 "Photo: Michael Sugarman | Daily Trojan")
At Monday's practice, all eyes were on the quarterback situation, as they likely will be until Saturday's game against No. 5 Oregon in Eugene.
Senior John David Booty remained inactive at practice as redshirt sophomore Mark Sanchez took most of the reps with the first team offense. Booty is still nursing a broken finger on his throwing hand he suffered Oct. 6 against Stanford.
Coach Pete Carroll said Booty will throw today just as he did in practice last Tuesday. After that practice, Booty was unable to throw the rest of the week because of the pain and his effectiveness.
"He'll throw [today], and we'll see how he responds on Wednesday and see where we are," Carroll said. "He's feeling better. We have to see if he's going to be effective."
"We'll see how it feels," Booty said. "Wednesday, I guess, will be the telltale day to see if I can come out. Right now, it is what it is, and I can't really tell how it's going to feel [today] or even on Wednesday because I haven't thrown in a couple days."
Booty still feels he's the right man for the job Saturday as long as he's healthy.
"If I was healthy, I'd be frustrated that I wasn't [playing], because I'd be watching from the sidelines," the quarterback said. "I'd try and be as supportive as I can, and watch these guys."
Coming off the second start of his college career, in which he completed 21 of 38 passes for 235 yards in a 38-0 blowout against Notre Dame,
Sanchez is looking to take that
success into Saturday's game.
"I kind of got my feet under me after [Notre Dame]," Sanchez said. "I felt confident in my reads and progression. And that's what it will take this week if I get the nod, and that's what I plan on doing."
"Mark's going to work out and do what he's been doing," Carroll said. "He'll stay with the first group, get a majority of the reps and keep preparing in that fashion."
Sanchez knows his starting job may be gone by Saturday if Booty is announced as ready to go, but he's trying his best to stay on the field as long as possible.
"Like a heavyweight fighter, once you get the title, that's it," Sanchez said. "That's the way I feel, and I'm working to keep the job. But whatever the coaches say goes, and it will be the best for the team."
-
The Trojans offensive line has suffered more than its fair share of injuries this season. Seniors Sam Baker, Matt Spanos, Drew Radovich and Alatini Malu, Junior Chilo Rachal, Sophomores Charles Brown, Nick Howell and Thomas Herring, and freshmen Kristofer O'Dowd, Zack Herberer and Butch Lewis have all had injuries at one point or another this season, creating an evolving door in the line's rotation.
The good news for the Trojans is some players are finally starting to get back into action.
"Not everybody's back at full speed, but it's great to get all those guys in uniform and back on the field," Carroll said. "Chilo got his work. Zack started to get some work today but no contact. Charles Brown, Thomas Herring - all those guys got back out there. So it's just a great boost for us and will help us immensely on both sides of the ball."
Baker, an All-American who
suffered a hamstring strain against Arizona, did not practice last week and his status for the Oregon game is questionable.
"Sammy's got a freshly pulled hamstring of just eight or nine days ago now," Carroll said. "So that takes a couple weeks sometimes if it's significant, which it seemed to be. So it's going to be real close by gameday. I don't know if he'll make it or not."
-
USC's receiving crew had an impressive game last week in the midst of a season of struggles. Sophomore Vidal Hazelton was a standout, making a number of moves to get by multiple Irish defenders for a touchdown in the third quarter.
"We're capable of making the big plays," Hazelton said. "We just need to show it. I got the ball and just made some people miss."
When the No. 9 Trojans travel to Eugene this week, they will be facing one of the highest-powered offenses in college football. Oregon averages 46.6 points per game, so the USC receiving crew will need to continue to play at a high level to keep pace.
"Everyone's eyes will be on us," Hazelton said. "It's our time to step up and show people what we're
capable of doing."
