With Ulumoo Ale on Defense Now, Who's the Left Guard?
Ulumoo Ale drew the most starts at left offensive guard for the University of Washington football team both last season (6) and the year before (4) during a pandemic-shortened schedule.
Yet the mountainous Ale is a now defensive tackle in training, filling an urgent need.
The Huskies felt comfortable enough to switch him over to the other because they appear to have an overabundance of capable replacement candidates.
Let's review the manpower available to new coach Kalen DeBoer and staff.
Troy Fautanu, now a 6-foot-4, 300-pound sophomore, was the most recent starter at left guard, a somewhat surprising choice when he opened against Washington State in the Apple Cup. Previously, he spent the season at left tackle either backing up Jaxson Kirkland or replacing him with a pair of starts.
Troy Fautanu started at left guard in the Apple Cup.
Dan Raley
Julius Buelow, a 6-foot-8, 330-pound sophomore, opened the first five games as the starter at left guard before moving aside first for Ale and then for Fautanu. Even after losing the job at midseason, Buelow remains an attractive player because of his exceptional size and relative youth.
Another veteran candidate is Nate Kalepo, a 6-foot-6, 330-pound sophomore who served as a season-long backup at right guard to starter Henry Bainivalu. Kalepo has appeared in 13 Husky games and has pulled plenty of scrimmage time, splitting snaps with Bainivalu at times.
Nate Kalepo heads to spring practice.
Dan Raley
Getting creative here, Myles Murao has to rate strong consideration, too. He's one of the Huskies' more highly regarded offensive linemen recruits over the past decade. He's practiced as a guard and center, got banged up some in practice and hasn't appeared in a game yet.
A stout 6-foot-3, 320-pound redshirt freshman from the Los Angeles area, Murao should be ready to contribute to the Huskies on Saturdays now.
Myles Murao, at left, shared in a downtown Seattle practice.
UW Athletics
Another intriguing candidate is 6-foot-4, 310-pound redshirt freshman Gaard Memmelaar, one more touted young player who has yet to play in a Husky game yet. He comes with strong set of family college football genes. His four great uncles played for the University of Wyoming.
One of them was Dale Memmelaar, a 6-foot-2, 247-pound pulling guard who was known as "Big Mammo" and spent nine seasons in the NFL for five teams. He blocked for legendary running back Jim Brown with the Cleveland Browns and protected iconic quarterback Johnny Unitas with the Baltimore Colts.
Yet another possibility is 6-foot-4, 295-pound senior Corey Luciano, who served as a backup center last season and likely is first in line to replace the departed Luke Wattenberg at that position.
Corey Luciano spent his first season at tight end at the UW.
Darren Yamashita/USA TODAY Sports
Still, Luciano has played all over the Husky offensive line, even at tight end, since transferring in from California's Diablo Valley College in 2019. ESPN once named him the nation's top junior-college offensive guard.
The Verdict: With Jaxson Kirkland in all likelihood coming back for a sixth season, Fautanu needs to play. He's our choice for starting left guard. He's mobile on a big frame and versatile having started at two positions. Buelow looks more like a tackle. Maybe swap those two for good from their 2021 positions. The touted Murao also has to get on the field. It's time for him. Put Murao at center or have him rotate in at guard. Let the helmet-cracking begin.
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