After Making Big Spring Move, Fautanu Is Ready to Play a Lot

The sophomore offensive lineman put himself in good position to start.

Spring football practice used to seem overly tedious. Before Don James arrived in 1975, some University of Washington football players would look for any reason to get out of it.

Join the track team. Cite academics. Claim an injury that wasn't obvious before.

Future NFL center Bruce Jarvis admittedly was one of those guys who asked for and got a free pass on 1970 spring football. He next showed up in the fall and wanted to know where this guy named Sonny Sixkiller with the rifle arm came from?

Fast forward 52 years later and spring football attendance couldn't be more important, especially with Kalen DeBoer's new coaching staff taking over and needing to get overly familiar with its inherited players.

From a month of practices, the coaches learned who's capable of doing what and might have been hidden on the roster.

Two names stood out, in particular, among the unsung.

On defense, it was Kuao Peihopa, who was injured much of his first year in Seattle and is now pegged to anchor the Husky defensive line as a redshirt freshman down lineman.

The other UW player deserving of an immediate promotion coming out of April was sophomore offensive lineman Troy Fautanu.

The question is: Where?

After spending spring practice at left tackle, keeping the position warm for Jaxson Kirkland, and then having Kirkland receive a sixth year of eligibility, we'll put Fautanu back where he was when last season ended.

At left guard.

As a starter against Washington State in the Apple Cup.

Right next to Kirkland.

This after being inserted in the opening lineup against Arizona and Stanford while starting as an injury fill-in for Kirkland. 

"Troy, he's a pretty special athlete," said Scott Huff, UW line coach. "With his body type, he can play anywhere."

Fautanu handled himself well in his three 2021 starts, two of which ended up as victories in a dismal 4-8 season. In his third starting assignment, he leapfrogged two players, Julius Buelow and Ulumoo Ale, who had shared the starting duties at left guard entering the season finale against WSU.

In the spring, Fautanu did more to advance his college football reputation than anyone else on offense, emerging as a young player who appears to have come into his own and is ready to be a full-time starter.

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UW LEFT GUARD DEPTH

1) Troy Fautanu, 6-4, 307, Soph., Henderson, Nev. 

2) Nate Kalepo, 6-6, 333, Soph., Renton, Wash.

3) Gaard Memmelaar, 6-4, 292, R-Fresh., Caldwell, Idaho

4) Parker Brailsford, 6-2, 260, Fresh., Mesa, Ariz.

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As fall camp comes closer, Fautanu is likely one of three offensive linemen — Kirkland and center Corey Luciano are the others — who are sure bets for starting jobs while the other spots play out.

"He's maybe a little bit better at guard because there's a little less space and he's kind of a physical guy," Huff said. "But certainly he's athletic enough to play out there at tackle at a high level, as well. We're really excited about him." 

The two guys who Fautanu passed over at left guard last season no longer play the position. Buelow moved to tackle, and backed up Fautanu in the spring, while Ale switched to the defensive line.

Other left-guard contenders are Nate Kalepo, who spent all of spring football as the No. 1 left guard and will make the position competitive. He's appeared in 13 games, all in a reserve role, over three previous seasons. 

Gaard Memmelaar, from the UW's highly regarded 2020 class of five O-linemen, hasn't played yet on Saturdays, but he continues to work his way up to that level. Naturally strong, he grew up on a ranch. His time might still be a ways off. 

Parker Brailsford was the only offensive lineman signed in the 2022 class and the lone true freshman to participate in spring practice. The Huskies likewise are drawn to his natural strength, where he bench presses 100 pounds over his body weight. it'll be a while for him press for time.

Conclusion: Fautanu is ready to flourish, help the UW offensive line rebound after a highly disappointing 2021 and maybe turn himself into a player worthy of all-conference attention. Yet he has to play well or give way to the host of promising offensive linemen behind him who are eager to get on the field. Fautanu seems on an upward arc. 

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