Washington suited up in full pads for the first time this Spring during Saturday’s practice inside Husky Stadium. The defense continued to showcase well, recording a few takeaways and tackles for loss on the day. “We’re on pace for where we need to be right now,” Washington defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said after practice. After one week, the defense is not fully installed, but Walters is optimistic that his side of the ball is progressing well. “It’s been steady improvement and that’s what you want to see in Spring ball.”
Ryan Walters On Washington’s Progress
Physicality at Defensive Back
Illinois’ 2022 defense under Walters was so good in large part because of the assignment-sound secondary. The cornerbacks and safeties were very veteran and they executed their responsibilities at a high level. At cornerback, that included a lot of man coverage. As far as the installation goes at Washington, “What we do have in, they’ve been executing pretty well,” Walters said after Saturday’s practice. In particular, the new Husky defensive coordinator likes the potential he sees in cornerback Tacario Davis, nicknamed “Bobo”.
“Having Bobo out here, you see the elite traits he has,” Walters began. “The length and being able to get in and out of breaks for being that tall.” At 6’-4”, Davis’ height is an advantage in the secondary. He’s able to close passing windows with his wingspan by stretching or elevating to the football against the receiver. This Spring, Davis has already recorded three pass breakups and pulled down an interception off a bobbled pass.
“You just gotta be able to compete,” Davis said, describing his role at cornerback. “If you come here, you’re a defensive back.” He explained that the role of a cornerback meshes with that of a defensive back. “You gotta play it all, you got to be physical, be able to cover, and be able to compete.” Walters has taken note of the physicality he’s seen out of his defensive backs this Spring. “It’s expected,” Walters began. “There’s no such thing as a cover corner anymore. Everybody has to be involved, it’s the Big Ten, you’re going to have to make tackles on big backs. Physicality is a must and a premium, especially in this defense.”
Single-High Safety Responsibility
Physicality extends to the back end of the defense as well. Walters utilizes a lot of single-high safety formations in his defense. Since 2021 at Walters’ previous stops of Illinois and Purdue, the safety led the team tackles in three of those four seasons. Sydney Brown was Illinois’s leader in 2021 with 81 tackles. He finished fourth the next year with 59. In both seasons at Purdue, safety Dillon Thieneman had team highs in tackles with 106 and 104 in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
“He’s got to be able to get sideline to sideline,” Walters said, describing the responsibilities of the single-high safety in the Washington defense. “[He has to] take good angles to eliminate explosive plays.” There’s a lot of ground to cover in the back end as the team’s safety blanket, and it’s important that they diagnose the play and help where needed.
“They’ve got to be cerebral in some of our motion adjustments,” Walters added. This new defense includes a lot of disguised coverages and adjustments based on the pre-snap motion of the offense. The safety has a primary role in communicating coverage assignments before the snap. Thus far, we’ve seen a handful of different players rotate in at that single-high safety spot. It includes FIU transfer CJ Christian, who has 152 career tackles and five interceptions. Christian has taken the majority of first-team reps so far at that position. Vincent Holmes has rotated in with the second team, while redshirt freshman Paul Mencke Jr. and true freshman Rylon Dillard-Allen have also seen reps at safety.
Big Ten Size Up Front
One player who’s already made a statement this Spring is Western Michigan transfer defensive lineman Anterio Thompson. He’s listed at 6’-4” and 306 pounds on Washington’s Spring roster. Thompson is not only a physically imposing figure up front, but he moves with an unconventional quickness for someone at his size and at his position.
“The explosion, and the power and agility that you see running around cones, and lifting weights in the weight room, it’s translating to the field,” Walters said of Thompson. “He’s definitely a mature young man, and recognizes the opportunity he has.” Earlier this Winter, Thompson discussed his style of play, routinely using the word “Havoc.” On Saturday’s practice in full pads, he delivered some punishing hits at the point of attack during the team periods. One of which was a tackle for loss in the team’s fourth-and-short situational drill. It received a roar from the defensive sideline.
“We look like a big ten team,” Walters said about Washington’s defensive line after Saturday’s practice. “The guys that we’ve added, they fit in this conference.” He credits Washington defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi for the unit’s attention to detail. “Coach Kaufusi is a stickler for the details, and it shows,” Walters said. “They’re able to play with extension and get off blocks.” After one week, progress is already being observed at all levels of the Husky defense.
Main Image: Nick Lemkau
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