In the wake of starting center Landen Hatchett's season-ending injury, Washington will turn to one of their key transfer portal acquisitions to fill the crucial role up front. After starting the first five games of the year in the middle of the offensive line, Sam Houston State transfer Kolt Dieterich will return to center after stepping in at left guard for the past two games.

Originally brought in as a veteran presence to push true freshman Kodi Greene at left tackle, the fourth-year player has done practically everything but that. With Hatchett missing the first part of the season with a wrist injury, Jedd Fisch and offensive line coach Michael Switzer decided to move FCS product to center, a position he had never played before. Once Hatchett returned to the lineup against Iowa, Dieterich was bumped over to left guard for a pair of games, once again starting at a spot he had never played before in his career.

During his time at the FCS level, the Texas native made 18 starts at left and right tackle before becoming one of the more highly-touted portal prospects. After shifting to the interior, growing pains were evident throughout the first few weeks of the season, which is to be expected given the circumstances. Now, after gaining some experience at several positions up front, the utility lineman is set to face his toughest task this season.

Standing in front of the inexperienced center will be a Nebraska Cornhuskers defense that is one of the premier units in the nation. First-year defensive coordinator Rob Aurich has his squad allowing just under 100 yards rushing per game, good for No. 14 in the nation. Aside from their stout run-front, the Blackshirts have the best third-down defense in the country, holding opponents to a conversion rate of 21.05 percent.

While losing one of the most experienced starters on the offensive line is never a good thing, it's nothing new for the Huskies this season, who will return to their original starting lineup of Kodi Greene at left tackle; John Mills at left guard; Dieterich at center; Champ Taulealea at right guard; and Drew Azzopardi rounding things out at right tackle.

After a rough start to the season, especially in the early stages of Big Ten play, the front five is coming off their best performance of the year, giving up just one sack and rushing for 186 yards against Purdue. Now with a bit of momentum heading into Memorial Stadium on Halloween night in Lincoln, the Huskies will have to rally around their backup center in order to have any chance of leaving with their second-straight road victory.