RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sourcesThe Washington Huskies ' defensive line underwent a massive facelift ahead of the 2026 season after losing ten players from the unit to graduation, the NFL draft, and the transfer portal.
However, Jedd Fisch still expressed considerable confidence in his defensive front, even as defensive coordinator Ryan Walters attempts to replicate the nation's No. 12 run defense from the 2025 campaign, when the Huskies allowed 100.08 yards per game.
"Night and day in a lot of ways," Fisch told Huskies Wire of Washington's defensive tackles during Big Ten Media Days on Thursday. "When you look at Elinneus (Davis), Derek Colman-Brusa, (Darin) Conley, (Desean) Watts, TI (Umu-Cais), Kai (McClendon), that's six guys that are interior D-linemen that have shown an ability to play at a very high level."
At outside linebacker, after injuries have ravaged the unit over Fisch's first two years at the helm, the depth also looks considerably different. The Huskies are looking to improve on a group that recorded just 24 sacks in 2025, which ranked No. 12 in the Big Ten, and have an experienced unit leading the way.
"(Russell) Davis is back, Isaiah Ward is back. Then you look at Jacob Lane on the other side, then Logan George; they've shown the defensive line in its totality is a different type of group than we've had in the five years that I've been a head coach. I think the ability for us to go in and out with players and keep them fresh in a long season, as well as the difference makers that I think we have there, is exciting."
Combined with promising young talents like sophomore Devin Hyde and true freshmen Ramzak Fruean and JD Hill, the Huskies have put themselves in a spot along the defensive line where Fisch feels that they can physically compete with some of the Big Ten's top programs.
"I believe based on our O-line and our D-line, it won't need to be so skewed in that regard, and we'll be able to out-physical some dudes, all the dudes," he said on Say Who, Say Pod in June.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Jedd Fisch expresses great confidence in Washington's D-line
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.