The Washington Huskies have secured long-term continuity on defense by re-signing defensive coordinator Ryan Walters to a new contract, head coach Jedd Fisch announced Wednesday.
Walters, who is entering his second season with the program, is now under contract through the 2027 season. According to contract details obtained by The Seattle Times, the new agreement will pay Walters $2 million annually, making him one of the highest-paid assistant coaches in college football. His previous deal was set to expire after the 2026 season and would have paid him $1.5 million in the upcoming year.
Fisch praised the university’s administration and donors for finalizing the extension and reiterated his confidence in Walters’ impact. The head coach emphasized that Washington faced competition to retain top coaching talent and described Walters as one of the best defensive coordinators in the country.
Walters joined the Huskies ahead of the 2025 season after previously serving as defensive coordinator at Missouri and Illinois, along with a brief and difficult tenure as head coach at Purdue. He replaced Steve Belichick and quickly delivered results. Washington showed significant improvement on defense in 2025, particularly against the run, cutting its rushing yards allowed from 161.8 per game in 2024 to just 100.2 per game.
The Huskies also allowed only 18.7 points per game during the 2025 season and did not surrender more than 26 points in any contest. Fisch described the defensive improvement as substantial, crediting Walters for elevating the unit and helping position Washington for continued success in the coming seasons.
