With spring ball long in the books and fall camp two weeks away, former Ferndale star Landen Hatchett is on the doorstep of his first season of college football at the University of Washington.
The 6-foot-2, 309-pound Husky offensive lineman was one of 26 recruits to sign with Washington during the early signing period in late December 2022. Hatchett participated in a dozen spring practices and Washington’s spring preview game, and is currently in summer training with the team.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been everything I thought it would be and more,” Hatchett said. “The development is crazy … the coaching and the competition at the next level is crazy.”
While he has goals of seeing the field this season in some capacity, Hatchett is currently focused on adjusting to his role and helping the team in any way he can. That’s a reflection of the culture in the locker room, he said, and it’s part of why he landed at Washington.
“There’s a lot of hype around our team, but no one’s been satisfied, which I’ve really enjoyed,” Hatchett said. “I just really like seeing all the guys’ mindsets in the locker room and how they’re working.”
Hatchett, who joined his brother Geirean Hatchett at Washington, said his physical preparedness was not an issue. The biggest adjustment was — and will be going forward — moving to an offensive system that arguably favors the passing attack.
At Ferndale, Hatchett rarely had opportunities to hone his pass protection skills in-game as a result of the Wing-T offense employed by coach Jamie Plenkovich. The Golden Eagles, on average, might run two or three pass plays per game.
Hatchett still had opportunities to work on his pass protection technique while at Ferndale — albeit away from his high school team — as any four-star recruit would. Adjusting his mindset to be ready for a mix of plays has been a necessity, he said.
“Learning the playbook and seeing different fronts and whatnot was really the biggest [challenge],” Hatchett said. “I thought spring helped a ton with that … I’m already a lot more confident in my calls and what I’m telling everybody, so I think that was my biggest growth.”
Much of Hatchett’s quick development since arriving at Washington is a credit to offensive line coach Scott Huff. Over years of visiting his brother, Hatchett and Huff already had a relationship built before his commitment to the program.
Hatchett said he feels that relationship, coupled with the work during the spring and summer, has helped him make a “huge jump” in just a few months.
Huff echoed those thoughts back in a March interview with Sports Illustrated, stating Hatchett’s familiarity with the program may have given him a slight edge over other incoming recruits.
“[Hatchett has] been able to spend a lot of time with us here,” Huff said. “Not training, but he’s just been around this place, so I think he’s coming in feeling more comfortable than your average incoming freshman.”
Hatchett has already cultivated a relationship with head coach Kalen DeBoer, and the two have met to discuss the state of the offensive line and Hatchett’s hopeful role as a leader.
Players will have a weeklong break ahead of the beginning of fall camp, and Hatchett will get to visit friends and family in Ferndale during that brief hiatus. He returned in April for his senior prom and also for graduation in June, despite having graduated early and already joined the team in Seattle in March.
That was an odd feeling, Hatchett said, but he was glad he got some closure to his high school career. After three years of also being a standout baseball player for the Golden Eagles, Hatchett said missing the team’s 19-5 season and first state tournament berth since 2015 has lingered in his mind.
“You were with those guys for your whole life and then all of a sudden you feel older than they are,” he said with a laugh. “It was weird being down in college while the rest of your buddies were back home. The worst part for me was missing baseball.”
The silver lining, of course, is Hatchett is back to sharing a football field with his brother for the first time since 2019. Hatchett’s close friend and former teammate, Jake Mason, also arrived on UW’s campus about a month ago. Mason earned an offer from Washington as a preferred walk-on as an edge rusher, and he will soon move in with Hatchett at an off-campus home.
“I think he’s enjoying himself,” Hatchett said of Mason. “It’s an awesome little deal that it worked out.”
