With UW Spring Ball Winding Down, Position Battles to Consider

We spotlight five areas where the competition is fairly intense.

Voi Tunuufi (52) and Alphonzo Tuputala (11) chase a ball-carrying coach. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Heading into the final week of University of Washington spring football practice, Jedd Fisch's coaching staff will tell you that all starting jobs are far from settled, that the competition will last all the way up to the Aug. 31 season opener against Weber State.

Yet realistically, seven positions appear all but settled on offense while six more seem set on the defensive side.

No one likely is going to dislodge quarterback Will Rogers, running back Jonah Coleman, tight end Quentin Moore, right offensive tackle Drew Azzopardi, or receivers Denzel Boston, Giles Jackson or Jeremiah Hunter from the No. 1 offense.

That leaves four offensive-line positions up for grabs, with center Landen Hatchett a good bet to grab one of them once he receives clearance to have full contact again following his December knee injury, though it might not happen before the coming season begins.

Transfer portal acquisitions, already made and yet to happen, still could dramatically alter the look of the Husky O-line.

Defensively, veteran linebackers Carson Bruener and Alphonzo Tuputala appear solidly entrenched on the second row, experienced safeties Kam Fabiculanan and Makell Esteen are likely immovable in the back row, Arizona transfer Ephesians Prysock offers star quality at one cornerback position and edge rusher Zach Durfee, once his elbow injury heals, is pegged as a front-line playmaker.

Spring injuries, however, have scuttled the defensive line some, with Durfee lasting just half of the spring practices before he went out. Similarly, Arizona transfer Isaiah Ward, an 11-game starter at edge rusher last season in Tucson, has missed half of spring ball with some unspecified injury while Montana State transfer Sebastian Valdez, a 34-game starter in the Big Sky at defensive tackle, has spent much of the spring in a limited capacity.

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Jayvon Parker (94), Sebastian Valdez (50), Bradley McGannon (97) and Elinneus Davis (90) are in the mix at defensive tackle. / Skylar Lin Visuals

With all of that in mind, here are five position battles worth keeping an eye on:

Cornerback -- While Prysock has established himself, the other cornerback competition might be the best position battle on the football team: Elijah Jackson vs. Thaddeus Dixon. Jackson is the incumbent, a 15-game starter and one of just two returning regulars from the UW's national runner-up team, yet Dixon was a first-teamer over the past week and is being given every opportunity to dislodge Jackson.

Nickelback -- Fisch's coaches have afforded junior Dyson McCutcheon far more of an opportunity to play regularly and become a secondary starter than the two previous staffs, but they also brought in a confident and aggressive Indiana transfer in Jordan Shaw, who is making a strong push for this job, as well.

Third Edge -- While Durfee and Ward should be the starters when healthy again, the competition behind them -- or in place of them -- is fairly intense among the next four guys, who each have ample college football work histories: Lance Holtzclaw, Jacob Lane, Russell Davis II and Voi Tunuufi.

Voi vs. Voi -- Fisch's staff is the third one to recognize the 6-foot-1, 260-pounder, while a little undersized but oh so determined, can play both down lineman and edge rusher on game day. These coaches just can't decide whether to use Tunuufi primarily on the inside or out. Coming from all directions, he has 10 career sacks.

Just for Kicks -- While junior Jack McCallister has been a reliable two-year starter with a 41.4-yard average on 68 kicks, it hasn't gone unnoticed that junior Adam Saul has shown an improved foot this spring, booting one nearly 60 yards just last Saturday. Saul stands a towering 6-foot-6 for a punter and came to the UW last year from the California JC ranks after spending two seasons unused at Illinois State. Saul also is the back-up place-kicker behind Grady Gross.

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