When upset in a relationship, people often feel hurt, angry, and lash out with insults, sometimes lashing out without really thinking about what they're saying. For example, a University of Washington football fan suddenly denigrated the late Karen DeBoer. He argued that the Huskies' great success was probably due to the fact that they used other players.
While some of that was true to an extent given his inheritance, DeBoer still signed 63 of the 99 players who still hold roster spots at UW, including 45 on scholarship. did.
Now at Alabama, DeBoer has left the biggest footprint of the four coaches over the past six years who have been charged with putting together Husky football's newest collection of talent. This is his third of four stories that examine the existing workforce and how it came to Montlake.
Two and a half weeks before the start of spring practice, here's the breakdown of the roster in terms of who signed whom. With Chris Petersen getting 5 players, Jimmy Lake getting 17 players, DeBoer getting 63 players, and new addition Jed making up the rest, Fisch still has a lot of work to do before he can complete his first Husky team. there is.
While all but two star players have graduated, retired, headed to the NFL or hit the transfer portal to learn the ropes, DeBoer's human contributions to University of Wisconsin football will continue for some time. right.
Yes, DeBoer will certainly be joining wide receivers Roman Odunze, Jaylen McMillan and Jalin Polk, offensive tackles Troy Fautanu and Roger Rosengarten, edge rushers Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui, and tight end He got a lot of mileage from veteran holdover Huskies like Jack Westover. The coaches also put a lot of effort into planning for the future, as did Devin Culp, not to mention linebacker Edejuan Ulofosio and safety Dominic Hampton.
Everyone except wide receiver Teshaun Lyons, who transferred to Utah for some reason — Big 12, not Big Ten, hey — remains from the outgoing Husky head coach's 2023 recruiting class, many of whom won championships. He is expected to compete and begin his role this April, or seriously contribute to the game in some capacity in the fall.
DeBoer made significant additions to that group, but the Huskies went 14-1 and advanced to the College Football Playoff Championship Game with a lineup older than most players, most of whom redshirted. Not everyone noticed it right away.
The class of 2023 should be one that allows UW to build a fairly competitive team someday. Top players include center Landen Hatchett, running back Tybo Rodgers and edge rusher Jacob Lane, who each redshirted as freshmen and could become honor roll candidates before the end. There is.
Tybo Rodgers breaks a tackle in the Sugar Bowl against Texas.
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DeBoer signed five offensive linemen from the high school ranks: the 6-foot-2, 310-pound Hatchett, the 6-foot-5, 292-pound Zach Henning, the 6-foot-5, 7,259-pound Elisha Jackett; Karlie Tafai, 327 pounds, and Thorne Faasolo, 6-foot-8, 290 pounds. Two or more could be starters this season. This is already a huge group size-wise. In the same position area. The fact that all five of these top prospects are still together during this transitional period in college football is nothing short of amazing.
Add linebackers Deven Bryant and Jordan Whitney, known as speedsters. Cornerbacks Leroy Bryant, Caleb Pressley, and Carly Reed all have great track records. Safety Diesel Gordon. Wide receivers Rashid Williams, Keith Reynolds and Vincent Holmes have been moved from safety. Defensive linemen Erinneus Davis and Anthony James, the latter considered to be the prize money earner in the class.
Coach DeBoer transferred cornerback Thaddeus Dixon from the JC ranks, highly touted edge rusher Zach Durfee from Sioux Falls, running back Daniel Ngata from Arizona State and cornerback Darren Barkins from Oregon State. This will supplement the 2023 group.
Zach Durfee made his college debut in the Sugar Bowl against Texas.
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In 2022, DeBoer retained and signed Lake recruits tight end Ryan Otton, wide receiver Denzel Boston and edge rusher Lance Holtzclaw, as well as self-discovered safety Tristan Dunn and the Parker twins. By signing Javon, he saved the Huskies from lagging recruiting efforts. and Armon, defensive tackle. With transfers still ongoing, he acquired running back Will Nixon from Nebraska.
In December of this year, DeBoer signed another promising high school recruiting class in 2024, with the Fish signing quarterback Demaricus Davis, tight end Decker DeGraaf, offensive linemen Davis Boyajian and Paki Finau, Linebacker Kumori House, defensive tackle Omar Khan, cornerback Elias Johnson, safeties Paul Menke Jr. and Peyton Waters, and wide receivers Jason Robinson Jr. and Justis Williams.
In addition, quarterback Will Rogers transferred from Mississippi State, offensive tackle Drew Azzopardi from San Diego State, defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez from Montana State, and wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter from California. .
Finally, there are the walk-ons, 18 in total. DeBoer noted that the Huskies have an excellent placekicker in Grady Gross, who is currently on scholarship.
Grady Gross went from walk-on to scholarship player with the game-winning Apple Cup kick.
Scott Eklund/UW
The non-scholarship list includes punters Adam Sole and Troy Petts, quarterback Kamdyn Stiegeler, running back Ryder Bumgarner, wide receivers Owen Coutts, Luke Luchini, Jackson Girouard, and defensive backs. That includes Tristan Warner and Anai Nagarajan, and linebackers Logan Richerness and Griffin Miller. , offensive linemen Parker Cross, Royce Cleland and Aidan Anderson, defensive lineman Habib Bello, edge rusher Jacob Mason, tight end John Frazier and long snapper Caleb Johnston.
Who said DeBoer couldn't recruit his own talent? Couldn't he win with his own players?
The people of Alabama are already raving about the new football coach's ability to recruit players to an SEC powerhouse team, no small feat. A few years into the Huskies' tenure in the Big Ten, DeBoer may be given credit for helping set the Huskies up for success under Fisch's watch.
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