USC receiver Woods: I feel 90 percent healthy

By foxsports
Published

LOS ANGELES - The injury has been "very annoying."

Robert Woods continues to endure the healing process with his right ankle.

On Monday, equipped with a custom-fitted brace, Woods ran limited routes for the first time during summer workouts after being given the green light by the Trojans training staff.

The Trojans junior wideout says he's "90 percent" healthy and if this were the season he would be able to play. Woods was a first-team AP All-American selection last season after recording 111 receptions for 1,292 yards (11.6 average) with 15 touchdowns.

"They said do a little bit of routes, don't go too hard," Woods said of the training staff. "I feel good. They see me getting better so they're going to keep pushing me.

"I feel a lot better. I feel better than I did in spring. I feel better than I did during the season. The only thing is just remain healthy, continue taking care of it so that it's not a continuous injury that lasts through the season."

Woods was previously doing light running on the side as he's gotten used to wearing the ankle brace over the last two weeks. As he ran routes for the first time, he felt no effects of wearing the brace he's expected to wear all season.

"I'm used to the brace now," he said. "I had it for like two weeks now. I've been running straight ahead (and did) a couple of agility drills but it feels good. It doesn't hold me back at all."

Woods' ankle has been a major story for the Trojans this offseason. He underwent surgery in December but was held out of spring practice due to consistent inflammation. It's been an arduous task trying to get the ankle healed as Woods deals with the first injury of his career.

"(It's been) very frustrating," Woods said.  "I've tried so many different things but the main thing was just rest and consistently staying on it and pretty much no days off. It's been working for me. It got better so keep doing it."

Woods originally hurt the ankle during the spring of 2011 playing a pickup basketball game. Despite being bothered by the ankle during his entire sophomore season, Woods set Pac-12 receiving marks with 111 receptions, breaking the record of former Trojan Keyshawn Johnson.

On Monday, Woods was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. He was one of three finalists for the award last season.