The University of Washington football program has been through quite a tumultuous period as of late, and perhaps the unquiet is still far from over. Imagine reaching the National Championship game and failing to close the game, and then in the next week, you find your head coach is gone!

That is exactly what the Huskies had to endure when the coach who guided them to a championship, Kalen DeBoer, changed his mind and accepted the job at Alabama. The consequence was almost immediate, and it was a faculty brawl: half of the players either entered the NFL draft or went to the transfer portal, making Washington a complete mess. New Head Coach Jedd Fisch talked about the difficulties of navigating that turmoil. “It was a huge challenge for us to figure out how will we build a team?” he said. 

Fisch is looking to Kamren Fabiculanan and Carson Bruener to bring this shaken squad back together. “It was a whirlwind,” one of the players quoted Fisch and noted that he wanted to tackle the “elephants in the room”. “We had to bring in transfers and freshmen and start from scratch,” Fisch explained. 

After losing Kalen DeBoer to Alabama, half the @UW_Football roster departed for the NFL or entered the transfer portal.

New head coach Jedd Fisch is relying on vets like safety Kamren Fabiculanan and linebacker Carson Bruener to help bring a new group together. pic.twitter.com/MVWwwOKfQK

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 4, 2024

It was a very steep task, particularly in a fanbase that had just tasted victory. But Fisch isn’t backing down. That’s why he’s so dedicated to having Washington restored back to being one of the premier programs in the country. This, nevertheless, will not be a walk in the park.

Rebuilding with new blood: Jedd Fisch focusing on transfers and freshmen

Jedd Fisch is well aware of this saying, “We want the University of Washington to be thought of in those top programs year in and year out.” While Washington is in the reconstruction process, Fisch is placing a lot of trust in his two veteran players to guide the team through this transition- Kamren Fabiculanan, and Carson Bruener. These are the guys that have survived four head coaches, three different defensive coordinators, and three different schemes. If there is anything that they understand, it is how to deal with change and continue forward.

Fabiculanan, a seasoned safety, has been vocal about their challenges. “When the coach was hired, he met the elephants in the room and kept it real with us,” he said. Bruener had a similar impression and emphasized the presence and role of the veterans in the dressing room. He even said that it was a big challenge for the team to learn how to build a team. However, he states this can be done.

The young blood will also be as important to Washington’s fortunes. Fisch and his staff have, over time, continued to search for means of attracting transfers and freshmen who can play right away. “We had to bring in the transfers and freshmen,” Fisch said. Among the transfers, fifth-year safety Cameron Broussard, sophomore offensive tackle Drew Azzopardi and redshirt defensive back Jordan Shaw will be the key to the Huskies’ success this season. Fifth-year QB Will Rogers is also an interesting addition along with junior running back Jonah Coleman. Some of these players followed Fisch from Arizona. On his part, Fisch has made it clear that he wants Washington to be a top program year after year, and he’s willing to put in the work to make that happen.