A few notes from Kalen DeBoer after Washington's first scrimmage
A few notes from Kalen DeBoer after Washington's first scrimmage
UW must seek a waiver to assure one edge rusher's eligibility, and Michael Penix Jr. sees some reps.
SEATTLE — The Washington Huskies held their first scrimmage of preseason camp on Saturday morning, away from the prying eyes of meddling reporters such as myself. But UW coach Kalen DeBoer spoke with us for a while afterward and provided a few details.
A bit of news also emerged from that briefing.
Most notably, there is some question as to whether sophomore edge rusher Zach Durfee, a transfer from Division II Sioux Falls, will be eligible to play this season. The reason? Durfee apparently enrolled at another four-year school (North Dakota State) as a regular student prior to enrolling at Sioux Falls to play football. Thus, it appears the NCAA is deeming his Sioux-Falls-to-UW-move as a second four-year transfer, something the governing body is attempting to crack down on.
UW is seeking a waiver to secure Durfee’s eligibility in 2023, arguing that because he was not part of the football program at NDSU, his move to UW should count as a single transfer. Durfee didn’t take significant reps with the No. 1 or No. 2 defense during the open practices we saw, an indication that coaches are preparing other players in case Durfee isn’t deemed eligible. DeBoer first mentioned Voi Tunuufi when asked Saturday about edge rushers emerging behind senior starters Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui, and also noted Lance Holtzclaw and Sekai Asoau-Afoa.
The Huskies, obviously, could really use Durfee’s athletic upside to burnish their pass rush. He was among their standouts this spring, and seemed a lock for a spot in the rotation at edge rusher. Stay tuned on that front.
Here’s what else you should know from DeBoer’s Saturday remarks, including a positive update on a certain starting quarterback.