Ahead of their season opener in three weeks, Washington football is currently in the midst of preparations. It will be a new chapter for the Huskies, who experienced the departure of Kalen DeBoer in the aftermath of last season's CFP run. As his replacement, the University of Washington hired Jedd Fisch, who coached Arizona these past three seasons.
Of course, the process of changing coaches usually involves major roster overhauls; that's exactly what just happened with the Huskies. Many players decided to leave and find new homes. At the same time, a huge group of incoming transferees also ended up in Seattle to suit up for their new school. Looking at the new faces in particular, Washington football brought in a total of 28 players from the transfer portal, per 247 Sports.
It's not easy to predict who the transferee with the most impact will be. Several of these players are expected to play big roles as the team looks to start strong in their inaugural Big Ten campaign. Still, if it came down to choosing just one, then the best bet would probably be Jonah Coleman.
More on Jonah Coleman
Coleman entered the transfer portal after a strong showing with Arizona last season. Leading the Wildcats' running back room, he tallied 871 rushing yards and five touchdowns in 128 carries. He's got hands for catching the ball as well. Coleman added 283 receiving yards and an extra touchdown in 25 receptions last year, putting his total yardage in 2023 to 1,154.
While he may only stand at 5'9, Coleman makes up for it with his 225-pound frame. He knows how to use that said frame as a power runner, in addition to possessing quick bursts of speed. This resulted in him tallying 6.8 yards per carry last season for the Wildcats.
His heroics on the field were a major reason for Arizona's 10-3 overall record, and Jedd Fisch seems more than thrilled to have his running back follow him up north. Fisch wasn't shy in complimenting Coleman during the 2024 Big Ten Media Days, letting the general public know how highly he thought of his prized RB.
“Jonah is one of the best players, the best running backs in college football,” Fisch said, per The Husky Haul's Ethan Lee. “Statistically led the nation in yards per carry a year ago, one of the highest-graded players in Pro Football Focus, and on top of that, just finished his last quarter with a 4.0 and is on the dean's list.”
So how does Jonah Coleman fit in his new team's running back room? With Dillon Johnson moving up to the NFL, Washington football will be boasting a new RB1 this year. The competition will be between Coleman and Cameron Davis, an incoming sixth-year player who missed the entire 2023 season due to injury. Back in 2022, Davis ran for 522 yards and 13 touchdowns with Washington.
An ideal scenario is Coleman starting, with Davis serving as the main backup. There's no final decision on this yet, but both are expected to have most of the team's carries in the upcoming season.
A new-look Washington football squad
Huskies fans will be witnessing an entirely changed squad this year. For starters, there are new quarterbacks in town. In the aftermath of Michael Penix Jr.'s ascent to the pros, Washington landed Will Rogers (Mississippi State) and freshman Desmond Williams Jr. It's a clear battle of veteran versus newcomer for that QB1 spot. Rogers has strong credentials from his four years with the Bulldogs while Williams is a rising talent who followed Fisch from Arizona to Washington. Presently, the majority of analysts view Rogers as the starter.
Speaking of Arizona players, Jonah Coleman and Desmond Williams Jr. are just two of the many ex-Wildcats who chose to move with their coach. Other notable names include cornerback Ephesians Prysock and edge rusher Isaiah Ward. Prysock will likely be the main replacement for Jabbar Muhammad, who departed for Oregon during the portal. As for Ward, if he impresses in training and beats out Deshawn Lynch — a fellow transferee from Sacramento State — he could be lining up opposite Zach Durfee once the games begin.
The receiver corps will also be much different compared to last year as well. Washington football's top three wideouts last season are now in the NFL, so returning players such as Giles Jackson and Denzel Boston are expected to step up and spearhead the pass-catchers. They'll be joined by Jeremiah Hunter, an incoming transferee and UC Berkeley's top receiver last season.
2024 will be a baptism of fire for Jedd Fisch, who's taking over a team that soared to new heights in the past two years. Following a 4-8 record in 2021, Kalen DeBoer took over and won 11 games as head coach in 2022. Last season, Washington defied expectations and reached the CFP finals, but they ultimately fell to Michigan in the title game.
Nevertheless, Fisch's 10-win season with Arizona last year indicates promise. Will Washington football make noise as newcomers in the Big Ten? It won't be long until everyone finds out. The Huskies open their season against Weber State on August 31.
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