Regarding Joe McKnight’s case, which had him in a boot Monday, USC coach Pete Carroll said: “This is a hard one to tell. Obviously this is a real critical and painful injury for a running back particularly, but it’s hard on everybody.”

With Stafon Johnson (illness) and Allen Bradford (hip) also missing practice, redshirt freshman Broderick Green moved up to the No. 2 tailback spot behind C.J. Gable.

Related link:

• McKnight in a boot
• Mark Sanchez stays the course

McKnight wore a boot on his right foot. He said he would undergo X-rays Tuesday and would try to practice. If McKnight has turf toe, it could put his status in doubt for Saturday’s game at Washington State.

McKnight hurt the toe on his final carry against Arizona State.

Others who missed practice included:

• Tailback Stafon Johnson (illness)
• Linebacker Brian Cushing (shoulder)
• Linebacker Kaluka Maiava (ankle)
• Tailback Allen Bradford (hip)
• Offensive tackle Charles Brown (undisclosed)

Related link:

• More on McKnight
• Mark Sanchez stays the course

“I can’t talk today. I might say anything.”

C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight were kidding. Sort of. Before I even approached the two running backs they were declining interview requests from an SID.

With most everyone giving their two cents on USC’s running back rotation — Coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday the team is “still searching” — I figured it’d be a good idea to see what the four so-called co-starters thought.

One-on-one with Allen Bradford:

Question: Do you know your role and what is it?

Allen Bradford: Pound the run, be physical, bring attitude to the running back group. Mac (running backs coach Todd McNair) just tells me punishment. Last game I didn’t get carries. It’s hard. What I said yesterday (to media) is frustration.

Q: How can you be most effective?

Bradford: If I don’t get my carries I can’t be effective. I think I just need carries. I’ve been here for years so people know what I can do. Virginia, I had some good runs. I ran hard. It was real hard having no carries (against Oregon State). I just got to go out there and keep going, try to get some carries and be physical.

Q: How many carries do you need to get into a rhythm?

Bradford: Just a couple touches. Just a couple touches and I’ll be at it. It don’t take that long for me to get riled up. When I get out there in my mind I feel like I can take every one to the house. But five yards and I’ll be cool. I know as I get the ball more and compete I’m going to run harder.

Q: Is the rotation keeping the rushing game from being at its best?

Bradford: I think Oregon State was really prepared for us. I had a couple plays early. I was in on the second play but they audibled. Then I had the play with Joe but he kept it. It just didn’t work out. I think the coaches feel what I’m saying. I talked to Coach (Pete) Carroll, he understands me, he understands my frustration. I’m not sure if that’s going to get me more carries.

Q: When did you talk to Coach Carroll and what did you talk about?

Bradford: Today. It was probably 10 minutes. I’m just frustrated. He understood. I know he read it in the paper. He understands. He just told me to go out there and keep running hard. He understands why I feel that. I don’t get carries after all the work I put in. I’m not saying my time will come because I feel that my time should be now. That’s how I feel.

The running back situation is a rotation. I just got to keep dealing with the rotation. I just got to suck my pride up, I guess. He just told me to keep running and he understands. He understands everything. He said he knows what type of player I am and I’ll never stop fighting.

How do you feel about your meeting now?

Q: I’m not a selfish player. I’m not going to just go up there and say give me the ball. I just told him what I felt and what was on my mind. After I talked to him I felt a little better. We’ll see how the game goes this (week), what they do. I just had to vent some. It’s not just what he told me but I had to let it go.

Q: Do you think somebody should get at least 10 carries, even if it isn’t you?

Bradford: I don’t know about 10, but Virginia we all had nine and Joe had six. You can’t complain. The first two games, I think the distribution was 18, 14, 13, 13. It’s even. I was just mad at the fact I did not get one. One would have been cool. Just one. I think that’s why I was so frustrated. I still have catches on the season. But it don’t feel like I’m a part of it, that was the whole thing.

Q: If someone has the hot hand should they get the bulk of the carries?

Bradford: If we did that a lot of people would be leaving. We’re all too good. If it happened to anybody else they would be the same boat I’m in. They would feel the same way. I think it would be the same situation. Dishing the ball out to everybody, how they’re doing it, how they did it the first two games was good. We all know, like Coach Mac said, if someone gets hot, we’re going to keep dishing them the ball. The first game, we all did good the first game. The second game, Ohio State, Joe was hot. Give him the ball. Last game. Stafon.

Q: And still, Stafon got only seven carries. Should he have had more?

Bradford: Think about it, we only ran the ball 22 times.

Q: But if he would have gotten more carries, you might have had more first downs and this ran more plays, right?

Bradford: You don’t know what would have happened. I just felt like I wasn’t a part of it.

Q: How do you keep a good attitude about the situation?

Bradford: I really don’t know. It gets to me but I try not to show it. Don’t show it at all. Don’t show my frustrations. I just keep on running.

Related links:

• In search of … Joe McKnight
• In search of … Stafon Johnson
• In search of … C.J. Gable

“I can’t talk today. I might say anything.”

C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight were kidding. Sort of. Before I even approached the two running backs they were declining interview requests from an SID.

With most everyone giving their two cents on USC’s running back rotation — Coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday the team is “still searching” — I figured it’d be a good idea to see what the four so-called co-starters thought.

One-on-one with C.J. Gable:

Question: Do you know your role and what is it?

C.J. Gable: Probably a third-down back, pass protection. I think it’s pass protection and a little bit of running the ball.

Q: How can you be most effective?

Gable: I don’t know. It’s up to them. Wherever they put me I’m going to do it 100 percent. It doesn’t matter.

Q: Are you a little confused about it?

Gable: Yeah. I don’t know how they’re using me.

Q: How many carries do you need to get into a rhythm?

Gable: I probably need three, four in a row to get into a rhythm. But it doesn’t go like that all the time. I got to do what I can do when I get my carries.

Q: Is the rotation keeping the rushing game from being at its best?
Gable: Nah, we’re still doing good. It’s not like we have bad running backs. All the running backs are good. It’s not keeping us back.

Q: Do you think somebody should get at least 10 carries, even if it isn’t you?

Gable: I don’t know. If somebody gets 10, somebody else will be mad. He (Coach Pete Carroll) doesn’t do that. He’s trying to make everybody happy. Some games you get more and some games you don’t. You don’t know how it’s going to go.

Q: How do you keep a good attitude about the situation?

Gable: I try not to think about it. Everybody gets mad. If you’re not mad, you’re not competing at your job. I get mad but I just suck it up. It’s going to come. You got to wait. It’s going to come. You got wait your turn. Keep on going hard so when it is your turn you’ll be ready.

Related links:

• In search of … Joe McKnight
• In search of … Stafon Johnson
• In search of … Allen Bradford

“I can’t talk today. I might say anything.”

C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight were kidding. Sort of. Before I even approached the two running backs they were declining interview requests from an SID.

With most everyone giving their two cents on USC’s running back rotation — Coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday the team is “still searching” — I figured it’d be a good idea to see what the four so-called co-starters thought.

One-on-one with Stafon Johnson:

Question: Do you know your role and what is it?

Stafon Johnson: I have a different role every week. I don’t really set my mind on one role. When I get in I got to make the best out of it. I don’t know exactly what it is. Whenever I get a chance to get, just make it happen. Whatever it is, third-and-10, third-and-2, second-and-2, no matter what it is I want to make it happen. If you need me at third down, second down, first down, whatever it is, you got to make it happen. That’s the way I look at the situation.

I got no problem with it. At the end of the day if you get a W, what else can you complain about? It’s all part of helping the team. By me saying I want other things, that’s not going to nothing other than make us worse. At the end of the day, if we got that W , if me getting the ball on third-and-2 is helping the team then that’s what it is.

Q: How can you be most effective?

Johnson: It don’t matter. When I get the ball, it don’t matter if it’s late in the first or early in the fourth. It don’t matter to me. It’s all part of the game and it’s all needed. If it’s first-and-10, you need four or five yards to put it at second-and-5 to make it easier for your quarterback. It doesn’t really matter.

Q: Is that easier for you to say because you’re more involved?

Johnson: Certain games have certain people to be involved It depends on the game plan. Sometimes you got to game plan with speed. Sometimes you got to game plan with pounding the ball. Different people have different times of getting into the game.

Q: But doesn’t this make you wonder about your role when there were several times last year you effectively carried the load as the lead back?

Johnson: Like I said, different games. Different games require different things. We only played three games. You can’t really say. It’s too early right now to say I wish I would have had this, I wish I would have had that. We only played three games. Two of the games it was real stocky inside and we went to our speed and perimeter area. That’s what we did. We exploited that.

Q: What about this past week when you had the hot hand and only got seven carries?

Johnson: We were down 21-0 and needed to make something happen fast, play-action pass, throw the ball downfield and using our speed. You can’t really say nothing. We were down 21. We got to pass and make something happen. Running the ball at that time probably would have been efficient but it’s eating up the clock. You got to get something fast.

Q: How many carries do you need to get into a rhythm?

Johnson: I feed off of energy. I feed off the crowd. It doesn’t really matter if I get the ball once. That one time can probably set me on fire. Of course once you get that first carry if you get seven yards, you feel good about yourself.

Q: Is the rotation keeping the rushing game from being at its best?

Johnson: You can’t say that. You can’t say that. Different games require different things. It’s too early. It’s only been three games. When the 11th game comes around you can say that. But right now it’s early.

Q: Do you think somebody should get at least 10 carries, even if it isn’t you?

Johnson: We all bring to the table certain things. Our coaches try to exploit that to the best of our abilities. You don’t know who can get the bulk of the carries.

Q: Right. But don’t you think the team would be better-suited with someone getting more if they are playing well on a particular day?

Johnson: We feel strong when all of us are getting the touches, when all of us are getting an equal amount. It helps us to stay fresh. Everybody as a whole is one big back.

Q: How do you keep a good attitude about the situation?

Johnson: I’m good. I’m good. We’re winning. We lost Thursday, but we saw what we did wrong and it’s early.

Q: Has this situation ever bothered you in the past?

Johnson: Probably two years ago when I was immature and not really knowing what’s going on, coming out of high school and being the man. But now I’m matured, I kind of know what’s going on. What’s best for the team right now is for all of us to come to the game and be prepared to play ball.

Q: But after Thursday, knowing there was the potential for you to have a big night, were you thinking you should have gotten a few more carries?

Johnson: That’s not up to me. That’s not up to me to distinguish that. We were down 21. If we run the ball it probably could have worked. It’s like a 50-50 chance. If we would have won the game, oh, ‘They made the greatest play calls in the world.’ But since we didn’t and we lost, it (was) an issue. So you can’t really say that. You can’t really say because you never know the phase of the game. The coaches know what they’re doing.

Q: You don’t think it would have been an issue if you would have won?

Johnson: I honestly think it would have never been brought up if we would have won the game because the runs we did set up the pass. We were down 21, we needed something fast. It just didn’t work as we wanted it to work.

Related links:

• In search of … C.J. Gable
• In search of … Joe McKnight
• In search of … Allen Bradford

“I can’t talk today. I might say anything.”

C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight were kidding. Sort of. Before I even approached the two running backs they were declining interview requests from an SID.

With most everyone giving their two cents on USC’s running back rotation — Coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday the team is “still searching” — I figured it’d be a good idea to see what the four so-called co-starters thought.

One-on-one with Joe McKnight:

Question: How can you be most effective?

Joe McKnight: When I get a chance to get in, just make plays.

Q: How many carries do you need to get into a rhythm?

McKnight: When you’re playing running back at this school and you got a lot of running backs, you should get into a rhythm immediately. Before the game you got to warm up to get in your rhythm. Every running back will need a couple carries to get settled in.

Q: Is the rotation keeping the rushing game from being at its best?

McKnight: I really don’t know. I don’t know. I just let the coaches do their job. Can’t put more pressure on the coaches than they already have.

Q: Do you think somebody should get at least 10 carries, even if it isn’t you?

McKnight: I feel like whatever running back is on that game should get the carries. Like Stafon, he was on last game. He had a couple good gains so he should have kept getting the ball. I feel like that. If you’re on, you should be getting the ball.

Q: How do you keep a good attitude about the situation?

McKnight: I just handle my football stuff when I’m at football. When I’m off the field I don’t worry about football. I don’t have an attitude. I don’t have a problem with it.

Related links:

• In search of … C.J. Gable
• In search of … Stafon Johnson
• In search of … Allen Bradford

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.

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Â	AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian
Â	Pete Carroll and the Trojans have their sights set on a Pac-10 title.

LOS ANGELES -- Sat down with USC coach Pete Carroll on Sunday night. He ate ice cream and answered questions.

What's your feeling on this scenario: Let's say Mitch Mustain starts at quarterback against Virginia and has a lights out game. Do you have a philosophical opinion on whether an injured starter [Mark Sanchez] always retains his job or do you go with the hot hand against Ohio State?

Pete Carroll: I would never... I can't even answer a question about that. To surmise what's going to happen with one guy and then what we're going to do with the next guy? I wouldn't even tell you what the first stage of it is let alone the second or third. So I'm not going to answer that. Too much conjecture there.

You talk about getting better and growing every year. What have you changed in the past couple of years about how you do things?

PC: Not very much. We do mostly the same stuff with just small changes. It depends on our staff continuity. This year, we've got 99 percent staff continuity so it's really easy [only staff change was the GA who works with the secondary]. We're able to do more things with that. When we're bringing new people along, we can't do that. We can't afford to go off and experiment. This year, we've done more things but it's kind of like if you have a philosophy then why would you change? The consistency is part of the philosophy -- how you recruit, where you recruit, who you recruit. The consistency of what the expectations are, the consistency of the standards for practice, the offseason programs. All of those things are the same. We get better at them. We get better versed on knowing what we want and getting more astute as we go along but we don't change much.

I know this is going to sound pretty stupid, but you're the only coach who can be asked this: Is winning the Rose Bowl ever not enough?

PC: No. You've got to understand that our mindset is to focus only on what we can control. We can only control getting to the Rose Bowl. Winning our conference and going to the Rose Bowl is what our goal is every year. Our goal isn't about national championships, because we don't have control of that -- that's in somebody else's hands. We found that out years ago [2003], when we were No. 1 but then we were No. 3. We already knew that but that just proved it. If we win our games and we're out there and they want us to go somewhere else, then we'll go. We love the Rose Bowl.

Does it ever register with you that there's such a small margin for error for USC that if you don't win the national championship then some believe it hasn't had a successful season?

PC: I know people say that but I don't care. They can say whatever they want.

Could you give me a couple of names of younger guys who have stepped up in preseason practices?

PC: A guy who's had a really good camp is Travon Patterson, a wide receiver. He's caught touchdowns on every big day, every big scrimmage we've had. He's playing fast and has made a lot of plays for us. The guys who have done a lot of good stuff are the freshmen -- [TE] Blake Ayles is a guy you might not have expected to but he's looked great. The other guy is [RB] Allen Bradford. He's had a great camp again. I really like [WR] Jordan Cameron. All four of the freshmen defensive linemen [Armond Armstead, Jurrell Casey, Wes Horton and Malik Jackson] -- they look great. These guys have a chance to play early. Uona Kaveinga has been playing second-team "Mike" linebacker. [Safety] Drew McAllister has looked really good -- he's had three or four picks in big, scrimmage-type situations and hit well. It's been a really solid freshmen class. The offensive linemen have looked good but it's going to take them some time.

Things get a little juicer in Part II, when Carroll talks about new UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel, his future and what he thinks of his legacy.