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Russell Davis II Can't Catch a Break, Will Miss Upcoming Season

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 9:53 PM ET

On a sunny April afternoon in Husky Stadium, edge rusher Russell Davis II and linebacker Jacob Manu were together again as teammates, as former Arizona football players now Washington Huskies trying to overcome injuries.

They repeatedly ran 80-yard sprints and walked back.They were alone in their own little world while the rest of UW team went through spring practice on the East field without them.

Davis was recovering from an arm injury, Manu a damaged knee, with both expected back for fall camp.

There's been a change of plans for the hard-luck Davis, a 6-foot-3, 234-pound junior from Chandler, Arizona.

On Wednesday at Big Ten Media Day in Las Vegas, UW coach Jedd Fisch revealed how Davis suffered a knee injury during a summer workout that will keep him out of the upcoming season, a school official confirmed.

Also, Fisch said redshirt freshman safety Rahim Wright suffered an unspecified injury that likely will force him to sit out the season, too.

For Davis, it's been a bizarre 12 months.

He emerged from 2024 fall camp on crutches with a lower-body injury that wasn't spelled out but made him miss the first eight games.

Davis was cleared to play in three late-season outings as a reserve, with his return capped off by a heroic 3-sack performance in a 31-19 victory over UCLA that earned him co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Yet he suffered a season-ending triceps injury the following week and was done.

Davis was one of 17 players who played for Arizona or was signed to a letter of intent and then followed Fisch's coaching staff from Tucson to the UW.

He also had the added incentive of playing in Seattle, which is what his father, also Russell, did as a Seahawks defensive tackle in 2006 when Russell II was a toddler.

After brief appearances against USC and Penn State last season, the younger Davis was inserted on the third snap of the second series against UCLA. Feeling his way around, he lost his helmet on one play and was called for holding on another.

And then the fun began.

With the Huskies lining him up both on the right and left sides, Davis collected a first-quarter sack when he dropped former UW quarterback Ethan Garbers for a 2-yard loss when the signal-caller left the pocket.

Davis got upfield by pushing UCLA's 6-foot-5, 310-pound Josh Carlin into the backfield and coming off the block to bring down Garbers.

Midway through the second quarter, Davis broke through to hit Garbers, separate him from the football and recover it. Under a heavy rush, Garbers had tried to pull the ball back after starting his throwing motion, but Davis made him pay for it with a 14-yard loss and a turnover that the edge fell ono.

With 3:36 left in the game, Davis came up the middle to drop Garbers for a 12-yard loss on fourth down.

Yet that was it for him last season.

Davis had surgery, spent spring ball in recovery and will have to start all over again to get healthy.

He's played in 26 college games for Washington and Arizona combined. He has 32 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble over three seasons.

With his shortened 2024 season, Davis had the unique experience of being the best at his position for a glorious Big Ten weekend yet he redshirted, almost like it never happened.

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

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