SEATTLE – Jared Hilbers has approached practice with the same mentality every day for the past three years as a backup offensive lineman at Washington.

So naturally, when head coach Chris Petersen and OL coach Scott Huff told the 6-foot-7 and 313-pounder that he would be the Huskies starting left tackle vs Auburn, his preparation remained constant.

“That games are no different than practice,” Hilbers said, when asked what he learned about himself after his first career start against the Tigers.

Going against a top 15 scoring defense in practice each fall since signing with UW out of Beaverton High School (Beaverton, Oregon) in 2015, Hilbers is well accustomed facing pressure.

UW listed senior All-American Trey Adams as the starting left tackle vs Auburn but prepared Hilbers, along with redshirt junior Henry Roberts and others, to be ready in case Adams’ couldn’t go.