With Portal Set to Open, Huskies Need Punter and What Else?

While University of Washington spring football reaches the halfway point this week, the transfer portal opens for business on Wednesday, which is guaranteed to lend a bit of confusion to the team-building proceedings in Montlake.

A year ago, freshman quarterback Demaricus Davis up and left in the middle of everything, either uncomfortable in Jedd Fisch's offense or duly noting that fellow freshman Demond Williams Jr. had moved past him in a rush on the depth chart.

Davis was a Kalen DeBoer recruit who decided to give Fisch's staff a try, only to quickly return to Southern California and end up at UCLA.

Williams, of course, is now the UW starter and Fisch's offensive vision for multiple years to come, so the player called MarMar probably made a wise move.

With another portal window coming open, the Huskies appear reasonably stocked at quarterback yet they might have a few needs.

Foremost, they must add a punter after the great Dusty Zimmer experiment -- turning yet another Australian rugby player into an American footballer -- literally never had legs and three-year starter Jack McCallister pivoted to Nebraska.

Wonder if McCallister, a Seattle-area product, would consider coming back?

Either way, that's portal priority No. 1.

Secondly, the UW might consider spending a little money and finding a defensive tackle with a reputation for destroying offensive lines. Right now, the Huskies have a bunch of guys who all seem to look and play the same, at least if they're not in injury recovery.

Jayvon Parker, of course, was on the verge of being the lead playmaker before he limped off the field at Rutgers with an Achilles tendon tear and he's out for the spring and won't be available until well into fall camp at the earliest.

Yes, the UW brought in Simote Pepa, Anterio Thompson and Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei, transfers from Utah, Western Michigan and Arizona, respectively, and one of them could step up.

Yet the 6-foot-3, 350-pound Pepa has been slowed by nagging ailments so far and the 6-foot-4, 280-pound Uiagalelei was a starting edge rusher all last season. Thompson, however, might be a find, but he needs to show on game day.

This UW defensive interior position, more than any other, could determine whether the Huskies are a good or a great team. So it's worth a look to see what's out there.

Finally, Fisch's staff might consider going out and finding another veteran linebacker, just in case.

While Washington State transfer Taariq Al-Ugdah and UCF transfer Xe'ree Alexander appear talented and experienced enough to hold down the position, and Arizona transfer Jacob Manu has been working tirelessly on his rehab alongside practice in coming back from a knee injury, the Huskies just seem an injury away from being shorthanded.

If not, maybe another veteran cornerback might be a wise investment, though it could be hard to find one willing to come to Seattle since Ephesians Prysock and Tacario Davis are established as the starters for the approaching season.

Maybe the Huskies do nothing except add a punter. They're likely to lose one or two players who head for the portal. They might need that attrition to reach Fisch's self-imposed 85-man scholarship limit.

Brace yourselves, this auction process for acquiring college football talent opens once more on Wednesday.

To get the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington