Alexander Ruled Out of Purdue Game and More

The Husky linebacker had started the past two games in a three-linebacker set.

Xe'ree Alexander (10) has been lost to the Huskies for a significant time with a high-ankle sprain suffered against Iowa. | Dave Sizer photo

While starting quarterback Demond Williams Jr. remains questionable, the University of Washington football team will take the field against Purdue on Friday without linebacker Xe'ree Alexander, who suffered a high-ankle sprain this past weekend.

At his Monday press briefing, Husky coach Jedd Fisch shared how the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Alexander, who has started the past two games as part of a three-linebacker alignment, will be out for a lengthy spell with an injury suffered in the 41-24 home loss to Iowa.

"Xe'ree will be out for a substantial amount of time," the UW coach said.

Fisch also confirmed that place-kicker Grady Gross and defensive tackle Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei won't play for the Huskies going forward after they exhausted their court challenges in pursuit of a fifth season of eligibility following the recent NCAA rule change.

Gross, who actually handled kickoff duties for the UW in two games this season, was in a T-shirt and shorts on the sideline while watching the Iowa outing

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Uiaglelei, who started all 13 games in 2025, practiced but never played for this Husky football team this season.

Each had played four seasons and was seeking a fifth that was not grandfathered into them with the new rule.

"Their cases were overturned by the courts, so they're out," Fisch said.

In yet another personnel matter, Fisch said the school would pursue another season of eligibility for wide receiver Christian Moss, a Kennesaw State transfer who won a starting job in fall camp but tore a quadriceps muscle on his first play in the opener against Washington State and had season-ending surgery.

This would be a seventh season for the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Moss, who previously sat out an entire season at Virginia Tech.

It's unclear how this would work with college football turning to a five full seasons of eligibility in five years, which removes redshirts, grayshirts and other additional season provisions.

Xe'ree Alexander clutches the Huskies' Space Needle turnover tower. | Dave Sizer photo

Alexander, who ended the 2025 season as the LA Bowl defensive Most Valuable Player, had worked his way back into the starting lineup for the USC and Iowa games by lining alongside Jacob Manu and Zaydrius Rainey-Sale after coming off the bench for the first four games.

The fourth-year linebacker currently ranks seventh on the team in tackles with 19 and has a fumble recovery. He finished with 3 tackles against Iowa before leaving the game. He was ejected against Eastern Washington following a targeting call.