Thursday, August 13 marked the first fully-padded fall practice for the Washington football team, a beacon signifying that the start of the 2026 college football season is near.
The implementation of full pads also is a key contributor in finding separation among position groups that still hold uncertainty for who will enter the season with the starting role. An influx of transfers, a stellar freshman recruiting class, and injuries have created multiple position group battles to keep an eye on as fall camp progresses.
PROMISING RECEIVERS
Sophomore receiver Dezmon Roebuck and redshirt junior receiver Rashid Williams have cemented themselves as two of the starting receivers heading into 2026. However, the X-receiver position still remains up for grabs.
The battle boils down to redshirt senior Christian Moss – a Kennesaw State transfer – and sophomore Chris Lawson. Last season Moss hauled in 45 receptions for 689 yards and two touchdowns for a Kennesaw State team that won 10 games and Conference USA. Lawson played in just eight games in 2025 and caught 10 passes for 115 yards.
Both receivers impressed during the first day of padded practice. Moss caught two touchdowns and Lawson had a trio of explosive plays, including a long jet-sweep during the 11-on-11 scrimmage period.
IN SEARCH OF A LEAD BACK
Another position battle arose from a devastating injury that occurred in the spring. Redshirt sophomore running back Jordan Washington suffered a gruesome neck injury and will likely miss the entirety of the 2026 season. The speedster rushed for 233 yards on just 27 carries in 2025, an 8.6 yards per-carry average.
In Washington’s absence, the Huskies will look towards two transfer backs to fill the void. The current favorite for the job is senior Oregon transfer Jayden Limar. In eight games in 2025 for the Ducks, Limar rushed for 262 yards on 46 carries and scored three touchdowns. Limar was limited in the spring with an ankle injury, but has been a full-participant so far during fall practice.
The second transfer in contention is sixth year senior Trey Cooley. Cooley spent 2025 with Troy but missed all of the 2025 season. In four previous seasons – two with Georgia Tech and two with Louisville previously – Cooley rushed for 1,009 yards on 215 carries with six touchdowns.
Along with the two veteran transfers, two freshmen have also poked their heads into the race. Redshirt Quaid Carr who played in two games in 2025 totalling four carries for 14 yards and true freshman Brian Bonner Jr, a 4-star recruit.
Without Jordan Washington, the UW running game will most likely be by-committee, utilizing a feed-the-hot-hand strategy, meaning all four players have a shot to take the reins in any given game.
DEPTH IN THE TRENCHES
On the defensive side of the ball, Washington will have more defensive line depth than it has seen since Jedd Fisch took over in 2024. Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei returns due to a court ruling granting the class of 2022 players an extra year of eligibility. Washington also landed top in-state recruit Derek Colman-Brusa and picked up Sacramento State transfer DeSean Watts.
Due to the rotational nature of the defensive line, which players have the privilege of putting their hands in the dirt to start the game does not carry as much weight as other positions. However, it will still be interesting to see who Fisch ends up giving the starting nod to – an experienced veteran or a true freshman.
The next true measuring stick for who is in position to win these jobs will be revealed during the mock game at Fan Fest on Saturday, August 22 at 6:30 p.m.
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