Washington is nearing a hire to replace Steve Belichick as the program’s defensive coordinator.

According to a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz, UW is close to finalizing a deal that will make former Purdue head coach Ryan Walters the school’s new DC. Reports surfaced on Thursday that Walters was a serious candidate for the job, and it seems things have accelerated since then.

It’s a quick move from UW head coach Jedd Fisch, and a strong one. News of Belichick’s jump to North Carolina to join his father broke earlier this week. (Though UW knew it was likely to materialize when Carolina hired the elder Belichick.) In a matter of days, Fisch has lined up a coach who was widely regarded as one of the brightest defensive minds in the game as an assistant.

Prior to taking the Purdue job, Walters coordinated defenses at Missouri (2016-20) and Illinois (2021-22).

In 2019, Walters’ Mizzou defense ranked 18th nationally in defensive efficiency (4.9 yards per play allowed) and 15th in scoring (19.4 points per game). In 2022, Walters’ Illini defense was one of the best in the nation. Defensive linemen Jer’Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph Jr. each produced 13 tackles for loss, defensive backs Sydney Brown (6 interceptions) and Kendall Smith (5) were among the nation’s leaders in takeaways, and Devon Witherspoon was among the nation’s leaders in passes defended.

That season, Illinois ranked first in scoring defense (12.8 points per game), first in red zone touchdown percentage (35.5% allowed), second in takeaways (31), second in defensive efficiency (4.4 yards per play), and ninth in third-down defense (30.1%).

Walters was named as a finalist for the Broyles Award that year as a result.

He took the Purdue head coaching job on Dec. 13, 2022. Walters went 5-19 across 2 seasons. Purdue was winless in the Big Ten this fall thanks in large part to a defense that completely collapsed. The Boilermakers gave up 40 points a game (131st out of 134 teams) and had one of the worst run defenses in the FBS (5.1 yards allowed, 114th).