Trojan Update 8/13

The NCAA sent e-mails to USC and reporters Thursday that responded indirectly to Coach Carroll's charge that it was "cruel" in clearinghouse delays. "The timeline of how the process unfolded for the two prospective student-athletes in question shows that timely decisions were rendered each time new academic information became available," wrote Kent Barrett, the NCAA's associate director for public and media relations. This year Coach Carroll's comment was in reference to the situations of freshman TE Charles Brown and DT Walker Lee Ashley but he was angry last year when the same problem occured with LB Eugene Germany, WR Derrick Jones and OL Thomas Herring.

The Trojans had a water fight inside their dormitory, Flour Tower, this week. It was the lineman versus the skill-position players. The water fight escalated into wrestling matches which caused damage to the walls. The incident drew a lecture from Coach Carroll, who had also recently lectured the team about hazing (Carroll had learned that 10 veteran players had shaved off freshman QB Mark Sanchez' hair last week - THAT'S THE REAL STORY ON HIS NEW LOOK).

RB LenDale White returned to practice Friday. "That's my first time in full pads (since the Orange Bowl)," White said. "It felt good to get back out there." His return wasn't all smiles though as he was hammered on a run up the middle by LB Ryan Powdrell. White's helmet came off during the hit as he flew backward. White said he doesn't care that Bush and Leinart get all the publicity. "People that know football know (about me)," he said. "Only so many people can get good press. There's only so many magazine covers."

RB Reggie Bush was pulled out of practice early on Friday due to groin tightness.

Freshman Rey Maualuga and Luthur Brown are getting extended looks at MLB this week. "Coach Carroll's model is the best players play, so he's just trying to see who's got that and who's got this to go in and play right away," Maualuga said. "I came to USC hoping I could start, and I want to be in that position. It's a matter of time." Oscar Lua, Ryan Powdrell and Collin Ashton also continue to compete at MLB with the first team defense. It looks like Thomas Williams, who was competing with Lua and Powdrell at MLB in the spring, is focusing strictly on OLB. "We're going to keep force-feeding (the freshman LBs)," Coach Carroll said. "The freshman aren't falling apart during the first week of installation - they're hanging in there."

SLB Dallas Sartz remains out with a hip injury and freshman Brian Cushing is working in his spot with the first team defense. Coach Carroll says Cushing is farther along than Maualuga and Brown because OLB is an easier position to learn than MLB. I stated earlier that Coach Carroll would probably groom Cushing to take over senior Sartz' SLB position in the same manner in which he groomed Keith Rivers to take over Matt Grootegoed's WLB last season. Looks like that is the case. It looks like Thomas Williams will probably move over to WLB to back-up Rivers since Collin Ashton is in the mix at MLB now. And I can't forget to mention freshman Kaluka Maiava, who has looked impressive as an OLB and could also see playing time as a back-up this season (although Maiava could probably play at S as well).

DE Chris Barrett was practicing again on Friday after sitting out a few days with back spasms. Barrett has looked good when he's been on the practice field. He played DE in 2003 and saw some early action in games before medically redshirting. Then he played both DE and TE in 2004 but again had problems with injury. After the first week of practice it appears that (with Jeff Schweiger out) Barrett will back-up DE Frostee Rucker while freshman Kyle Moore will back-up DE Lawrence Jackson.

Injury update = RB Reggie Bush (tight groin), RB Chauncey Washington (migraine headaches), TE Nick Vanderboom (sprained ankle), OL Drew Radovich (concussion), DT Sedrick Ellis (sore back), LB Dallas Sartz (hip), S Darnell Bing (tight hamstrings).