Maualuga missed practice for the third consecutive day.

Brian Cushing took most of the reps at middle linebacker Wednesday, with Michael Morgan sliding into Cushing’s strong-side spot.

Backup middle linebacker Chris Galippo, on the mend from back surgery, will play but probably won’t start.

I was watching a classic replay of USC vs. Fresno State tonight on FSN Prime Ticket. It was one of the most exhilarating games that the Trojans have played in years, and Reggie Bush put on a performance for the ages. His 513 all-purpose yards practically clinched the Heisman that evening.

Petros Papadakis was calling the game, and after a young freshman named Brian Cushing jumped on a crucial fumble, Papadakis said something that struck me:

"I'm just amazed [by USC's] ability to play within the moment in football games. They don't worry about their streak. They don't worry about the Rose Bowl. They don't worry about their ranking or who they're playing. They find themselves in a tough game, doesn't matter if they're home or away, they make the plays necessary to win the football game."

A lot of e-mails have been pouring in this week about what led to USC's collapse against Oregon State. Of all the explanations, I think most of them boil down to this: USC wasn't playing within the moment.

-- Adam Rose
Photo by Wally Skalij/L.A. Times

With raindrops falling in the background, USC coach Pete Carroll briefly addressed reporters after the team’s walk-through at Oregon State’s Reser Stadium:

Question: You didn’t get to go on the field at Virginia. Does it make a different to do so here?

Pete Carroll: It’s nice when you get to. That was a grass field; being on the turf is good. It’s good to see it. Guys get their shoes on. As much as anything, we’re here just to get familiar with the setting, how they travel from the locker room to the field, what the locker room looks like, the whole setup, so there’s nothing new about tomorrow. That’s really what this is all about.

Q: Did everyone make the trip who was supposed to? Were there any last-minute additions or subtractions?

Carroll: No. No changes. It worked out like we had anticipated.

Q: What’s the condition of Brian Cushing (who suffered a minor hamstring injury this week)?

Carroll: He’s ready to go.

Q: He’ll start tomorrow?

Carroll: Yep.

Q: Is the team ready to start the Pac-10?

Carroll: We’ll find out … what this buildup is all about. We’ll see how we play. We’ve done everything we needed up to this point. Now we’ve got to get to game time and get ready to go. The preparation has been really on the money. We haven’t missed a trick. When that happens we play pretty well.

Q: How much can weather affect a game?

Carroll: It depends on what the weather is. It can have a tremendous effect on a game, on the style of game. But it rains on both sides. The wind blows on both sides. We just have to take into consideration what the factors are and deal with them.

Q: Are there different things a quarterback can do in the rain, like wear gloves?

Carroll: Sure. There are tons of things you can do. Not throw it. … There’s a lot of stuff. We’ll be all right. Like I said, it’s just as rainy on their side. It’s just as windy on their side. It doesn’t make any difference in that regard. We’ll make all the adjustments. … It’s a 70 percent chance of no rain tomorrow.

Kyle Moore in a sun-drenched end zone getting ready for kickoff.

A couple cuties with wind swept hair.

Future star T.J. Bryant. Are we sure this kid is old enough to be in college?

*** EDITOR'S NOTE *** Congratulations to Mark who correctly guessed 14.

Shareece Wright lined up. Ready to explode.

The USC linebacking corps resembling the same awesome force brought by the fighter jets that buzzed the Coliseum before the game.

Amare Stoudemire was there. Thank god the 6'10" center/forward for the Phoenix Suns wasn't sitting/standing in front of us.

LOS ANGELES -- USC's All-American linebacker Brian Cushing, who's already nursing a wrist injury that requires a protective cast, left practice Tuesday with a bruised hip.

Defensive end Kyle Moore also missed action with back spasms.

Coach Pete Carroll said he doesn't expect the injuries to keep either player from starting against No. 5 Ohio State on Saturday.

"It doesn't look like it," Carroll said.

Cushing apparently took a knee to his hip early in practice.

Receiver Vidal Hazelton, who's nursing a sprained ankle, participated in some drills and could be ready by Saturday.

"He did pretty well today," Carroll said. "We'll see."

• Carroll upon learning that Ohio State All-American RB Chris Wells had been cleared to play: "It's good for them. He's a great player. I'm sure it pumps them up and gives them a good boost going into the game."
• The defense beat the offense on Competition Tuesday, Ohio State week addition.
• Carroll on the improved play of his WRs, who were merely talented underachievers last year: "They've just grown up. They're more mature about playing in a game. They're more comfortable. Their batting average on their assignments is way, way higher than it was ... We're way different than a year ago ... I guess it was too much to ask of the young guys last year -- they couldn't emerge fast enough."

Troy Polamalu was there (and so was LenDale White). Granted, Ellison and Mays were in pads, but they both looked twice the size of the NFL's best safety.

Part of the human wrecking crew: Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga and Kevin Ellison.

ESPN sideline reporter Stacey Dales posing for TrojanWire.

Pete Carroll watching his team kickoff.

Your obligatory USC Song Girls shot.

No catches for David Ausberry this day, but we're glad we caught this moment.

Really labored over some of these.

Offense
QB Rudy Carpenter, Sr., Arizona State
RB Jahvid Best, So., California
RB Jeremiah Johnson, Sr., Oregon
TE Rob Gronkowski, So., Arizona
OL Alex Mack, Sr., California
OL Jeff Byers, Sr., USC
OL Juan Garcia, Sr., Washington
OL Max Unger, Sr., Oregon
OL Andy Levitre, Sr., Oregon State
WR Mike Thomas, Sr., Arizona
WR Brandon Gibson, Sr., Washington State
K Thomas Weber, So., Arizona State

Defense
DE Nick Reed, Sr., Oregon
DT Fili Moala, Sr., USC
DT Brian Price, So., UCLA
DE Dexter Davis, Jr., Arizona State
LB Rey Maualuga, Sr., USC
LB Brian Cushing, Sr., USC
LB Zach Follett, Sr., California
CB Jairus Byrd, Jr., Oregon
CB Alterraun Verner, Jr., UCLA
FS Taylor Mays, Jr., USC
SS Patrick Chung, Sr., Oregon
P Keenyn Crier, So., Arizona

KR Ronald Johnson, So., USC
PR Sammie Stroughter, Sr., Oregon State

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]

2008 CFN Unit Rankings

Defenses

1. USC
When linebackers Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing decided to forego the NFL Draft for one more year, it ensured that the Trojans would have one of the nastiest back sevens in the country.  Not only are the two seniors All-America-caliber, but the secondary is sensational. Safeties Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays are among six players with starting experience.  Even without current pros Sedrick Ellis and Lawrence Jackson, the defensive line will be just fine. On the outside, speedy Everson Griffen is good enough to make folks forget about Jackson. On the inside, senior Fili Moala is about to shed his anonymity while making a strong push for All-American honors and a spot in the first round of next year’s NFL Draft.    

Offenses

10. USC
Mark or Mitch? The battle between Mark Sanchez and Mitch Mustain to replace John David Booty at quarterback isn’t exactly over. Sanchez got the nod in April, but he got hurt and is questionable for the start of the season. Mustain has done nothing but impress the staff since transferring from Arkansas. Whoever gets the ball will have gobs of speed and explosiveness surrounding him. After getting a taste of action as a freshman, RB Joe McKnight is on the tarmac and preparing for national lift-off. The receivers are a year older, with the size, athleticism, and addition of former Hog Damian Williams to dominate opposing secondaries. The line loses four starters, putting the onus on sophomores Kristofer O’Dowd, Butch Lewis, and Zack Heberer to perform like vets.         

Defensive Backs

2. USC
SC has had the Pac-10’s best pass defense two years running. There’s more than enough returning talent and former prep All-Americans to run that streak to three, although a few more interceptions would be nice. In Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays, USC is home to a couple of hard-hitting enforcers with All-America potential. If Josh Pinkard is even close to where he was a couple of years ago, no program in the country will be able to match them at the position. Sure to get picked on early, Shareece Wright needs to give opposing quarterbacks a reason to not look to his side.

Defensive Lines

3. USC
Sedrick Ellis and Lawrence Jackson were two of the first 28 picks in April’s draft, yet the Trojans are going to be more than fine up front. Fili Moala and Everson Griffen are the new headliners of a front wall that’ll rely on a deeper group of players this fall. The Trojans are so quick and strong up front, opposing backs are rarely able to get to the second level. Of course, not that things get any easier there. Moala is going to make himself plenty of money this fall, and Griffen and Kyle Moore are big enough on the outside to be valuable assets in run support.

Linebackers

1. USC
Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing are a pair of NFL-ready linebackers still hanging around the Pac 10. Their presence will help ease the transition of Luthur Brown or Kaluka Maiava into the lineup, while giving the program a couple of intimidating defensive players who opposing coaches will have to account for every Saturday. Led by Maualuga and Cushing, this group has a nose for the football and a gift for fighting through blockers to get to the ball carrier. With the front seven that USC will be rolling out this year, the only tackles the safeties and corners make will be on completed passes.

Running Backs

6. USC
Even after Emmanuel Moody transferred to Florida, there isn’t a school in the nation that features four backs as talented as the ones in this backfield. The Trojans are basically injury-proof, meaning even if one or two players went on the shelf, the running game would survive. As is the case with many USC positions, Pete Carroll will be forced to do a juggling act to be sure that all of his gifted runners are well fed throughout the season.  It’s going to be a challenge.  While Joe McKnight is the star-in-waiting, Stafon Johnson might actually finish the year with the most carries.

For Cushing, playing a full season in 2008 is vital because he wants to be a first-round pick in the NFL draft. Some mock drafts list him as a potential first-rounder, if he can stay healthy.

"That would be helpful, because he has been banged up," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "This year will have something to say about his status if he missed a number of games."

Cushing said missing nearly 33 percent of two seasons is impossible to ignore, so he knows the NFL will inquire about it.

"I'm sure the NFL will ask, they're always looking for things," he said. "But I'm in my best shape and playing my best football ever right now. Mentally, I've never been close

to what I am now."

 

Durability is key in the NFL so Cushing needs to keep on playing his heart out and not get bit by the injury bug.

While he toyed with leaving for the NFL after last season his coming back for his senior season will go a long way to building his stock up with NFL scouts of course the key will be to stay healthy.

Although Cushing missed four games last season, he said he considered coming out early but spoke to Carroll and former USC linebacker Keith Rivers, who returned for his senior season and increased his stock.

"I knew it was the best thing to come back," Cushing said.

The temptation was there for Cushing, who earned All-American honors despite recording just 25 tackles. Some of his hits are so memorable, however, he probably gets more mileage out of his tackles than most players, except maybe middle linebacker Rey Maualuga. Cushing's potential always intrigued NFL teams, and he admitted even in April he wondered about his status.

"After watching the draft, I asked a lot of questions where I stood," Cushing said. "I wondered what teams thought of me. Next year, who knows what position they will want me to play?

It would have been weird not to have Cushing around this season when you consider that he and Rey have been practically joined at the hip since the arrived at USC. It definitely would not have felt right.

Cushing overcame a lot coming all the way from NJ. I was fortunate enough to see him play as senior. He was cocky and brash then but I could see why it was hasrd not to be. He was heading to USC a school who had just won a BCS title and who had put together one of the best defenses in nation and probably one of the most explosive offenses in the history of college football. Cush had his moments of being home hick but he quickly got into the groove in L.A. and when he has been on the field he has had some great moments.

He has turned into a leader and there is a good chance that he could be named co-team captain this week. That would be a good move as his vocal demeanor will go a long way to to setting the tone on defense.

He has been fun to watch while he has been here at USC, but it is not over yet and this season is for all the marbles.