Huskies Head Into Season Opener Ready and Healthy

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Washington Huskies coach Jedd Fisch addresses the media on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025 at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum [/caption]

SEATTLE, Wash. — Jedd Fisch knew where the tunnel leading from the locker room to the Husky Stadium field was last year at this time, but not a lot more.

Heading into his second season opener this week as Washington makes its final preparations for Saturday’s game against Colorado State, Fisch said he’s learned many of the finer details.

“I didn’t know what the games were like here,” Fisch said. “I didn’t know what it was like to run out of the tunnel. I didn’t know the timelines we were going to use. .. All those things were going through my head. What was it going to be like in terms of the communication? Who’s my sideline headset guy?”

This year, he’s got firm answers for those questions, and he hopes to have better answers against the top Big Ten teams after going 6-7 in his first year at UW. It all begins 8 p.m. Saturday against Colorado State at Husky Stadium as Washington attempts to add to its 20-game home winning streak.

At least one true freshman is expected to start for the Huskies this season.

Fisch confirmed Monday that true freshman Raiden Vines-Bright will start at slot receiver along with outside receivers Denzel Boston and Rashid Williams. The battle for playing time will be ongoing, though, as senior Penn State transfer Omari Evans will see time on the field, along with true freshman Dezmen Roebuck and junior Kevin Green Jr.

“[Vines-Bright] deserves it based on how he practiced, how he prepared, the plays that he made when the opportunity presented itself,” Fisch said. “We all saw the plays he made in the spring game when the opportunity presented itself. You saw the plays he made in the scrimmage when the opportunity presented itself. As practices have continued, he’s continued to show up.”

The depth chart released Monday for Saturday’s game looked pretty close to as expected, with a few starting spots not fully defined. It shows Evans “OR” Vines-Bright, though Fisch was ready to announce that decision Monday. Fisch mentioned that Green would play against Colorado State, though he is not listed on the depth chart. If Fisch holds to last year’s form, the depth chart released to the media may not be updated for the remainder of the season, though the players who get on the field could change a little throughout the season.

Sophomore Leroy Bryant has landed the start at the nickel spot, beating out redshirt freshman Rahshawn Clark, who was running with the first team during the first week of fall camp.

Boston, Clark and Green, respectively, will be the top three punt returner options for Washington this year, Fisch said.

One spot that raised eyebrows was the edge position. Jacob Lane is listed as a starter, while the other side shows Zach Durfee “OR” Isaiah Ward. Fisch said Durfee should be ready to go against Colorado State. The senior battled injuries during the 2024 season and has been eased back into practices through the fall.

“Durfee is healthy, so Durfee should start,” Fisch said.

Fisch’s 2024 team began the season without a single offensive lineman who had started a game at Washington. This year, there are seven who have started at least a game for UW, though one player will be in the lineup for the first time. Either true freshman John Mills or redshirt freshman Paki Finau will get the nod as they continue a left guard battle that has been ongoing since spring.

“I certainly think John Mills is ready to go,” Fisch said. “Excited to see that, excited to see him. Paki is doing a great job of continuing to compete. I think we’ve got a couple days left — we’re in pads two more days. We’ll let them just keep on battling. We’ll see both guys in the game, regardless of who starts.”

Fisch also confirmed that Grady Gross will be the primary field goal kicker, while Illinois transfer Ethan Moczulski will handle kickoffs to take some of the load off of Gross’ leg this season. Oregon transfer Luke Dunne will be the main punter.

The tight end position is listed as Decker DeGraaf “OR” Quentin Moore. Both will likely play a lot this year, so who runs out for the first play of the game will depend upon Fisch’s play call — and it could include both players. DeGraaf seems destined for more passing targets this year, while Moore will have more of a blocking role.

Huskies in Good Health

Washington enters the final week prior to the opener with a healthy roster. Defensive tackle Jayvon Parker and linebackers Jacob Manu and Zaydrius Rainey-Sale are unlikely to play, but all other players, except a couple who were ruled out for the season prior to fall camp, will be ready to go. Fisch said the team will have a decision to make regarding Manu. The senior transfer from Arizona could play next year if he’s limited to four regular-season games this year.

“I do believe that everyone will be available to play Saturday,” Fisch said. “That doesn’t mean that they will all play, but I do believe that everyone will be available, dressed in uniform.”

True Freshman in the Depth

In addition to Vines-Bright, Mills and Roebuck, guard Champ Taulealea, cornerback Dylan Robinson and edge Devin Hyde are listed on the depth chart. While safety Rylon Dillard-Allen is not, it would be a surprise if the hard-hitting safety doesn’t find a role this season.

Fisch Plans to Keep Calling Plays

Fisch was asked if he’d ever consider giving up calling plays. He spoke at length on that, finishing with “I guess you never say never. But pretty close to never, I think.”

“I kind of look at it as, for 13 years, I’ve called plays,” Fisch said. “That’s like 13,000 plays, plus you start talking about every play you call in practice. It’s just hard to say I want to give that to somebody else, because you learn by experience. You learn by bad calls and good calls. You learn by situations of how you want to manage certain opportunities, and how would you do it a certain way?”

Offensive coordinator Jimmie Dougherty will observe from the coaches’ box above the field and communicate what he sees to Fisch. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters will be down on the field, as will most primary position coaches.