Leonard Williams expected to play in Stanford game despite injury

USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams is in a familiar situation going into Saturday’s Pac-12 Conference opener at Stanford.

Williams suffered an ankle injury Tuesday and did not practice Wednesday.

Last season, Williams was nursing a shoulder injury that sidelined him against California the week before USC played Stanford. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection and did not practice but played against the Cardinal, making seven tackles and recovering a fumble in the Trojans’ 20-17 upset victory at the Coliseum.

Coach Steve Sarkisian said Williams would be “ready to go” against the Cardinal this year, too.

Stanford Coach David Shaw is preparing his team for the 6-foot-5, 300-pound junior.

“There are a lot of guys you notice and then there are those you game-plan around just because he can be so dominant, so disruptive,” Shaw said of Williams, adding “We’ll know where he is every play and line up accordingly.”