Robert Bala was eager to see the competition unfold during the offseason, as Washington’s linebacker corps had been depleted following the 2024 season. With starting positions up for grabs, Bala, who coached the Huskies’ linebackers last season, anticipated a “smooth transition” into 2025. “Having open spots is a good problem to have,” he said Monday. “From a competition standpoint, it’s going to be exciting to watch these guys earn a job.”
However, Bala won’t be around to witness it. Just two days after speaking with UW’s defensive staff, he is set to leave for Florida to join Billy Napier’s staff, according to multiple reports. Bala will serve as the Gators’ linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator. Meanwhile, Washington now faces another defensive staff vacancy. “I feel like we have a fantastic defensive staff,” UW head coach Jedd Fisch said Monday. Bala becomes the third defensive assistant to depart since the end of the 2024 season.
Steve Belichick left to take over as North Carolina’s defensive coordinator after his father, Bill Belichick, was hired as the Tar Heels’ head coach in December 2024. Safeties coach Vinnie Sunseri also exited following UW’s 35-34 Sun Bowl loss—initially to become Jacksonville State’s defensive coordinator, but later joining Florida as safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator. Now, Bala and Sunseri will reunite in Gainesville.
Bala was the last addition to Fisch’s first coaching staff at UW after spending 2023 at Alabama under Nick Saban. Unlike fellow defensive assistants John Richardson and Jason Kaufusi—who followed Fisch from Arizona—or Sunseri, who had ties to the Belichicks from his time with the New England Patriots, Bala had no direct connections to Fisch’s staff.
Under Bala’s leadership, Washington’s linebackers thrived in 2024. Carson Bruener earned consensus third-team All-Big Ten honors after leading UW with 104 tackles, three interceptions, five pass breakups, and a forced fumble. Alphonzo Tuputala, an All-Big Ten honorable mention, finished second on the team with 81 tackles and a team-high 3.5 sacks. Perhaps Bala’s biggest success was freshman Khmori House, who made 35 tackles, recorded an interception, forced a fumble, and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after a standout performance in UW’s 24-5 win over Northwestern. House also made a crucial goal-line stop in Washington’s 26-21 victory over USC on Nov. 2.
Despite their success, Washington’s linebacker unit experienced significant turnover after the season. Bruener, Tuputala, and special teams standout Drew Fowler exhausted their eligibility, while veterans Bryun Parham and House entered the transfer portal, leaving UW without its top five linebackers from 2024. “I think the biggest thing we have to replace is leadership,” Bala noted.
To replenish the position, Washington added several key transfers, including former Arizona captain Jacob Manu, a 2023 first-team All-Pac-12 linebacker; Xe’ree Alexander, who played at Idaho and UCF; and Taariq Al-Uqdah, a Washington State transfer. Manu is recovering from a knee injury suffered late in 2024 and hopes to return sometime after fall camp. “I think the guys we brought in have a lot of experience,” Bala said.
Beyond transfers, Bala also bolstered UW’s future at linebacker through recruiting. The Huskies signed three linebackers in their 2025 class, led by Bethel High’s Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, a four-star recruit and Washington’s top-rated prospect. They also landed four-star Jonathan Epperson Jr. from Auburn Riverside High and Donovan Robinson from Loyola Academy in Illinois. Rainey-Sale has already enrolled at UW for the winter quarter. “Really excited about the young guys coming in,” Bala said. “We like playing guys early. Throw them into the fire and see what they can do.”
Additionally, Bala helped secure an early commitment from 2026 linebacker Wassie Lugolobi of Eastside Catholic High, a three-star prospect ranked No. 5 in the state. However, UW recently lost a commitment from four-star 2026 recruit Esun Tafa after offensive line coach Brennan Carroll left for the Las Vegas Raiders to join his father, Pete Carroll.
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