Odunze and Perryman Expected Back for Michigan State Game

Jaxson Kirkland, however, remains day to day in his return.

Taking advantage of a lopsided football game, Kalen DeBoer and his University of Washington coaching staff sent 72 players onto the field in the 52-6 drubbing of Portland State.

Three who didn't play were sophomore wide receiver Rome Odunze, senior cornerback Jordan Perryman and senior offensive tackle Jaxson Kirkland. 

Yet on Saturday, DeBoer said he expected to have Odunze and Perryman available for next weekend's Michigan State game at Husky Stadium, while Kirkland remains a possibility to play against the Spartans, but is still day to day in getting game-day clearance.

The Husky coach said that Odunze, who was in uniform for the Portland State game after leading the UW with 7 catches for 84 yards and a touchdown against Kent State, was dealing with some sort of minor issue and could have played in the case of an emergency. 

"He'll be ready to go, for sure, next week," DeBoer said.

Perryman had to be helped from the field in the opener with what looked like a hamstring pull. He likewise should play in the forthcoming Michigan State game.

"We expect Jordan to be back next week, too," DeBoer said.

Kirkland, however, has been slow to recover from offseason ankle surgery and his status remains questionable. 

Also at cornerback, redshirt freshman Elijah Jackson, who missed most of fall camp with some health issue, finally might be ready to play again and DeBoer acknowledged the Huskies could use him. 

One who won't be back this season is redshirt freshman safety Vince Nunley, who was on crutches Saturday after drawing his first game time the week before against Kent State. While he has a leg injury some kind, the details weren't spelled out.

"Vince probably won't be with us the rest of the year," DeBoer said.

Of the six-dozen Huskies who logged game time against Portland State, seven players made their college debuts — true freshman wide receiver Denzel Boston, redshirt freshman wide receiver Jackson Girouard, true freshman kicker Grady Gross, senior wide receiver Brennan Holmes, junior edge rusher Gage Harty, redshirt freshman offensive tackle Samuel Peacock and redshirt freshman wide receiver Mason Wheeler.

The 6-foot-3, 193-pound Boston from South Hill, Washington, made his Husky debut a memorable one by running one time for a 2-yard touchdown and catching a pass for 10 yards. 

Gross, a walk-on from Scottsdale, Arizona, kicked off eight times and had six that weren't returned and resulted in touchbacks.

For Harty, a 6-foot-4, 247-pound player from Spokane, a game appearance has been a long time coming. He's been in the UW program for five seasons. He made a position switch from the offensive line to edge rusher. Finally, he can say played.

In his debut, Holmes from Seattle made his first career catch on a 15-yarder from Dylan Morris in the fourth quarter.

While they had played previously, redshirt freshman Camden Sirmon and Arizona State transfer and redshirt freshman Lonyatta Alexander Jr. likewise caught their first Husky passes, a 13-yarder and a 9-yarder, while Sirmon ran the ball for the first time, picking up 13 yards on three carries. 

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