COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Donahue Says Edwards Can Play Saturday

Seven weeks after he was injured and three weeks after he was medically cleared, Donnie Edwards is finally expected to play Saturday at Tempe against Arizona State, Coach Terry Donahue said.

But Kevin Jordan, the team’s leading receiver, will not make the trip, out for the second week in a row because of a sore knee.

Edwards, recovered from a back injury, will be used only as a defensive end on the pass-rushing unit. If all goes well, Donahue said, Edwards will return to his regular spot at middle linebacker next week against Washington.

Since Edwards got hurt in the first quarter of the Oregon game, the first major injury of his career, he has endured a period of doubt and disappointment.

Although the injury healed, some pain remained, leaving Edwards uncertain about his ability to sustain bone-jarring collisions during games. It took Edwards a while before he was ready to experience contact in practice.

Amid it all, he was suspended for one game by the NCAA for taking groceries allegedly supplied by a sports agent.

As recently as Monday, Donahue said he “wouldn’t be shocked” if Edwards didn’t come back this season.