Shoulder makes Ward questionable for Saturday
The University of Houston will take the field Saturday with its highest ranking in a quarter century — but possibly without its starting quarterback.
Greg Ward Jr. could miss the sixth-ranked Cougars’ home opener against Lamar with a shoulder injury, coach Tom Herman said Tuesday, although a final decision on his status won’t be made until late in the week.
Asked if Ward could miss the game, Herman said: “Yeah, yeah.”
Ward, an early-season Heisman Trophy candidate, sat out Tuesday’s practice, two days after
undergoing an MRI that showed no structural damage. The senior received a shot Tuesday to help with inflammation.
“To help with the swelling and healing and all that,” Herman said. “It felt really good (Monday) but obviously was sore from the shot. You have a piece of steel stuck in your shoulder, you’re going to be a little sore.”
Herman hopes to have Ward tossing a ball Wednesday and back to full speed in practice Thursday and Friday.
Ward would still be available to play even if sees limited time in practice this week.
“If he can play, he’ll play regardless of the time he gets in practice,” Herman said. “I’m not concerned about that.”
Ward suffered the injury
when another player fell on top of him as he got off the turf in Saturday’s 33-23 win over Oklahoma, which catapulted the Cougars to a No. 6 Associated Press poll ranking that is the school’s highest since 1990.
During UH’s weekly press conference Monday, Ward said the shoulder “feels all right” and that it’s “getting better each and every day.”
Ward was not available for comment Tuesday. But during an interview on “The Jim Rome Show,” Ward left open the possibility he might not play.
After Saturday, the Cougars have a short week of preparation. On Sept. 15, they play at Cincinnati in their American Athletic Conference opener.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that I’m going to play, but I don’t know,” Ward said. “I need to talk to my coaches and see where their head is.”
Herman said he would prefer to decide on his quarterback plans before Saturday but could wait to make a game-time decision for the 11 a.m. kickoff.
“If it comes down to waking up in the morning and saying, ‘How do you feel?’ we’re prepared to go that far,” Herman said.
In the only game Ward did not start last season, because of an ankle injury, UH lost at Connecticut 2017 in late November.
If Ward is unable to play, junior backup Kyle Postma would get the start. True freshman D’Eriq King, who moved to receiver in preseason camp, took some reps at quarterback in Tuesday’s practice.
Running back Duke Catalon wore a yellow noncontact jersey in practice but is progressing from an ankle injury and probable for the Lamar game, Herman said.
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