Derek Colman-Brusa, just a freshman defensive tackle, is already shouldering a massive load for the Washington Huskies, having started all six games this season. At the halfway point, this local Kennedy Catholic High School alum has stacked up 10 tackles, 2 for loss, a sack, and a pass breakup, immediately becoming a cornerstone for Jedd Fisch’s defense. The Huskies might be sitting at 3-3 after dropping their first three conference games, but Colman-Brusa is proving he’s built different, stepping up big time as a crucial building block for the defensive front in the rough-and-tumble Big Ten.
Freshman Phenom Is Stacking Up Stats and Recognition
Forget the learning curve, Colman-Brusa jumped right into the deep end. ESPN even gave him an honorable mention on their list of the nation’s top 25 freshmen, which is wild for a true freshman lineman. PFN365 had him as their second-highest graded true freshman DT with a 77.9, right up there with the best in the country. This dude is a four-star recruit living up to the hype, and he’s only going to get better. It’s exactly the kind of playmaking the Dawgs need to turn things around after a tough start to Big Ten play.
Colman-Brusa himself admitted that the “pace of the game” was his biggest adjustment. “Obviously, it’s a lot bigger in the Big Ten than it is in high school,” he said, but he gave huge credit to defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi and quality control coach Korey Rush, saying they’ve “done an unbelievable job getting me to where I am today.” You can see that coaching paying off on the field.
Fisch Is Seeing Something Special, and We Are Too
Head Coach Jedd Fisch isn’t just seeing the stats, he’s seeing the raw talent and relentless effort. Fisch highlighted Colman-Brusa’s “growth and physicality,” especially as the Huskies gear up for a Purdue running game that just put up a ridiculous 305 yards in a 41-13 win over Minnesota. That’s a serious ground attack, and it means Colman-Brusa’s role in the middle of that defense is going to be absolutely critical.
Even after the tough loss at USC, Fisch was singling out the freshman. “I felt Derek Brusa got a lot of double teams on him because of the amount of counter plays that they ran,” Fisch noted. “I thought he did a really good job of standing in there and being stout.” Getting double-teamed as a freshman in the Big Ten? That’s not just holding your own, that’s being a problem for offensive coordinators. That’s what you want to hear from your stud defensive lineman.
Friday Night Lights in West Lafayette: What’s Next?
This Friday, the Huskies are heading to West Lafayette, and Colman-Brusa might be stepping into an even bigger spotlight. With defensive tackle Kai McClendon and edge rusher Jacob Lane both questionable for the contest, there’s a real chance our freshman DT will see an expanded role. He’s already a key piece, but with potential injuries around him, he might have to put the team on his back even more.
We need Colman-Brusa to be the same stout, disruptive force he’s been all season. The Dawgs need to stop that Purdue run game cold, and that starts with our guy in the trenches. Friday night, watch for Colman-Brusa. He’s the future, and frankly, he’s the present too. Let’s see him dominate under those lights.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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