/ STAFF WRITER
LOS ANGELES – When he injured his knee against Utah last season, USC tackle Chad Wheeler didn’t think it was serious.
“It felt like I could shake it off,” Wheeler said Monday. “I usually shake most things off. But it was feeling kind of weird.”
Wheeler stayed in the game for eight more plays. But on the eighth play, his right knee locked up. He couldn’t fight through it any longer.
“I just hit the floor, hit the deck,” he said.
Wheeler was lost for the rest of the game and season with a torn ACL.