Ulofoshio, ZTF Ready to be Headliners and Starters Again for UW

A lot of things didn't work out, countless people became ill and activities everywhere ceased abruptly when the pandemic unleashed its fury in 2020. 

Linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio and edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui, however, defied the odds of a complicated world to have memorable University of Washington football seasons that fall, even if the schedule lasted just four games.

Ulofoshio opened with 10 tackles and 4 pass deflections against Oregon State and closed it out with 18 tackles and a 39-yard fumble return against Stanford.

He was all over the place, averaging 11.2 tackles per outing, was named second-team All-Pac-12 and ultimately cast as the nation's top returning linebacker for the following season by Pro Football Focus.

ZTF was even better, at least through the first three games, piling up 7 sacks, including 3 strip sacks, and earned first-team All-Pac-12 and third-team AP All-America selections. Analysts described him as a potential first-round draft pick in the making.

Yet when the planet finally began to get healthier in 2021, Ulofoshio and ZTF both ran out of luck and got hurt, multiple times in fact, before they could return to their former playmaking selves. 

On Saturday against Boise State, both of these accomplished defensive players will be in the Husky starting lineup together for the first time since Dec. 5, 2020 — which was three years and 26 games ago.

They're fully mended, back up to football speed, ready to resume the damage they caused so long ago. 

"It's going to be huge," said Bralen Trice, who has developed into an All-America caliber edge rusher during his teammates' down time. "Those are two big-time players we've had in the past and present. Having them back fully healthy and ready to go is going to be big for our defense."

ZTF returns after suffering an Achilles tendon tear in 2021 spring football, returning in seven months to play against UCLA and going down again four games later with a season-ending concussion.

He played in every game for Kalen DeBoer's new coaching staff last season, but took a backseat to edge rusher Jeremiah Martin and started just two games, still not quite up to speed. 

Meantime, Ulofoshio tore a biceps muscle in the same 2021 UCLA game in which ZTF returned as a reserve and was done for the season. In the ensuing winter workouts, he suffered a knee injury that put him out for another eight games before he returned as a reserve late last season.

Imagine losing two defensive stalwarts such as Ulofoshio and ZTF over the same time period. UW coach Jimmy Lake, fired that season after he was caught shoving a player on national TV, never had a chance to succeed defensively in 2021 and probably keep his job. No wonder a 4-8 season resulted.

Yet these players are fully healthy and motivated to be great again. Ulofoshio might be 10 pounds heavier at 236, while ZTF is 25 pounds lighter at 254. They're ready to be unleashed once more as Husky headliners.

"I think Eddie is going to have a great season and I think Zion is going to have a great season," Trice said. "I think they're going to ball out. I'm excited to have them both 100 percent."

Like a radio station playing hits from another time, the Huskies are ready to spin a pair of Golden Oldies as loud as they can.

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