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Kirkland Returns to Husky Practice in Limited Capacity

The UW senior offensive tackle left Saturday's workout early.
Dan Raley|
Kirkland Returns to Husky Practice in Limited Capacity
Kirkland Returns to Husky Practice in Limited Capacity

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Washington Huskies

Jaxson Kirkland returned to practice on Sunday, but in a limited capacity, as the University of Washington offensive tackle is still trying to get into football shape after missing spring ball and having ankle surgery.

On Saturday, the 6-foot-7, 340-pound Kirkland left the field midway through the Husky workout, followed by three trainers, and didn't return.

UW coach Kalen DeBoer said the move was more precautionary as the two-time, first-team All-Pac-12 selection and sixth-year senior from Vancouver, Washington, gets acclimated to football again following a lengthy layoff.

"I think his body is not used to the wear and tear and the grind with the physicality and things like that," DeBoer said.

Kirkland took part in most drills during the Huskies' Sunday practice, their fourth so far, but he was held out of the scrimmage portion of the workout.

It's been some time since Kirkland last went through football practice, and DeBoer's are fairly rigorous and demanding.

He missed all 15 spring workouts while awaiting an NCAA decision on his eligibility and rehabilitating his right ankle, which he injured in the Oregon State game. 

"He's just easing into it and [we're] making sure we don't do anything if he's a little sore in a certain area," DeBoer said. "We're going to make sure we take precautions and let him work through it."

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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