Henning Changes to Tight End Number For Illini

Zach Henning is one of those guys who's like a gap filler when siding goes up on a new house.

For the University of Washington football team, he slides into whatever position needs someone fairly quick.

On Saturday for the Illinois game, the 6-foot-5, 310-pound sophomore from Centennial, Colorado, pulled on a new jersey for him -- swapping out 58 for 80 -- to make himself better blend in as a blocking tight end.

This was necessitated by injuries suffered by senior Quentin Moore and sophomore Kade Eldridge the previous weekend at Michigan.

Moore suffered a concussion while Eldridge injured a foot, with the latter possibly lost for the season.

Handling tight-end responsibilities is nothing new for Henning, who's normally the Huskies' back-up center.

In 2024, he started in a two tight-end alignment against Eastern Michigan after Moore was lost to a knee injury.

Henning did not change numbers that day in a game won by the UW 30-9, setting up outside in his No. 58.

Overall, Henning has appeared in 22 games for the Huskies, including all seven this season and all 13 last year.

Henning is capable of playing every line position up front, from tackle to tackle.

In warm-ups, he was seen in an emotional exchange with Husky offensive-line coach Michael Switzer, who grabbed Henning's head, leaned in close and offered him some encouragement.

Henning still performed his snapping duties with the Husky quarterbacks.

UW coach Jedd Fisch said Henning could catch passes if needed, though that doesn't seem likely.

In 2022, Geirean Hatchett, now a starting r, likewise moved outside to tight end for multiple games when injuries piled up for Kalen DeBoer's team.

Also, senior linebacker Jacob Manu was in street clothes before the UW-Illini game and half-heartedly going through drills with his teammates, which meant he was going to sit this one out.

Manu, who recovered from a knee injury and returned after the season began, has just one game appearance left in the regular season in order to retain a full year of eligibility in 2026.

The linebacker has sued the NCAA trying to force its hand to enable him to play the rest of this season without restrictions, as well as all of 2026, which would be his fifth.

The governing body has not budged in permitting players to play five seasons over five years without limitations during that time frame.