Arizona center Chase Jeter appears questionable to play Thursday at USC after suffering a hard fall that led to back spasms Saturday against Oregon State.
UA coach Sean Miller said that X-rays on Jeterβs back were negative and that he βdid a little bit of practicingβ on Wednesday but would not estimate Jeterβs chances of playing against the Trojans. Jeter sat out practices on Monday and Tuesday.
βI would categorize Chase as heβs making progress,β Miller said after Wednesday's practice. βWhen you have a lower back injury, thereβs stiffness thatβs just overwhelming. It affects your movement and it strips you of your confidence to some degree. Because every time that you turn and land, or get ready to jump, you really think about it.
βHeβs feeling better. Itβs not as if heβs feeling worse. Itβs just it happened on Saturday afternoon and today is Wednesday so Iβm sure a week from today heβll feel a lot better than he does right now.
"But I canβt really predict how ready heβll be for tomorrowβs game and how ready or available heβll be for Saturday. Iβm hopeful that by tonight, tomorrow he keeps making progress. He did a little bit of practicing here today but weβre gonna No. 1 just make sure heβs all set, that he feels good about the progress that he makes and that heβs confident.β
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Miller, meanwhile, felt so lousy himself with an illness that he sat out Mondayβs practice and remained less than full steam during Tuesday and Wednesdayβs practices.
He did not make his Monday night radio show, postponed his Tuesday news conference until Wednesday morning, and then postponed it again to Wednesday afternoon, when he showed up between practice and the team's flight to Los Angeles.
βThank goodness I donβt have to play,β Miller said.
Miller said it might have been the first time in 27 years he had missed a practice due to illness, and said two of his assistants were also sick. However, he said walk-on Matt Weyand is the only player who has been affected.
βHopefully those guys can stay healthy,β Miller said.
USC hasnβt said if standout guard Kevin Porter Jr. will remain suspended after he was suspended for the past two games because of an unspecified conduct issue. But Miller said the Wildcats have been preparing for him anyway.
βHe can score in bunches,β Miller said. βIf thereβs a chance someone is going to play, we assume theyβre going to play.β