Lewis Gets Good News on Injury

Tailback by committee is about in line for a group medical policy.

Jermaine Lewis, who missed the final 3 1/2 quarters of the Stanford game after getting hit just below his right knee, underwent X-rays Monday that confirmed the injury was nothing more serious than a bruised calf muscle. He was at practice later in the day, maintaining his job as the starter for the Oregon State game, albeit while listed as questionable.

DeShaun Foster, pressed into duty Saturday at the Rose Bowl when Lewis went down, not only was not 100% for his return after missing the previous 2 1/2 games because of a sprained knee ligament but doesn’t figure to be at full strength for the rest of the season, according to Coach Bob Toledo.

For now, that leaves second-stringer Keith Brown as the only uninjured tailback as the Bruins look to jump-start their offense. Lewis could be fine for the trip to Corvallis, Ore., but Foster, the very promising freshman, apparently will have to play on without any such hope.

“His knee is still a little unstable, to be honest with you,” Toledo said.

Which is not to be confused with being unprepared to return to action. Foster went through a series of agility drills that tested the joint last week before he was cleared to play again.

“I don’t know if he’s even going to be 100% all year,” Toledo said. “We can try to protect him in practice, but he’s going to get nicked up in games. And the next two games are on [artificial] turf.”

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Two games after coming off the bench to pass for a school-record 469 yards and one game after becoming the starter, Jonathan Smith, the walk-on from Glendora, may lose his job as No. 1 quarterback at Oregon State. Coach Mike Riley said he was considering a platoon system with Terrance Bryant.

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Next Up For UCLA

Who: Oregon State

Where: at Corvallis

When: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: Fox Sports West

Radio: AM 1150