Tua Tagovailoa Returns to Alabama Practice After Suffering Ankle Injury

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned to practice Friday ahead of the team's College Football Playoff clash with the No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 29. 

According to ESPN.com's Alex Scarborough, Tagovailoa took part in some drills Friday less than two weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a high-ankle sprain suffered in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia.

Chris Breece of CBS42 in Birmingham, Alabama, tweeted video of Tagovailoa moving around on his ankle and throwing at Friday's practice:

Scarborough noted that Tagovailoa did not partake in one footwork drill with the team's other quarterbacks, but he was active otherwise.

After Tagovailoa was knocked out of the SEC Championship Game, junior signal-caller Jalen Hurts replaced him and led the Crimson Tide to a come-from-behind victory to clinch the No. 1 seed in the CFP.

Tagovailoa's struggles and injury in the SEC title game may have cost him the Heisman Trophy, as he finished second to Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray.

Still, Tagovailoa has completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 3,353 yards, 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions this season, while also rushing for five scores.

Tagovailoa replaced Hurts in the CFP National Championship Game last season and led the Tide to an overtime win over Georgia.

While Bama has yet to make any official announcements regarding Tagovailoa's status, his participation in Friday's practice is seemingly a positive step toward him facing the Sooners in the Orange Bowl with a National Championship Game berth on the line.