No Orange Slices, Wallace Provides Huskies With Colorful Kicker

UW Roster Review: The freshman had the long field goal of the spring from 52 yards out.

CJ Wallace sets up a kick on a tee at spring ball. | Dave Sizer photo

Among the 90-plus players who came out for University of Washington spring football practice, CJ Wallace always was an easy one to spot in the crowd.

Even bunch those guys together tightly and he still was as visible as flashing lights on a crosswalk.

While his teammates wore purple, black or white shoes, the freshman place-kicker from the Los Angeles area was the guy who ran through the East Field, Dempsey Indoor and Husky Stadium in the neon orange footwear.

They weren't exactly ruby slippers, but from a wardrobe standpoint they gave him a unique calling card.

Wallace's kicking range made him noticeable, too.

By a wide margin, the 5-foot-10, 182-pounder had the longest kick of the spring.

CJ Wallace launches a kick for St. John Bosco in Florida before a. lightning delay ultimately canceled the 2025 game. | Thomas Bender / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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.

During the 12th practice on a sunny Saturday inside Husky Stadium, Wallace stepped up and confidently sent a 52-yard field goal sailing through the uprights with more than five yards to spare.

That was 10 yards better than any other spring kick that was good. That 3-pointer served notice that he was in Montlake to make things happen.

With Grady Gross using up his eligibility, the Huskies brought in junior transfer Tyler Robles from Texas State and USC before that, and Wallace from St. John Bosco High School.

It was a pair of Californians to duel it out with their best right foot forward.

CJ Wallace, in his orange shoes, gets in his spring running. | Dan Raley

Overall, Wallace overcame missing two field-goal attempts from 48 and 43 yards early in spring ball to finish at 4-for-6 on 3-pointers during scrimmage play over the 15 practices.

And, from start to finish, he stood out in those bright orange almost blinding booties.

What he's done: Wallace converted 8 of 13 field goals, including 3 of 6 in 2025, and 112 of 120 extra-point kicks over three seasons at St. John Bosco High, with a long field goal of 49 yards, in the most high-profile schoolboy conference in Southern California.

Starter or not: The Huskies likely would be in good hands with either Robles or Wallace handling the kicking chores this coming season. Yet the older guy has a full year of game-day experience off the tee on his resume for a Sun Belt (now Pac-12) team, which would seem to give him a decided edge.