Entering Intrasquad Game, the Huskies' Top 5 Position Battles

The UW secondary and offensive line still appear somewhat unsettled.

Cameron Broussard is making a strong push for a starting safety job at the UW. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Entering Saturday night's intrasquad game, Jedd Fisch's University of Washington football coaches insist that every starting job remains in competition, that nothing is settled, that plenty of mystery and intrigue remain.

In reality, this first-year Husky staff will conduct its 30th practice, counting spring and fall, in the form of a 90-minute, fund-raising game that begins at 6:30 p.m. and, if these coaches haven't identified a majority of their front-line players by now, if not all of them, then there's a problem here.

Two weeks before the opener against Weber State, the Huskies might have five starting jobs of the 22 at most that could be construed as in question. A bigger chore is sorting through the reserve talent and having people prepared and ready to go once the season begins should they need to step in if anyone get injured, ill or become unavailable for whatever reason.

The following are lingering areas that could be in flux, gleaned from observing fall camp practices, with the Husky secondary and the offensive line still a little unsettled when compared to the rest of the lineup.

Thaddeus Dixon vs. Elijah Jackson, CB -- By far, this has been the best individual battle on Fisch's UW team going back to last spring, if not 12 more months before that with the previous staff. These are two holdover players from Kalen DeBoer's program, rather than a Fisch newcomer going up against a DeBoer returnee, so no one can make any claims of favoritism. However, Fisch's cornerbacks coach, John Richardson, previously was familiar with Dixon after having recruited the corner when he was a JC player. In terms of Husky track records, The 6-foot-1, 193-pound Jackson impressively opened all 15 UW games last season -- and is one of just two returning starters team-wide with linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala -- and he came up with his forever memorable end-zone pass break-up to preserve the Huskies' Sugar Bowl and CFP semifinal victory over Texas. Meantime, Dixon played in 14 outings for the UW, started once at USC in his hometown and intercepted a pass in the Apple Cup against Washington State. Jackson, a junior, has a 40-inch vertical leap that lends to his athleticism but no career pass thefts, while the 6-foot-1, 186-pound Dixon, a senior, is one of the Huskies' most outwardly confident players. Job status: Dixon appears to be the leader.

Cameron Broussard vs. Makell Esteen, S -- On the Husky defensive back row, Broussard and Esteen have waged a fairly entertaining position battle for 14 practices. The 6-foot-1, 202-pound Esteen started two games in 2023 for DeBoer's staff and then nearly all of spring football practice. However, the 6-foot-3, 193-pound Broussard showed up this fall as a transfer from Sacramento State with first-team All-Big Sky credentials and immediately put his skills on display and himself into the mix. A senior, he arrived with 21 FCS starts over the past two seasons and has 4 interceptions and 15 PBUs in his career. Esteen, a junior, has 23 Husky game appearances with 3 interceptions and 7 pass deflections. Job status: Broussard has been the starter except for a few practices he missed with a dislocated finger.

D'Angalo Titialii will start the season at UW center if Landen Hatchett is unable. / Skylar Lin Visuals

D'Angalo Titialii vs. Landen Hatchett, C -- A Portland State transfer who was raised in the Seattle area, the 6-foot-2, 320-pound Titialii was brought in as insurance at center because Hatchett was faced with returning from an ACL knee surgery on a short turnaround -- eight months to open the season, compared to the usual 9 to 12 to fully recover. While the 6-foot-2, 310-pound Hatchett recently began scrimmaging again, it's still unclear how far away he is from being back at full strength. Since signing his national letter of intent, he's been considered the Husky center of the future and he showed plenty of promise in 2023 by playing in nine games and burning his redshirt before the injury occurred in bowl practice in December. Titialii has plenty of FCS experience, appearing in 32 games and starting 28, but it's not clear how that translates to Big Ten play. Job status: Titialii almost exclusively has been the No. 1 guy since the competition narrowed to him and Hatchett.

Enokk Vimahi vs. Zach Henning or Paki Finau, RG -- The Huskies intend to give Vimahi, the 6-foot-4, 301-pound Ohio State transfer, every opportunity to start at right guard. Yet questions still persist over why he started just twice in 36 games over five seasons for the Buckeyes, both times as an injury fill-in, and was replaced after just 15 plays against Michigan the first time. In UW practice, he appeared to move well enough and looked like a veteran player. The Huskies no doubt feel they can clean up any technical shortcomings should that be the case for Vimahi with a little coaching. If not, look for Henning or Finau to be inserted. Henning, a 6-foot-5, 299-pound redshirt freshman, took one for the team in the spring by playing center with Hatchett unavailable and Titialii not yet enrolled. Finau, a 6-foot-5, 297-pound freshman, is still learning how to handle a near 30-pound weight gain since arriving in the winter. Job status; Vimahi has been the No. 1 right guard almost exclusively since fall camp opened.

Jacob Bandes is a sixth-year senior defensive tackle for the Huskies. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Jacob Bandes vs. Voi Tunuufi or Logan Sagapolu, DL -- The UW appears ready to begin the season with the 6-foot-3, 307-pound Bandes, a sixth-year senior, as the starter at the defensive tackle slot opposite Montana State transfer Sebastian Valdez. Bandes, however, previously has been a career reserve for three UW coaching staffs, starting just three times. He's has 47 career tackles in 46 games. In their most recent outing in the CFP national championship game, the Huskies gave up 303 yards rushing to Michigan and the concern remains that a physical mismatch is possible again against an overly physical Big Ten opponent, even in a second engagement with the still star-studded Wolverines, who visit Seattle in early October. If Bandes isn't a full-time solution, look for the Huskies to fill this position with either an undersized player in the 6-foot-1, 280-pound Tunuufi, a persistent senior and a holdover player, or an oversized guy in the 6-foot-2, 368-pound Sagapolu, a Miami transfer, converted offensive guard, and another senior. Job status: Barring any late surprises, Bandes will get his shot to go out there as a full-time starter.

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