Soward Sits Out Practice but Should Return Tuesday

Big-play receiver R. Jay Soward didn’t join the team for practice Sunday and won’t attempt to practice until Tuesday as USC continues a cautious approach in hopes he’ll be able to play against UCLA on Saturday despite a bad ankle sprain.

By Tuesday, it will be almost 1 1/2 weeks since he hurt his ankle against Stanford.

“We’ll see where he is,” Coach Paul Hackett said.

“I’m counting on him playing. I’m not going to rule him out until I’ve seen the evidence. Right now, we’ve been ultra-conservative and there is no evidence.”

Hackett said the Trojan game plan assumes Soward will play.

“I’d rather pull back than try to add things in.”

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Tailback Chad Morton has been another injury concern, but he was better Sunday and practiced until icing his left ankle near the end of the workout.

“We have to face the fact he really won’t be 100%,” Hackett said, hoping he’ll be in the “90s.”

Had USC played Saturday, it would have been more like 60%, he estimated.

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Sorry, Oregon, but Hackett has changed allegiances.

“I think this is the best offense we’ve seen all year,” he said. “Their quarterback’s hot, they have good runners--and not just one--and their receivers are really big and physical.”

He also thought UCLA made big strides against Washington after its three close games.

“I think they’re in good shape to make their run, like we are to make ours. That’s why it will be a great game.”