Day three of Big Ten Media Days rolled on into the afternoon session on Thursday, July 25th. During this breakout session, players took turns at the individual podiums for the remainder of the day. Washington safety Kamren Fabiculanan stepped onto the individual podium stationed outside the left hash at the five-yard line on the South side of the field inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Fabiculanan was dressed in a light tan suit, a white shirt, and a black tie. His look also featured a thin gold chain with his number 13. At around 3:15 local time, Fabiculanan began his presser, and he immediately expressed his confidence in the team this season.
Kamren Fabiculanan’s Expectations at Big Ten Media Day
At Big Ten Media Days, Fabiculanan said the Huskies’ goal this season is simple. It’s just winning. “Our goal is to win as many games as possible and just make a run at the National Title again.” Fabiculanan has no reservations about what he thinks this team can be. That confidence speaks to the work that Jedd Fisch and the new staff have done in rebooting the program on short notice.
Going into this year, Washington is returning just one full-time starter on the team. Only four players have recorded a start from last year’s team. Fisch and staff brought in 35 transfers this offseason, including 12 from Arizona. The uncertainty around the program has the Huskies’ projected finish right in the middle of the 18-team Big Ten Conference. But for Fabiculanan, he knows the defense, and the team as a whole, are ready to compete at the highest level. He believes Washington has the pieces to compete for a National Championship again this season and spoke to it without hesitation. “Without a doubt, one thousand percent, no hesitation. We got everything we need.”
Fabiculanan’s Veteran Role
As one of the few sixth-year guys on the roster, Fabiculanan has played for four coaching staff. He was recruited by Chris Petersen, he played for Jimmy Lake and Kalen DeBoer, and he is now ready to compete under Fisch on Montlake. He said that he feels like he’s, “seen it all” during his time in Washington. Fabiculanan saw one head coach retire, one fired, and another take a job in the SEC. Playing for his fourth staff, Fabiculanan has over 1,000 career snaps and is now looking to add starts to his resume this fall.
Six years into his career, Fabiculanan said he is playing the role of a veteran. He wants to be a guy who the younger players can look up to in the locker room. Fabiculanan has all the components of a leader for the Huskies. On the football side, he knows what it’s like to transition to new staff. He has also battled back from injury to earn a starting role, and split time at his position with other players. Those ups and downs have molded Fabiculanan into the player he is today. They will also allow him to thrive in the critical role of a team leader. That leadership presence extends beyond just the defense and into the locker room as a whole, where he aims to be a stability piece for the roster as it re-boots into 2024.
Upholding “DBU” at Washington
“We are DBU,” Fabiculanan said at the podium at Big Ten Media Days. “We produced Budda Baker, Trent McDuffie, Elijah Molden. And those are just some of the names that I can name off the top of my head.” That list of players speaks for itself. Each of them was taken within the first three rounds of their respective NFL Drafts.
Fabiculanan’s expectations for the defensive back group are aimed toward that same theme. The Husky safety wants to uphold that tradition of “DBU” this season in the secondary. Coached by Vinnie Sunseri, the safeties feature a handful of talented components in 2024. It includes junior Makell Esteen, Oklahoma transfer Justin Harrington, Sacramento State transfer Cameron Broussard, as well as Fabiculanan, among others. With that group, Fabiculanan believes that they have the guys on the roster now to, “carry that tradition and keep it rolling” on Montlake.
