After watching the entirety of spring practice and the majority of fall camp from the sidelines while recovering from a torn ACL, defensive tackle Kai McClendon says he's back at 100 percent and ready to make an impact for the Washington Huskies this fall.
The former Mississippi State starter, who played in 12 games for the Bulldogs as a true freshman in 2024, didn't need long to make an impact after he was cleared to return to action. On one of his first reps in a team period during Tuesday's practice, the 6-foot-2, 320-pound junior batted a Demond Williams Jr. pass into the air, which turned into an interception for linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah.
Moving forward, the Huskies are hoping he can develop into a disruptive piece in the middle of defensive coordinator Ryan Walters' scheme, which was one of the biggest factors in him choosing Jedd Fisch's program out of the transfer portal.
"They told me they like my game and my physicality and my experience," McClendon said on Friday. "They just want me to keep going and keep elevating off that so I can be a good part of Washington."
A big part of McClendon continuing to elevate his game comes down to defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi's plan for his development, and the Mississippi State transfer has placed all his faith in his position coach.
#fall #impact
The former Mississippi State starter, who played in 12 games for the Bulldogs as a true freshman in 2024, didn't need long to make an impact after he was cleared to return to action. On one of his first reps in a team period during Tuesday's practice, the 6-foot-2, 320-pound junior batted a Demond Williams Jr. pass into the air, which turned into an interception for linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah.
Moving forward, the Huskies are hoping he can develop into a disruptive piece in the middle of defensive coordinator Ryan Walters' scheme, which was one of the biggest factors in him choosing Jedd Fisch's program out of the transfer portal.
"They told me they like my game and my physicality and my experience," McClendon said on Friday. "They just want me to keep going and keep elevating off that so I can be a good part of Washington."
A big part of McClendon continuing to elevate his game comes down to defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi's plan for his development, and the Mississippi State transfer has placed all his faith in his position coach.
#fall #impact
2 months ago
