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Considered by head coach Jedd Fisch to be a "problem for opposing offenses", Husky senior linebacker Jacob Manu is no longer in a knee-brace and has been a causing issues with Washington's offense. He is all over the place on defense and a leader on a team that promises to have one of the best defenses in the country this fall. He is much more confident in his surgically repaired knee now that he's nearly 18 months removed from surgery.  He met with the media following Tuesday's practice and spoke about the linebacker group, forcing turnovers and the competition at every level of the defense... On if he's a problem for offenses "I feel like coach Walt (Ryan Walters) does a good job of putting us in the right places. Shout out to the d-line Elinneus (Davis), coach (Jason) Kaufusi and AVH (Aaron Van Horn), I feel like they're doing a good job with them and they're making me look good." On the linebacker group as a whole "I feel like we're all doing a great job. Kinda being a problem, but protecting the team during practice. Zay, 'X', 'Buddah', Donovan and 'EZ', trying to elevate our game every day and stacking bricks." On how he feels over a year removed from surgery on his knee "I feel like coming back, that was me getting used to it again. It still wasn't fully healed all the way, but this year I feel 100%, I feel good." On the defensive approach to forcing turnovers "I feel like coach Walt does a good job of it, also AVH, he has little punchout slides that he gives to the hole team, coach Fisch, they give us slides and examples of how to punch out the ball and I feel like we do a good job of making plays." On how he supports the team while competing for the starting spot in a crowded linebacker room "I feel like we do a good job of just loving each other, you know, loving our teammates, we want the best for each other no matter what, so whenever we're on the field, we want the best from each other." On Zaydrius Rainey-Sale and Xe'Ree Alexander "Two guys that are going to give you everything, every day. They're going to bring that 'juice', energy, high-energy guys and they're going to make plays on that field." On where he wants to see the defense grow "Just all of us doing our job and making the plays that we're supposed to make. In big moments, the playmakers have to show up."