Washington head football coach Kalen DeBoer has announced four more members of his new UW staff today, naming Junior Adams, Inoke Breckterfield, Scott Huff, and Nick Sheridan as assistant coaches.

Adams and Huff return to the UW, where each has worked for the last several years, and will remain as wide receivers coach and offensive line coach, respectively. Sheridan was tight ends coach at Indiana when DeBoer served as the Hoosiers’ offensive coordinator in 2019, and will hold that role at UW. Breckterfield will oversee the Huskies’ defensive line.

Breckterfield, a third-team All-America defensive end at Oregon State (1995-98) who was twice named the Beavers’ defensive MVP, and who won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-10’s top defensive lineman in 1998, joins the UW staff from Vanderbilt, where he spent one season after six at Wisconsin. He has coached defensive line in the Pac-12, Big Ten, ACC and SEC during his career.

“I’m thrilled that Inoke and his family joining our program,” said DeBoer. “He has consistently recruited and developed defensive linemen at a high level during his coaching career. I am confident that Inoke will continue to be a difference maker as we build our defense.”

A native of Kaneohe, Hawai’i, Breckterfield played five seasons in the Canadian Football League before embarking on his coaching career. After three seasons at Oregon State, he spent one season each as defensive line coach at Weber State, Montana and UCLA before coaching at Pittsburgh from 2012 through 2014.

While at Pitt, Breckterfield coached eventual All-Pro Aaron Donald, a unanimous All-American in 2013 and a first-round NFL Draft pick in 2014. In 2013, Donald was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and won the Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy.

Before the 2015 season, Breckterfield took over as defensive line coach at Wisconsin. Over his six seasons there, Wisconsin was 56-19 and went to three New Year’s Six bowl games. In 2019, the Badgers set a program record with 51 sacks, and in 2020, the Wisconsin defense led the Big Ten in rush defense and third-down defense. Over the six seasons Breckterfield spent in Madison, the Badgers allowed just 16.6 points and 107.7 rushing yards per game.

Sheridan, who was offensive coordinator at Indiana the last two seasons, worked as tight ends coach under DeBoer at Indiana in 2019, when DeBoer was in charge of the Hoosiers’ offense. A former walk-on quarterback, who eventually earned a scholarship, at Michigan (2006-2010), Sheridan began his college coaching career at Western Kentucky, first as a GA in 2011, then as quarterbacks coach the following year.

“I’m excited to welcome Nick, his wife and children to the Husky family,” said DeBoer. “Having worked with Nick, I’ve seen how he is able to build strong relationships with his players, as well as with prospects during the recruiting process. He has a great offensive mind and has experience as an offensive coordinator and play-caller, which will continue to enhance our already-productive offensive system.”

After stops at South Florida and Tennessee, he was hired as quarterbacks coach at Indiana in 2017, when he was named one of the top-30 coaches under the age of 30 by 247Sports.com. In 2019, with DeBoer as offensive coordinator, Sheridan coached the tight ends.

In 2019, Hoosiers tight end Peyton Hendershot (now a three-time, All-Big Ten honoree) set school records for the position with 52 receptions for 622 yards.

In 2020, Sheridan helped IU quarterback Michael Penix, Jr., become a Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist and second-team All-Big Ten selection. Penix led the Big Ten Conference with 274.2 passing yards per game.

Adams has spent the past three seasons at Washington, having initially joined head coach Chris Petersen’s staff as wide receivers coach in 2019.

“I am happy to have Junior and his family returning to the staff,” DeBoer said of Adams. “It’s clear that he is an all-around great coach, who brings experience and success in recruiting. He has a track record of excellence throughout his career. He develops players and has done a great job building our wide receivers room. I’m excited about the talent we have returning and the impact it will have on our team’s success.”

A former wide receiver at both Oregon State (1999-2000) and Montana State (2001-02), Adams has worked with receivers throughout his career, which began at Montana State in 2004. Since then, he has spent time at Chattanooga, Eastern Washington, Boise State and Western Kentucky, where he was offensive coordinator for two years before coming to UW.

At Boise State, he worked on an offensive staff that set several records, led by future NFL wide outs Cooper Kupp and Cedrick Wilson, along with Thomas Spurbeck, who set the school record for receiving yards.

Huff joined the UW staff ahead of the 2017 season. Since his arrival, the Huskies have had at least one first-team All-Pac-12 offensive lineman each season, and two first-teamers on three of those occasions. In 2018, he mentored right tackle Kaleb McGary, who won the Pac-12’s Morris Trophy (given to the top offensive and defensive lineman in the conference) and went on to be a first-round NFL Draft selection.

“I’m excited that Scott and his family will be remaining a part of the Husky Family,” DeBoer said regarding Huff. “I’ve known Scott for almost 10 years and I’ve been impressed with the production and success he’s had throughout his career. He has built strong bonds with his players here at UW and I’m excited to see that continue and grow.”

In all, five UW offensive linemen coached by Huff have spent time on an NFL roster, with the probability that more may join them after this spring’s draft.

Huff played center at Boise State from 1999-2002, teaming with new UW cornerbacks coach Julius Brown for three of those seasons. After his playing career ended, Huff spent two years at Arizona State as a grad assistant before coaching at his alma mater from 2006 through 2016, where he served in various roles, including as co-offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator.

Previously, the hiring of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ryan Grubb, cornerbacks coach Julius Brown, and director of player personnel Courtney Morgan had been announced. With these latest additions, six of the 10 full-time assistant coach positions have been announced.