Inside The Huskies

Uiagalelei Is Man In the Middle, Maybe Force For the Future

The Husky defensive lineman could be a test case if proposed 5-and-5 rule is passed.
Dan Raley|
Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei (11) and Jacob Lane confer on the field.
Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei (11) and Jacob Lane confer on the field. | Dave Sizer photo

He has a name that's difficult to spell, at least on the first attempt, but the University of Washington coaching staff would gladly welcome jotting down Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei on a few more lineup cards beyond this season.

The Husky starting defensive lineman is a 6-foot-4, 285-pound senior supposedly in his final college campaign, but he could be a test case should the NCAA pass the 5-and-5 rule under consideration and seek more eligibility -- whereas someone can play five college seasons, but has to do it in five years.

The proposed system would eliminate all redshirts, waivers and any other exceptions anyone could conjure up.

Uiagalelei would be an ideal recipient. He's been a starter every time out this season for the Huskies (4-1 overall, 1-1 Big Ten), but he's manning a position different than the one he held for Arizona in 2024 -- he's a down lineman, rather than an edge rusher.

Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei gets in a three-point stance for the Huskies rather than be an upright edge rusher as he was for Arizona.
Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei gets in a three-point stance for the Huskies rather than be an upright edge rusher as he was for Arizona. | Dave Sizer photo

For that reason, he's still putting on weight that better fits this assignment and would be a more complete player in 2026.

"I would love to have Ty back next year," UW defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said on Tuesday. "He's a great human being first and foremost. He's awesome In the locker room. You get the same from Ty every day."

Uiagalelei played the first two of his three seasons at Arizona for Jedd Fisch and then followed him to the UW after they were apart in 2024.

While in Tucson, he played in eight games as a freshman and stated five, 13 games as a sophomore and opened just once, and was a 12-game starter for the Wildcats, again as an edge rusher.

The Huskies, however, prefer him coming out of a stance and muscling up with the big boys inside. He had four of his 10 tackles this season in the 24-6 loss to No. 1-ranked Ohio State. He's been a big reason UW opponents are averaging just 78 yards per game rushing.

Isaiah Ward and Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei bring down a Cougar ball carrier in the Apple Cup.
Isaiah Ward and Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei bring down a Cougar ball carrier in the Apple Cup. | Dave Sizer photo

On a defensive constantly evolving with personnel, with three starters lost to injuries since the opener and four other prominent players either trying to get back in the mix or having recently returned, Uiagalelei has been one of the few constants.

"He's more athletic than I think people give him credit for -- he finds a way to be slippery on the pass rush," Walters said. "He does a really good job of taking up double-teams. He's got a high motor. He's everything you want from a 3-technique."

And Uiagalelei is what the Huskies want for 2026 if possible, as well as for the rest of this season.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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