Washington's Special Teams Battle Is Fiercer Than You Think, and Fall Camp Won't Settle It

While everyone's watching the quarterback and receiver battles at Washington spring practice, the tightest competition might be happening in the most unglamorous corner of the field: special teams. The Huskies are locked in serious battles at kicker, punter, and holder, and special teams coach Chris Petrilli is telling you straight up that spring won't decide anything. These decisions are getting punted to fall training camp.

The Kicker Sweepstakes Is Wide Open

Three-year starter Grady Gross is gone, and Washington needs to figure out who's replacing him. Junior Tyler Robles, freshman C.J. Wallace, and sophomore Hunter McKee are all getting reps, and Robles looks like the front runner coming off a monster season at Texas State. He made 21 of 23 field goal attempts last year, including a 50-yarder, and that kind of track record gets noticed.

But Robles isn't taking anything for granted. "I've been competing my whole college career," he said. "It's nothing new. We got a great specialist room. We got CJ, young guy who's got a lot of talent. We got Hunter McKee, who came from Eastern Washington. We've got good guys. We push ourselves, and it's just fantastic being in a room like that."

Petrilli's evaluation criteria is refreshingly simple: "Make all the kicks." He's tracking operation time, technique, and the nature of any misses. The Huskies are even open to splitting duties, letting one guy handle field goals and PATs while another focuses on kickoffs. That flexibility keeps legs fresh and lets specialists concentrate on what they do best.

The Punter Position Is Actually Competitive

Junior Luke Dunne is the incumbent, but he struggled last season, averaging 40.1 yards on 34 punts. Fifth-year senior transfer Hunter Green, who came from San Diego State as a 2025 second-team All-Mountain West selection, is breathing down his neck. Green averaged 47 yards on 63 attempts and he's got serious goals.

"Ultimately, I want to win the Ray Guy Award," Green said, talking about college football's most outstanding punter honor. "That's a big shout, but I believe I have the potential." Green's father walked on as a kicker and defensive back at Washington in the early 1990s, so there's a little history on the line here too.

Green and Dunne are also competing to be the holder for field goals and PATs, adding another wrinkle to the special teams picture. Senior long snapper Ryan Kean is the only one on the roster at his position, so the Huskies are hoping to bring in another to keep him fresh during practice.

This Is About Competition, Period

"Competition is the core theme of our building," Petrilli said heading into his second season. "The best players play." That's the message. Nothing is locked in. Spring is just the appetizer. Fall camp will be where the real decisions get made.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.