USC Injury Report: Uchenna Nwosu Has Sprained MCL (10/28)

Uchenna Nwosu has a mild MCL sprain, but the Trojans are generally healthy as the November slate begins. Here’s the USC injury report following the Cal game.

Despite fear of a knee injury to starting outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, head coach Clay Helton revealed during his Friday conference call that the Trojans suffered apparently minor injury scares during the 45-24 win over Cal at the Coliseum on Thursday night.

Nwosu went down clutching his knee after the Bears scored their final touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter.

The bad news? An MRI confirmed that Nwosu has an MCL sprain. The good news? There was no structural damage to his knee. Moreover, it is a Grade 1 sprain, the kind which may allow the linebacker to return to action within days, not weeks.

Nwosu will be evaluated on Tuesday when the Trojans return to practice for a better idea of how quickly he could return.

“We caught a break here having a couple extra days before practice and getting eight or nine days here to recover before Oregon,” Helton said of USC’s injury prospects in general, with plenty of time for bumps and bruises from the Cal game to heal before the Trojans host the Ducks at the Coliseum next Saturday.

USC Injury Report:

• Out for the season: DT Kenny Bigelow (knee), C Toa Lobendahn (knee), WR Steven Mitchell (knee)
• Out: DL Noah Jefferson (academics/shoulder), RB Vavae Malepeai (shoulder), OLB Jabari Ruffin (suspension)
• Questionable: RB Justin Davis (ankle), CB Jonathan Lockett (hip), OLB Uchenna Nwosu (knee)
• Probable: LB Olajuwon Tucker (hamstring), Aca’Cedric Ware (knee)

Cornerback Jonathan Lockett left Thursday night’s game in the early goings because of a hip injury. Like Nwosu, he will be reevaluated on Tuesday.

The same goes for linebacker Olajuwon Tucker, who tweaked his hamstring against the Bears.

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Helton also noted that running back Aca’Cedric Ware played through a sprained knee as he gained a career-high 130 yards rushing, but there were no lingering effects to worry about.

The head coach shed light on the absence of left tackle Chuma Edoga on Thursday. Due to a violation of team rules before the game, Helton opted not to dress the sophomore. He did not indicate if that suspension would extend longer than one game.

Meanwhile, defensive tackle Noah Jefferson remains out as he sorts out his academics and returns from a shoulder injury.

On Friday, Helton confirmed that Jefferson will miss at least another week as he continues to build up to game shape in USC’s strength and conditioning program.