Ulofoshio Has No Snap Limitations for Apple Cup, No Plans Yet for the Future

With Edefuan Ulofoshio, it's all about the bed-side manner. He's a multi-tasking University of Washington pre-med student who doubles as the heart and soul for the Husky football team.

On Tuesday, the junior linebacker arrived with teammates for an Apple Cup media session deep inside Husky Stadium and, while seated next to quarterback Michael Penix Jr., he leaned all the way back, closed his eyes for a moment and nearly went to sleep. At that very moment, he would have welcomed a pillow and a blanket and been very content.

Ulofoshio was able to summon the strength to hold court in a far corner of the theater-like room, surrounded by reporters. With his deep voice and thoughtful demeanor, you could almost picture him wearing a white coat and a stethoscope, calmly telling a patient what he was going to do to make that person healthy again.

It's Dr. Edefuan, making a house call in the Palouse this weekend.

Such is the busy, highly-motivated and often exhaustive world of this true student-athlete from Las Vegas by way of Anchorage, Alaska. He's now in his fifth Husky football season after arriving as a walk-on player without a scholarship and turning himself into a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2020 and an indispensable UW standout thereafter.

Yet he's had to overcome arm and knee injuries and subsequent surgeries to get back on the field following a 12-month absence devoted to mending and rehabilitating his otherwise sturdy body.

Finally, Ulofoshio feels whole again as a football player, pushing ahead with no restrictions as he prepares to face the Cougars in Pullman on Saturday night.

"They can definitely play me as much as they want," he said, mugging for the cell phone video shown above. "I'm feeling great, I'm feeling great. Just like in my mind, I'm just like in a mode where how can I get better, not how can I get back. I'm just fine-tuning like tiny things, like the things I just want to do."

Since receiving clearance to play again, Ulofoshio has appeared in games against Oregon State, Oregon and Colorado, doubling his defensive snaps each time out while collecting 8 tackles overall.

"He is back into the fold enough where his level of dependability and reliability is very high," UW co-defensive coordinator William Inge said. "It's almost as if you get to week one, he was in the 5 to 10 plays; in week two, you get to 15 to 20 plays; and in week 3, you can get into the 40s if needed. ... Now you have the opportunity to take another step. Now if he has to play more, he can potentially be able to play more."

Ulofoshio is looking forward to the Apple Cup, having taken part in a pair of these rivalry games, though he hasn't faced Washington State in three years because of the pandemic game cancellation in 2020 and his season-ending injury last fall. He feels inspired to make a good showing in an important outing.

"In talking to the alums, Lawyer Milloy and Michael Jackson, [it's] just how passionate they are about this game," Ulofoshio said. "Any single person, BBK [Ben Burr-Kirven, Kaleb McGary, they all love this game. They talk about this game more than they talk about any other game, I promise you that."

Ulofoshio has played in Pullman just once before in 2018, as a true freshman used on special teams in the notorious snow game won by the Huskies, 28-15. Outside of a 47-yard kickoff return by the Cougars at the expense of him and his unit and the biting evening chill, he enjoyed himself.

"I remember it was cold and I gave up that giant explosive on kickoff," he said. "Honestly, it looked pretty fun though, other than the fact I couldn't feel my toes at the end of the day. It was all worth it, doing snow angels on the field. It was a good time."

While this won't necessarily be his last UW game, with the promise of an attractive bowl outing if not more for his 9-2 team, Ulofoshio could be coming down the stretch in what's already been a lengthy five-year college football career.

Before the season, he mentioned how he's eager to pursue an NFL career and then begin work as a physician, possibly involved in a relief effort in a third-world country.

Yet he's made no firm decision on whether to return and play for another Kalen DeBoer team in 2023 or not, though he welcomes having those career options in front of him.

"I really haven't played in a whole year," Ulofoshio said. "I made a promise to myself that I'm focusing on today and appreciating every moment this year. Obviously when we get to that point, we'll make a decision there. I'm really just focused on beating WSU."

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