Locating Tuputala On Game Day Is a Challenge, But He's Out There

The sixth-year senior linebacker holds multiple roles in the Husky defense.

Alphonzo Tuputala stares across at Weber State QB Richie Munoz. / Skylar Lin Visuals

With cornerback Elijah Jackson coming off the bench, linebacker Alphonzo Tuputala emerged as the only returning starter for the University of Washington football team in the season opener against Weber State.

That's one out of 22 who played against Texas and Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinals and national champonship game.

It was lonely out there.

However, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound sixth-year senior from Federal Way, Washington, did what he normally does, which was lead the Huskies in tackles with 6, one more than fellow linebacker Carson Bruener.

Yet he performed his defensive chores in a notably different manner. In a role apparently custom-made for someone in a Steve Belichick defense, Tuputala lined up at his normal inside linebacker position, but he also manned the edge-rusher position at times and even flanked outside and became what was the old-style outside linebacker, or rover.

"Just more versatile on and off the ball, but a little bit more," he said. "I'm more on the ball than I was last year. I'm still playing a good amount of off-the-ball backer. It's pretty cool to have that as part of my arsenal."

Early in the second quarter, Tuputala got upfield with Husky edge rusher Jacob Lane and they dropped Weber State running back Damon Kingston for a 3-yard loss, with the two sharing in the TFL. Later in the period, he dropped Wildcats quarterback Richie Munoz for no gain though it appeared the other guy got a generous spot.

And so it went as Tuputala started his 28th game over three seasons and operates now as the gray beard of the defense. He's one of four captains now, a leader like no other because of his service time.

It's just that finding Tuputala on the football field these days practically requires using a GPS system, though opposing quarterbacks staring at game film probably realize they're going to meet him one way or another.

"The more I can help in different ways," he said, "the better our team will become."

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