Since 2005, Washington started 6, 8, 9, 8, 8, 6, 5, 4, 6, 8, and 9 white players, excluding 2014 where no write-up was done. In 2018 they project to increase to 11 white starters under white-friendly head coach Chris Petersen, with heavy presences on both offense and defense and in reserve.
QB Jake Browning returns for his final season before the NFL. Browning threw 100 less passes his junior year compared to his sophomore year, for 600 less yards and 24 less TDs, but his passer rating was still very high. He will be protected by a 4/5 OL lead by future first round left tackle Trey Adams. Running Back Sean McGrew will be fighting for carries, having six for 26 yards and a TD as a freshman in 2017. 2015 California Gatorade Player of the Year will hopefully work his way into consistent snaps. There are six white WRs on the roster: FR Austin Osborne (#22 WR prospect via rivals.com), JR Josh Rasmussen, FR David Pritchard, SR Ian Biddle, SR Max Richmond, and SR John Gardner. One reception for 12 yards between the five of them.
On the defensive line, Greg Gaines will start at defensive tackle for the third straight season, being second team All-PAC-12 last season, with SR Shane Bowman backing him up. True FR Dracon Bynum comes in on the DL as the #13 strongside DE via 247sports, while JR Jason Scrempos will provide depth.
Sophomore and former walk-on Ryan Bowman will start at OLB after starting three games as a freshman as part of three white linebackers starting for Washington, the other two being Ben Burr-Kirven (second team All-PAC-12 last season) and Tevis Bartlett (academic All-PAC-12 first team last season, honourable menion All-PAC-12). Jackson Sirmon comes in as a true FR ranked by rivals.com as the #17 ILB prospect – son of Peter Sirmon, an LB with the Tennessee Titans from 2000 to 2006. Seniors Jake Wambaugh and Matt Preston will provide some depth.
Finally, Taylor Rapp (half-Chinese) went from Freshman Defensive Player of the Year for the conference in 2016 to the first team All-PAC-12 in 2017, for both football and academics. Two other white DBs are on the roster: in-state RS FR Zechariah Brown and in-state SR Sean Vergara, who played in four games in 2017.
Offense
QB: Jake Browning (SR)
TE: Drew Sample (SR)
LT: Trey Adams (SR)
LG: Luke Wattenberg (SO)
RG: Jesse Sosebee (SR)
RT: Kaleb McGary (SR)
Defense
NT: Greg Gaines (SR)
ILB: Tevis Bartlett (SR)
ILB: Ben Burr-Kirven (SR)
OLB: Ryan Bowman (SO)
S: Taylor Rapp (JR)
Back-ups listed on the two-deep include QB Colson Yankoff/Jacob Eason, TE Cade Otton, TE Jacob Kizer, LT Jared Hilbers, LG Jaxson Kirkland, C Matt James, RG Henry Roberts, and NT Shane Bowman.
QB Jake Browning returns for his final season before the NFL. Browning threw 100 less passes his junior year compared to his sophomore year, for 600 less yards and 24 less TDs, but his passer rating was still very high. He will be protected by a 4/5 OL lead by future first round left tackle Trey Adams. Running Back Sean McGrew will be fighting for carries, having six for 26 yards and a TD as a freshman in 2017. 2015 California Gatorade Player of the Year will hopefully work his way into consistent snaps. There are six white WRs on the roster: FR Austin Osborne (#22 WR prospect via rivals.com), JR Josh Rasmussen, FR David Pritchard, SR Ian Biddle, SR Max Richmond, and SR John Gardner. One reception for 12 yards between the five of them.
On the defensive line, Greg Gaines will start at defensive tackle for the third straight season, being second team All-PAC-12 last season, with SR Shane Bowman backing him up. True FR Dracon Bynum comes in on the DL as the #13 strongside DE via 247sports, while JR Jason Scrempos will provide depth.
Sophomore and former walk-on Ryan Bowman will start at OLB after starting three games as a freshman as part of three white linebackers starting for Washington, the other two being Ben Burr-Kirven (second team All-PAC-12 last season) and Tevis Bartlett (academic All-PAC-12 first team last season, honourable menion All-PAC-12). Jackson Sirmon comes in as a true FR ranked by rivals.com as the #17 ILB prospect – son of Peter Sirmon, an LB with the Tennessee Titans from 2000 to 2006. Seniors Jake Wambaugh and Matt Preston will provide some depth.
Finally, Taylor Rapp (half-Chinese) went from Freshman Defensive Player of the Year for the conference in 2016 to the first team All-PAC-12 in 2017, for both football and academics. Two other white DBs are on the roster: in-state RS FR Zechariah Brown and in-state SR Sean Vergara, who played in four games in 2017.
Offense
QB: Jake Browning (SR)
TE: Drew Sample (SR)
LT: Trey Adams (SR)
LG: Luke Wattenberg (SO)
RG: Jesse Sosebee (SR)
RT: Kaleb McGary (SR)
Defense
NT: Greg Gaines (SR)
ILB: Tevis Bartlett (SR)
ILB: Ben Burr-Kirven (SR)
OLB: Ryan Bowman (SO)
S: Taylor Rapp (JR)
Back-ups listed on the two-deep include QB Colson Yankoff/Jacob Eason, TE Cade Otton, TE Jacob Kizer, LT Jared Hilbers, LG Jaxson Kirkland, C Matt James, RG Henry Roberts, and NT Shane Bowman.
