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When USC linebacker Brian Cushing suffered an ankle sprain in the Trojans' season opener against Idaho, the junior was hopeful that he would make it back on the field within two weeks at Nebraska. He noted that there's a difference between simply walking and coming out and playing on the field, but managed to get a few plays in Lincoln.

The 2007 Rose Bowl Defensive MVP re-injured his ankle against Washington State, putting him back on the bench for most of last week's game. Now, Cushing seems to believe that his injury is worse than expected, and there are fears he may have cracked a bone in his ankle, leading one local paper to report that he could be out up to three weeks--returning only for USC's October 20th match-up in South Bend.

In Cushing's absence, Senior Linebacker Keith Rivers has been moved to the Strong Side position and backup Kaluka Maiava has been elevated to the first team.