Huskies ‘Freak’ Freshman Left Tackle Kodi Greene Appears Ready to Block
#Huskies guard John Mills: True freshman left tackle Kodi Greene “is an absolute stud.” pic.twitter.com/MUUSz0s5cM— Aaron Coe (@Coe_Aaron) April 17, 2026
SEATTLE, Wash. — Huskies left guard John Mills knows a thing or two about freak freshman.
He proved to be one last year, when he earned freshman All-American honors as a starter for the University of Washington football team as a 17-year-old. He sees something similar in Kodi Greene, who appears on track to start as a true freshman at left tackle in the season-opening Apple Cup on Sept. 5
“He's an absolute stud,” said Mills after UW’s eighth spring ball practice on Thursday. “I'm so proud of just the way he's come in and worked every single day. He's never taken anything for granted. And he came in, he asked all the questions. He works in the weight room, and he works on the field. So I'm sure you guys can see he's an absolute baller.”
Working immediately with the first team from the opening practice, Green has held onto the spot. There’s much to learn before September, but the 6-6 321-pound 18-year-old has shown rare athleticism and effort since arriving at UW in January.
“So far, Kodi Greene's done some impressive things out here,” Huskies offensive line coach Michael Switzer said. “He's talented in terms of his athleticism, his ability to play the game of football, but I'd say what's most impressive is what he's doing in the film room, how he's understanding defenses, how he's communicating with the offensive line. He's taking it very serious from the day he got here, so it's showing, and he's doing some nice things.”
Senior right tackle Drew Azzopardi has also been impressed.
“He moves like a freak,” Azzopardi said. “He's only 18 years old, and he's so fluid.”
#Huskies offensive line coach Michael Switzer talks about the progress of apparent starting left tackle Kodi Greene. pic.twitter.com/Ov7r8WshTR— Aaron Coe (@Coe_Aaron) April 17, 2026
Mills Shows Improved Quickness
Mills arrived at UW at 17, weighing in at close to 370 pounds, and played his strong 2025 season in the 340s. While maintaining his signature blonde mullet that earned him an immediate cult following, he’s continued to build muscle while dropping a few more pounds. He said he weighed in at 335 on Thursday morning.
“I feel just more athletic and agile,” he said. “And really shout out to the strength staff and the nutrition staff. I'm just super grateful having [strength coaches] TO [Tyler Owens], LA [Lance Ancar] and Cadillac [Mitchell]. And especially [nutritionists] Tanner [Graves] and Elena [Arndt], and all of them. Super grateful for having just every single day, working in and getting the calories down. I just stopping the fast food, really, and just sugar, unhealthy sugar.”
And it wasn’t easy for a man who was still technically a child until he turned 18 halfway through the 2025 season.
“I like gummies,” he said. “I like gummies sometimes — maybe some Charleston Chews.”
Landen Hatchett Mending, Flores Fills In
During the first drive of the Oct. 25 Illinois games last season, Hatchett knew something wasn’t right with his right hand — the one he uses to snap the ball to quarterback Demond Williams Jr. as the starting center.
He finished the game, best he could, admitting he likely damaged it more by fighting through the pain. He said he could feel it “clicking,” but didn’t realize the extent of the injury until celebrating after the victory over the Illini.
“After the game, we were singing the fight song. I was kind of holding my helmet up, and it kind of flopped on me a little bit,” Hatchett said. “…But I think just during the game, there's so much adrenaline going on, and you're almost trained to be like, ‘Okay, it's nothing,’ a little bit. So just kept going through that, and it honestly wasn't a huge issue for me, except in the back of your mind, you kind of know something's a little messed up.”
Hatchett attempted to play with a club on his hand at Wisconsin after spending the entire week of practice learning to snap left-handed. The Badgers noticed the club during the first drive and began taking advantage of the situation.
“[Wisconsin] immediately came out in a new front that they hadn't shown before, with a jam shade, started attacking it with pit games,” he said. “You don't have anything to grab with so you're punching, you're slipping off, and then you're relying on your snap hand, which is just not ideal.”
#Huskies center Landen Hatchett walks us through the hand injury suffered during last year’s Illinois game and trying to snap left-handed. pic.twitter.com/Btr8me4rdi— Aaron Coe (@Coe_Aaron) April 17, 2026
Hatchett served as a backup to Zachary Henning, who has since transferred, the rest of the way and had surgery after the season. He’s stayed out of team drills so far this spring as the healing continues. His older brother, seventh-year senior Geirean Hatchett, opened spring as the No. 1 center, but is also out with an injury. After wearing a sling for a week, he was seen in a heavy elbow brace at Thursday’s practice.
Next up is Jake Flores, a redshirt freshman who arrived at UW as a tackle prospect. After some shaky snaps during his first practice as a center, he’s earned praise from Switzer and fellow linemen.
“He's never played center in his life before practice one of spring ball two weeks ago,” Switzer said. “He's gotten the number one reps since practice three. I thought he's come in and done a fantastic job, because of the [offensive line] room and because of how he prepares.”
Unable to participate in team drills, both Hatchett brothers join the line on the field, serving as additional coaches. Flores has listened and responded well during the past two weeks as a starting center.
“Been really impressed with his mindset and how he's kind of adapted everything,” Landen Hatchett said. “Kind of got baptism by fire a little bit. So he's done a great job handling that, and really proud of him.”
Jordan Clay Held Out
The true freshman receiver, who had been working mostly with the first team this spring, was held out of team drills on Thursday for what is believed to be a minor injury. He’s attempting to win the starting “X” spot as a true freshman. His main competitors, Kennesaw State transfer Christian Moss and sophomore Chris Lawson, have also been dinged up this spring. Lawson did get in for a few team sessions, catching a pass at one point.
Another freshman, Trez Davis, took advantage of some first-team reps, catching a couple of long passes in 11-on-11 sessions. Justice Williams, a big-bodied (6-3, 219 pounds) redshirt sophomore, made a diving catch for a gain of about 40 yards, and had a couple of other receptions as well.
Running laps
There’s no track around the field at Husky Stadium these days, but the offense got to run a lap after Dezmen Roebuck and Ansu Sanoe fumbled on back-to-back plays. Safety Alex McLaughlin knocked the ball loose from Roebuck after a long gain on a screen play. An interior lineman forced a Sanoe fumble, and the defense went wild as linebacker Xe’ree Alexander ran the other way for a scoop and score.
Most of the defense waited for the offense as it completed the lap. Defensive tackle Elinneus Davis called out, “Get those knees up!” as each offensive player ran past. Azzopardi gave Davis a little shove. Though Thursday’s practice was a little lighter ahead of a Saturday that is likely to include a lot of scrimmage, both sides were talking a lot. It got a little chippy at times.
“Football is a violent game, and we compete,” Azzopardi said. “That’s really it.”
Azzopardi said he’s been impressed by how the defensive line has gelled despite its new components, and has especially liked what he’s seen from Davis, a redshirt junior.
“I love the guy,” Azzopardi said. “That's why I'm smiling. He's worked so hard this offseason, and all the extra work he does that no one sees. It doesn't go unsung, just by the way that you see how he comes off the ball and how he plays. I'm expecting him to have a big year this year, and I can't wait to watch him work.”
The Huskies practice again, 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday, with lots of scrimmaging expected.
