Inside The Huskies

CJ Christian Stubs Toe, Still Not Back for Huskies

The Florida International safety transfer was a starter for much of spring ball.
Dan Raley|
Alex McLaughlin (12) and CJ Christian (4) are transfer safeties for the UW.
Alex McLaughlin (12) and CJ Christian (4) are transfer safeties for the UW. | Dan Raley

Life was good for CJ Christian during University of Washington spring football. He was the Huskies' top safety, running ahead of returning senior Makell Esteen, fellow transfer Alex McLaughlin and freshman Rylon "Batman" Dillard-Allen.

Christian, a Florida International transfer, was even the spokesman for his UW position group, the only one to meet with the media.

He played loose and free throughout April and into May.

In practice No. 12, Christian showed a little ham in him when he dove and intercepted a Kai Horton pass, jumped up, tossed the ball in the air and acted like a skeet shooter as he took aim. 

CJ Christian intercepts a Spring Game pass and then runs it back 65 yards.
CJ Christian intercepts a Spring Game pass and then runs it back 65 yards. | Skylar Lin Visuals

In the Spring Game, he intercepted a pass intended for sophomore wide receiver Audric Harris on his own 5 and ran it back 65 yards. He would have scored had senior running back Jonah Coleman not dove and brought him down with a sweeping arm tackle.

For all those spring-time good times, Christian has sort of disappeared from view ever since.

While appearing in the season opener against Colorado State, the Illinois native suffered a turf toe injury that has forced him to miss three consecutive games, with his return still not set.

This is the same type of injury that cost UW edge rusher Zach Durfee, who ended up with double turf toe, much of the 2024 season, limiting him to six games and three starts.

'"We're still working through a turf toe for CJ," Fisch said. "Those are challenging, those are really challenging, as we see really across the country, from Joe Burrow on. You hear about these turf toe injuries and they're pretty significant. Durfee actually missed a lot of time last year because of it. CJ is not in that position. I think we're still a week or two away for CJ."

Without Christian, the Huskies have missed out on the services of a physical defensive back who started 20 of 27 games while playing for Florida International and rang up career totals of 151 tackles, 10 pass break-ups and 5 interceptions over three seasons.

CJ Christian receives tips on playing safety from his coach Taylor Mays.
CJ Christian receives tips on playing safety from his coach Taylor Mays. | Skylar Lin Visuals

After all of the UW transfer portal acquisitions, some envisioned Christian and McLaughlin coming in and taking over as the the UW's starting players on the back row.

The two safety newcomers even appeared to have become good friends while trying to gain starting safety jobs.

Each had an Illinois connection in their backgrounds.

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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