Husky Roster Review: Gross Passes Spring Test, Provides Overly Reliable Foot

The junior place-kicker has been dependable at all times for his football team.

Landen Hatchett and Grady Gross share a practice moment. / Skylar Lin Visuals

As the University of Washington spring football game pulled to a close, Grady Gross lined up a 30-yard field goal. Yet this was no chip-shot attempt.

Jedd Fisch's coaching staff called timeout and waved every defensive player onto the field to stand behind Gross. On each side of Gross. Practically closer to the kicker than his holder. They wildly flapped their arms. They screamed at the kicker. They created a formidable distraction, which was the plan all along.

Gross, however, did was he always does -- he kept his head down, swung his leg with purpose and drilled the ball through the uprights.

For all of the change that has rearranged the look of the Huskies after they made it to the CFP national championship game, Gross remains a team constant. Somebody they can depend on. Automatic points on the board. The right foot forward.

Grady Gross chats up a Husky coach during spring ball. / Skylar Lin Visuals

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the Husky roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did this past spring and what to expect from them going forward.

A former walk-on from Scottsdale, Arizona, Gross now rates as one of the best in the nation at what he does, fully establishing his place-kicking credentials after converting 18 of 22 field-goal attempts, with a long of 47 yards, and all 63 of his extra-point kicks without a miss.

"Just don't think too much," he said of his success. "Just trust your training. Your body knows it better than your mind."

Husky place-kicker Grady Gross celebrates his game-winning field goal against the Washington State Cougars in the Apple Cup. / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

He was so good last season, Gross forced former coach Kalen DeBoer to reward him with a scholarship after he coolly drilled a 42-yard field goal on the final play of the Apple Cup for a 24-21 victory over Washington State.

As a newly paid-for player, he next connected on 38- and 37-yard field goals to help settle the Pac-12 championship game, which the UW won 34-31 over Oregon.

In the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Gross supplied 3-pointers from 25, 40 and 27 yards that helped decide a 37-31 victory over Texas.

While his team couldn't hang with Michigan in the title game, Gross made 25- and 45-yard boots in the 34-13 setback in Houston. His team wasn't up the challenge, but the kicker was.

Gross is a seasoned, reliable player who will help make Fisch's job all that muhc easier, even while the coach does his best to make his kicker's life more difficult in practice.

GRADY GROSS FILE

What he's done: Gross enters his third Husky season after handling kickoff duties only as a freshman and ably replacing the record-breaking Peyton Henry the following year. Besides his late-season heroics in 2023, the kicker was at his best in the UW's 52-42 victory at USC, putting the Huskies ahead for good at 45-42 with a 43-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.

Starter or not: Gross is halfway through his Husky career, with two seasons to go, which should be comforting to his coach, who came to Seattle from the state of Arizona, just like the kicker. All Gross lacks is a 50-yarder or better, and it should come.

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