> ## 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. # Washington Huskies Take Over Seahawks Practice Facility - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/washington-huskies-football-defense-takes-over-seahawks-practice-facility/ - Published: 2026-04-16T00:11:36.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:15:07.000Z - Author: Aaron Coe - Tags: Huskies Football, Taylor Mays, Rylon Dillard-Allen, Alex McLaughlin, Rahim Wright, Derek Colman-Brusa, Spring Football, Jedd Fisch \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3965"\] ![ Washington Huskies safeties Alex McLaughlin (7) and Rahim Wright (15) participate in a practice drill on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Washington. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/jo1a5048-jpeg-format-original.jpg) Washington Huskies safeties Alex McLaughlin (7) and Rahim Wright (15) participate in a practice drill on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton, Washington. Credit: Aaron Coe/Emerald City Spectrum \[/caption\] RENTON, Wash. — Jedd Fisch’s “Be a Pro” mantra got a little extra flavor on Tuesday, as the Washington Huskies football team practiced at the Seahawks’ practice facility for Day 7 of spring football. With rain showers threatening, and the softball team scheduled to use Dempsey Indoor practice facility according to a UW source, the Huskies loaded up buses and headed for the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Fisch and the Seahawks seem to have a good working relationship, as evidenced by Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald’s recent appearance as a guest at UW’s Be a P.R.O. coaching clinic earlier this month. Washington leveraged that friendship for an apparent day-of change of venue, where the defense had a solid day near an opposite Lake Washington shoreline. It’s unclear when Fisch made the practice audible. Media was alerted about 3 hours prior to practice, and an announcement was released on social media around that time to notify fans that they were not permitted to attend the VMAC practice. While the Seahawks indoor facility looks large because of the higher roof and bright lighting, the sidelines are fairly narrow, as opposed to Dempsey’s field, which is surrounded by a running track. “Sometimes, especially on defense, we talk about sudden change, where you don’t have control over everything,” safeties coach Taylor Mays said. “All of a sudden, we’re coming here, and guys have to adjust and adapt and go out there and play football and execute. That was a little bit of the mindset behind what went on.” There appeared to be another sudden change for CJ Christian, who entered 2025 spring as a potential starting safety. Christian was on crutches after going down during Tuesday’s practice. Christian played his final high school season in 2019, has attended four colleges, and his 2026 season could be in question. Held out of team sessions earlier in spring, he’d been slowly getting worked into drills in recent practices before another apparent setback. Last fall, Alex McLaughlin made the leap from third to first team. Christian played in the opener as a reserve, but suffered an injury and missed the remainder of the 2025 season. Mays said he’d have to learn more about the injury before speculating on Christian’s status going forward. Rahim Wright, who missed the 2025 season with injury, has been working with the second team while mixing in some first-team reps this spring. With Rylon Dillard-Allen entrenched at the post safety spot and McLaughlin locking down the box, Wright and fellow sophomore Paul Mencke Jr. appear in line to be in the two-deeps on the depth chart. “I think they’re very physical,” McLaughlin said. “They’re both very strong. “We see the size of Paul, and everyone knows on this team how athletic and strong \[Rahim\] is. So I think we knew coming into this year how much depth we have in the safety room. I’m comfortable with whoever they put out there with me, or with RDA, or with anybody.” Gavin Day, a hard-hitting but raw true freshman, has also received some second-team reps. Wright, who committed to Fisch at Arizona before following the staff to UW, has looked good during spring ball despite his short playing resume. He appeared Week 1 in the 2024, but has not been in a game since then. Wright missed the 2025 season with an injury, but he seems ready to play a regular role for the Huskies in 2026\. “He sat in a lot of the meetings that we had last year, so he didn’t miss a ton from a meeting and schematic standpoint,” Mays said. “The kid is athletic, he’s physical, he’s got a great frame, and he’s a great kid. It’s not a lot more that you could ask for, from a coach’s perspective.” **Rylon Dillard-Allen’s Knowledge of Tacos, Football** Dillard-Allen, a heavy hitter as a true freshman last season despite his listed playing weight of 180 pounds, said he’s up to 190 this spring. He said he’s gotten there with the aid of regular doses of tacos — two orders of three quesabirria per visit to be specific — from a local restaurant. “I’m probably their best customer,” he said. “I’m not gonna lie.” Whether it’s the tacos or natural ability, Mays likes what he sees so far and is looking for Dillard-Allen to take the next step. “RDA has a chance to be a special player,” Mays said. “I think for him in high school, he was just faster than everybody else, quicker, and now, especially when you get to college and then the NFL, that only takes you so far. “So for him, can you develop the skills that it takes to be a successful professional athlete — the preparation, managing a schedule? Can you learn how to take care of your body? Can you learn how to study the games, like getting him to understand those things? Because he has a natural instinct to play football that's really, in my opinion, God-given.” **Derek Colman-Brusa Show Beast Potential** The true freshman defensive lineman opened spring ball working with the first team defense as an interior lineman, and he has looked the part. He’s broken through the offensive line on occasion during team sessions. He looked strong in 1-on-1 drills against offensive linemen on Tuesday. The highlight was when he got redshirt freshman offensive tackle Jack Shaffer, a high three-star recruit from the 2025 class, off balance and drove him backward and into the turf. Though it won’t look that easy against starting Big Ten guards, Colman-Brusa, the top in-state recruit from the Class of 2026, appears ready to contribute to UW’s rebuilt defensive line. On a day that the defense made some strong plays, Colman-Brusa appeared in position to sack quarterback Kini McMillan — though quarterbacks are off-limits during spring ball. > Derek Colman-Brusa (5), [#Huskies](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Huskies?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com) freshman defensive lineman. [pic.twitter.com/FauZvrKqBi](https://t.co/FauZvrKqBi?ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com)— Aaron Coe (@Coe\_Aaron) [April 14, 2026](https://twitter.com/Coe%5FAaron/status/2044197455252860946?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com) **Will True Freshman Jordan Clay Start at X?** Clay has taken most of the first-team reps at the “X” receiver position. Listed at 6-3, 207, the true freshman has taken advantage of Kennesaw State transfer Christian Moss and sophomore Chris Lawson being held out of team drills with minor injuries. He’s caught the ball well and appears adept at running routes and catching the ball. He did receive some strong words from receiver coach Kevin Cummings after a screen pass to Roebuck on Tueday when it appeared he took an incorrect blocking angle. He’ll need to sharpen the finer, less obvious points of playing receiver, but he appears to be on a path toward at least playing a regular role in the offense this season. **Punt Returner Candidates Emerge** The high ceilings at the VMAC, where the Super Bowl LX banner has yet to hang next to the XLVIII one from the 2013 season, allow for indoor punt return opportunities. Starting slot receiver Dezmen Roebuck, potential starting nickel Rahshawn Clark and true freshman cornerback Elijah Durr appear to be the main options so far, though there’s a long time before the season-opening Apple Cup on Sept. 5 Clark has been held out of team drills for the most part, wearing a non-contact gold jersey. All three appeared to catch the ball well at the VMAC. Practice resumes Thursday, presumably back on campus, at 3:30 p.m. and is open to media and fans.