Camp Takeaways: Huskies Defensive Coordinator Ryan Walters Readies For Fall Competition
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Washington defensive coordinator Ryan Walters talks to the Emerald City Spectrum and other media on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum [/caption]
SEATTLE, Wash. — Ryan Walters sounds like a guy who’s ready for Washington to put on the pads.
The first-year Huskies defensive coordinator won’t be suiting up, but Walters indicated that the battle for starting jobs and playing time comes when the hitting begins.
“There’s been no competition, but watching drill work and doing some walk-through type things, there’s been a lot of recall [from spring ball],” Walters said while talking about the defensive line. “And those guys play with good pad level and proper technique. So I’m excited to see what happens when we put pads on and get after it.”
Walters also warned that fans and media should not make too much of first-team reps during the first two days of practice.
“There’s no indication that what you’re seeing out here is going to be in the fall,” Walters said. “It’s a work in progress to find the right combination.”
Day 2 of fall camp once again featured warm temperatures and blue skies as UW practiced mostly inside Husky Stadium for the second straight day, though with the Blue Angels flying over from time to time in preparation for their Seafair show. The team once again focused mostly on fundamental drills, with a few minutes of 7-on-7 mixed in toward the beginning of practice. The team will likely practice in pads Friday as the competition level begins to ramp up. The Huskies will take Saturday off before resuming practice on Sunday. Practices are open to fans.
Aside from those who were injured or freshmen who were not able to arrive in time for spring ball, Walters got a good look at who some of his key contributors might be prior to fall camp. As a defensive coordinator at Illinois and head coach at Purdue, Walters also knows what it takes to win in the Big Ten.
“We’ve definitely got to stop the run,” Walters said. “You know what I mean — this is the Big Ten, and something that a year ago we kind of struggled with. So that’s been a point of emphasis.”
A large — or perhaps a tall — part of that run defense will come from 6-4 senior cornerbacks Tacario Davis and Ephesians Prysock. The coverage skills and size of the tandem give Walters some extra flexibility with how many players stay closer to the line of scrimmage.
“Having the length on the outside will allow us to sort of be heavy in the box to give us numbers there,” Walters said. “And then it’s just how quickly can we master the situational football to be able to prevail in those tight games.”
Walters talked about a pair of unrelated true freshmen Robinsons. Donovan Robinson Jr. was a 6-3, 210-pound safety coming out of Loyola Academy in the Chicago, Ill. area. Listed on the roster at 220 and trending toward 230, his position changed along with his size.
“He’s a linebacker,” Walters said flatly. “He’s definitely not a safety. He’s a big as all the other linebackers.”
Meanwhile, Dylan Robinson has also impressed, and based upon two days of where he fit in at practices, it seems very unlikely that the 6-3 cornerback will redshirt.
“He looks like Bobo (Tacario Davis) and Ephe (Prysock) out there,” Walter said. “I think he’s already 200 pounds. I think he had the highest broad jump of the team this summer. So now it’s just a matter of mentally catching them up to speed and enhancing his football IQ. If you know my track record, I got no problem playing freshman.
“If you’re ready to play, you’re ready to play.”
Cornerback Tacario Davis impresses
Davis transferred from Arizona during the winter after nearly following Fisch from Arizona to Washington a year earlier. He’s looked impressive thus far during fall camp, showing improved ball skills as he works toward his stated goal of becoming an All-American.
"It’s rare to have that size and be able to move the way he does and play corner,” Walters said. “That’s rare. You can tell he’s been really working on his ball skills — a lot more comfortable catching it, looks more natural. High IQ, football guy, tough guy. Really happy he’s here.”
Davis hopes to take another step beyond simply being a shutdown corner.
“Finishing,” Davis said. “Instead of making good plays, making great plays — that’s interceptions and taking them to the house.”
Defensive Line Versatility
The defense spent much of their team sessions on the East practice field. I saw a few different formations, and that will be a common sight during games this fall. Zach Durfee looks fully healthy, and Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei, Jacob Lane, Hayden Moore and Isaiah Ward also rotated in at the edge spots. Uiagalelei played both inside and on the edge. Ellinneus Davis, Anterio Thompson, Simote Pepa and Logan Sagapolu appear to be headed toward major inside roles. Deshawn Lynch will also play a role when he returns from injury. One alignment featured Pepa and Sagapolu together, which is about close to 700 pounds of running stuffing in the middle.
