Just for Kicks, Name the Next Husky Who Will Be First on the Tee

They had to pull Peyton Henry from the University of Washington football team kicking and screaming. OK, just kicking, but he's long gone.

His college eligibility, pandemic provisions and all, finally caught up to Henry, pushing him out in the real world after six long seasons as part of the Husky program, five as the No. 1 place-kicker.

So the UW, with three spring practices completed and a dozen to go once the quarter restarts, is looking for a new place-kicker.

While the approach and personnel could change between now and the Sept. 2 season opener against Boise State, coach Kalen DeBoer last week sounded content to let a couple of walk-ons and sophomores in Addison Shrock and Grady Gross settle the competition.

"I really like what Addison and Grady bring," DeBoer said. "They're continuing to grow and develop. ... They're getting stronger and more flexible and that leads to more confidence."

They're No. 85 and 95 on the roster, wearing jerseys usually reserved for wide receivers and defensive linemen. Kickers once used to command single digits until everyone else wanted them. 

The 6-foot-1, 181-pound Shrock, who hails from Bellingham, Washington, enters his fourth season in the UW program having kicked in just one game — he sent the final extra point through the uprights in the Huskies' 54-7 victory over Colorado last November.

At Squalicum High School, he previously played one season of football and converted on just four field goals besides 45 extra points, so he doesn't have much of a history anywhere in knocking through 3-pointers, certainly not with a game on the line.