Inside The Huskies

UW Adds Ward Brothers from Arizona, One Who's a Former Husky

Jedd Fisch reunites with a pair of siblings who are Bobby Wagner's nephews.

Dan Raley

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The University of Washington football team picked up two more former Jedd Fisch players from Arizona, a pair of siblings who don't need much of an introduction to Seattle — or to Montlake, for that matter.

On Wednesday, the Huskies added starting edge rusher Isaiah Ward and his older brother in reserve linebacker Anthony Ward.

The story lines don't get any better than this, especially when considering the distinctive NFL theme running through Fisch's program. 

The Wards are nephews for Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner; their mother, Nakima, is Wagner's sister.

And Anthony Ward, for those who might remember him, previously played for the Huskies, as a walk-on for Jimmy Lake teams in 2020 and 2021, though he didn't appear in any games.

Each of these guys, who hail from Ontario, California, get things done on the field in their own specialized and playmaking ways. 

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Isaiah Ward started 11 of 13 games that he played for Arizona last season, piling up 30 tackles, which included 5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks, plus he forced a pair of fumbles. 

 

He's the second Arizona edge rusher to join the Huskies recently following former teammate Russell Davis II, who, of course, is the son of a former NFL player by the same name.

After sitting out a season, Anthony Ward appeared in all 13 Arizona games this past fall and made his presence known against Utah.

He blocked a first-quarter Utes punt and ran 2 yards with it for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead that enabled Arizona to pull away for a 42-18 victory.

The older Ward came to the UW as a walk-on after playing a season for Colony High School and three for JSerra Catholic in Southern California. He followed JSerra grads and teammates Nick Harris and Luke Wattenberg, both eventual Husky centers and NFL players, to Seattle.

Anthony Ward, according to multiple reports, will have a UW scholarship this time. 

Anthony Ward breaks through to block a Utah punt, which he returned for a touchdown.
Former Husky Anthony Ward blocks a Utah punt for a touchdown for Arizona :: Zachary BonDurant/USA TODAY sports

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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