Coach Pete Carroll officially named Mission Viejo High’s Mark Sanchez as the starter Wednesday, a day after doctors checked out Sanchez’s left knee and cleared him to play.

Orange Lutheran’s Aaron Corp would be the first quarterback off the bench if Sanchez needed relief. Corp has nudged ahead of Mitch Mustain after a tight camp-long battle.

“There’s a little sense of accomplishment,” Corp said. “Knowing the coaches have confidence in me gives me confidence in myself.”

(more…)

Dick Butkus was Pete’s guest and addressed the team after the scrimmage by telling them:

“You guys kicked my team’s ass in the Rose Bowl last year!”

Ken Norton also introduced Dick to his two Butkus candidates, Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing.

More pictures after the jump.

[Thanks Bob P]

The headline injury in training camp was a dislocated kneecap suffered two weeks ago by starting quarterback Mark Sanchez. After seeing him throw in 1-on-1 and 7-on-7 drills, Carroll was pleased with Sanchez's progress and said that he could be practicing at full speed in the next couple of days. That would allow Sanchez, who watched the mock game from the sideline, to participate in game-week preparations.

Asked about his other quarterbacks, Mitch Mustain and Aaron Corp, Carroll wasn't saying much without watching the film. "There were no major breakdowns in communication ... we made it through, I think this was just another day for those guys growing."

Sophomore tailback Joe McKnight appeared fine despite dealing with a series of random and presumably painful injuries over the last couple of weeks.

There was some concern over how sharp USC looked on the lines, with a few penalties and turnovers sprinkled in. More coverage after the jump.

--Adam Rose
Photo: Mark Sanchez (6) flanked by Mitch Mustain (16) and Aaron Corp (15). Credit: Lori Shepler / LA Times.

Quick picks:

• Full scrimmage recap from Gary Klein.
• Details on a surprising camp for Garrett Green and other updates from David Wharton.
• Scrimmage stat report (PDF file) from USC.

Click play to listen to Pete Carroll's press gaggle held immediately after the scrimmage:

Media release from USC Sports Information:

WHITE TEAM DEFEATS CARDINAL TEAM, 28-7, IN USC FOOTBALL INTRASQUAD SCRIMMAGE

        LOS ANGELES–The White team, comprised mainly of first and second teamers, defeated the Cardinal (reserves) team, 28-7, in the USC football team’s final intrasquad scrimmage of fall camp in front of 8,000 fans in the Coliseum on Thursday (Aug. 21).
         The White team scored a touchdown in each quarter.  After defensive end Kyle Moore deflected a first quarter pass by Cardinal team quarterback Garrett Green, fellow end Everson Griffen intercepted it in the end zone for a score.  But the Cardinal team responded on its following possession, capping a 74-yard drive with Green’s 12-yard TD pass to wide receiver Brice Butler. 
        Late in the first half, tailback Joe McKnight scored on a 6-yard run that culminated a 69-yard drive for the White squad.
        The White team scored on its first possession of the second half on an 88-yard drive.  Quarterback Aaron Corp hit tight end Blake Ayles on a 12-yard pass, but Ayles fumbled the ball into the end zone and offensive guard Zack Heberer fell on it for a touchdown.
        Quarterback Mitch Mustain hit fullback Adam Goodman for a 2-yard TD on the White team’s final possession of the game to finish the scoring.
        Corp (8-of-10 passing for 85 yards) and Mustain (10-of-14 for 92 yards) split time in the scrimmage.  Mark Sanchez, who entered fall camp as the starting quarterback before dislocating his kneecap on Aug. 8, participated in pre-game drills and could return to practice fulltime next week.
        McKnight ran for 32 yards on 3 carries and had 34 more yards on 3 punt returns.  Tailback Allen Bradford added 39 yards on 6 rushes. Wide receiver Vidal Hazelton had 5 receptions for 44 yards, while Ayles had 3 for 55 yards.
        For the Cardinal team, Green was 10-of-19 passing for 134 yards, but was intercepted twice.  Wide receivers Jordan Cameron (81 yards), D.J. Shoemate (36 yards) and Butler (19 yards) each had 3 catches. Shoemate added 63 yards on 3 kickoff returns.
        The Cardinal defense was led by safety Drew McAllister’s 8 tackles and linebacker Jordan Campbell’s 5 stops.
        Garratt topped the White squad with 3 tackles, while safety Taylor Mays had 3 deflections.
        Six-time defending Pac-10 champion USC opens its season on Aug. 30 at Virginia.

Photos: Pete Carroll (above) and Garrett Green (14). Credit: Lori Shepler / LA Times.

Mitch Mustain in the game. Stafon Johnson loses 4 yards and then Mustain finds Vidal Hazelton for 15 yards. Mustain is then hit as he throws and the ball dies in the air but no one sees for the possible interception. Stafon Johnson then fumbles and Drew McAllister recovers. That's the end of Mustain's drive and back to the well-used Garrett Green.
Maybe to get Mustain some time, Johnson's fumble is ruled a dead ball after a long delay.
Joe McKnight gains 11 yards. Mustain throws a 23-yard pass to Hazelton, who extends his arms and drops it. Mustain comes back and finds Anthony McCoy for 7 yards. Two false starts against the offense. It's 3rd and 20 and Mustain hands off to McKnight, who gains 15. On fourth down, Mustain finds Hazelton for nine yards. Mustain to Hazelton again, for nine yards.
TOUCHDOWN: After a personal foul on the defense, McKnight runs it in from 6 yards. White team 14, Cardinal 7.
It's halftime. Unofficially, we have Mustain 4-7 for 39 yards and Corp 3-4 for 14 yards. Green is 4-9 for 90 yards with a TD and INT.

Corp's in and throws a low pass to Vidal Hazelton at the line of scrimmage that falls incomplete. Stafon Johnson picks up four yards on the next play. Corp under heavy rush, finds Hazelton for two yards.
TOUCHDOWN: Green's back and Everson Griffen tips his pass and intercepts it in the end zone. 7-0, white team. Green again and the reserves fail to do much until Kevin Thomas is called for pass interference on Cameron.
Green scrambles for his life but then sets up and finds Cameron wide open behind the defense for 48 yards. Remember this is the vaunted No. 1 defense. Does Virginia have a mobile QB?
TOUCHDOWN: Green then finds Brice Butler for a 12-yard TD pass. Green is 3 for 6 for 83 yards with an interception. Cardinal 7, White 7.
And that's the end of the first quarter. Mitch Mustain must be thinking it would be more fun to be the No. 4 QB, you get more reps.

Corp to Travon Patterson for 2 yards. Corp in the shotgun, throws for a yard to D.J. Shoemate under a strong rush.
Mitch Mustain is in with a new group. He rolls out and finds Patterson for 9 yards. Broderick Green carries for no gain on the next play. Mustain throws a little pass to Green, who runs 16 yards.
More Green on a rush, for no gain. Green again for a couple yards. Mustain gets sacked on the next play. Change of possession.
Corp finds Anthony McCoy over the middle for 8 yards. Allen Bradford loses 1 yard on a carry. On 3rd down, Gerald Washington blocks Corp's pass. Next!
Actually, they are still going with Corp. Bradford gains 2 yards on a carry.
Corp escapes a sack and gains about 19 yards on a scramble. Joe McKnight jukes a couple times and gains 14 yards. Corp's pass in deflected by Taylor Mays. McKnight then drops Corp's pass to avert a potential good gain.
Corp calmly rolls out and finds Damian Willaims for 12 yards. Corp then fumbles the snap and Stafon Johnson picks up the ball, lose of five. Corp's pass is deflected, looks like Wes Horton got it. On 3rd and 16, Corp's pass is incomplete.
Time to catch a breath. Corp looks calm, his arm is not the strongest but he plays under control and can avoid the rush.
Mustain back in the game. Green loses a yard. Mustain throws to Adam Goodman, who can't hold on to it. Mustain then throws incomplete to David Ausberry, who is well covered.
Garrett Green in at QB. B. Green carries for a loss of one. Green then throws to Blake Ayles, but for no gain and follows with an incomplete pass.
Mustain throws to Goodman for 9 yards. Bradford then loses a couple yards. Mustain throws behind Ronald Johnson, incomplete.
Corp back in and throws an incomplete pass. He then finds Travon Patterson open for about 17 yards. He throws a nice ball to Scott Stephens, who drops it, but pass intereference is called. Corp is sacked by Derek Simmons. Corp finds Patterson for 19 yards.
Corp scrambles for 10 yards. Corp fumbles another snap and this time the defense recovers.

With Mark Sanchez out for what could be 2-4 weeks because of a dislocated knee cap suffered in practice on Friday, Mitch Mustain and Aaron Corp got the opportunity to take first-team reps in Sunday's practice.

Mustain, leading two drives ending in field goals, said he played "average."

Corp threw a TD pass to Patrick Turner and led another drive that yielded a field goal.

Even though Sanchez's dislocated knee cap was deemed about as good as it could be (no ligament or cartilage damage) we expect one of these guys to start against Virginia.

And then Sanchez will return for Ohio State.