Coach Lane Kiffin is still hopeful that his star player, sophomore receiver Marqise Lee, will play in Monday’s season-ending Hyundai Sun Bowl for the Trojans.
But he’s not sure yet. Kiffin said Sunday at his final pregame news conference that Lee’s status for the bowl is unknown and could depend on how he rebounds from Sunday afternoon’s final walk-through.
Lee, the 2012 Biletnikoff Award winner, went down holding his left knee early in Saturday’s practice and then sat out of the rest of the session, according to multiple reports. Later Saturday, at a bowl game dinner, he appeared to be fine, walking without restraint.
Lee has played in all of USC’s 24 games in his first two seasons with the Trojans, playing through minor nagging injuries many times.
USC’s Sunday walk-through, held at the Sun Bowl, was the final on-field activity for the Trojans before Monday’s 11 a.m. PT game.
Kiffin said the status of senior running back Curtis McNeal for Monday’s game is also up in the air. McNeal has missed multiple bowl practices with an undisclosed injury.
USC receiver Robert Woods told reporters he’ll announce whether he plans to leave for the NFL immediately following Monday’s game. Woods, a 20-year-old junior, reportedly received a second-round grade from the NFL on his evaluation.
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