The University of Washington has been making headlines this week due to its surprising victory over No. 10 Michigan in football, but the Huskies’ basketball team is also generating buzz.
New men’s basketball coach Danny Sprinkle has secured a significant recruit for his program: Courtland Muldrew, a four-star shooting guard from Mouth of Wilson, Virginia (Oak Hill Academy), has pledged to join Washington.
Other contenders for Muldrew included Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Creighton.
“I believe the program needs a point guard like me,” Muldrew stated to 247Sports about his commitment. “I also wanted to compete on a bigger stage on the West Coast.” Ultimately, Muldrew’s choice hinged on his confidence in Washington’s new head coach.
Muldrew shared that his conversation with Sprinkle emphasized the importance of authenticity, saying, “The message he sent is that he wants me to come in and be myself. He showed me film of his previous guards and discussed the average minutes played by his top guards. He stated, ‘My top guards are going to play 30+ minutes a night,’ and he expects that from me,” according to On3.
Ranked as the No. 17 shooting guard prospect in the nation by 247Sports, Muldrew comes from a notable lineage of basketball talent at Oak Hill Academy, which has produced stars such as Chris Livingston, Brandon Jennings, Rajon Rondo, Carmelo Anthony, and Ron Mercer, among others.
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UW’s defensive line has shined this season thanks to this sixth-year Husky
To clarify, Jacob Bandes genuinely enjoys playing for Washington. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be in the media room beneath Husky Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The 6-foot-3, 307-pound defensive tackle decided to stay with the program during the offseason, opting not to explore other opportunities after former coach Kalen DeBoer left following a successful 2023 season. Bandes expressed his desire to help rebuild the program under new coach Jedd Fisch, though he understands why some former teammates chose to leave.
However, Bandes admitted he never anticipated being at Washington this long. A highly regarded four-star recruit from Pittsburg High School in the Bay Area, he is now in his sixth season of college football. He aims to impart lessons to younger teammates that took him years to learn.
“Time is everything,” he remarked. “I don’t want these guys to repeat the mistakes I made with my time here. I wouldn’t want them to spend six years here like I did.”
Bandes has participated in 52 games for Washington, primarily serving as a rotational player on the Huskies’ defensive line. This season, he has recorded 10 tackles over six games, nearing his career-high of 18 tackles from the 2023 season.
He has started every game this season except for Northwestern and has been a key contributor since junior defensive tackle Jayvon Parker suffered a season-ending injury against Rutgers. He is also embracing his role as the veteran leader for a defensive line that has performed admirably despite losing its top three defensive tackles and both starting edge rushers from the previous year.
The Huskies (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) will travel east this week to face the Hawkeyes (3-2, 1-1) at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, with kickoff set for 9 a.m. PT on Saturday.
“Being that mentor,” Bandes said, “the older guy showing the ropes to the newer Huskies, the D-tackles, that’s the role I envisioned. I’m grateful. Grateful and happy.”
As of six games into the season, the Huskies rank No. 58 nationally in rushing defense, allowing 130.5 yards per game while competing in the run-heavy Big Ten. Notably, this is the same ranking UW achieved last season when it reached the College Football Playoff championship game, despite allowing 148.1 rushing yards per game in 2023.
Opposing teams are averaging 3.92 yards per carry against Washington, outperforming No. 23 Illinois (3.98), No. 11 Iowa State (4.16), and No. 10 Clemson (4.75). UW has also allowed only five rushing touchdowns through six games, while No. 3 Oregon has given up seven rushing scores in one fewer game.
Last season, Washington boasted considerable veteran experience up front, with sixth-year seniors Ulumoo Ale and Tuli Letuligasenoa, as well as Bandes and Faatui Tuitele, in their fifth seasons. Edge rushers Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui had also logged extensive playing time in their five- and six-year careers, respectively.
This season, however, the Huskies are relying on significantly less experienced players outside of Bandes and senior Voi Tunuufi, who has played 45 career games at UW.
Senior defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez, whom Bandes described as “a beast,” is playing his first season of FBS football, along with junior Deshawn Lynch, who has played both edge and defensive tackle like Tunuufi.
Junior defensive tackle Logan Sagapolu, who recovered a critical fumble against Michigan, had previously played center for the first four seasons of his career. Junior Bryce Butler played last season at a junior college, while redshirt freshman Elinneus Davis didn’t see any action during the 2023 season. The Huskies also lost Parker, a crucial member of their defensive line rotation.
Despite these challenges, Washington’s defensive line held its own against Michigan’s formidable running back duo of Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards. The pair combined for 144 yards on 28 carries, with Mullings managing just 49 yards on 14 attempts—only the second time this season he has rushed for fewer than 90 yards in a game. His 3.5 yards per carry against Washington marked his lowest average of the year.
Edwards was more effective, gaining 59 of his 95 rushing yards on just three carries, including a 39-yard touchdown run, but averaged only 3.3 yards on his other 11 attempts.
Bandes attributed Washington’s success against the run this season to defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s scheme, noting that defensive linemen have been given considerable freedom to make adjustments without waiting for sideline calls.
Sixth-year linebacker Drew Fowler added that Belichick meets with players weekly for feedback, enhancing the defense’s “autonomy” and fostering a sense of ownership among the players. Belichick credited the defensive line’s development to position coach Jason Kaufusi.
“He prepares those guys exceptionally well,” Belichick said. “We have a lot of confidence in him coaching them. He does a fantastic job, and I trust him completely.”
The defensive line will need to continue adapting, especially after Michigan marked the first game without Parker. Valdez was limited to just 16 snaps, but Fisch announced on Monday that the Montana State transfer is expected to return against Iowa.
Fisch also mentioned that Butler, who has faced injuries since the win against Eastern Michigan on September 7, is likely to see more action this week as he reintegrates into the rotation. He recognized Bandes, Sagapolu, and Davis as standout players against Michigan, stating the Huskies will rely on their continued strong performance moving forward.
“We need to keep building depth during the season,” Fisch said on Monday. “I challenge our players to understand that the goal isn’t just to improve in the offseason; it’s about getting better throughout the season. To achieve that, they need to grow stronger and be prepared to take on blocks.”
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