Huskies Enter Spring Ball Short of Running Backs, Missing Ulofoshio

Four of the seven University of Washington scholarship running backs, including past starters Richard Newton and Cam Davis, have injuries that will keep them out of spring football or limit their participation, while starting linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio will miss all 15 practices and even some games next fall, coach Kalen DeBoer said Monday.

Also, DeBoer said Jaxson Kirkland, the Huskies' two-time All-Pac-12 offensive tackle, has enrolled in school but is still awaiting word on whether the NCAA will grant him a waiver to play a sixth season.

"I was hoping that was something we would already know of but we continue to wait," DeBoer said of the lineman's eligibility situation.

A three-game starter last season and an 11-touchdown scorer in 2019, Newton injured a knee against UCLA, had surgery and is dealing with a recovery time that typically lasts 9 to 12 months. 

Davis, who started the Apple Cup and was the team's second-leading rusher with 308 yards, has an injury that wasn't specified.

Touted Texas freshman runner Emeka Megwa may be ruled out of spring workouts soon while dealing with some sort of leg injury he brought with him from high school. 

Sophomore running back Sam Adams and wide receiver Jabez Tinae have injuries that will prevent them from having contact during the spring, but they'll be in attendance. Adams missed most of last season with a shoulder injury. Tinae's situation wasn't detailed.

Among the remaining Husky backs who are healthy are sophomore Jay'Veon Sunday, redshirt freshman Caleb Berry and New Mexico transfer Aaron Dumas, all from Texas. Sean McGrew and Kamari Pleasant, both sixth-year senior backs last fall, used up their eligibility.

Of all of these personnel updates, Ulofoshio's prognosis was the most surprising. While there had been outside chatter that he was hurt during winter conditioning, the severity of it was unexpected.

Similar to Newton, Ulofoshio injured an arm against UCLA, had surgery and missed half of the season. The coach didn't spell out whether the linebacker hurt his arm again or injured something new.

"He will miss some games," DeBoer said. "We hope to have him for a part of the season. I know he's determined and will push through."

Ulofoshio, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound junior from Las Vegas, has played in 26 games and started 12 at the UW. He was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2020. He has 147 tackles, including 6.5 for lost yardage and 4 sacks, plus 5 pass break-ups, 4 forced fumbles and 2 recovered fumbles.

His absence will be notable once more.

Go to si.com/college/washington to read the latest Husky FanNation stories as soon as they’re published.

Not all stories are posted on the fan sites.

Find Husky FanNation on Facebook by searching: Husky Maven/Sports Illustrated