Fautanu Knows No Spartan Lifestyle — He Does It All for UW

The sophomore from Las Vegas plays where needed on the Husky offensive line.

Jaxson Kirkland could be back for the Michigan State game. Corey Luciano had his best performance last weekend against Portland State. Roger Rosengarten has held his own as a redshirt freshman starter for two outings.

Throughout all of the comebacks and debuts taking place across a reconfigured University of Washington offensive line, Troy Fautanu simply goes about his business as maybe the best of this bunch now.

If Kirkland is able to play, Fautanu will start at left guard. If Kirkland can't go, Fautanu remains at left tackle. The latter is the only guy who plays no matter what happens anywhere else on the line.

Without a lot of fanfare, the 6-foot-4, 312-pound sophomore from the Las Vegas area is establishing himself as an indispensable player capable of becoming an honors candidate. 

"I think Troy is truly one of the rare guys who can be not just good but great at either one of those spots," offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said. 

Troy Fautanu started at guard for the first time in the 2021 Apple Cup / Dan Raley

Fautanu made his move last season, replacing Kirkland for a couple of games after the All-Pac-12 tackle was injured in the Oregon State game when a couple of players blindsided him and rolled on his ankle.

The emergency fill-in became a full-fledged starter at left guard for the Apple Cup when he unseated not just one player but two — Julius Buelow and Ulumoo Ale — who had rotated as the first-teamer throughout the season. 

Fautanu's emergence ended up sending Ale to the defensive line and Buelow from guard to tackle, where in fact he's been backing up Fautanu with Kirkland seeking clearance to play.

Troy Fautanu picks up a pancake block in Arizona :: Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

"I think he can play both." Grubb said of Fautanu. "Troy's only limitation at tackle is length. With athleticism and power, he's not short on either one of those. It's really just length. I would always rather take a guy who has athletic ability over length at times where he can move and stay attached to people like that."

Clearly the new Husky offensive coordinator, as he has sifted through a stockpile of offensive lineman left to him, has grown attached to this multi-purpose lineman from Nevada.

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Inside the Huskies stories — as soon as they’re published.

Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.

Find Inside the Huskies on Facebook by searching: Inside Huskies/FanNation at SI.com

Follow Dan Raley of Inside the Huskies on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @UWFanNation