As the season opener against Weber State draws near, Jedd Fisch addressed the media on Monday to discuss the University of Washington football team’s outlook.
Fisch recognizes that the success of his first team at Montlake will hinge on solid fundamentals, much like the teams led by Chris Petersen, Jimmy Lake, and Kalen DeBoer before him. He emphasized the importance of strong blocking and tackling, invoking Vince Lombardi to highlight these foundational aspects of the game.
Fisch faces the challenge of rebuilding an entirely new starting offensive line, following in the footsteps of players like Troy Fautanu and Roger Rosengarten, who were high NFL draft picks and key to the team’s CFP national title contention against Michigan. Despite the pressure, Fisch expressed confidence in the new lineup, which includes both returning players and new transfers, based on their performance in training.
The starting offensive line is now set, featuring 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman Soane Faasolo at left tackle, junior Gaard Memmelaar returning from a knee injury at left guard, senior D’Angalo Titialii, a Portland State transfer, at center, senior Enokk Vimahi, an Ohio State transfer, at right guard, and sophomore Drew Azzopardi, a San Diego State transfer, at right tackle. Fisch singled out Faasolo, the only lineman who was part of last year’s recruiting class, for his notable progress.
On the defensive side, Fisch highlighted the return of Javon Parker, who is recovering from a knee injury sustained in the spring. While Parker is close to earning his first start, a decision on his participation in the upcoming game is still pending.
In less fortunate news, sophomore wide receiver Kevin Green Jr., a transfer from Arizona, will be sidelined for the game against Weber State due to an injury sustained during an intrasquad game. His return is expected around the bye week, which begins on October 14.
