Huskies Block Out Offensive Line Bad Memories Entering Spring Ball

The UW will have a lot more bodies, many more pounds and a lot more experience.

Huskies Drew Azzopardi (74) and Landen Hatchett (66) form pocket protection against Oregon. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Following an appearance in the CFP national championship game, the University of Washington offensive line went from the best in the country to a problem.

It evolved from having two tackles worthy of first- and second-round NFL draft picks to sending out five new starters, with just one of these players opening every outing this past season.

It transformed from a highly accomplished group of blockers that permitted just a dozen sacks in 15 games to a patchwork outfit that generously gave up 10 on one futile Saturday to Oregon alone.

A month and a half from spring football practice, however, Huskies coach Jedd Fisch will tell you all is not bleak in this position group as he welcomes a pair of credible transfers, gets four of five freshmen in school early and touts the progress of a half-dozen returning veterans to the point he 's no longer looking for added outside assistance.

"I feel like we're in a great spot," Fisch said. "I really have no interest in bringing anyone else in."

In fact, the second-year UW leader is almost giddy as he considers the collection of talent now assembled for his new offensive-line coach Michael Switzer to mold into a more competitive group, with the Huskies counting on 17 scholarship linemen for spring ball compared to the meager seven that was on hand this past April.

"I love the fact we brought in Carver Willis," Fisch said. "I love the fact Drew Azzopardi has another year with us. I love the fact Landen Hatchett is not coming off an ACL. I love the fact we now have competition with Max McCree and Soane Faasolo. I think we have some fantastic young players that are here."

Carver Willis signals a successful play for Kansas State against Tennessee-Martin. / Scott Sewell/IMAGN

The 6-foot-5, 291-pound Willis from Kansas State, an All-Big 12 honorable-mention selection in 2023, a 18-game starter in 35 outings and a sixth-year senior, is the biggest upgrade for this group and will be penciled in as the No. 1 left tackle. The true measure of his talent is the fact 54 schools called him when he entered the transfer portal.

A close second is a healthy young Hatchett, who took over as the starting center in the Sun Bowl, opened six games at three different line positions and as a 6-foot-2, 310-pound junior will give Willis a good run to see who becomes the most decorated UW lineman this coming season.

The only full-fledged returning starter is the 6-foot-7, 315-pound Azzopardi, now a 19-game starter counting his time spent at the UW and San Diego State entering his junior year. While he got beat at times against high-end talent at Penn State and Oregon, he has a chance to be a much more confident and productive player.

Geirean Hatchett prepares to take the field in the CFP national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Experience-wise, another Hatchett, the 6-foot-4, 300-pound Geirean, is next up. He returns to the Huskies after an aborted season at Oklahoma that lasted just two games before he suffered a season-ending biceps injury. The sixth-year senior enters the competition having played in 27 games at his two schools and started five times, four at right guard for the UW and one at left guard for the Sooners.

While Huskies symbolically turned the center position over to Landen Hatchett to begin the Sun Bowl, they seemed to do the same at left guard with freshman Paki Finau in the third quarter to close out the game against Louisville in El Paso. At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, he spent most of his first season in Montlake diligently adding more than 40 pounds of girth over 13 months. It's time to set him loose.

The Huskies also have three more players who opened games this past season in the aforementioned 6-foot-6, 295-pound McCree and the 6-foot-8, 325-pound Faasolo, a senior and sophomore who started five and four games at left tackle, respectively, plus 6-foot-5, 300-pound sophomore Zach Henning, who appeared in all 13 games last season, starting once as an extra tight end.

Paki Finau (53) and Soane Faasolo try to muscle each other during spring ball. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Add to the mix 6-foot-8, 323-pound redshirt freshman Justin "Moose" Hylkema, 6-foot-2, 320-pound redshirt freshman Michael Levelle Watkins, 6-foot-5, 307-pound redshirt freshman Davit Boyajyan and 6-foot-7, 271-pound sophomore Elishah Jackett, each awaiting their first Husky game experience.

Where Fisch really turned into an excited pitchman was in describing his early arriving freshmen in Champ Taulealea, Jack Shaffer, John Mills and Jake Flores.

"They're all over 340 pounds and they're all over 6-foot-5 walking in the door," the coach said, though Flores couldn't be quite that heavy just yet.

Either way, the Huskies are definitely bigger, probably a lot better and by far much more optimistic about moving people out of the way and providing a steady pocket this time around.

"Our offensive line is going to look extremely different," the coach said.

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