Jedd Fisch didn't just walk into Montlake and ask for a desk. He walked in and basically told everyone that the "old way" of doing things at Washington—the quiet, Pacific Northwest development model—wasn't going to cut it in the Big Ten.
Honestly, the shift has been jarring for some. You’ve got a coach who talks like an NFL GM and recruits like he’s trying to win a localized arms race. People kept waiting for the wheels to fall off after the Kalen DeBoer exit, but instead, the Washington Huskies recruiting football machine just got louder.
It’s not just about the stars. It’s about the geography. For years, Husky fans complained that local kids were treating Seattle like a layover on their way to Eugene or Columbus. Fisch seems to have taken that personally.
The Kodi Greene Effect and the 2026 Breakthrough
If you want to understand why the vibe has changed, look at Kodi Greene. He’s a five-star offensive tackle from Renton who was originally committed to Oregon. Flipping a kid like that is a statement. It’s the kind of win that makes other recruits stop scrolling and actually look at the offer on their table.
Greene is the anchor of what is officially being called the highest-rated recruiting class in Washington’s modern history. We are talking about the Class of 2026, which finished the early December signing period ranked No. 13 in the nation. That’s not just "good for UW"—that’s a top-tier Big Ten number.
Fisch’s strategy isn't exactly a secret, but it is aggressive. He’s leaning heavily on the "pro-style" pitch. He’s telling these kids, "I’ve been in the NFL, my staff has been in the NFL, and we’re going to run this place like the Seahawks." It’s working.
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Key Names You Should Actually Know
Forget the generic rankings for a second. Let's talk about the guys who actually change the math on the field.
- Derek Colman-Brusa: The top player in the state of Washington. An EDGE rusher out of Kennedy Catholic who stayed home. Getting him was massive because it slammed the door on poaching from other West Coast schools.
- Brian Bonner: He’s a four-star running back from California. Some scouts are calling him the highest-rated RB recruit in UW history. He’s fast, sure, but he’s built for the kind of physical, "three yards and a cloud of dust" games you see in November in the Midwest.
- Jordan Clay: A 6-foot-3 receiver from Texas who flipped from Baylor. He’s the "big body" target that every modern offense needs.
Why the Big Ten Move Changed the Math
The Big Ten isn't just a new logo on the jersey. It’s a different sport. You can’t survive in that conference with a "finesse" roster. You need giants.
Fisch knows this. That’s why the 2026 class is so heavy on the trenches. You look at guys like Tufanua Ionatana Umu-Cais or JD Hill—these aren't project players. They are large, violent human beings designed to stop the run against teams like Michigan and Iowa.
The most interesting part? Fisch isn't just hunting for five-stars. He’s hunting for "re-signings."
In the modern era of the transfer portal, you have to recruit your own locker room every single January. This past month, Fisch made a big deal about "re-signing" 61 players from the 2025 roster. He’s trying to build continuity in a sport that currently has none. It’s a gamble. If he can keep the core together while layering in these high-end high school classes, Washington might actually avoid the "transition period" trap.
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The Transfer Portal: Tool or Trap?
Fisch has been pretty vocal about this: he doesn't want to build through the portal. He calls it "free agency" and says it’s not a sustainable way to run a program.
"I do not and will not subscribe to trying to build a football team through free agency," he said recently. "That is not us."
But don't let the "old school" talk fool you. He’s still using it. He just uses it like a scalpel instead of a sledgehammer. When the Huskies lost eight interior defensive linemen this past season to graduation and the portal, he didn't panic. He went out and grabbed Darin Conley from Ball State and a few others to plug the holes.
It’s a "supplementary" approach. You build the house with high school kids (like the 2026 class) and use the portal to fix the leaky roof.
The Demond Williams Jr. Saga
The biggest win of the 2026 off-season wasn't a recruit. It was keeping Demond Williams Jr.
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The quarterback situation was, frankly, a mess for a minute there. Williams entered the portal, then pulled a U-turn and stayed. In the world of Washington Huskies recruiting football, keeping a dynamic, dual-threat QB who already knows the system is worth more than a dozen four-star commits. He is the bridge to the Fisch era.
What’s Next for the Dawgs?
The 2027 class is already starting to take shape. They’ve picked up local commitments like Maurice Williams (a long, rangy corner from Graham-Kapowsin) and Brayden Pope.
The trend is clear:
- Lock down the state of Washington. If you're a blue-chip recruit in the 206 or 253, Fisch is going to live in your living room.
- Use the NFL connection. Every press conference is a reminder of the staff's pro pedigree.
- Prioritize the trenches. Big Ten football is won between the tackles, and the recruiting reflects that.
If you’re a fan, the move is to keep an eye on the Spring Game. That’s where the "early enrollees" from the record-breaking 2026 class will first show if the hype is real.
The era of "just happy to be here" in the Big Ten is over. Fisch is recruiting like he expects to win the whole thing, and for the first time in a long time, the numbers actually back up the talk.
To stay ahead of the curve, watch the interior defensive line rotations during spring ball; that’s where you’ll see if the portal additions and the young 2026 early-signees like Derek Colman-Brusa are ready to handle the physicality of a Big Ten schedule.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
Check the official GoHuskies signing day roster to see which 2026 recruits are enrolling early for spring practice. Watch the 2026 spring game specifically to evaluate the footwork of Kodi Greene—his ability to handle speed rushes will be the litmus test for Washington's offensive line stability heading into the next season.