Inside The Huskies

UW's Thompson Listed As Questionable on Big Ten Availability List

The defensive tackle is the only Husky starter from the opener who might not play.
Dan Raley|
Anterio Thompson was listed as questionable before the UW-UC Davis game.
Anterio Thompson was listed as questionable before the UW-UC Davis game. | Dan Raley

Anterio Thompson, a University of Washington starting defensive tackle, showed up as questionable on the Big Ten availability list, which was released 90 minutes before kickoff for the Huskies' Saturday night game against UC Davis.

Ten other players, with safety CJ Christian a definite surprise, were ruled out of the non-conference match-up at Husky Stadium.

Thompson's name never came up during the week to indicate the 6-foot-4, 310-pound Western Michigan transfer might ahve any health concerns at all. He appears to be the only starter who could be missing from the 38-21 season-opening win over Colorado State.

However, the Iowa native was in uniform and went through pre-game warm-ups, so it all could be moot.

If unable to play, Thompson likely would be replaced in the starting lineup by 6-foot-3, 317-pound sophomore Elinneus Davis, 6-foot-5, 320-pound junior Bryce Butler or 6-foot-3, 350-pound senior Simote Pepa as a starter. Only Pepa, a Utah transfer, has starting experience in this trio.

Others ruled out of the game, according to the Big Ten pregame list, were senior wide receiver Omari Evans, junior defensive tackle Jayvon Parker, senior linebacker Jacob Manu, senior edge rusher Deshawn Lynch, senior defensive tackle Logan Sagapolu, redshirt freshman tight end Charlie Crowell, junior edge rusher Russell Davis II, redshirt freshman safety Rahim Wright II, freshman linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale and Christian.

Evans, Manu and Rainey Sale each were uniform during warm-ups.

The absence of Christian, a Florida International transfer, also was unexpected with no indication that his health was in question. He played mostly on special teams in the season opener.

CJ Christian. shown with UW safeties coach Taylor Mays, was ruled out of the UC Davis game.
CJ Christian. shown with UW safeties coach Taylor Mays, was ruled out of the UC Davis game. | Skylar Lin Visuals

While Jayvon Parker was listed as out, he was in uniform for pregame warm-ups for the first time, as was his twin brother Armon, who was listed as questionable for the UC Davis game.

So much for the accuracy of the Big Ten availability list -- or else the Huskies have magical healing powers.

Armon Parker, a 6-foot-3, 320-pound sophomore defensive tackle, is coming back from a knee injury that kept him out of the entire 2024 season.

Armon Parker was questionable heading into the UW-UC Davis game.
Armon Parker was questionable heading into the UW-UC Davis game. | Skylar Lin Visuals

Coach Jedd Fisch previously had indicated this Parker brother was ready to make his first UW game-day appearance in now his fourth season in the program.

Some players could be held back in a cautionary move by the coaching staff because the Huskies have a bye week coming next and a two-week buffer before facing Washington State on Sept. 20 in the Apple Cup in Pullman.

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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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