Some medical professionals think UW kicker Ryan Perkins of Olympia should give up the game. But he's not yet ready to call it a career, and won't unless the physical realities make any other decision impossible.

Perkins has a history of knee troubles, and the violence of the kicking motion is adding to the toll. Some doctors have advised him to quit. For now, he is meeting them only halfway -- continuing to kick, but giving up punting, a concession to the stress the punting motion put on his legs.

He has two seasons of eligibility remaining, but he is an academic senior. As of now, his plan is to play as long as his health makes that a reasonable option.

"Ultimately, (the doctors are) letting me make the choice," Perkins said Monday. "Right now I think I can go ahead and give it the old college try."

Last season, Perkins hit 15 of 20 field goals with a long kick of 45 yards. This season he is competing with the returning Jared Ballman, and a now-healthy Erik Folk, another guy who has dealt with injury problems.

In addition to giving up punting, Perkins admits that he can't kick as far as he used to, setting up the possibility that the Huskies could have separate long- and short-field-goal specialists this season.

I have more about Perkins' situation in the Tuesday paper.