UW Fresh Start (No. 40): Tuputala Hopes to Get Through Spring Intact This Time

Inside linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala showed up last April for spring football, his first at the University of Washington in and around the pandemic, looking extremely buff.

The definition in his arms and legs was profound. With bulging biceps, he stood out in a sleeveless jersey. He'd gone beyond what was required of him in winter conditioning in order to compete for a greater role.

However, Tuputala soon disappeared from practice. Without any team explanation for his absence, which was status quo for the previous Husky coaching staff, he went missing in action with a presumed injury.

Similar to outside linebacker Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Tuputala suffered a spring-ending Achilles tendon rupture. Just no one outside the team knew it. Unlike ZTF, who was seen hopping around the field like a kangaroo, whisked away to the locker room on a motorized cart and the subject of much media discussion for his injury, Tuputala became immobilized out of view and without fanfare.

Just as disconcerting for him, Tuputala much later returned to spring practice as a spectator without his overly muscular look, having lost significant muscle mass during his idle state.

Surgically repaired and painstakingly rehabbed, his fellow defender ZTF returned in six months to play in the sixth game against UCLA on Oct. 16 at Husky Stadium.

Tuputala was right behind him.

Six days later, he made his season debut in a much quieter fashion in the UW's seventh game against Arizona in Tucson on Oct. 22.

The inside backer would appear in five of six games to close out the season — proving more fortunate than ZTF.

A one-time All-Pac-12 selection, the higher-profile ZTF made five appearances before he was sidelined again by a different injury and in street clothes for the final two games on the schedule.

Now four months and a Husky coaching change later, Tuputala and ZTF are healthy again and looking to build some momentum with the new defensive staff.

Alphonzo Tuputala played in four games as a freshman.

Alphonzo Tuputala, Laiatu Latu and Zion Tupuola-Fetui watched as injured players.

Alphonzo Tuputala gives chase after an ASU runner.

Alphonzo Tuputala was in recovery from an Achilles tear.

Alphonzo Tuputala goes through a practice drill.

Less than a month until spring practice, we're offering intel and observations gathered on the UW football personnel in a series of stories on every scholarship player from No. 0 to 99. We'll review each Husky's previous starting experience, if applicable, and determine what comes next under DeBoer.

As is the case with any coaching change, it's a new football beginning for everyone, including the Huskies' No. 40.

Tuputala came to the UW as the least publicized player from a 2019 linebacker class that also consisted of Daniel Heimuli and Josh Calvert. Heimuli chose the Huskies over Alabama. Calvert graduated early to come mix with the Huskies.

When fall camp came around, Tuputala bypassed both of them (Calvert tore up a knee) and played more as a true freshman, appearing in four games.

He drew more game time than those other guys during the pandemic-restricted 2020 season, too, appearing in all four more games.

The DeBoer staff will find that this 6-foot-2, 230-pound sophomore from Federal Way, Washington, is one of the more underrated players on the roster. He's logged 13 career games and totaled 13 tackles, including one for last yardage.

Keep him healthy and Tuputala will prove usable and valuable.

UW Starter or not: Entering his fourth season in the program, Tuputala is still looking for his first Husky start. However, he'll likely have to settle for reserve duty this fall while contending with the talented likes of 2020 second-team All-Pac-12 selection Edefuan Ulofoshio (back from an arm injury), 2021 freshman sensation Carson Bruener and Pittsburgh grad transfer Cam Bright. But he'll be part of the rotation. The attraction to Tuputala is his bigger frame with no negligible loss of speed. He'll be a first-teamer someday before he leaves the UW. It only remains to be seen how big his biceps will be this time when spring drills begin.

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Husky FanNation stories as soon as they’re published.

Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.

Find Husky FanNation on Facebook by searching: Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated

Follow Dan Raley of Husky FanNation on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven