The Washington Huskies will head into Friday’s matchup with Purdue without two fifth-year veterans who had hoped to reclaim eligibility this season.
Kicker Grady Gross and defensive tackle Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei will not be back on the field for Washington, leaving the Huskies short on both special teams and defensive depth as they search for their first Big Ten win. Washington kicks off against the Boilermakers at 5 p.m. PT at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.
The news comes after a rough showing in the Huskies’ 41-24 loss to Iowa on Oct. 9, a game that exposed issues on multiple fronts. Washington’s offense still hasn’t topped 24 points against an FBS opponent, the defense gave up 27 first-half points to the Hawkeyes, and the kickoff unit had multiple kicks sail out of bounds.
Gross and Uiagalelei had rejoined the program during fall camp as part of a wave of Class of 2022 players trying to work their way back onto rosters around the country. That push stemmed from the NCAA’s new “5-for-5” eligibility rules, which replaced the old four-year standards. Under the updated policy, redshirts and medical waivers were removed, and players from the Class of 2023 onward were grandfathered in while those from the Class of 2022 were not.
A number of players from that 2022 class responded with lawsuits against the NCAA. For a short time, a class-wide injunction gave Gross and Uiagalelei a path back to practice, but a ruling in 10th District Court stayed that injunction. Once that happened, neither player could practice or play with Washington.
To get back on the field, either player would have needed to win a separate eligibility case in his home-state court.
Gross did briefly get that win and handled kickoff duties against Eastern Washington and Minnesota, but he has missed the last two games. Uiagalelei has not appeared for UW this season.
“Their appeals, their (cases) were overturned by the courts,” Fisch said. “So they're out.”
In Other News...
Washington May Turn Christian Moss Setback Into A Bigger Long Term Win
Christian Moss season took an immediate hit early in 2026, when the Washington wide receiver went down with a quad injury and had to undergo surgery. It was a harsh turn for a player who had already earned a medical waiver for an extra season, and it left the Huskies scrambling to adjust their plans without one of the more experienced pieces in the receiver room.
What makes the situation more interesting from Washingtons side is that the injury may not be the end of Moss story in Seattle. Even with the NCAAs new eligibility rules creating complications, the program is still looking into ways to bring him back in 2027, a possibility that could turn a painful setback into a longer-term gain if the details can be worked out. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue's Washington Opportunity Just Got A Lot More Interesting
Washingtons trip to Purdue already looked like a tricky one, with the Boilermakers favored at home and the Huskies trying to stop a slide that has reached three straight losses. The matchup has an especially uneasy feel for Washington because Purdue brings a potent offense to the table, even if its defense has left openings, while the Huskies have had a hard time finding traction in Big Ten play.
The biggest question hanging over the week is under center, where Demond Williams Jr. is dealing with a concussion issue and his availability could shape everything about how Washington approaches the game. If he cant go, the Huskies may have to turn to Elijah Brown, which would add another layer of uncertainty to an offense already searching for a reset at a difficult point in the season. [Read more 🡒]