."

Let us count the ways. Foremost, it's a veteran crew, which will be evenly split for the closing Spring Game. It stands to have returning players with starting experience at every position except one. it has way more linebackers than it knows what to do with.

For the coming season, the Huskies will trot out a pair of senior edge rushers in Jacob Lane and Isaiah Ward, who each previously have been full-time starters. Lane opened all 13 UW games last season and Ward was an 11-game starter at Arizona in 2023 and has 20 career starts at the two schools.

Ward brings 10 career sacks, Lane 4, numbers they look to expand in a big way this coming season.

One of the truly emergent UW players this spring has been 6-foot-3, 312-pound junior defensive tackle Elinneus Davis. He's gotten noticeably better each year and demonstrates top-of-the-line strength and power coming out of a stance.

Elinneus Davis (90) will be a defensive pillar this coming season. | Dave Sizer photo

Davis currently is paired with vaunted newcomer Derek Colman-Brusa, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound true freshman who promises to be an athletic playmaker from the outset.

The UW front four is one reason why the four reserve Husky quarterbacks went a combined 11-for-32 passing during this past Saturday's scrimmage.

And the Huskies haven't even seen what Mississippi State transfer Kai McClendon can do at defensive tackle. Recovering from a knee injury, the 6-foot-1, 330-pound sophomore and five-game SEC starter won't be ready until Fall Camp, same as junior linebacker and former Husky starter Buddah Al-Uqdah, who's also rehabbing a knee.

"When Kai McClendon shows up and Buddah comes back, I think there's going to be defensive brilliance every day," Fisch said.

The strength of this defense, however, is the second row that begins with seniors Jacob Manu and Xe'ree Alexander as the starters for now.

Jacob Manu (9) has returned to form that made him the Pac-12's leading tackerl in 2023. | Dave Sizer photo

Manu, fully recovered from his knee injury, appears to have regained the form that made him the Pac-12's leading tackler in 2023 with 116 and a first-team all-conference selection. He's a 32-game starter at Arizona and the UW combined.

"The guy I've seen play this spring is the guy I saw in 2023 play," linebackers coach Brian Odom said.

Alexander, who was the LA Bowl Defensive Player of the Game, comes out of the spring ahead of touted sophomore Zaydrius Rainey-Sale. Alexander is an 18-game starter at three schools. Rainey-Sale started a pair of games as a Husky freshman.

Al-Uqdah opened the first three UW games before a knee injury against WSU, his former team, ended his season. He's a 24-game starter at those two schools.

Husky DBs are Dylan Robinson (6), Ramonz Adams Jr. (16), Manny Karnley (8), Elias Johnson (26) and Ksani Jiles (28). | Dave Sizer photo

Cornerback looks well stocked with junior Manny Karnley and sophomore Dylan Robinson. Karnley started 11 games for Virginia in 2025 and is a 17-game starter counting his time at Arizona. Robinson, who the coaching staff keeps referring to as a first-round draft pick, opened five games for the Huskies in his first year.

At safety, senior Alex McLaughlin and sophomore Rylon "Batman" Dillard-Allen return as experienced and overly physical players.

McLaughlin, a All-Big Ten honorable-mention selection last season, opened all 13 games in 2025, and has 36 starts overall counting Northern Arizona. He scored twice on defense with interception and fumble returns in 2025. Dillard-Allen, who has the team's best nickname, was a three-game starter as a freshman.

The No. 1 nickelback slot has been in the hands of redshirt freshman Ramonz Adams Jr. all spring. He's either a place-holder for sophomore Rashawn Clark, who's recovering from shoulder surgery, or he doesn't give the job back to him.

Clark was a five-game starter in 2025. Adams has four games of mop-up duty on his resume.

That's a lot of experience, depth, size and anticipation on defense for the coming season.

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