During his coaching career, well-known Texas defender Emeka Megwa never looked long enough for the University of Washington football program. He was injured and did not show up for any spring training. And now it’s gone.
Over the weekend, the 4-star single was removed from the Husky list, along with second-team runner Jordan Lolohea and young defensive player Draco Bynum, indicating their departures.
Chris Fetters first reported the move and was confirmed by a UW spokesman.
Arguably the biggest recruitment of Jimmy Lake (when he credits Sam Huard Petersen to the regime), 6-foot, 213-pound Megwa appeared in Seattle last September as a big thing, but as a damaged asset, allegedly with a knee injury.
Returning power from Fort Worth, the Huskies chose him over Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas and Arizona State, and CBS Sports gave its decision directly to the national public. It garnered nearly 40 bids overall, including Notre Dame, Oklahoma, LSU, Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M and Florida.
After being transferred to a new institute in Timber Creek after a pre-season injury, Megwa graduated early and arrived in Montlake. It was reported that he had come early to use the medical facilities at UW and to stay healthy.
However, Lake denied that Megwa was motivated to make that decision, suggesting it belonged to the young runner.
His big back was clearly a devotee of the weight room, he posted a muscular photo of himself before the start of spring football.
Megwa played three seasons at Nolan Catholic High in Fort Worth and made more than 3,000 yards and 45 touchdowns. In 2020 he participated in a private school state championship and was selected as the first team in the entire state and district. He completed 1,786 yards and 27 touchdowns as a high school student in 2019.
Lake and his UW coaching staff were remarkably vague when asked about Megwa’s progress, and former coach Keith Bhonapha said the newcomer was catching up on football in training.
Team members later confirmed that Megwa was unable to practice, had undergone a second operation in the spring and returned home.
While all the other injured Huskies appeared as spectators at spring football, Megwa never entered.
New Husky coach Kalen DeBoer said last spring that only Megwa would not play again until next season.
Jordan Lolohea and Ryan Bowman arrived for training in the spring of 2021.
UW Athletics
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Lolohea spent two seasons with the UW football team in Detroit after a two-year Mormon mission. He was one of the oldest Huskies.
Last fall, he appeared in 10 of the 12 Husky games as a backup on the edge while he came out of the corner and recorded 9 tackles.
However, Lolohea appeared to be significantly confused at the depth board at DeBoer’s spring football camp, more often playing with the third unit, and his departure was expected. He changed his physique, dropping 16 pounds before starting, supposedly to improve his speed. It didn’t fit well when they were trying to make new employees.
The 6-foot 1- and 249-pound Lolohea arrived from UW from Salt Lake City’s East High to UW, where he amassed 23 state-leading sacks for the 2016 Leopards 14-0 4A state champions.
Voi Tunuufi, Taki Taimani, Ben Roberts and Jordan Lolohea came from East High in Salt Lake City and signed or committed to UW. Only Tunuufi remains.
UW
At one time, the Huskies had five players signed or committed from Utah’s largest city, including four from East High. This UW recruitment channel has cooled. Only the secondary Voi Tunuufi defensive lineman remains.
Defensive linebackers Taki Taimani and Ben Roberts, both from the East, are now in Oregon. Taiman was transferred and Roberts reversed his commitment.
Former Husky player MJ Tafisi, who played for Salt Lake City High Alta, was transferred to Utah State.
Draco Bynum (59) and Taki Taimani (94) are no longer on the UW football program, and Faatui Tuitele (99) is recovering from an injury that left him out of spring training.
Dan Raley
Bynum, a 4-foot and 282-pound 6-foot defense in Wilsonville, Oregon, has played just seven games in four seasons, including the 2019 Las Vegas Bowl. He had only one problem in his career. Although he was a strong man who won weightlifting competitions in high school, he was not athletic enough to climb the Husky depth board.
UW lost Bynum and Noa Ngalu, the defensive line players who left the program after the end of spring training.
The Huskies have taken out 16 player scholarships since being replaced by Lake DeBoer.
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