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COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Abdul-Jabbar Leans Toward Not Playing

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Will Bruin tailback Karim Abdul-Jabbar, sidelined because of a deep bruise in his lower back, play in Saturday’s Pacific 10 opener against Oregon at the Rose Bowl?

“Right now,” he said Tuesday, “I’m leaning toward not playing.”

Abdul-Jabbar felt well enough Tuesday to make it onto the practice field as a spectator. He felt well enough to jog a bit and do some high-stepping in place. But that’s when he felt a jolt in the injured area.

“I’m not going to do anything more,” he said, “until the jolts calm down.”

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Quarterback Ryan Fien, who will sit out Saturday’s game because of a concussion and a slight separation of his left shoulder, was also back on the practice field as a spectator Tuesday, his headache and dizziness gone. Fien remains optimistic he’ll be able to play the following week against Washington State. . . . Tailback Skip Hicks, out a month after arthroscopic knee surgery, practiced and hopes to play in two weeks. . . . Cornerback Teddy Lawrence, who missed last week’s game because of a hamstring injury, returned to practice. . . . Sophomore long snapper Chris Rubio, a walk-on, has been given a full scholarship.

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