Parker Brailsford is more than his measurables.
The redshirt freshman is listed at 6-foot-2 and 275 pounds, though he hopes to hit 285 by the season opener.
Still, Brailsford — who practiced primarily as UW’s second team center this spring — is pushing to make his mark, earning reps at both guard spots this summer. While left tackle Troy Fautanu, right tackle Roger Rosengarten and center Matteo Mele have secured starting spots, offensive line coach Scott Huff said last week “it is a full out competition right now” at the guard positions.
Juniors Julius Buelow (6-8, 313) and Nate Kalepo (6-6, 327) remain the favorites to start at left and right guard, respectively.
But at the very least, Brailsford may be the next man in.
“He’s really athletic and he’s really strong and he plays with really good technique, and it’s a really good combination,” Huff said. “He’s done a really good job. He’s really smart. We can play him at a lot of positions. We knew we were in a good spot last year. He was our offensive scout team player of the year. Every week, the coaches were like, ‘Damn man, Brailsford, Brailsford, Brailsford.’ He hasn’t disappointed so far.”
And, if you ask his teammates, Brailsford’s size may actually be a strength.
“He understands his balance really well. He has a low center of gravity, which benefits him tremendously,” said Rosengarten, UW’s second-year starter at right tackle. “I’ve never seen a guy anchor as well as he does in pass protection at the weight he is.
“He’s very strong and very good with his hands, and that’s a reason why he’s a very good player. He’s very good with his hands and his feet follow right behind him. I even go to him sometimes when I need help with hand placement and refitting, because he’s a technician at it.”
Granted, Rosengarten and Fautanu are not so bad themselves.
As first-year starters, UW’s tackles anchored a line that surrendered just seven sacks in 2022, ranking second in the nation. Rosengarten said “even in between plays, [Fautanu and I] ask each other, ‘What did you have here? What move did he throw? What set did you take?’ We always bounce ideas off each other.
“We try to not give up anything — no pressures, no hurries, no sacks, no nothing. It’s definitely a mentality. We have to take it personally if our guy makes the play or touches the quarterback.”
Secondary starters
UW’s cornerback depth chart has not been a mystery.
At least, to those in the room.
“We keep track of everything, every day. So guys know exactly where they stand,” UW cornerbacks coach Juice Brown told The Times last week. “We have a big ol’ board in there, and it’s basically a stock board. You go up or you go down. We keep track of every single stat. When they walk in they know exactly how practice went, and you either earn your opportunity to get more reps or you lose that opportunity.
“The guys know. They’re competing hard. They’re pushing each other, and it’s been fun to see.”
OK … but who will Husky football fans see against Boise State on Sept. 2?
The answers are becoming obvious, as Oklahoma State transfer Jabbar Muhammad — who led the Cowboys with 10 pass breakups in 2022 — and sophomore Elijah Jackson have locked down starting spots.
When asked how the 5-10, 183-pound Muhammad compensates for a lack of size, Brown said: “He’s a smart player. He understands concepts. He plays to his strengths. He understands leverage points. He understands splits, and he just goes out there and is able to see the big picture with things. He has a knack for when [opposing offenses] are going to take a shot. He’s been providing some of that to the other guys, explaining it to them, helping them out. It’s been good.”
As for the other side, Jackson — a 6-1, 191-pound sophomore — has worked as Washington’s primary starter throughout the spring and summer. Following UW’s second August scrimmage on Saturday, coach Kalen DeBoer noted that “Thaddeus [Dixon] and Davon [Banks] have both been right there. As they both get more reps, you can continue to see them climb too. They’re all doing a good job, and I think the competition is only making them better.”
As DeBoer hinted, junior Thaddeus Dixon and sophomore Davon Banks appear to be next in line for cornerback reps — followed by some combination of sophomores Darren Barkins (who missed Wednesday’s practice with a presumed injury) and Jaivion Green and freshman Leroy Bryant.
Elsewhere, UW’s secondary features familiar faces in unfamiliar places — as senior Dominique Hampton has slid back from the “husky” nickel spot to safety, and junior Mishael Powell has moved from corner to “husky.” Senior Asa Turner is expected to fill the other starting safety spot, with junior Kamren Fabiculanan and sophomores Makell Esteen and Vince Nunley pushing for rotational reps.
“I’m really happy with [the position switches] right now,” UW co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chuck Morrell said earlier this month. “Meesh [Powell] transitioning as a big corner [nickel], being able to play on tight ends and in the slot, and then his presence in the box … he’s been really strong here during the first part of fall camp. And Dom [Hampton] is such a big, physical presence. You’ve got to have some physicality on the boundary hash and I think he’s doing a good job of bringing that to us so far.”
Extra points
- UW senior wide receiver and returner Giles Jackson — who injured his thumb last week — could conceivably redshirt this season and return in 2024. But while DeBoer acknowledged that possibility, it also might not stop Jackson from playing this season. “He’s just going to try to get back as fast as he can and be ready to go,” DeBoer said. “The fortunate thing is, with the rules, you can play four games [and still redshirt]. You can actually play the postseason game too, and that doesn’t count towards your four. He’s in a spot where it’s not the perfect position, but we’re going to get him back as quick as possible and get him out on the football field and go from there.”
- UW practiced last week in temperatures that reached the mid-80s on back-to-back days, which felt even hotter on Husky Stadium’s artificial turf. But with three consecutive day games comprising UW’s non-conference schedule, that preparation could come into play. “DeBoer points out to us, our first three games are 12:30, 2 o’clock and then 5 o’clock in Michigan [against Michigan State on Sept. 16] is going to be arguably hotter than the first two,” UW linebacker Drew Fowler said last week. “So to say it’s not hot, I’d be lying. We were dying out there. But at the same time, we’ve just got to get our bodies ready. This can’t be a factor for us when it comes to wins and losses.”
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