This is one spot where the Huskies have to replace their starter. Paul Homer had a great four years at Washington and he will be missed. I will also miss Matthew saying “He’ll take you Homer” anytime the guy touched the ball. The Dawgs do have some young talent at fullback.
Austin Sylvester, 6-1, 241, SR: Sylvester has played on special teams for the last two years. He won’t do anything flashy but that’s hardly what the fullback position is for anyway. Sylvester is a solid blocker and could be a good contributor to the Huskies run game because of that. As far as potential goes, Sylvester’s ceiling is not very high. You basically know what you have in him and while he will improve, he might not have the skill that the other fullback’s possess. I put him first on this depth chart because he’s older but I think he might get passed up before September.
What Sylvester needs to improve on this spring: Sylvester needs to improve his play making. In Sark’s pro-style offense the fullback is used out of the backfield more than the typical fullback. If Sylvester wants to be the starter he needs to be able to catch the dump off pass and turn it into a positive play.
Kimo Makaula, 6-2, 248, RS FR: As far as the coolest Husky name goes, Kimo is right up there. Makaula red-shirted last year and was one of Sark’s first recruits. He is very strong and is supposed to be quite athletic. He might fit the mold of fullback better than Sylvester does but lacks the experience.
What Makaula needs to improve on this spring: Makaula needs to make sure that he’s got the offense down and is comfortable with it. As far as physical skills go he has the edge on Sylvester but he doesn’t have the same amount of experience, he needs to make up for that this spring and show that he’s comfortable with his job. He’s a good young player who will only improve. He has a good deal of potential and needs to maximize that.
Position Overview: This is one of the few positions in the Husky offense that is up for grabs. When it comes down to it I think Sylvester and Makaula will split time this year. They each need to have a solid spring and show an understanding of the offense since neither have seen significant time in games. Zach Fogerson will be here in the fall, so he won’t be practicing with the team during spring practices. He is a very highly rated fullback and will be a good contributor for the Huskies for years to come.
http://www.uwdawgpound.com/ has also been doing position overviews as of late. They are quite a bit different from mine and very good. Check them out. As always, thanks for reading!
Andrew
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