The Washington Huskies climb to No. 15 in Stewart Mandel and The Athletic's preseason college football rankings, can Jedd Fisch, Demond Williams Jr., and a revamped defense deliver a breakout season in the Big Ten? Locked On Huskies host Roman Tomashoff and Last Word On College Sports' Nick Lemkau break down the ranking, examining the Huskies’ standing among the Big Ten’s elite and the key returning talent driving preseason buzz. With marquee matchups against USC, Ohio State, and Oregon looming, Washington’s big-game credentials will face an early test.

Spotlight shines on the Huskies’ intimidating run defense, the leadership of the linebacker corps behind Xe'ree Alexander, Jacob Manu, and Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, and how transfer portal additions like Emmanuel Karnley could shape the secondary. The offensive line’s strength behind John Mills and Kodi Greene and the recruitment of emerging prospects such as four-stars Rashaun Lavata'i and DaJohn Yarborough ramp up, while serious questions swirl around the running back rotation’s depth. Can Fisch’s recruiting strategy and Ryan Walters’ defensive scheme propel Washington into playoff contention?

Get the inside track on Washington’s journey through a pivotal season.

00:00: Intro

01:24: Stewart Mandel ranks Washington at No. 15 in The Athletic's Top 25

03:06: Washington’s defensive strengths, returning talent, schedule challenges

05:40: Importance of big games and Demond Williams’ role as quarterback

10:03: Defensive expectations, cornerback/safety analysis, Ryan Walters’ impact

16:34: Running back room depth and injury situation; offensive line stability

22:01: Offensive line recruiting: prospects Rashaun Lavata'i, DaJohn Yarborough, Gecova Doyal

Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Become a Locked On Huskies Insider: joinsubtext.com/lockedonhuskies

Locked On Huskies is part of the Locked On Podcast Network

Everydayer Club
If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Wayfair
Patio season is here and these deals won’t last! Head to https://wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less.
Wayfair. Every style. Every home.

Indeed
Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast

FanDuel
Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel.Visithttps://FANDUEL.COMto get started now.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.