UW’s Potoa’e on move to D-line: ‘I want all the sacks’

Published 1:30 am Saturday, April 6, 2019

By Lauren Kirschman / The News Tribune

SEATTLE — Last December, just before Washington left for the Rose Bowl, Benning Potoa’e stood in a hallway underneath Husky Stadium and talked about his future.

In his early years with the Huskies, Potoa’e said he was “running around like a chicken with its head cut off.” Overwhelmed by the amount of information he was receiving, he often played panicked and worried.

But then the game started to slow down. He developed physically, but perhaps more importantly, he evolved mentally. By the time he stood in that hallway, preparing to play in UW’s final game of the season, he was considering what his next step forward would look like.

“I want more sacks,” he said then. “I want all the sacks. I want to make more plays, contribute to the team, just do my job at a very high level.”

Even before last winter, head coach Chris Petersen informed Potoa’e he would be changing positions this season. The Huskies needed more experience in the middle, so Potoa’e was told early that he’d be making the transition from outside linebacker to defensive lineman.

It’s been a challenge, sure. But Potoa’e considers the switch more of an opportunity.

“I don’t look at it as harder,” Potoa’e said after UW’s second spring practice on Friday. “Obviously there’s going to be some more sacrifices to take in terms of double teams. … This is the definitely like a step forward in terms of a chance to really show myself: My versatility, being able to be outside, inside, strength-wise, speed-wise, athletic-wise.”

And even though Potoa’e is still adjusting, junior Levi Onwuzurike said his presence has still been stabilizing for a suddenly young defensive line that lost Morris Trophy winner Greg Gaines, Jaylen Johnson and Shane Bowman.

“He’s learning. He’s also teaching,” said Onwuzurike, who is also Potoa’e’s roommate. “He makes adjustments. When he was at outside linebacker, he made adjustments that would affect us. There’s that aspect of it.”

Potoa’e watched film of defensive linemen even when he was playing outside linebacker. Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt are two of his go-tos, and he’s always studied more than just their play. Last season, Potoa’e spoke of absorbing the way they spoke to the media and handled themselves off the field.

But now that he’s moved to the defensive line, there’s more technique for him to focus on.

“Just watching those guys and applying their game to me,” he said. “It’s a big help now that I’m playing where they are.”

Before the 2018 season, Potoa’e set a goal to lose weight. He made a bet with former teammate Will Dissly that he wouldn’t eat any fast food until the day of the Pac-12 championship game.

But now Potoa’e, who is up to 285 pounds from the 277 he weighed last season, said he wants to put on weight while also staying lean enough to keep his quickness. While he’s comfortable at his current weight, he said he wants to get up to 290.

“Probably eating a little more. I’m still eating healthy but I’m throwing a couple burgers in there,” he said with a laugh. “There’s a little more freedom so I’m definitely taking advantage of that.”

Potoa’e was a defensive lineman at Lakes High School, so the position isn’t completely new. But there’s still an adjustment that comes with making it his permanent spot. Onwuzurike said Potoa’e’s strengths — speed and finesse — are similar to his own.

“We have bigger bodies,” Onwuzurike said, “but I think his speed will be great for us.”

Because of that speed, Potoa’e said his focus is on the pass rush.

“Obviously stop the run when I can but just using my speed to my advantage,” Potoa’e said. “Out-working the interior guys, big, slow guys. Using my speed to move at a tempo they can’t keep up.”

On Wednesday, Petersen described Potoa’e as a hybrid linebacker and defensive lineman.

“We kicked him a little more inside and see if maybe that’s where he can take the next step in his game,” Petersen said. “He’s strong, he’s agile, he can move. It’s not like he hasn’t really been in the mix with all those things. Those (outside linebackers) don’t play out there in space. We’re just getting him down there with more traffic and maybe letting him use his physicality a little more.”

What excites Potoa’e the most about the move is simple, and he laid it out clearly on Friday afternoon.

“I love the trenches,” he said. “I love being inside. It’s just the dirty work down there, you know? We don’t get a lot of praise but it’s a whole lot of fun. Just really letting go, just getting to the quarterback, running back, whoever the ball carrier is by any means.”