UW Huskies Football: Transfer portal targets to watch

Few college football teams need to replenish any position as badly as the UW Huskies need offensive linemen. New coach Jedd Fisch has said that he wants to sign four or five more before the start of the season, and has similarly expressed confidence that the spring transfer-portal window would yield those reinforcements.

Watch: Pete Carroll steps in as coach at UW Huskies football practice

Thursday, then, was a start. D’Angalo Titialii, a senior offensive lineman from Portland State and a product of Eastside Catholic in Sammamish, announced shortly after receiving an offer from the Huskies that he will indeed transfer to UW. Titialii, listed last season at 6-foot-2 and 320 pounds, started 10 games at center for the Vikings in 2023, and also has ample starting experience at guard. He’s played more than 2,000 snaps in his three college seasons, per Pro Football Focus.

UW also has needs at a few other positions, and is recruiting the spring transfer portal accordingly.

Here are five transfer prospects to keep in mind who have been connected to the Huskies.

• DL Philip Blidi, Indiana

Blidi, a senior, transferred from Texas Tech to Indiana last season and started 11 games for the Hoosiers at defensive tackle. He finished with the fifth-most pressures on the team, then entered the portal in March as a graduate transfer; IU fired coach Tom Allen after a 3-9 finish and hired Curt Cignetti to replace him. During a visit to UW, Blidi watched the Huskies practice at the Dempsey Indoor and was seen chatting with former Huskies d-lineman Danny Shelton and former Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who was in town visiting the program (his son, Steve Belichick, is UW’s defensive coordinator). Blidi also reportedly visited LSU and Auburn, but did not make a scheduled visit to Oklahoma.

• RB Peny Boone, Louisville

Boone will reportedly be on UW’s campus this weekend, per Pete Nakos of On3. He transferred to Louisville in January from Toledo after rushing for 1,400 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2023 — earning MAC Offensive Player of the Year honors — but is already seeking a new home. Boone spent his first two college seasons at Maryland. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 242 pounds, he could combine with Cam Davis and Jonah Coleman to form quite the physical tailback trio, but the Huskies have plenty of competition for his services; Boone also will reportedly visit Ole Miss, and his productivity makes him an obvious target for any power program in need of tailback help.

• OL Marcus Bryant, SMU

A first-team All-AAC selection in 2023, Bryant started 10 games at left tackle last season and has played more than 2,300 snaps — with 29 total starts — since enrolling at SMU in 2020. SMU’s roster listed Bryant at 6-foot-8 and 318 pounds. The senior from Round Rock, Texas, would be an immediate solution for the Huskies at left tackle. Third-year sophomore tackle Drew Azzopardi, a transfer from San Diego State, has practiced on both the left and right side during spring practices, but played exclusively right tackle at SDSU. Multiple 247Sports recruiting reporters have predicted a UW commitment for Bryant.

• OL Koli Faaui, Utah

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Faaui “intends to visit Washington,” along with Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Faaui played 526 snaps at center, with eight starts, for the Utes last season, and has two years of eligibility remaining. He signed with the Utes as a three-star prospect out of Bothell’s North Creek High School in the 2021 recruiting class. It’s unclear whether Titialii’s commitment affects UW’s pursuit of Faaui, considering both played center last season, but the Huskies might need multiple interior linemen, regardless.

• DL Brandon Lane, Stephen F. Austin

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive tackle is reportedly expected to visit Washington this weekend. Like Blidi, Lane would fill the Huskies’ need for a big d-tackle with college experience. Lane was one of SFA’s highest-graded defensive players by PFF last season, logging 405 snaps in 11 games. He finished the season with 44 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. California, West Virginia and Kentucky are also involved. Lane will be a fifth-year junior in 2024.

This column from UW Huskies football insider Christian Caple is exclusive to Seattle Sports. Subscribe to OnMontlake.com for full access to Caple’s in-depth Husky coverage.

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