COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : ROSE BOWL : Green Can Practice, but He Won’t Play

USC tailback Leonard Green has returned to practice for the first time since late September. A starter when the season began, Green went down because of an unusual foot injury in the third game, at Arizona, and still isn’t fully healed.

He won’t play in the Rose Bowl. A senior with one year of eligibility left, he has decided to return next season rather than make himself eligible for the NFL draft.

At Arizona, he broke a bone and tore a ligament on the same play.

“I’m only about 80% back,” he said. “The trainers told me it would be a long process. The bone healed up, but I still have pain from the ligament.”

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The eligibility of Northwestern linebacker Geoff Shein was restored by the NCAA after the school filed a self-report on Shein’s acceptance of a camcorder from a Chicago TV station to record his experiences in preparing for the Rose Bowl. His eligibility had come under scrutiny Wednesday.

The concern was the station’s use of Shein’s name to promote its sports coverage, which violated NCAA rules. The tape Shein sent was aired Tuesday. Brad Hurlbut, Northwestern’s sports information director, said the school filed its report Thursday morning and got an immediate response from the NCAA. He said the decision concludes the matter.

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Northwestern sophomore wide receiver D’Wayne Bates sat out practice at UC Irvine because of a minor knee injury but is expected to resume workouts today. Cornerback Chris Martin, who didn’t practice Wednesday because of a strained tendon in his right foot, practiced lightly Thursday without problems.

The Wildcats will practice at UC Irvine for the final time today before moving to Pasadena and holding practice at Citrus Community College in Glendora.

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The Trojans are 19-8 in Rose Bowl games and have won six of their last eight. USC’s last appearance was in when it defeated Michigan, 17-10.

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Northwestern will wear its famed ugly home uniforms--purple pants, black jerseys and purple helmets--for the game.

USC will wear gold pants, white jerseys and cardinal helmets.

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USC Coach John Robinson said his Rose Bowl quarterback rotation will remain the same--Brad Otton will start, Kyle Wachholtz on deck.