A quiet debut

Washington had just missed a 29-yard field goal in the second quarter. Then Omar Khan jogged onto the field for the first time in his college career.

No trumpets, no announcement

There was no fanfare for the moment. He just ran out in his No. 98 and took it all in.

“There were no trumpets blaring, no drum roll rattling, no announcement of his good fortune.”

Third season, first snap

Khan is a 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive tackle from the Houston metro area. He signed with Kalen DeBoer's staff and then sat for two full seasons.

He could have left

With the transfer portal open to everyone, nobody would have blamed him for walking. Every Husky defensive lineman except him and starter Elinneus Davis was gone after last season.

The work showed up

Ryan Walters watched the technique from individual drills carry into 11-on-11 reps. That's what earned Khan his snaps.

“He's a completely different player than he was a year ago.”

Back out in the second half

Khan returned after halftime as one of six defensive tackles Washington rotated in the 24-10 win over Washington State.

A throwback in the portal era

He stuck with the development process instead of shopping for faster playing time somewhere else. That patience is now rare enough to be notable.

A 38-0 wrestler

Washington found him at Bridgeland High in Cypress, Texas. He won a district title as a senior, went 38-0, and reached the 6A state semifinals.

The mat still shows

Before practice he folds his huge frame into bends and contortions left over from wrestling. Walters credits that dive into technique for putting him on the field.

“The way he sort of dove into technique and fundamentals, and the consistency in which he improved, all led to him to have the right to be on the field with meaningful snaps.”