Huskies Hold Practice That Doubles As Reunion

On Wednesday morning, the University of Washington football team didn't so much hold a practice as it did a reunion.

Welcome back grads from the Class of 2025. Don't forget to bring your alumni blankets.

Over the course of two and a half hours on the East Field and then into Husky Stadium, old faces kept popping up here and there -- in uniform.

At defensive tackle, last year's starter Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei continued to take snaps with the No. 1 stop unit now nine days after returning to the program by using the new NCAA 5-in-5 rule that enables him to play a fifth full season of college football.

On the offensive line, seventh-year senior Geirean Hatchett ran a few plays at right guard for the first time in a while as he eased his way back into action following a spring-ending biceps injury that required more than four months of rehabilitation to get back.

And then there was Grady Gross, the Huskies' top place-kicker for the past three seasons, who, same as Uiagalelei, cashed in his free, get-out-of-purgatory card and even stepped up and effortlessly drilled a 40-yard field goal during scrimmage play.

People would have to look far and wide across college football to find an 11th fall camp practice more sentimental than that one.

The last anyone had heard of Gross was that he was headed to the Kansas City Chiefs for an NFL tryout, this after spending a day with the Seattle Seahawks for a look-see.

Yet now the 5-foot-11, 210-pound kicker from Scottsdale, Arizona, will exercise his right to play a fifth Husky season to see if he can reclaim his job from designated replacement Tyler Robles, a Texas State transfer, and maybe improve his pro football chances.

Grady Gross, far right, joins the kickers meeting after practice. | Dan Rale

Near the end of Wednesday's practice, the coaching staff summoned Gross to come out and attempt a 40-yard field goal, and he responded with a kick that was strong as could be and perfectly split the uprights.

Working himself back into football shape, the 6-foot-4, 285-pound Uiagalelei this week began taking No. 1 snaps alongside freshman Derek Colman-Brusa, the guy who was being groomed to replace him, because the other returning starter in Elinneus Davis has been in uniform but unavailable because of some health matter.

It will be interesting to see who the starters are up front when the UW opens the season in the Apple Cup against Washington State on Sept. 6 at Husky Stadium.

The 6-foot-4, 310-pound Hatchett took in a handful of plays here and there on the first and second units as the Huskies try to get him ready for the season following a lengthy layoff.

Geirean Hatchett (56) started nine UW games next to his brother Landen (66) before his sibling was injured. | Dave Sizer photo

He went down with a torn right biceps mucle in the second spring practice in early April while playing center as a loaner because the normal starter, his younger brother Landen, was dealing with a broken wrist.

Other than those aforementioned old home week festivities, the Huskies generally worked on situational play-calling and threw the ball a lot.

Fourth-year wide receiver Rashid Williams had his best fall practice so far with a pair of touchdown catches covering 2 and 25 yards, while running back Quaid Carr pulled in a 9-yard TD pass and Kennesaw State transfer receiver Christian Moss caught a 25-yard scoring throw.

Practice resumes on Thursday at 10 a.m.

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