Huskies have questions on their offensive line. Who will step up?
SEATTLE – Seven games into the season, Brennan Carroll has one main criteria when he chooses which offensive linemen play for Washington.
Carroll, the UW offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, and the Huskies had avoided major injuries to their starting offensive line through the first six games. But on Washington’s first drive in their 40-16 loss against Iowa on Oct. 12, starting left tackle Maximus McCree dislocated his thumb.
McCree was ruled out for the game and sent to a hand specialist once the team returned home. On Monday, head coach Jedd Fisch said it was unlikely the junior college transfer will play this week. Carroll said the team won’t have a timeline for his rehabilitation until after this weekend, but was optimistic McCree will return before the season ends.
“Very frustrating,” Carroll said on Tuesday. “(McCree) wanted to go back out there, but our medical staff decided – rightfully so – that he shouldn’t go do that. Still stand by that one. But he wanted to play.”
McCree’s injury means Washington will travel to face undefeated No. 13 Indiana at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana, on Saturday without the left tackle who’d started every game since UW faced Northwestern on Sept. 21. Fisch named redshirt freshmen Soane Faasolo and Kahlee Tafai as the two most likely to get playing time in McCree’s absence.
While McCree is set to become the first offensive lineman to miss significant time because of an injury, it doesn’t mean the rest of UW’s offensive line is completely healthy .
Left guard Gaard Memmelaar has been labeled questionable during Washington’s past two games. He played 29 snaps against Michigan on Oct. 5, then was limited to just 10 snaps versus Iowa. Memmelaar was joined by senior center D’Angalo Titialii on the availability report before the game against the Hawkeyes, but the Portland State transfer played all 82 snaps for the Huskies (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten).
McCree earned his starting spot partially because of an injury to Faasolo. The redshirt freshman opened the season as the team’s starter at left tackle. He played his best game of the season against Washington State in the Apple Cup, giving up two pressures, one hurry and one hit while playing 48 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Sophomore offensive lineman Landen Hatchett, who made his first start of the season against Iowa in place of Memmelaar, called the 6-foot-8, 325-pound Faasolo one of the most improved players on the roster since spring practices.
“He’d done a really good job,” Hatchett said.
Faasolo was listed as questionable a week after his strong showing against Washington State.
He played 15 snaps in the win against Northwestern, then didn’t appear again until he was called on to replace McCree against Iowa.
Faasolo, who’s played 196 snaps this season, seems likely to get the start against the Hoosiers (7-0, 4-0) on Saturday. The redshirt freshman, however, is coming off his worst appearance of the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Against the Hawkeyes, Faasolo played 56 snaps. He surrendered two sacks, eight hurries and 10 pressures, earning a 28.9 overall offensive grade from PFF.
Fisch said Tafai will be UW’s other option at left tackle.
The 6-5, 330-pounder from Southern California played both tackle spots and some guard during fall camp, but Carroll said injuries stunted some of his progress early in the season.
Carroll added he wanted to see how Tafai practices this week before deciding if he’s ready to play against Indiana.
Tafai has played 41 snaps this season, including 22 at left tackle against Iowa. He also appeared sparsely at right tackle against Eastern Michigan on Sept. 7.
“That guy’s a gamer,” Hatchett said. “He goes out there and competes. He’s really strong and physical.
“When he locks in and he starts doing his job and gets in the zone he’s a really good ballplayer.”
Fisch said Washington may also experiment with flipping sophomore right tackle Drew Azzopardi to the left side. The San Diego State transfer played 10 snaps at left tackle in UW’s season-opening win against Weber State on Aug. 31, but has exclusively stayed on the right side during the next six games.
No matter what Fisch and Carroll try to do at left tackle, Indiana’s had one of the country’s best defensive lines in 2024. The Hoosiers have racked up 21 sacks in seven games, led by junior Mikail Kamara who followed coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana from James Madison. IU also has 48 tackles for a loss this season and the No. 4 rushing defense in the country.
Whoever steps in for McCree at left tackle this week certainly has their work cut out for them.
“The key is for us to be able to run the ball,” Fisch said on Monday. “We have to be able to run the ball. That’s how we’re building this team. That’s how we’re building Washington football for years to come.”