ZTF Shares the Process He Went Through in Deciding to Stay

Zion Tupuola-Fetui looked happy, content to still be a member of the University of Washington football team, when he met with the media at the conclusion of the Huskies' first spring practice on Wednesday, serving in his role as a natural spokesman.

Yet the junior edge rusher from Hawaii and 2020 first-team All-Pac-12 selection admitted he had to think long and hard about returning to the UW after Jimmy Lake was fired and replaced by Kalen DeBoer, giving him his third coach in five seasons.

What he did was sit down with inside linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio, who lives near him, and go over all the pros and cons.

"If I left, it would have been like for me, like if I made an emotional decision, emotions only last so long, and if I'd regretted it, I don't know what I would have done," the player called ZTF said. "I knew I had to be slow with it."

So he and Ulofoshio, who unfortunately for the junior backer injured a knee during winter workouts and will miss spring practice, had private discussions and in the end the UW was where they wanted to be.

"Eddie is definitely the player to kind of take a breather with and assess the football side and that's what we did," he said. "We're both here."

Always the personable and noticeable one with his yellow streaked hair, facial jeweled studs and frank opinions, ZTF had to leave one more reminder with reporters regarding his decision-making.

"I would have liked to think you guys wouldn't have hated me if I did [leave]," he said smiling.

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