TAMPA - Junior Thed Watson , USF's starting left tackle since the second game of the season, watched practice with a boot on his injured right ankle, but coaches are optimistic he'll play Saturday against Cincinnati.
"He probably could have practiced, but we just want to make sure we get it rested as best we can," coach Jim Leavitt said. "We'll have him practicing a little bit Wednesday, maybe" today.
Watson, a Lakewood graduate, helped the Bulls rush for 338 yards, third most in school history. He injured his right ankle in the fourth quarter and was unable to put weight on the leg as he was helped off the field after the game.
The Bulls could turn to sophomore Jerome Springfield , who replaced Watson after a shoulder injury in the second quarter, or sophomore Walter Walker or redshirt freshman Marc Dile , who have started at tackle this season.
HALL HONORED: After rushing for a season-high 222 yards and three touchdowns against Syracuse, senior running back Andre Hall was honored as the Big East's co-offensive player of the week. He shared the honor with Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm .
-GREG AUMAN, Times staff writer
Another lineman down
TALLAHASSEE - Florida State's offensive line woes got worse with the news that left tackle Cory Niblock , a starter all season, tore his left ACL on the final play of the Clemson game and will miss the rest of the season.
He is the third starting lineman to be lost in the past five weeks, after senior guard Matt Meinrod (fractured leg and dislocated ankle) and redshirt sophomore center/guard John Frady (shoulder).
"Obviously, it's very frustrating," said Niblock, who will have surgery when the inflammation goes down. "I was looking forward to getting things back on track down in Gainesville."
Fifth-year senior Ron Lunford is expected to start as the Seminoles look to end a two-game skid at Florida on Nov.26.
Sophomore LB Lawrence Timmons was named ACC special-teams player of the week.
-BRIAN LANDMAN, Times staff writer
Around the state
Miami quarterback Kyle Wright was named ACC offensive back of the week. ... UCF junior cornerback Ron Ellis , 20, has been suspended indefinitely after being arrested on suspicion of sexual battery.
