USC fans may be holding their breath Saturday as they wait on word on a potential injury to All-American wide receiver Marqise Lee.
The reigning Biletnikoff Award winner took a fall in practice Friday after catching a long pass from quarterback Cody Kessler. Lee stayed down on the field before being escorted off the field by USC medical staff. The Associated Press and other outlets reported Lee had likely injured his right shoulder.
From CBSSports.com's Bruce Feldman:
#USC star WR Marqise Lee who left practice FRI w an apparent shoulder INJ, will NOT practice today, a source just told me.
— Bruce Feldman (@BFeldmanCBS) August 10, 2013
The Trojans have two practice sessions scheduled for Saturday. The source told Feldman he was unsure whether Lee would be be back within a week.
Coach Lane Kiffin said after practice he hadn't seen the incident and had no update on Lee's status.
"It was a really deep ball, and I was getting ready for the next play," Kiffin said, per ESPN. "Somebody has to step up. [Freshman] Darreus Rogers has looked good, next guy up."
One bit of good news for USC: the AP quoted Kessler as saying Lee had told teammates he'd be "fine" before leaving the field.
But that tidbit may not be reason enough for Trojan supporters to exhale just yet, not when we're talking about -- almost inarguably -- the top receiver in college football, a player with 191 catches for 2,864 yards in only two seasons and a pair of kick return touchdowns. The insult to potential injury is that wide receiver is already the Trojans' most injury-struck position, with former five-star recruit George Farmer tearing his ACL in April and incoming four-star recruit Steven Mitchell tearing knee ligaments during a summer workout. Both are out for the season.
Kiffin and Co. shouldn't fear the worst just yet; there's no indication this is anything more than a bruise. But until the worst is ruled out, there's going to be some serious nerves among the Trojan faithful.
