53 Comments
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Joseph Dennis's avatar

So encouraging to see all the awesome souls who may be returning for us to cheer in the Fall, including but NOT limited to 💥Carson Bruener and 💥 Kamren Fabiculanan.

Tim Larson's avatar

If Carson Bruener finally becomes a starter, and he's healthy all year, he's going to blow up the stat sheet. To my eye, he's been our best linebacker for the past two years.

Barb S's avatar

Thanks for this current comprehensive list. It's hard to keep track of who is or is not going somewhere. Certainly hoping that Fisch can retain all of those not in the portal and maybe get a few back who are. He was offered good money, and he'll definitely be earning it. I've seen that Alabama has a lot of decomits also, seems like a good few players weren't happy with the change on their side either. It's going to be very interesting to watch how it all shakes out the next few days.

Logdawg's avatar

We criticize coaches and players for their behavior, but look in the mirror ask yourself, "what would I do in this situation?" They really owe us nothing, just as most of us owe our employers nothing and are free to pursue our highest and best use as a professional. Their behavior is simply a reflection of what our society has come to accept as normal. Sucks for us fans, though.

Chrius's avatar

Couple of thoughts:

- I would imagine the most important priority would be retaining Austin Mack, right? The previous regime talked about him as the future of Husky football, and that could led to a great domino effect in the huskies favor. I’d have to imagine a head coach that was a former nfl coach and close familial proximity to Pete Carroll could be helpful here.

- Brailsford is from Arizona, and his dad has been calling Fisch a snake on Twitter. Don’t think he’s coming back….

- From walk-on to special teams captain: the Grady Gross story.

Tim Larson's avatar

Sorry to hear that about Brailsford's Dad. Parker is a "great" player. Hopefully this means we'll keep Landen Hatchett, a natural center who was being blocked by Brailsford.

Jerry's avatar

He wasn't being blocked by him. Parker was just better....this year.

Tim Larson's avatar

That's what I'm saying.

Tuengel's avatar

I'm not sure what Fisch's plan is at QB. It might not be Mack. He appears to be trying to get a true freshman he recruited to Arizona to transfer to UW. He seems to be a Fafita type player (under sized & very quick).

James R's avatar

Seems likely that Brailsford will wind up at Alabama. The Bama starting center who was such a disaster in the Rose Bowl entered the portal a few days after that game.

Tim Larson's avatar

Alabama with a 275-pound center? He's a great player, so I wouldn't be surprised.

James R's avatar

I think he might be able to add another ten pounds or so, but the coaches and the S&C coach figured he would top out around 285. Because of that there was initially some concern about whether he would ever crack the starting lineup. But it turned out that - even as a freshman - he was one of the strongest OL at the UW, and understands leverage so well he's just never had much trouble going up against much bigger guys.

Tony L's avatar

UW will not have a set roster until Memorial Day.

Tim Larson's avatar

Reading through your piece, I saw three bright spots: (1) We still have some offensive line talent. They're all young, but Henning, Peacock, Wyrsch, Landen Hatchett and a couple of others look promising. (2) Durfee, Lane, Holtzclaw and Heims are all talented edge guys. (3) And, unless my eyes deceive me, Josh Cuevas has a ton of talent at tight end.

James R's avatar

On the OL, gotta hold on to Elishah Jackett. That dude is a monster and a future anchor, even if it's not in 2024.

Tim Larson's avatar

I've don't recall seeing Jackett in last year's televised spring scrimmage, but I just watched his high school tape. He looks great. However, the Huskies list him at 6'7 259. I hope he can put on good weight.

Brendan Gramer's avatar

On3 Sports just reported that 9 Arizona players entered the portal in the past 45 minutes: https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire/football/2024/

Tuengel's avatar

It can always be worse. DeBoer is dealing with 29 players on his roster in the portal. Georgia, Texas and Florida State are snapping them up very quickly.

Jerry's avatar

This list makes me feel a bit better. Hard to keep track with everyone. Seems still have a deep DB room as long as no one leaves thoughI wish Meesh would stay. He's pretty good and saved the season. RB could use 1 or 2 but also depends on how healthy Cam will be. Of course the biggest question is the QB room. As of now we have absolutely no one.

So this was strictly scholarship players? Fowler played a decent amount last year and should play more. Would be nice to get him a scholarship.

Tim Larson's avatar

According to some GPS stats Coach Inge put out, Drew Fowler was our fastest linebacker. He's looked good on the limited snaps he's received.

Kate Rothgeb's avatar

Thank you. I am glad to have a clear picture of who’s here and who’s gone and who is questioning things.

Kate Rothgeb's avatar

Also, too bad about Brailsford’s dad. Fisch did the same thing KDB did. I get how frustrated these families are when coaches leave. Ironically, he’s calling out Fisch and not the coach his son signed to play for as a snake.

Joseph Dennis's avatar

I think KDB was a little more serpenty with all those allusions to signing the contract once the season is done. So glad Dannen had his spidey senses on alert about that...

Tim Larson's avatar

My baseless guess is that Brailsford's Dad didn't like the way Fisch recruited, or didn't recruit, his son when he was at Saguaro High School in Arizona.

Gaijin's avatar

While it won't help UW it can at least make some of us smile.

one thing KDB did well when he took over for lake was recruit the players already at UW but thinking of leaving via the portal. He is not doing that at BAMA. they have 26 players who entered the portal and of that 20 have already committed elsewhere

https://247sports.com/college/alabama/Article/five-star-quarterback-julian-sayin-plans-to-enter-transfer-portal-per-espn-225710799/

Tim Larson's avatar

Driving around Durham, NC, I just heard Christian talking at length about the Husky roster on the Sirius College Sports channel. He was great, as usual, and the hosts were gushing about how successful OnMontlake has been!

Tuengel's avatar

Lots of good names hopefully staying, but there's very little experience on that side of the list. It might be a painful one or two years from a win loss standpoint, but if the coaches do their jobs well, we'll get to see a pretty good team in a couple years. The price for changing head coaches can sometimes be painful. Getting a few guys from Arizona would be very helpful though. Coleman, Prysock and Pulido especially.

Joseph Dennis's avatar

One positive about the upside-downness of the portal vortex... Players are less likely to be stuck with teammates who aren’t happy but can’t leave... And players, like Dylan Morris, who just want a chance to start, can get their opportunities....

...Cutthroat and funky, but hopefully not the end of CFB as we’ve always enjoyed it.

Omar Noujoum's avatar

Anything but Jabbar to the Ducks...

Nelson's avatar

Would be really nice to have a DC right about now.

Steve Maggi's avatar

DeFraud steals our best prospect. Wasn't destroying our program overnight enough, now he picks at the bones??

Tim Larson's avatar

Sort of the way Fisch is picking at the bones he left for dead in Arizona?

Steve Maggi's avatar

I guess so but that doesn't negate the pain caused. Deboer's actions will scar us for a long time, maybe until we win a national championship!