It is back to square one for the Huskies.
Following a national runner-up finish, the Washington Huskies are fresh off their best season since 2000. However, there was little time to bask in this accomplishment. Four days after falling to the Wolverines in Houston, it was announced that Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer would be leaving for Tuscaloosa to replace Nick Saban after two seasons with the Huskies and a 25-3 record.
Now, the next chapter in Washington’s history will be written on new parchment in the Big Ten with a new author leading the team. As with any coaching change, there has been an incredible amount of turnover on the roster and coaching staff, and with so much change surrounding one program, what are reasonable expectations for the Huskies in 2024?
Let’s dive into one of the newest members of Big Ten.
The Basics
Game info: October 5, kickoff time TBD (Husky Stadium, television network TBD)
2023 record: 14-1; 9-0
2024 projected wins: 7 (DraftKings Sportsbook )
Roster Moves
Key NFL Draft Losses: QB Michael Penix Jr. (Atlanta Falcons), WR Rome Odunze (Chicago Bears), OL Troy Fautanu (Pittsburgh Steelers), WR Ja’Lynn Polk (New England Patriots), OL Roger Rosengarten (Baltimore Ravens), DE Bralen Trice (Atlanta Falcons), WR Jalen McMillan (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), LB Edefuan Ulofoshio (Buffalo Bills), S Dominique Hampton (Washington Commanders), TE Devin Culp (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
UDFA Signings: TE Jack Westover (Seattle Seahawks ), RB Dillon Johnson (Tennessee Titans ), DT Tuli Letuligasenoa (Los Angeles Rams ), LB Ralen Goforth (Green Bay Packers )
Key Returners: CB Elijah Jackson, LB Alphonzo Tuputala, Edge Voi Tunuufi
Key 2024 Recruits : QB Dermaricus Davis, OT Paki Finau, ATH Rahshawn Clark
Key Transfer Portal Additions: QB Will Rodgers, LB Bryun Parham, WR Jeremiah Hunter
Key Transfer Portal Subtractions: CB Jabbar Muhammad, C Parker Brailsford, S Asa Turner
For a complete list of every transfer portal addition and subtraction click here .
State of the Program
To replace DeBoer, Washington tabbed Arizona head coach and former Michigan offensive coordinator, Jedd Fisch as its next head coach. Despite the optics of a massive overhaul in Seattle, this is still an easier start to his coaching tenure compared to his last stop. At Arizona, Fisch performed nothing short of a miracle by taking the Wildcats from 1-11 in his first season to 10-3 (Arizona’s first 10-win season since 2014) in his third year.
To help with the reload at Washington, Fisch has tabbed two legacy coaches as his top coordinators: Brennan Carroll (offensive coordinator, son of Pete) who was with Fisch last season at Arizona, and Steve Belichick (defensive coordinator, son of Bill) who spent the last 12 seasons with the New England Patriots .
Even with the right staff in place, Fisch and his staff are fighting an uphill and cross-country battle.
Coupling the logistics involved with four of the Huskies’ five road games being 1,700 miles or more away, with home games against Michigan and USC, and road games at Oregon, Penn State, and Iowa in year one, this schedule is not favorable to any team let alone a team in flux.
Beyond the schedule, the Huskies have to overcome more personnel unknowns than any team in the country. Who will be the starting quarterback? What does this secondary look like? How does Washington replace its top EIGHT receiving weapons?
Furthermore, at least for the Wolverines, both offensive and defensive schemes remain relatively the same. Washington, however, has to implement new schemes, formations, and styles on both sides of the ball.
Despite the coaching carousel, the daunting schedule, the roster reconstruction, and the schematic changes, optimism remains high around the program. Fisch is a proven coach with a track record demonstrating an ability to weather an early storm.
2024 will unquestionably be a step-back season for the Huskies as a program. However, be cautious about viewing this regression as a return to the Washington of old. The blaze of last year’s glory left only ashes for Fisch to build from, but compared to the trash heap he inherited at Arizona, the Huskies could be back to double-digit wins as soon as 2025.