Assessing the future of Washington's offensive and defensive lines

When the main beat writer is already looking ahead to next year when you're in October, you know the season has gone to shit
 
If you ever find yourself looking towards a bowl game in 2026…you might be a red neck.

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OL size has been interesting. I remember for years pointing out to Joey that UW would always have like 6’3-4 290 OTs and even schools like Cal and Arizona would have 6’7 320 guys and wail on us and when we finally ended up looking like that our lines were better.

It has seemed like that has mattered less in recent years. Fautanu and Rosengarten weren’t huge. A lot of the OTs you see go high in the draft now aren’t huge.

Does size matter anymore?
 
Brailsford played center here at 275 allegedly
If you pull your linemen then speed and agility matter more
If you need a yard size matters
I think our long time issues on 4th down and goal line means size matters
 
WoolleyDoog said:
OL size has been interesting. I remember for years pointing out to Joey that UW would always have like 6’3-4 290 OTs and even schools like Cal and Arizona would have 6’7 320 guys and wail on us and when we finally ended up looking like that our lines were better.

It has seemed like that has mattered less in recent years. Fautanu and Rosengarten weren’t huge. A lot of the OTs you see go high in the draft now aren’t huge.

Does size matter anymore?
Click to expand...
I believe size gives you a better chance of having the actual most important thing. Strength. Just a theory so if you come at me with some logic I'm all ears.

Aaron Donald is relatively small but hes insanely strong. Vita Vea also a top end DL because he's a strong guy but he needs more size to get that strong.

Troy Fantaloowoa isn't massive but he's pretty big and you can tell he's very strong.

So if you are recruiting lineman and you need to project 2 years into the future if they will get to the necessary floor for strength then it's alot more probable the stout 6'6" can get there than your Brailsfords or Harris'.

So size is just an odds play as much as anything IMO.
 
Canadawg said:
WoolleyDoog said:
OL size has been interesting. I remember for years pointing out to Joey that UW would always have like 6’3-4 290 OTs and even schools like Cal and Arizona would have 6’7 320 guys and wail on us and when we finally ended up looking like that our lines were better.

It has seemed like that has mattered less in recent years. Fautanu and Rosengarten weren’t huge. A lot of the OTs you see go high in the draft now aren’t huge.

Does size matter anymore?
Click to expand...
I believe size gives you a better chance of having the actual most important thing. Strength. Just a theory so if you come at me with some logic I'm all ears.

Aaron Donald is relatively small but hes insanely strong. Vita Vea also a top end DL because he's a strong guy but he needs more size to get that strong.

Troy Fantaloowoa isn't massive but he's pretty big and you can tell he's very strong.

So if you are recruiting lineman and you need to project 2 years into the future if they will get to the necessary floor for strength then it's alot more probable the stout 6'6" can get there than your Brailsfords or Harris'.

So size is just an odds play as much as anything IMO.
Click to expand...
The Huskies had one of the biggest offensive lines in college football in 1988 and we couldn't run for shit. Off the top of my head I think Weathersby was our best back and he probably had 650 yards. So size doesn't always mean the be all end all.
 
And James fired the O line coach and brought in Gilby.
And changed recruiting
 
The writer seems to focus more on height than weight and rightfully focuses on strength as well. A la Don James, on the OL, I'd much rather play a RS-Frosh when he's a stronger RS-JR.
UW has no OL on the roster from Jimmy Lake's 2021 class (OG Owen Prentice had to medically retire and then OT Robert Wyrsch retired after the 2023 season) and no OL on the roster from the 2022 class (Brailsford transferred to Alabama). How often does that happen?
I could see UW going for a veteran OG to compete with Henning and Paki for an OG spot and going even harder for a veteran DT due to Bandes and Valdez moving on and the Parker twins coming off injuries. Definitely a thumper at LB too since House is more of a coverage LB and Deven Bryant / Hayden Moore aren't big guys either.
 
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