Washington Football: 5 spring 2019 storylines to follow

4. How will Washington respond to defensive losses?

A season ago, Washington was one of the best defensive units in the country based on total defensive — coming in at the No. 5 spot. In spite of this, the Huskies will have to recover from the losses of several defensive pieces that aided in the team’s success defensively.

Perhaps the most important departure is Ben Burr-Kirven, a senior last season, who led the team in total tackles (176). He also collected 94 solo tackles which are double the number of tackles than the next best defender.

Burr-Kirven’s college track record truly speaks for itself — he appeared in 12 or more games in each of his final three seasons at Washington and saw increased production through each of those years.

Commanding the linebacker position, he had a nose for the football and was very active in his pursuit of the ball carrier or intended target. He will surely be a great loss as a result of his production on defense.

Another key loss for the Huskies will be cornerback Byron Murphy, who declared for the draft after his redshirt sophomore season. As it currently stands, the redshirt defensive back, who recorded 59 total tackles, four interceptions and 13 passes defended last year, is projected as a first-round draft pick.

Murphy was instrumental in the 2018 PAC-12 Championship Game against Utah when he picked off the Utes twice during the game. His aggressiveness and knack for attacking the football with surely be missed and is a presence that will be difficult for the Huskies to replace.