There are dozens–literally dozens–of new faces for Husky fans to get to know in the coming months.  Between transfers and incoming freshmen, there will be at least 26 new names on the back of purple and gold jerseys next fall.

Some of the new faces will be that of freshmen DB Caleb Presley, DB Curley Reed, RB Tybo Rodgers, and DL Anthony James, plus transfers DB Thaddeus Dixon and RB Daniyel Ngata are players who welcomed additions to the 2023 roster.

However, perhaps the most welcomed “Fresh Face” for the 2023 season has a familiar name: Edefuan Ulofoshio.

Sure, Eddie–as he’s known by his coaches and teammates–saw spot duty late in the season, notably the face that greeted Oregon RB Noah Whittington on “the slip.”  That afternoon against the Ducks, the former All-American had six tackles including being credited with the 4th down stop that gave Washington the ball in Ducks’ territory with under two minutes remaining in the game.

On that play, from his left inside linebacker position a fraction of a second before the snap, he can be seen slightly creeping up to the line of scrimmage, measuring the QB’s response.  With a wide split from his rush end spot, Sav’ell Smalls drew Oregon’s right tackle wide, and Ulofoshio knifed through the hole, avoiding the right guard’s block and getting into the Ducks’ backfield, forcing Whittington to lose his footing.

That play showed Ulofoshio’s instincts that had him named as a 2021 Preseason First-Team All-America by Pro Football Focus.  He was well on his way to backing up the accolade by registering double digit tackles in three games.  Then, six games in, his season was derailed by an arm injury.

After successful surgery, he appeared to be in position to reclaim his old spot.  However, a knee injury kept him sidelined for the first eight games of 2022.  Finally able to roll rejoined his teammates against Oregon State as he began to work himself into game shape for the matchup in Eugene.

Against the Ducks, Eddie was up to his old tricks.  His body was right, but his fitness-level was going to be a work in progress.  However, his ability to diagnose plays was as sharp as ever.

In 2018, in his first-ever play for Washington, a home game against Oregon State, Ulofoshio, a walk-on, was in position to make the tackle at the Beavers’ 15 yard line, but he whiffed on a juke.  Never one to give up on the play, he chased the returner from behind and laid a lick on the returner and pulled the ball out.

The name “E. Ulofoshio” showed up as the tackler who had forced the fumble.  On a roster that had some all-time greats like Browning, Gaskin, McGary, Ahmed, Burr-Kirven, Rapp, Bryant, Gaines and Otton, Husky fans had to think that Ulofoshio was a misprint.  His name popped up on the score tracker later in the game as he repeated the feat.

Two plays, two forced fumbles.  That’s a heck of a start to a career for a two-star, jack-of-all-trades, walk-on, true freshman special teams player.

As a defender at Bishop Gorman High School in the Las Vegas area, scouts couldn’t understand how Ulofoshio had just two low-level offers, and was the 2,629th rated player in the country.

“He was the guy that had to be accounted for in every play,” said one bewildered Las Vegas-based college football scout.

For the Gaels, Ulofoshio drove opposing QBs mad.  Every snap, they had to make sure they didn’t lose track of his whereabouts.  Sometimes he’d be covering up a receiver, sometimes he’d be rushing the QB, and sometimes he’d line up in a typical inside linebacker position, chasing down running backs around the field.  But he was always causing problems.

“That 2017 squad was the most talented teams I’ve ever seen.  He was smart and would track down running backs from sideline to sideline,” the scout recalled.  “He was always causing havoc.”

Always—as Oregon’s first-year head coach Dan Lanning found out.

On “the slip”, both Ulofoshio and defensive back Alex Cook were able to force a running play inside by taking away the outside run. That hadn’t happened for the Huskies all afternoon.

University of Alabama, Birmingham-transfer Kris Moll and Pittsburg-transfer Cam Bright were brought in to give Ulofoshio the time to heal up.

Eddie won’t be on any preseason watch lists next season, given that he missed 14 of the last 18 games.  However, with the defensive struggles where they were unable to get off of the field at times last season, as Lanning thought would happen on 4th down in Eugene this past fall, teams will have to account for ol’ number 48 again–the most welcome Fresh Face in 2023.