There is a consensus across the college football landscape that the University of Washington’s offense still needs a lot of work, especially after the Huskies traded all 11 of their starting lineups following their national CFP Championship Game appearance.
What outsiders don’t realize is how good the newly assembled UW defense could ultimately become with several new additions to the roster poking their heads out and adding additional firepower to a potentially promising group.
Most notably, highly anticipated edge rusher Zach Durfee, who has only played in five Sugar Bowl games for UW, has been cleared to return to full action after suffering a game-ending elbow injury in the spring and having to undergo surgery.
“Durfee is a game changer,” coach Jedd Fisch said memorably on Saturday night. “He’s a fantastic football player. We’re really happy he’s healthy and able to play again.”
Sebastian Valdez, who transferred from Montana State, could give the Huskies their strongest defensive tackle in half a dozen seasons and provide them with a corresponding boost. It’s an encouraging development considering they rushed for 303 yards in their last game against Michigan — while Valdez was watching as a spectator in Houston.
In the secondary, Ephesians Prysock, who transferred from Arizona, with his 6’4″ and 190 lbs. height, promises to make UW’s pass coverage entertaining to say the least.
Adding to those new additions are two up-and-coming edge rushers in Jayden Wayne and Deshawn Lynch, who came over from Miami and Sacramento State, respectively, who played together often during extended Saturday night practices and have now begun to push for playing time. They seem to motivate each other to make things happen.
“I think they benefit from each other because they have both become new and close friends,” Fisch said.
In particular, the play of Wayne, the 6-foot-6, 265-pound player from Tacoma, Washington, who appeared in eight games for Miami and started in the 2023 Pinstripe Bowl as a rookie, caught Fisch’s attention Saturday night.
“They’re big bodies,” the coach said. “I think Jayden Wayne showed a lot today. I saw him make some plays in the screen game, which is really impressive. He’s strong and big.”
The 6-foot-5, 295-pound Lynch is even bigger, if not lankier. As a sophomore in 2023, he started 13 games for his Big Sky team and has shown the ability to come in from the side.
“They’re just getting more and more comfortable,” said Fisch, who can already imagine that this defensive duo will be used for a longer period of time. “These guys can play outside and inside, which gives us a lot of flexibility.”
For the latest UW football and basketball news, visit si.com/college/washington
