Huskies On Edge With Lane And Some Position Confusion

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 11:16 AM ET

Edge rusher was supposed to be a University of Washington position group overloaded with talent, to the point the coaches would be challenged in settling on a pair of starters.

However, circumstances have greatly altered the personnel, forcing the Huskies to get creative at a late date.

Edges Isaiah Ward (ankle), Deshawn Lynch (unspecified) and Russell Davis II (knee) missed last weekend's mock game, with Davis out for the season.

Ward and Lynch were six-and four-game starters in 2024, while Davis was a reserve player who earned co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week accolades near the end of last season.

That's a lot of proven yet idle football firepower going unused right there, though Ward might return this week..

Add to that previous starter Zach Durfee returning from double turf-toe injuries and still easing his way back to work, Hayden Moore in the midst of a position change and freshmen Devin Hyde and Victor Sanchez Hernandez going through edge initiation rites.

Even UCF linebacker transfer Xe'ree Alexander ended up pulling a few snaps at edge this past week.

With the season opener against Colorado State 11 days away, only Jacob Lane comes to the edge for the Huskies without any complications, hopeful that his time has come in Montlake.

"I definitely feel the team, as a whole is getting better every day, myself included," Lane said recently.

While he's appeared in 21 UW games over two seasons, Lane still has this little footnote to contend with before he comes full circle as a college football player -- he hasn't been a starter yet.

He has a modest 19 career tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss, but he hasn't registered a sack.

Well, the Huskies need him more than ever, considering the fresh bodies available and regardless of any gaps on his resume, and there's no turning back for Lane.

Attempting to pick up the slack at a now thinned-down position, the 6-foot-5, 260-pound junior from Puyallup, Washington, carries much more responsibility as the season nears and he seems to recognize and welcome that.

"Personally, I just want to be a difference-maker up front," Lane said. "I want to be a good teammate and do what I can to help the team win."

Taking the lead on the edge, staying healthy himself and piling up a bunch of sacks would be a good place for this guy to start.

As a first-time Husky starter.

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This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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