Marqise Lee injury: USC WR hurts knee before Sun Bowl

Southern Cal wide receiver Marqise Lee injured his knee during practice Saturday, after which he left the field and did not return. Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News tweeted that USC coach Lane Kiffin was "hopeful" that Lee would play in the Sun Bowl Monday:

USC WR Marqise Lee suffered some type of knee injury and left practice early and Lane Kiffin said he was hopeful Lee would play

— InsideUSC (@InsideUSC) December 29, 2012

Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times and Rich Hammond of The Orange County Register watched Lee gingerly climb the steps of the team bus following practice:

#USC WR Marqise Lee limped to the bus and grabbed handrail to hop up steps.

— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) December 29, 2012

Lee walked onto the bus twice. Kind of funny. Didn't look like be was having trouble walking the second time.

— Rich Hammond (@RegisterUSC) December 29, 2012

Marqise Lee caught 112 passes in 2012, recording 1,680 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. The sophomore wideout broke the 100-yard mark in eight of the Trojans' 12 games this season. Lee won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's top collegiate receiver, and was briefly considered a Heisman Trophy dark horse after a 16-catch, 345-yard performance against Arizona Oct. 27. He also was named to the Walter Camp All-America team.

Southern Cal faces the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the 2012 Sun Bowl on Monday, Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas.