Kodi Greene Continuing to Grow in Tumultuous Freshman Season

The Washington Huskies football team received bad news on the injury front when it came to their offensive line earlier this week.

Fourth-year center Landen Hatchett, who missed the first five games of the season due to a wrist injury he suffered last season, will miss the rest of the season due to a head/neck/spine issue after suffering stingers in practice last week.

Hatchett's injury will require fourth-year offensive lineman Kolt Dieterich to move back to center after playing mostly at guard the last two games, which will only continue the consistent shuffle that has been the Huskies offensive line this season.

Among the players included in the shuffle has been first-year offensive lineman Kodi Greene.

Greene entered the program with a significant amount of hype behind him as the top recruit in the Class of 2026, which ranked 12th in the country.

The first-year lineman was tabbed as the team's starting left tackle almost from the onset of offseason practice in spring in place of Carver Willis, who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Greene struggled at left tackle in his first several starts, which led to him playing on a rotation between the blindside and guard with second-year player John Mills.

The Renton, Wash., native was praised by coaches in this week's news conference, who said that his game against the Purdue Boilermakers on Oct. 16, which UW won 38-26, was his best game.

Greene will return to a rotation at guard with Mills, along with seventh-year lineman Geirean Hatchett and second-year lineman Champ Taulealea against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at 5 p.m. PT on Oct. 31 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.

"After the Purdue game, I think he played his best game. I think (head coach Jedd Fisch) said that yesterday," UW offensive line coach Michael Switzer said in a weekly news conference Tuesday. "Starting out the season as the starter, having to cede some reps in terms of getting other guys in the game and some rotational stuff, I think that benefitted him. I think that it puts him in a position to take some time on the sideline, not have to play every play throughout a game, I think it's been beneficial. I think he's also taken it personally in terms of how he wants to continue to improve and be the guy out there. Where he's at from Week 1 to now is definitely improved, and that's an exciting thing. ... He's challenged himself in terms of answering the bell and I think he's had a really nice last couple weeks."

Greene hasn't had week-over-week success as other heralded true freshman starters, such as defensive lineman Derek Colman-Brusa and cornerback Jeron Jones, but he's making the improvements and is getting closer to reaching the form the coaching staff anticipated when giving him the starting job as a first-year player.