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Washington Huskies Will Likely Make Another Change to Offensive Line
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- Washington Huskies Will Likely Make Another Change to Offensive Line
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)
SEATTLE — The Washington Huskies football team already has its back up against the wall through the first five weeks of the season.
The Huskies (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) are set to take on the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes at 6 p.m. PT on Friday at Husky Stadium in Seattle, and their offensive line will likely look vastly differerent than it has through the first five weeks of the season.
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Oct. 3, in Washington's 25-21 loss against the No. 19 Southern California (USC) Trojans, true freshman left tackle Kodi Greene played only 14 snaps on pass plays and registered a 0.0 grade from Pro Football Focus.
The Huskies opted to rotate in second-year offensive lineman and 2025 true freshman All-American John Mills at left tackle, which the team has done to various amounts over the last two weeks.
Mills graded out well in pass-blocking, and earned a 90.8 grade from Pro Football Focus. He was the team's highest-graded offensive lineman in pass-pro according to the site.
In a weekly news conference held Monday at Husky Stadium, UW head coach Jedd Fisch was extremely complimentary about Mills' performance against USC and also revealed that the team will try out several offensive line combinations this week in practice, which has a good chance of resulting in the 6-foot-6, 325-pound lineman lining up at left tackle against Iowa.
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"I thought John played really well at left tackle," Fisch said Monday. "As we've evaluated, how we grade it out, he graded out at a high level. I think, as we go into practice this week, we're looking at (fourth-year Landen Hatchett) back at center. We would be shocked if that's not the case. So there will be some rotation there with (fourth-year Kolt Dieterich) at center, Kolt at guard. There will be rotation with Kodi at guard, Kolt at tackle. Rotation with Kolt at tackle, John at guard. Tomorrow will be a rotational day, get ourselves back in action. And then we'll play the best five for this moment in time."
Fisch's statements provides optimism that Hatchett, who was named to the preseason Rimington Trophy watchlist, will finally make his season debut after missing the first five games of the season. He was a game-time decision the last two weeks of Big Ten play.
Hatchett returning at center will allow Dieterich to move to either guard or the tackle spot. He hadn't played center before transferring to UW this offseason and was the highest-graded offensive lineman in Conference-USA last season while with Sam Houston State. He played right tackle in 11-of-12 games last season and left tackle in one.
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As for Greene, the move to guard is a disappointing development for the highly talented freshman, who entered the season with a healthy amount of expectations after being the team's highest-rated recruit in the touted Class of 2026.
Fisch has spoken with Greene about the potential move and offered a glass half-full outlook to the Renton, Wash., native.
"What I mentioned to Kodi is, I remember two years ago, we were coaching Jordan Morgan (with the Arizona Wildcats)," Fisch said. "(He) was a first-round pick at left tackle, he got picked by the (Green Bay Packers) and in the first year, he played guard. And now he's playing left tackle. So, if we decide to move him back inside at this point in time or not, we'll make that decision to see what's best for the team. If we keep him outside, that means we believe that's best for the team. But right now, I would say I was excited with the way John Mills played left tackle and the physicality that he brings."
