Here's the Husky Who's Made the Most Progress This Spring

This big lineman has built on drawing a surprising Apple Cup start.

Troy Fautanu has had a productive spring, no question. He's been the starting left tackle for the University of Washington, holding down what's considered the offensive lineman's NFL money position, since the first practice.

While plenty of players have rotated through the other positions, Fautanu and senior center Corey Luciano really haven't shared their starting jobs with anyone. 

Entering the final week of April drills, the 6-foot-4, 307-pound sophomore from Henderson, Nevada, easily could be considered the Huskies' best offensive lineman right now.

Where nearly half of the players on the roster had to slim down and get in better shape to appease Kalen DeBoer's new UW coaching staff, Fautanu put on five pounds of muscle while dropping two percent of his body fat.

Which leads everyone to this interesting Husky football dilemma: What happens when or if two-time All-Pac-12 offensive tackle Jackson Kirkland, awaiting an NCAA decision on his eligibility, returns for another season? 

Of course, both of these Huskies would be used as starters and focal players in pushing the offense forward, but who would become the No. 1 left tackle and who would play elsewhere?

"Whatever the coaches decide and put us is where I'm going to play," Fautanu said, making it easy.

Kirkland has started all 39 games he's entered for the UW, 14 at left tackle and the rest at right guard. He wants to return for a sixth year to solidify himself as a No. 1 NFL draft pick after an injury-interrupted 2021 season.

Fautanu has played in 13 career games, starting twice at left tackle as an injury fill-in for Kirkland and once, in the most recent Apple Cup, at left guard next to Kirkland.

They get along well in the trenches. To have both of them available this coming season would go a long way to fixing a UW offensive line that underperformed in 2021. 

"Regardless of whatever the situation is with him, it's always good to have him back because he's been kind of a mentor the past couple of years," Fautanu said of Kirkland. "Just me picking up game off of him. Him teaching me all this type of stuff."

The Nevada native has been one of the most positive developments for the Huskies this spring for the new coaching staff, with DeBoer praising his play.

The tackle has put his body in top shape and he's played more consistently than anyone else across the front five. As a sophomore, he's poised to become a full-fledged starter and O-line leader for the next three seasons.

Fautanu actually began to make his move at the end of last season when the interim coaches started him at left guard over Ulumoo Ale and Julius Buelow, who had shared the position all season, against Washington State.

"They called my number and I was ready," he said, equally comfortable at playing guard or tackle. "It's easy for me to flip flop back and forth. My main goal when I got here is I'm just trying to get on the field as fast as I can."

The way it looks now, Fautanu is not coming off it any time soon.

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