Slimmer Tuli Letuligasenoa Still Brings a Punch for UW’s Defensive Line

Tuli Letuligasenoa is testing the theory that light is right.

The 6-foot-1, 292-pound senior defensive lineman shed 10 pounds since spring practices concluded in late April. He started all but one game in 2022 – at Arizona State – and finished the season as the fourth-highest graded player at his position by Pro Football Focus.

Letuligasenoa made most of his mark in run defense last season helping cut the number of rushing touchdowns allowed from 21 down to 14 from the previous season. Of the four highest graded interior DL the Huskies junior was the only one without a sack.

He intends to change that in 2023.

“I can improve on all aspects of the game, especially in the run game,” Letuligasenoa said after practice Thursday.

“But for me I’m trying to work on my pass rush game. Effect the quarterback, effect the game that way a little bit more. That was definitely one of the main reasons why I kind of wanted to slim down, so I could be able rush the passer effectively.”

Defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield noted Letuligasenoa being lighter will allow him to stay on the field more in his final season.

UW allowed 270 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground in the first three games combined against Kent State, Portland State and Michigan State. The defense fared similarly well against the run in the final three games against Colorado, Washington State and Texas in the Alamo Bowl, allowing 205 yards and three scores.

The problem for the Huskies was the meat of their schedule.

In both defeats to UCLA and ASU the defense allowed two of the three highest yards per attempt (4.72 and 4.88 respectively). Only Oregon (6.14) ran for more yards per carry last season.

If not for perfect archery against the Ducks from Penix in the fourth quarter and Peyton Henry connecting on all three of his field goals it could very well have been a much less favorable outcome for UW.

Fortunately for head coach Kalen DeBoer and Co., they won that night in Eugene.

Both Oregon and UW are expected to be two of the better teams in the conference when they meet this fall on October 14 at Husky Stadium. Bucky Irvin, who ran for a season-high 149 yards on 20 carries against the Huskies last season, returns in 2023.

Irvin is the only running back in the conference returning who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. He’s not the only player at the position coming back that UW struggled to contain in 2022.

Letuligasenoa battled through some nagging injuries early in the season and didn’t start against the Sun Devils because he wasn't back to full strength. For UW to have the success, the senior has to be a healthy, consistent contributor.

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