Washington

The backfield is deeper in candidates than settled roles. Fisch described Quaid Carr as the standout back of spring but stopped short of naming Jonah Coleman’s successor. The competition was incomplete because Jordan Washington missed time with a neck injury, Jayden Limar with an ankle injury and Trey Cooley while rehabilitating an ACL injury. Carr earned a place in the conversation, while Limar and Cooley arrived as veteran additions. Whether one runner separates or the Huskies use a committee will depend on health and fall performance.

Washington faces a similarly consequential evaluation up front. Freshman Kodi Greene worked at left tackle, redshirt freshman Champ Taulealea took first-team snaps at right guard, and Geirean Hatchett shifted to center while Landen Hatchett recovered from a wrist injury. An arm injury then ended Geirean’s spring. Fisch expected both brothers back for fall, but their readiness still must be confirmed. The group has young size and veteran options; it does not yet have an established best five. Its ability to protect Williams and create a functional running game may determine whether the offense’s quarterback advantage translates into consistent production.

Walters’ defense provides a stronger recent baseline. Washington allowed 18.7 points and 100.1 rushing yards per game in 2025, ranking 15th and 11th nationally, and never conceded more than 26 points in a game. Maintaining that level will require a rebuilt interior to mature quickly. Elinneus Davis is the identified returning contributor inside, where 295-pound freshman Derek Colman-Brusa worked beside him in spring and Sacramento State transfer DeSean Watts lined up at nose in five-man fronts. Darin Conley and Kai McClendon add further options, but the room’s Big Ten production remains largely unproven.

Experience behind that front should help. Linebackers Jacob Manu, Xe’ree Alexander and Taariq Al-Uqdah return alongside Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, giving Washington a stabilizing layer behind the new interior. Fisch identified Dylan Robinson and Emmanuel Karnley at corner, Rylon Dillard-Allen and Alex McLaughlin at safety, and Rahshawn Clark at nickel as the expected secondary before spring. That defined back five could allow Walters to vary pressures while the line develops, although spring injuries limited Al-Uqdah and Clark. Freshman edge Ramzak Fruean adds another possibility after producing disruptive spring plays, but his workload will depend on added strength and competition with veterans Jacob Lane, Isaiah Ward and Devin Hyde.

The schedule gives Washington an opening window to sort through those questions, followed by a much less forgiving finish. The Huskies begin with four home games against Washington State, Utah State, Eastern Washington and Minnesota. They then visit USC, host Iowa on a Friday and travel to Purdue on a Friday before a bye. The final five games include trips to Nebraska, Michigan State and Oregon, with Penn State and Indiana visiting Husky Stadium. That sequence concentrates the conference pressure late, when depth, line play and the health of the backfield should be more clearly defined.

Washington’s 2026 case begins with Williams, Fisch and a defense that proved it could control scoring and the run. Roebuck, DeGraaf, the veteran linebackers and an experienced secondary add structure around those anchors. The uncertainty lies closer to the ball: an offensive line still seeking its best combination, a backfield awaiting fuller evaluation and a defensive interior relying on new or inexperienced contributors. If those rooms hold up, Washington has support for its established strengths. Until fall clarifies health and roles, however, the Huskies remain a stable team at the center with meaningful questions at the edges of their foundation.

Season outlook

Projected win