Home is Where Kade Eldridge's Heart Is As USC Transfer Settles In at UW

Kade Eldridge was the local kid who got away, who chased the brights lights and headed for Los Angeles and USC to play his college football.

However, for a number of reasons, the University of Washington began to look good to the 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end from the Canadian border town of Lynden, Washington, enough so that it brought him home.

Eldridge didn't say this was a factor, but he was 0-2 against the UW. What he did share was experiencing Husky Stadium for the first time as a player, in a 26-21 Trojans loss last November, left a lasting impression on him.

"It was very, very unique," he said. "I love the atmosphere in here. After I saw it, it was wow. It's a good place and a good place to be."

Wearing No. 44, Eldridge comes to Montlake reminiscent of former Husky tight end Jack Westover, another local guy who pulled on a low number for his position, which seemed to be a calling card for his versatility.

Westover could catch, block and run the ball if necessary, which is what Eldridge did as a Lynden Christian High School but manning a even few positions more as a running back, tight end, defensive end and punter.

Did someone say punter?

While Eldridge waved off that possibility with a laugh, leaving the Huskies to go find one in the transfer portal, he's fit right in with a very talented group of UW tight ends.

"I love everything in how tough he plays at the line of scrimmage," Huskies tight-ends coach Jordan Paopao said. "I love how he's able to kind of maneuver in tight space and be able to catch some intermediate routes. I just think it's toughness at the line of scrimmage and his ability and feel in terms of a lot of run fits. It's been really, really cool to see him progress."

Eldridge chose USC largely because of the connection he made with then tight-ends leader Zach Hanson, whom he described as his favorite coach. However, the Trojans made Hanson their offensive-line coach following this past season, which had to be another reason Eldridge began looking around.

While with the Trojans, the big tight end never met Bookie Radley-Hiles, the former Husky nickelback in 2021 who served as a USC defensive analyst in his two seasons there. Eldridge should reach out to him now and tell him he has his jersey number.

Radley-Hiles is the reason Eldridge can wear 44, one of just three retired UW numbers, in Montlake. A transfer from Oklahoma four years ago, Bookie asked for and received permission from the family of the late running back Roland Kirkby to use it. The number hadn't been worn in a game by a UW player since Kirkby finished playing in 1950.

Kirkby hailed from Burlington, Washington, which is just 40 miles away from Lynden and Eldridge's family home.

Kade Eldridge, a USC transfer but a local player, speaks with the media following Saturday's practice. | Dan Raley

Eldridge played in 12 games for USC last season, starting against LSU, and appeared in just one outing in 2023, in the Holiday Bowl against Louisville. He caught 3 passes for 19 yards while with the Trojans. He stands to get a lot more opportunities as a UW tight end while answering to Paopao.

"You just look at the lineage of tight ends that went to the NFL in his offense -- it's extremely appealing," Eldridge said. "There's so many options for the tight ends to be used and utilized."

In the transfer portal, he briefly considered Georgia Tech, Northwestern and Oregon before settling on the Huskies with three seasons of eligibility left.

Eldridge finds himself an hour and a half from Lynden, but he's home now.

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