Huskies Use Cross Walk To Get To Other Side Of Spring Ball

UW Roster Review: The non-scholarship player has been an emergency fill-in at center.

Parker Cross (54) is a Husky walk-on who does what's needed. | Dave Sizer photo

Parker Cross has been a handyman for the University of Washington football team. He wears shoulder pads, but a tool belt might seem more appropriate.

Practically on call 24/7, he's made himself available to the Huskies whenever needed for a quick fix during three years of spring practice now.

In 2024, after the coaching change from Kalen DeBoer to Jedd Fisch emptied out the offensive line to bare bones, the 6-foot-2, 292-pound Cross, a walk-on from Seattle, stepped up and became the UW's second-unit center for much of spring ball.

Back then, he even took reps as the No. 1 guy during the seventh workout in a dire moment of need.

This past April, Cross was summoned yet again, asked to take over as the back-up center when injuries rearranged that position once more -- and he stayed in that role for the final 13 practices.

"Parker Cross has done a really nice job coming in as the second center," UW offensive-line coach Michael Switzer said during spring ball. "He's been in the program a really, really long time and he's doing a fantastic job with that second group."

Parker Cross and Jack Shaffer go one on one in spring drill. | Dave Sizer photo

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the UW roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did in spring practice and what to expect from them going into fall camp.

It seems only right that Cross would be a fix-it guy for the Huskies. His first name of English descent means "keeper of the park" or "gamekeeper." He's also a construction management major who's entering his senior year of school.

Parker Cross stretches out in Dempsey Indoor. | Dave Sizer photo

Moving to the UW from nearby Seattle Preparatory School, less than two miles away, Cross is one of at least eight walk-ons on the team, which has become a dying art.

It used to be close to 30 non-scholarship players who turned out in Montlake, just wanting to be part of an FBS program, no matter how long the odds were for getting into a game.

However, Cross has shown why someone in his role is so necessary. At times there just wasn't anyone else to get the UW through a spring practice at center.

A memorable springtime image of him was Cross sitting in end-zone seats with someone, presumably his father, and looking absolutely spent as teammates made their way to the locker room.

What he's done: Over three seasons, one with DeBoer's staff and two with Fisch, Cross has taken part in a lot of UW practices. It wasn't until last December that he made his college debut and received game time by playing the final series of the LA Bowl against Boise State.

Starter or not: That's probably not going to happen. The Huskies have senior Landen Hatchett healthy again and back as the returning starting center to go with redshirt freshman Jake Flores, who spent most of the spring as the No. 1 guy after converting to the position from offensive guard. Also available is senior Geirean Hatchett, who was the Husky starting center for two spring practices before he got hurt.