Jedd Fisch, head coach, fields questions prior to spring practice Monday morning at the Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington on March 30, 2026. 232851 (Kevin Clark / The Seattle Times)
1 of 2 | Jedd Fisch, head coach, fields questions prior to spring practice Monday morning at the Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington on March 30, 2026. 232851 (Kevin Clark / The Seattle Times)
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By
Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
Jedd Fisch is a bit of a contrarian.
While many of his college football contemporaries around the country are closing spring practice drills to fans and media and canceling spring games, the Washington Huskies coach maintains an old-school approach.
“Practices are open,” he said on the eve of UW’s first spring practice Tuesday afternoon at Husky Stadium. “We’d love people to come.”
Ever since he was graduate assistant in the late 1990s for legendary Florida Gators coach Steve Spurrier, the 49-year-old Fisch knew how he wanted to run his program if given a chance.
“The best part of spring practice when I was a college student was the opportunity to go watch a Florida Gator practice on my way home from class (and) to go participate in a Florida Gator practice when I was a graduate assistant with students and friends and people that were coming out to practice,” he said. “I’ve always said as the head coach, I was going to give those same opportunities to these students here at UW and, of course their friends and family and our donors.”
Over the next five weeks, the UW coaching staff will get reacclimated on the field with the newest incarnation of the Huskies who will participate in 15 workouts, including the annual Spring Game on May 1.
There are a few familiar faces, notably quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who returns following a stellar sophomore season that was somewhat overshadowed by a well-chronicled and brief breakup with the Huskies in January.
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“I don’t think it ever gets talked about,” Fisch said when asked about Williams’ decision to return to Washington two days after announcing plans to transfer. “I think the only time it gets talked about is in these type settings honestly. We’re way past it. He’s doing awesome. The team is doing great. The team is excited to get out there. We got a lot of things to worry about, none of which happened in January.”
So, what’s the next steps for Williams, a 5-foot-11 and 191-pound junior-to-be, who threw for 3,065 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions while running for 611 yards and six touchdowns last season?
“Football knowledge. Football acumen. Understanding the system better than ever before,” Fisch said. “He’s really committed to understanding defenses and let the game slow down for him. Going into spring last year, he was a three-game starter. Going into spring this year, he’s a 16-game starter. So, there’s a huge difference in what you know and what you’ve experienced.
“His ability to talk the game has really improved. We needed to get his weight up. He’s done a great job there of getting his body mass up. That was an important part of his offseason. Leadership. It’s now your team. You’re no longer a first-year starter and that makes a big difference. So, he’s kind of grown in a lot of those areas.”
Most of Fisch’s news conference Monday felt like a preview before he starts his third spring practice with Washington following a 9-4 finish last season.
“We’re going to see a great battle with Champ Taulealea and Geirean Hatchett really competing for that (right) guard spot,” Fisch said. “Soane (Faasolo) has had a fantastic offseason, so it’d be fun to see what Soane does at (right) tackle. He’s had his best offseason by far that we’ve been with him. … So, Kodi Greene and Soane will have a good competition.
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“I think we’ll see a great competition at running back. There’s no doubt about it with Jordan Washington and Quaid Carr. There’s a lot of guys that never done it with us, so that’ll be fun to watch that competition.”
Fisch will also keep his eye on the receiver battles featuring Rashid Williams and Chris Lawson at flanker, Christian Moss and Jordan Clay at split end and Dezmen Roebuck and Mason James at slot.
On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Ryan Walters is anxious to get his first look at touted true freshman Derek Colman-Brusa, a 6-5 and 295-pound defensive lineman, with the Huskies.
“I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s a Day 1-type starter,” Walters said. “He definitely does not look like an 18-year-old kid that should still be in high school. So, really excited about him and what he’s already brought.”
Walters also singled out cornerback Jeron Jones, safeties Alex McLaughlin and Rylon Dillard-Allen and the competition at edge rusher between Isaiah Ward, Jacob Lane and Ramzak Fruean.
“Linebacker battles are going to be awesome with Xe’ree (Alexander), Jacob Manu and Zaydrius (Rainey-Sale),” Fisch added. “You got three dudes that are going to get after it at linebacker so that should be great competition there.”
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Washington will practice at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. on Saturday for the first four weeks before the schedule shifts to Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the final week.
“We’re going to have some great competition,” Fisch promised. “The program is built on it. So, it should be fun.”
“Everybody else will participate,” Fisch said. “So, you got about 13 guys that won’t, 94 guys are on the roster and so we’re looking at about 81 guys that will be participating in spring ball.”
— Redshirt freshman D’Aryhian Clemons has moved from cornerback to running back, Fisch said. Clemons, a former running back at Lakes High in Tacoma, played in two games last year in the defensive secondary.
Percy Allen: pallen@seattletimes.com. Percy Allen is a sports reporter for The Seattle Times, where he writes about the University of Washington Huskies men’s and women’s basketball teams and the Seattle Storm.
1 of 2 | Jedd Fisch, head coach, fields questions prior to spring practice Monday morning at the Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington on March 30, 2026. 232851 (Kevin Clark / The Seattle Times)
Skip Ad
By
Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
Jedd Fisch is a bit of a contrarian.
While many of his college football contemporaries around the country are closing spring practice drills to fans and media and canceling spring games, the Washington Huskies coach maintains an old-school approach.
“Practices are open,” he said on the eve of UW’s first spring practice Tuesday afternoon at Husky Stadium. “We’d love people to come.”
Ever since he was graduate assistant in the late 1990s for legendary Florida Gators coach Steve Spurrier, the 49-year-old Fisch knew how he wanted to run his program if given a chance.
“The best part of spring practice when I was a college student was the opportunity to go watch a Florida Gator practice on my way home from class (and) to go participate in a Florida Gator practice when I was a graduate assistant with students and friends and people that were coming out to practice,” he said. “I’ve always said as the head coach, I was going to give those same opportunities to these students here at UW and, of course their friends and family and our donors.”
Over the next five weeks, the UW coaching staff will get reacclimated on the field with the newest incarnation of the Huskies who will participate in 15 workouts, including the annual Spring Game on May 1.
There are a few familiar faces, notably quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who returns following a stellar sophomore season that was somewhat overshadowed by a well-chronicled and brief breakup with the Huskies in January.
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“I don’t think it ever gets talked about,” Fisch said when asked about Williams’ decision to return to Washington two days after announcing plans to transfer. “I think the only time it gets talked about is in these type settings honestly. We’re way past it. He’s doing awesome. The team is doing great. The team is excited to get out there. We got a lot of things to worry about, none of which happened in January.”
So, what’s the next steps for Williams, a 5-foot-11 and 191-pound junior-to-be, who threw for 3,065 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions while running for 611 yards and six touchdowns last season?
“Football knowledge. Football acumen. Understanding the system better than ever before,” Fisch said. “He’s really committed to understanding defenses and let the game slow down for him. Going into spring last year, he was a three-game starter. Going into spring this year, he’s a 16-game starter. So, there’s a huge difference in what you know and what you’ve experienced.
“His ability to talk the game has really improved. We needed to get his weight up. He’s done a great job there of getting his body mass up. That was an important part of his offseason. Leadership. It’s now your team. You’re no longer a first-year starter and that makes a big difference. So, he’s kind of grown in a lot of those areas.”
Most of Fisch’s news conference Monday felt like a preview before he starts his third spring practice with Washington following a 9-4 finish last season.
“We’re going to see a great battle with Champ Taulealea and Geirean Hatchett really competing for that (right) guard spot,” Fisch said. “Soane (Faasolo) has had a fantastic offseason, so it’d be fun to see what Soane does at (right) tackle. He’s had his best offseason by far that we’ve been with him. … So, Kodi Greene and Soane will have a good competition.
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Skip Ad
“I think we’ll see a great competition at running back. There’s no doubt about it with Jordan Washington and Quaid Carr. There’s a lot of guys that never done it with us, so that’ll be fun to watch that competition.”
Fisch will also keep his eye on the receiver battles featuring Rashid Williams and Chris Lawson at flanker, Christian Moss and Jordan Clay at split end and Dezmen Roebuck and Mason James at slot.
On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Ryan Walters is anxious to get his first look at touted true freshman Derek Colman-Brusa, a 6-5 and 295-pound defensive lineman, with the Huskies.
“I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s a Day 1-type starter,” Walters said. “He definitely does not look like an 18-year-old kid that should still be in high school. So, really excited about him and what he’s already brought.”
Walters also singled out cornerback Jeron Jones, safeties Alex McLaughlin and Rylon Dillard-Allen and the competition at edge rusher between Isaiah Ward, Jacob Lane and Ramzak Fruean.
“Linebacker battles are going to be awesome with Xe’ree (Alexander), Jacob Manu and Zaydrius (Rainey-Sale),” Fisch added. “You got three dudes that are going to get after it at linebacker so that should be great competition there.”
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Washington will practice at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. on Saturday for the first four weeks before the schedule shifts to Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the final week.
“We’re going to have some great competition,” Fisch promised. “The program is built on it. So, it should be fun.”
Notes
— Linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah, cornerback Rahshawn Clark, edge rusher Russell Davis II, tight end Kade Eldridge, receiver Blaise LaVista, running backs Jayden Limar and Trey Cooley and defensive tackle Kai McClendon will miss all of spring drills, Fisch said.
Meanwhile, safety CJ Christian, offensive tackle Kolt Dieterich, center Landen Hatchett and receiver Justice Williams are recovering from offseason injuries or surgery and expected to be cleared during the spring.“Everybody else will participate,” Fisch said. “So, you got about 13 guys that won’t, 94 guys are on the roster and so we’re looking at about 81 guys that will be participating in spring ball.”
— Redshirt freshman D’Aryhian Clemons has moved from cornerback to running back, Fisch said. Clemons, a former running back at Lakes High in Tacoma, played in two games last year in the defensive secondary.
Percy Allen: pallen@seattletimes.com. Percy Allen is a sports reporter for The Seattle Times, where he writes about the University of Washington Huskies men’s and women’s basketball teams and the Seattle Storm.
