Huskies Hope to Have Durfee, Dealing with Toe Injury, Back for Michigan

The edge rusher had a toe injury that curtailed his play at Rutgers.

Zach Durfee is dealing with a toe injury entering the Michigan game. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Playmaking junior edge rusher Zach Durfee is dealing with a toe injury that kep him out of most of Washington's 21-18 loss to Rutgers, but his coach remains hopeful he'll get Durfee back for Saturday's Michigan game.

However, Jedd Fisch said its highly unlikely senior tight end Quentin Moore, who's missed all except for a quarter and a half of the opener, will be ready to play against the Wolverines.

After sitting out the Northwestern game two weeks ago and his injury not revealed, Durfee played 15 snaps and performed well at Rutgers -- twice dropping ball carriers for no gain -- before coming out and watching the rest of the game from the sideline.

"With Durfee, I'm optimistic that he'll be able to play in the game this Saturday, but it's going to take a big commitment to treatment and a big commitment of the training room, and him really trying to get himself [ready]," said Fisch, who added it likely will be a game-time decision. "Medically, we just have to get his toe right. If he can get to a place where he can plant and chase the ball carrier, then he'll play. "

Fisch made this pronouncement shortly after disclosing that junior defensive tackle Jayvon Parker would miss the rest of the season with an Achilles tendon tear suffered at Rutgers, which is a huge personnel loss for this team.

"Everybody is going to have to step up," the UW coach said, referring to past starters in seniors Sebastian Valdez and Jacob Bandes, and others. The coach also mentioned that JC transfer Bryce Butler, who's missed the past three games with an unspecified injury should be able to return against the visiting Wolverines.

As for Moore, he's missed the past four games after taking a blindside hit on his knee by a Weber State player running off the sideline as an illegal substitution that wasn't called. He is considered the Huskies' top blocking tight end.

"I'm not as hopeful as I'd like to be," Fisch said of Moore. "Quentin is going to be the biggest challenge."

Also, Jonah Coleman rushed 16 times for a game-high 148 yards at Rutgers, but didn't play in the final possessions of the game. His coach said it was normal wear and tear because of how hard Coleman plays each Saturday.

"I think when you're a runner and you run as hard as Jeonah does, there's going to be times when you get nicked up a here and there and dinged up a a little. bit," Fisch explained. "The last 20 plays of the game he wasn't ready go back in full steam ahead. If he was, I would have put him in."

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