ZTF, Ulofoshio Together Again on Paper, Need to Meet in Huddle
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The Walter Camp All-American Team shows what's possible this season for the University of Washington football team.
On Tuesday, the Huskies supplied two of the 50 players selected to the longest-running college football accolade of its kind, placing junior edge rusher Zion Tuputala-Fetui on the first team and junior linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio on the second unit.
Both are defensive playmakers, worthy of inclusion to any list that singles out the nation's best players.
The challenge is getting these guys side by side in a game again.
One of the reasons a supposedly talented UW team tanked last season and finished 4-8 was this: the Huskies had Tuputala-Fetui and Ulofoshio on the field together for exactly one game.
Ten plays tops.
They were injured ships, passing in the night.
In a 24-17 loss to UCLA at Husky Stadium, ZTF made his season debut after recovering from an Achilles tendon tear while Ulofoshio suffered a season-ending arm injury on that chilly October night.
Even worse, the UW went without both players, with each headed to the infirmary, for the final two games of the 2021 season.
It's still going to be a while.before they turn up in the huddle together.
ZTF is fine. After his Achilles rupture was followed by a late-season concussion ending his season, he went through spring practice in April without any issues.
However, Ulofoshio bounced back from his midseason arm injury only to tear up a knee during winter workouts. He sat out spring ball. He's expected back this season, maybe making an October return similar to ZTF.
Zion Tupuola-Fetui played in just five games in 2021, only one with Edefuan Ulofoshio.
USA TODAY Sports
On this Walter Camp All-America team, which was first compiled in 1889 — yes, 133 years ago — ZTF was one of four Pac-12 players named to the first team, joined by USC wide receiver Jordan Addison and offensive tackle Andrew Voorhees, and Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell.
ZTF shares the Walter Camp defensive front with Clemson's Bryan Bresee, Georgia's Jalen Carter and Army's Andre Carter II.
These two Huskies were sensational together in 2020. Following that pandemic-shortened season, ZTF received first-team, All-Pac-12 attention and Ulofoshio earned second-team honors.
A year ago, before their health got in the way, ZTF and Ulofoshio both were named to the 51-player watch list for the Butkus Award, which is given to the nation's top linebacker.
Edefuan Ulofoshio lasted just six games before an arm injury ended his 2021 season.
UW Athletics
Thirty-one teams provided players to the latest preseason Walter Camp All-America team and the UW was one of 10 schools with more than one player saluted.
Ohio State had four players singled out, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame and USC three each, while Clemson, Florida, Texas and the UW each had a pair of players.
2022 WALTER CAMP PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
First Team Offense
WR: Jordan Addison (USC), Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Ohio State)
TE: Brock Bowers (Georgia)
OL: Peter Skoronski (Northwestern), Andrew Vorhees (USC), O’Cyrus Torrence (Florida), Caleb Chandler (Louisville)
C: Jarrett Patterson (Notre Dame)
QB: Bryce Young (Alabama)
RB: Bijan Robinson (Texas), TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State)
PK: Jake Moody (Michigan)
First Team Defense
DL: Bryan Bresee (Clemson), Jalen Carter (Georgia), Zion Tupuola-Fetui (Washington), Andre Carter II (Army West Point)
LB: Will Anderson (Alabama), Trenton Simpson (Clemson), Noah Sewell (Oregon)
DB: Cam Smith (South Carolina), Eli Ricks (Alabama), Kelee Ringo (Georgia), Antonio Johnson (Texas A&M)
P: Adam Korsak (Rutgers)
KR: Brian Battie (South Florida)
Second Team Offense
WR: Xavier Worthy (Texas), Kayshon Boutte (LSU)
TE: Michael Mayer (Notre Dame)
OL: John Michael Schmitz (Minnesota), Dawand Jones (Ohio State), Jordan McFadden (Clemson), Zach Frazier (West Virginia)
C: Olusegun Oluwatimi (Michigan)
QB: Caleb Williams (USC)
RB: Sean Tucker (Syracuse)#, Blake Corum (Michigan)
PK: Noah Ruggles (Ohio State)
Second Team Defense
DL: Calijah Kancey (Pittsburgh), Gervon Dexter (Florida), Jaxon Player (Baylor), Jacob Slade (Michigan State)
LB: Edefuan Ulofoshio (Washington), Ivan Pace, Jr. (Cincinnati), Carlton Martial (Troy)
DB: Steven Jones, Jr. (Appalachian State), Riley Moss (Iowa), Clark Phillips III (Utah), Brandon Joseph (Notre Dame)
P: Kule Ostendorp (Arizona)
KR: Charlie Jones (Purdue)
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