UCLA’s All-American kicker Kai Forbath did not participate in practice as intended Wednesday because of continued soreness in his groin that has hampered him since the first week of Fall camp and his status for the season opener Saturday at Kansas State is uncertain.

Forbath, the Lou Groza Award winner as the nation’s top kicker in 2009, wore his cleats to practice Wednesday, but felt the injury flare up during warm-ups. After a “group discussion” with coaches, he decided to sit out another day.

“No one wants me to push it and be out longer than I have to,” Forbath said. “I warmed up and it felt good running around. I took some swings without the ball and I just felt it a little bit.”

Forbath originally injured the groin the first week of camp, but said he thought it was no big deal. He participated in the Fall scrimmage on August 21, making two of three attempts, but hasn’t practiced since.

He had an MRI on the injury and received differing diagnoses. He underwent Platelet-rich plasma treatments last week and said he was improving, but that the injury has lingered far longer than he had expected.

“At first I thought would just be a couple of days and I came back and it just got a little worse and worse,” he said. “So now we just said let’s fix it before the season starts so we can just keep on going. I don’t want to have to deal with this all season.”

Punter Jeff Locke would kick field goals if Forbath is unable to go. That poses a bit of a challenge for holder Danny Rees because Locke is left-footed and Forbath kick righty.

Rees has been working on hold for a lefty and Locke kicked a simulated game-winning field goal in drills Wednesday.