New Husky Staff Moves Ulumoo Ale to Defense
The new University of Washington coaching staff is getting creative in using some of the inherited talent, choosing to move Ulumoo Ale – the largest player on the team – from offensive guard to defensive tackle.
A school spokesman on Friday confirmed the Husky position change, which was first reported by Christian Caple of The Athletic.
The 6-foot-6, 355-pound native Samoan by way of Australia started 10 games over two seasons on the UW offensive line at left guard with decidedly mixed results.
Ale now heads to a position area badly in need of a big body to improve the team’s run defense, which gave up an overly generous 193.6 yards per game.
The Husky lineman has a defensive background. Playing for Fife High School near Tacoma, he was named South Puget Sound Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2016.
He joins a UW position group that was shuffled repeatedly last season and consists of a lot of undersized linemen, especially for this level of football, in 6-foot-2, 300-pound junior Tuli Letuligasenoa, a returning All-Pac-12 honorable -mention selection and an 11-game starter; 6-foot-3, 305-pound sophomore Faatui Tuitele, a four-game starter; 6-foot-1, 275-pound sophomore Voi Tunuufi, a two-game starter; 6-foot-2, 295-pound sophomore Jacob Bandes, who started once; 6-foot-3, 300-pound redshirt freshman Kuao Peihopa; 6-foot-1, 275-pound sophomore Noa Ngalu, and 6-foot-3, 315-pound redshirt freshman Siaosi Finau.
On offense, Ale got beat out by Julius Buelow to begin the season and played only special teams for give games. He reclaimed his spot for six games. However, both Ale and Buelow gave way to Troy Fautanu as the starter against Washington State in the Apple Cup.
Always a physical player, Ale seemed to struggle with the intricacies of pulling and hitting the right defender at times.
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On the Husky defensive line, he should be able to thrive if he simply can use his large body to fill lanes, learn leverage techniques and make some tackles.
Since-departed UW defensive tackle Taki Taimani, who transferred to Oregon, had the requisite size at 6-foot-2 and 330 pounds but over four seasons he didn’t register a sack.
Ale entered last season carrying 365 pounds, which made him the Pac-12’s second-heaviest player behind Oregon offensive tackle Faaope Laloulu, a 6-foot-6, 395-pounder.
It’s time for him to show that bigger is better.
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