Even While His Team Stalls, Keleki Latu Makes Progress as UW Tight End

He had one of the top plays of the season with his 36-yard catch at Indiana.

Huskies tight end Keleki Latu (85) runs through the Iowa secondary after catching a Will Rogers pass. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

With a two-game losing streak following a decisive 31-17 setback at Indiana, the University of Washington football team might not seem to be making much progress as of late. However, tight end Keleki Latu runs counter to that argument.

On the UW's latest foray deep into Big Ten territory, the Nevada transfer and brother of a former Husky edge rusher came up with one of the season's most eye-opening plays -- late in the fourth quarter, Latu made a difficult catch surrounded by a host of defenders 20 yards downfield, immediately took a hard hit from two would-be tacklers on each side, somehow maintained his feet and determinedly kept running for another 16 yards before two more Hoosiers finally pulled him down at the 10. The 36-yard reception was his longest of the season.

"I feel running after the catch I've improved the most," Latu said in an understatement.

The 6-foot-7, 244-pound Latu is one guy who came to the UW among a large contingent of transfers and has vastly improved himself in his final season of college football, which was the plan all along.

While he was destined at first to be a back-up to senior Quentin Moore, Latu watched as his teammate went down with a serious knee injury just two quarters into the season and he had to step up as an immediate replacement, especially with Moore still unable to return after missing seven consecutive games with no end in sight to his absence.

It hasn't all been perfectly smooth for Latu, who was out in front with right tackle Drew Azzopardi when the Huskies tried to win the Apple Cup on a late fourth-and-1 option run at the goal line, and those two whiffed on the lead blocks and Washington State ended up winning 24-19.

Tight end Keleki Latu comes up with a reception against Northwestern. / Skylar Lin Visuals

He appears to be much more proficient in the run game now. His receiving likewise has steadily progressed, with Latu up to 28 catches for 265 yards while seeking his first Husky touchdown reception. He's nearly doubled his receiving totals compared to each of his previous three seasons at Nevada and California before that.

He's accomplished what he set out to do by coming to the UW, which was learn the position at a place that has a track record of placing a lot of tight ends in the pros.

"Definitely in the run and pass game, to be able to be used as a versatile tight end," he said of his reason for joining the Huskies.

His brother, Laiatu, went from vaunted UW pass rusher who had to medically retire to playing again at UCLA at a high level to becoming a first-round draft pick for the Indianapolis Colts, and Keleki would like to follow him to the NFL.

"It's my goal to be able to play with or against my brother," he said.

With more plays like the one he turned in at Indiana, his chances of a Latu pro football reunion somewhere increase markedly each time.

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