Durfee Goes for New Look with Different UW Jersey Number

The veteran edge rusher is one of several players who will wear new digits.

Zach Durfee has switched UW jersey numbers, from 15 to 5. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Zach Durfee apparently will channel his inner Edefuan Ulofoshio, with the edge rusher pulling on No. 5 for the University of Washington defense and looking for a big season while coming off a lengthy absence.

With the Huskies handing out numbers to new arrivals or changing identifying digits for returning players on request, the 6-foot-5, 256-pound Durfee has traded in his fairly inactive 15 -- at least on game day -- and claimed the shirt that the graduated Ulofoshio wore in 2023 when he became a first-team All-Pac-12 linebacker and NFL draft pick after missing parts of the previous two seasons because of injuries.

Durfee is looking to make his own comeback after injuring an elbow and taking part in only half of spring practice, this after sitting out all but four plays of last season, all coming in the Sugar Bowl, while dealing with maddening NCAA transfer roadblocks that otherwise kept him on the sidelines.

Expected to be a defensive standout, Durfee will wear No. 5 apparently after going through a considerable amount of horse-trading to get it.

San Jose State linebacker transfer Bryun Parham pulled on 5 during spring drills, but only because his number of choice from his Mountain West team -- 6 -- belonged to UW cornerback Davon Banks, who has since transferred to Boise State. Parham now wears No. 6 for the Husky defense.

Durfee hasn't had the opportunity to explain himself regarding his new numerical identity. At his previous football stop, at Division II Sioux Falls, he wore No. 90.

Incoming freshman safety Rahim Wright II now will wear Durfee's old No. 15 on defense.

San Jose State transfer linebacker Bryun Parham wore No. 5 in spring ball, but has changed to 6. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Among other new jersey assignments, Arizona wide receiver transfer Kevin Green Jr. has claimed No. 0; Oklahoma safety transfer Justin Harrington and Arizona running back transfer Jordan Washington each will wear No. 4 on different sides of the ball; Sacramento State safety transfer Cameron Broussard will pull on No. 8; Northern Colorado QB transfer Shea Kuykendall will answer to No. 14; and incoming freshman wide receiver Justice Williams has No. 16.

Durfee's fellow edge rusher Jayden Wayne, the Tacoma product who has come home after playing as a freshman for Miami las season, will wear No. 18, the same jersey he had with the Hurricanes. Also, he comes to the Huskies with expanded 6-foot-6, 262-pound measurements, weighing 17 pounds heavier.

Freshman Rashawn Clark, a Seattle product originally signed by Arizona and described as an athlete, will wear No. 20 while he nails down a firm position, likely as a defensive back.

Freshman cornerback Elias Johnson has No. 26, and freshman safety Paul Mencke Jr. now owns No. 31.

Another Sacramento State transfer, defensive lineman Deshawn Lynch, has claimed No. 41, which previously belonged to Husky sophomore edge rusher Lance "Showtime" Holtzclaw, who traded it in for No. 10 for spring ball.

Michigan linebacker transfer Hayen Moore will wear No. 44, Colorado long snapper transfer Cameron Warchuck will sport No. 47 and Ohio State offensive guard transfer Enokk Vimahi has taken No. 57, with the latter previously wearing 66 for the Buckeyes for five seasons. That UW jersey, however, already belongs to sophomore center Landen Hatchett.

Among other new offensive linemen checking in, freshman tackle Justin Hylkema will wear No. 70, Portland State guard/center transfer D'Angalo Titialii has taken No. 75, Maryland and JC tackle transfer Maximus McCree has No. 77 and incoming freshman lineman Davit Boyajyan will wear No. 78.

Nevada tight end transfer Keleki Latu will be identified by No. 85, or a shir several digits higher than his older brother, former Husky edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who wore No 56 when he played the 2019 season for the UW before injuring his neck, medically retiring and later transferring to UCLA.

Finally, incoming freshman tight end Charlie Crowell will wear No. 89 while freshman defensive tackle Omar Khan will suit up as No. 98.

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