> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Huskies Camp Day 3: Putting on the Pads, Uiagalelei Returns - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/washington-huskies-fall-camp-day-3-pads-taitai-uiagalelei/ - Published: 2026-08-10T01:57:13.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:13:55.000Z - Author: Aaron Coe - Tags: News, Analysis, Huskies Football, Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei, Quaid Carr, Jayden Limar, Brian Bonner Jr., Scottie Graham, Demond Williams Jr. \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1608"\] ![ Defensive lineman Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei (46) practiced Sunday after returning to Washington Huskies football program for his fifth season of college football. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/img_6547-format-original.jpg) Defensive lineman Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei (46) practiced Sunday after returning to Washington Huskies football program for his fifth season of college football. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum \[/caption\] SEATTLE, Wash. — Study hall is over, and the real classes have begun. The Huskies put on the pads for the first time on Sunday, and 2026 University of Washington football school is officially in session. “Today just felt so good getting the pads on,” second-year offensive lineman John Mills said. “Last time was a spring game, and that was it was kind of a tempo-down practice. But now we're just getting fall camp, getting ready for the season — being able to hit people is always fun.” With a series of 12 regular-season tests, starting with the Sept. 9 Apple Cup against Washington State, the Huskies showed a much higher level of enthusiasm while wearing pads on Sunday. “\[The first two practices were\] to prepare themselves to get evaluated,” head coach Jedd Fisch said Thursday. “So I look at this as truly like study hall.” Players woofed at each other during team sessions on Sunday, and even the coaches got into the trash talk. After cornerback Elias Johnson broke up a Demond Williams Jr. pass intended for freshman receiver Trez Davis, secondary coach John Richardson shouted, “What, you wanted a flag? Always looking for excuses.” The full team sessions — the closest thing to recess for football players during practice — were mostly red-zone focused on Sunday, with the defense often prevailing. “It was just a back-and-forth practice, I guess. You know, first day of pads, there's always going to be some tweaks,” Mills said. “We'll learn from that. We'll watch the film and get better.” “Our defense is one of the best in the Big 10, so I'm excited. We're always getting better playing against them.” Freshman corner Jeron Jones intercepted quarterback Dash Beierly on Sunday. Freshman edge Ramzak Fruean picked off a short pass thrown by Elijah Brown, and took it the other way with Richardson running alongside. Demond Williams Jr. appeared to throw short touchdowns to tight end Barone Naone, running back Quaid Carr, and receivers Rashid Williams and Dezmen Roebuck, though the 10-yard fade to Williams was ruled out of bounds by an official. “From an offense-defense standpoint, I thought our defense took it to us a little bit, but that's the challenge we're going to have every week,” senior offensive assistant Matt Cavanaugh said. “So it was good for us, the first day out, to see them being a little more aggressive. We had some success with our first group, and less with the second and third, so still a lot to work on." **Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei Suddenly Super Senior** Until recently, aside from Covid and other exceptions, any college football player who participated in five or more regular-season games for four seasons ran out of eligibility. That all changed June 23rd when the Division I Cabinet approved a new “five-in-five” rule that removes the four-game limit. In December, UW saw the departures of seven players who exhausted their eligibility in four seasons. Jonah Coleman, Tacario Davis, Ephesians Prysock and Anterio Thompson were all selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Omari Evans signed as an undrafted free agent. That left Uiagalelei and kicker Grady Gross as players with a chance to return. Washington added kicker Tyler Robles, recently named to the Lou Groza Award watch list, through the transfer portal to fill Gross’ vacated spot, but football teams can always make room for an additional starting-caliber defensive lineman. A UW spokesperson confirmed that Uigalelei is back on the team, and he has been officially added to the roster, listed at 6-4, 285 pounds and wearing No. 46, the same number he wore at Arizona before transferring to Washington for the 2025 season. Fisch and Uigalelei were not available for comment Sunday, nor were any defensive coaches or players. “It’s so awesome,” Mills said. “I saw him in the training room the other day, and I was so hyped. He's such a good dude, just to have on the team. And off the field, such a great guy.” Uigalelei, who led Washington’s interior line group with 492 snaps last season, adds some UW experience to a defensive line that will again feature several transfers. Fourth-year Ellineus Davis is the only returner who was in the regular rotation last season. **RB’s Jayden Limar, Trey Cooley Held Out** Quaid Carr flashed speed around the edge on several occasions during Sunday’s practice as he continues to receive the majority of first-team reps. “We don't have an RB1 right now,” running backs coach Scottie Graham said of his second-year runner. “We're still in competition. We're lucky to have Quaid in the offense. Quaid was the Player of the Year in the Trinity \[high school league\], so used to big-time football. Just a matter of adjusting to it now. He's about 8-9-10 pounds bigger now.” That would put Carr at about 5-11 and almost 200 pounds. With senior transfers Jayden Limar and Trey Cooley out of team sessions as they work their way back from injuries, freshman Brian Bonner Jr. received a lot of reps with the first and second teams. The talented freshman continues to learn the offense while adding bulk to his frame, which was listed at 6-0, 195 on the official roster. (Disclaimer: Some players’ weights are significantly different than listed on the roster, according to multiple coaches and players.) “He understands the offense a little bit more,” Graham said. “He's gaining confidence. He's getting a lot more reps.” “We really run a true pro-style offense, and it's hard. You just can't be a running back. You got to pick up blitzing, footwork. Everything is important. So Brian's done a great job of learning. Him and Ansu \[Sanoe\], too. Both have learned the offense. Now they get a chance to operate. You can see from movement now and since the spring, a little bit smoother, a little bit faster now.” With youngsters looking to fill the holes left by Coleman going to the NFL and Adam Mohammed’s transfer to Cal, the Huskies have relied on Limar and Cooley for leadership. “Jayden Limar and Trey Cooley have been a tremendous help to our young guys. Being able to echo what I say, speak the language we speak, and that veteran leadership is always helpful, especially when you have guys that are selfless. Those two guys are really selfless.” Limar, an Oregon transfer who missed spring ball after ankle surgery, has been fully cleared, but will be held out of contact from time to time as he works his way back, and due to the nature of the position he plays. “Definitely was itching to get out there in the spring, that's for sure,” Limar said. “But at the end of the day, I just kind of take it as a blessing and take it as a good time to just get those mental reps … which are extremely important. And then when I do have my chance to be out there, make sure I apply the mental reps that I did get and mix that with the work I'm doing in the weight room with the strength staff.” The Huskies will be back at it 10 a.m. Monday.