Michigan Game Was BigTest in Trenches -- and the Huskies OL Passed

This patchwork group hung in there and made a 27-17 victory possible over the Wolverines.

Landen Hatchett, Gaard Memmelaar and Max McCree provide pocket protection against Northwestern. / Skylar Lin Visuals

The Michigan game was the test case. The indicator. The truth serum.

All along, this high-profile outing would determine if the University of Washington football team effectively had restocked its offensive line, a major undertaking with an entirely new cast of characters that Jedd Fisch and his coaching staff had promised would meet the demands of the always physical Big Ten.

Too often in years past -- say even nine months ago in Texas in the CFP national championship game, for instance -- the Huskies weren't physically ready to go blow by blow with one of these Midwest monsters and paid for it with games that weren't close.

On Saturday, they passed muster with a patchwork group: a newcomer from Portland State, a JC transfer, a two-game starter at Ohio State, a player coming off of ACL surgery and a young guy from San Diego State. These players weren't without their occasional struggle, with the Husky offensive line giving up four sacks to the Wolverines, but these redistributed and re-energized big boys dressed all in purple basically held their own in the UW's 27-17 victory at Husky Stadium.

"I'm proud of the way these guys are coming together," Fisch said. "Lot of room to grow. Hopefully this week we play a little bit better than we did last week."

Center D'Angalo Titialii, the Portland State transfer with a lot to prove for the Huskies after moving up a football level from the Big Sky, was a prime example. The squatty 6-foot-2, 320-pound senior was seen bending over Michigan's All-America defensive tackle Mason Graham backward in providing an opening for Jonah Coleman to dive through from the 1 in order to score the game-deciding touchdown with 6:22 left to play.

"He's working through the process of being a starting center in the Big Ten," Fisch said. "That's different than being a starting center at Portland State."

Landen Hatchett was another who stepped up big in a pressureized situation. While he didn't start, the 6-foot-2, 310-pound sophomore played 45 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, the most in his college career and coming after he recovered from a knee injury to play this season. Hatchett filled in ably at left guard for a less than 100 percent Gaard Memmelaar and at center for Titialii to give him a break.

While Memmelaar started against Michigan, he was ruled questionable coming in while dealing with some issue and played just 29 snaps. The guard likewise was coming back from a knee injury that forced him to miss last season, but there was no confirmation his knee was the problem this time.

At right guard, Enokk Vimahi, the Ohio State transfer who started just twice for the Big Ten powerhouse, walked away from this Michigan game with an elusive victory and a personal sense of vindication while quietly going about his business. With the Buckeyes, he lost three consecutive games to Michigan after winning one.

At the starting tackles, sophomore Drew Azzopardi and junior Max McCree, the San Diego State and JC transfers, respectively, kept the flanks well protected, with their efforts in maintaining pocket protection crucial in giving quarterback Will Rogers enough time to complete 21 of 31 passes for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Max McCree drew his third UW start at left tackle against Michigan. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Azzopardi was the only one of the current starting five linemen who was available during spring football. Redshirt freshman Soane Faasolo actually started the first three games at left tackle before injuries made him give way to McCree for the last three outings.

A win over Michigan goes a long way in confirming the Huskies' have adequate talent among their linemen. At the beginning of the season, their collective progress easily could have been considered the difference in the UW winning more than losing.

"They are continue to improve and get better," Fisch said.

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