The Washington Huskies dominated the Pac-12 in 2023 and made it to the national championship final. Before they could think about how the team would handle their move to the Big 10, head coach Kalen DeBoer moved to the SEC. Taking over from Nick Saban at Alabama. An entirely new conference and a new head coach. Add to that the fact that 26 players left after DeBoer’s departure. Predictably, the Huskies suffered in Jedd Fisch’s first year. A 6-7 finish, but there were signs that the future could be brighter. The head coach has landed his guy under the center in Demond Williams Jr., but the concerns remain on the other side of the ball.

Before Fisch could even get to the bowl game in 2024, he lost his defensive coordinator to the Tar Heels. Steve Belichick joined his father, and in came Ryan Walters. The new DC is taking over a defense that was middle of the pack. Their strong point was the pass defense, ranked 6th nationally. The Huskies held the opponents to just 166 passing yards/game. On the other hand, the rush defense was a big red flag. Washington’s defense conceded 161.8 rushing yards per game.

Heading into the 2025 season, Jedd Fisch received terrible news with Jayvon Parker’s Achilles tendon injury. His key player is out for the season. But the spring drills saw fresh talent on the turf. West Michigan transfer Anterio Thompson and Utah transfer Simote Pepa made waves. But amid mounting pressures, Jedd Fisch is turning to the Canadian freshman Bryce Butler. What does he bring to the table?

“Coach, what do you expect from a guy like Bryce Butler this year?” One media person asked defensive run game coordinator Jason Kaufusi. His response? Grind it out. “He’s gotta show up just like everybody else, you know. Show up and play, see what he can do, and contribute to the team.” Butler, who hails from Ontario, had initially signed in with the Arizona Wildcats but followed Jedd Fisch to Washington.

The 6’5″, 315-pound junior defensive tackle appeared in only three games last season, recording four tackles, before redshirting his year. And now, he is back. The spring drills saw to that, rotating between the No. 1 and 2 defenses, as he teamed up with the veteran players on the roster. The head coach seemed pleased with the D-line preps. During the drills, Butler showed his prowess by knocking down Demond Williams Jr.’s pass during the second practice, earning the HC’s nod. “Our defensive line was pretty good. They’re hard to block.” It appears there’s a wave of optimism already peeking through at Montlake.

Another guy who seems promising is Anterio Thompson, who is a former junior college standout who started his career at Iowa. Kaufusi was asked what it’s like having a guy like Anterio in there who showed up all spring with all his strength. Moreover, Thompson can play different positions and is someone who can probably collapse the pocket for the interior as well. Just eight months into the roster, he is grinding hard. Although he has 35 tackles, 2 pass breakups, and a sack on his stats, his athleticism and strength are what the defensive coordinator, Ryan Walters, is in need of. Walter’s scheme, a 5-1-5, might have a promising spot for Thompson.

Kaufusi’s response seems more than promising. “He brings a lot of things to the table, you know, and it just helps us you know that’s one last person we have to worry about and see if we can find some other guys who can be you know, just as equal or just as good as him, and we just kind of mess around with the puzzles, hey this guy works well with this guy,’ and so on and so on from there.

Now, going back to Bryce Butler, can he become a crucial element in Jedd Fisch’s defense?

Can Bryce Butler steal the spotlight this season?

Bryce Butler played two seasons for JUCO at Garden City. In 2023, he recorded 18 solo tackles and 31 total tackles, along with 13.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. His split time between the three-technique and strong-side defense comes out in the film. Now, coming to the upcoming season, the Huskies are keen to add more depth to their roster, and he might play a key role in the defensive line rotation.

USA Today’s Ben Glassmire pointed out, “He doesn’t have a defined pass rush plan and relies on athleticism to win. This may work at times, but isn’t a consistent strategy against talented offensive lineman.” So, there is that weak spot he needs to work on. Then there is the depth chart. The coaching staff is trying to add more depth to its roster. transfers, returning production, and recruits.

Jedd Fisch seems confident moving ahead. During the spring drills, he beamed. “We’ve got a good team; We’re big. We’re strong. We’re fast. And now we’ve got to put it all together, and we’ve got to see if we can execute.” Let’s see if Fisch can lead the Huskies to a better record this season.