While the injury news coming out of USC’s football practice on Wednesday wasn’t great, the news from the Galen Center wasn’t very encouraging, either:

• G Daniel Hackett (jaw) is almost certainly out for the Trojans’ first few weeks of games, with the Oklahoma game being a very optimistic target for his earliest return. He also expects to wear a protective mask for the first ten or so games.
• G Dwight Lewis (bruised quadriceps) was expected to return to full strength by now, but is still feeling the effects of the injury.
• Freshman F Davon Jefferson (sprained knee) is out at least another week.
• Freshman G Marcus Simmons (sprained ankle) is out at least another week and a half.

Head Coach Tim Floyd discussed the impact of the injuries with the LA Times:

“It’s going to limit us in terms of where we’re going to be early, I’m afraid, because … these guys are missing significant time as freshmen, and they need to be learning.”

Hackett expects to be a masked man (LA Times)