• C.J. Gable ran with the first-team offense.
• Aaron Corp ran the scout team.
• Kristofer O’Dowd ran well.

With Allen Bradford and Joe McKnight nursing knee injuries, the coaching staff had no choice but to turn to Gable, last season’s starter and this season’s odd man out.

Gable made some nifty runs and drew praise afterward from Trojans coach Pete Carroll.

“C.J.’s ready to go,” Carroll said. “He’s been waiting. He’s done a great job being patient about it. It’s been hard for him so far, but he’ll jump to the call whenever he gets the chance. He’s a great team player for us.

“I don’t mind him being frustrated. I think he should be because of the kind of guy he is and the kind of competitor he is. But I think he’s dealt with it very well. He worked on the service team for us when we needed him. I think he’s been just right. I hope he gets the chance to jump in and play some more in really critical situations, because he can answer that call. He’s done it for years, and I know he can do it now.”

Corp doesn’t have the same wealth of experience, only bad experiences from what was supposed to be his breakout season. He did not land on the scout team by demotion but by default: Usual scout-team QB Garrett Green was needed to play wide receiver, another area hit hard by the injury bug.

With all due respect to Green — among the best athletes on the team — I can’t help but wonder if the swifter, more elusive Corp wouldn’t have better prepared USC’s defense for Jeremiah Masoli.

It was just three months ago that Corp and O’Dowd were the starting QB and center. Injuries derailed both, but O’Dowd seems to be on the comeback trail. I saw him pulling on outside running plays and looking quicker and niftier than he has in weeks.

“He’s looking stronger,” Carroll said. “He needed a break. We piled it on him, and he was willing to stay in there and keep battling. But we had such a good alternative with Jeff (Byers) and with Butch (Lewis) going that I think it was the right thing to do in long haul for Kris. I think it was pretty clear that it helped us.”

More from the USC blog:

• USC football: Barkley hates losing (he just doesn’t show it)
• USC football: Further injury updates
• USC football: Leg injuries limit McKnight, Bradford
• USC football: ASU’s Erickson braces for ’scary’ Trojans
• USC football: Have opponents ‘caught up’ to the Trojans?
• USC football poll: How will the season end?
• USC football: Trojans won’t lose again this season
• USC football: Carroll, Galippo point fingers — at themselves
• USC football: Galippo should be available for ASU
• USC football poll: What is the worst loss of the Carroll Era?

Post from: USC

The offense got off to a strong start, but they were inconsistent and fumbled more than they should have, but on the bright side, coaches opened up the playbook and allowed Matt Barkley to complete some deep passes. However this offense, and the receiving game in particular, needs to play better. Trojan fans eagerly await the return of the fastest receiver, Ronald Johnson, who suffered a shoulder injury in the scrimmage game in August.

This defense is impressive. They almost held the Cougars to a shutout if it were not for Aaron Corp's fumble late in the game. Defensive back Marshall Jones and defensive tackle Hebron Fangupo each suffered season ending injuries in this game. Injuries are part of the game, and this is why it never hurts to have depth like USC does. Pete Carroll and coaching staff "stockpile" talent, and given the current waves of injuries, this is when the depth is tested.

Two things revealed themselves at USC's spring game: Aaron Corp is the clear No. 1 quarterback for a reason heading into the off-season and the defense is not exactly going to stink next fall.

Eleven sacks? Come on!

Corp completed 14 of 23 passes for 157 yards with a touchdown and, again, no interceptions, though he had a couple of dubious tosses. Corp threw one pick over the entirety of spring practices.

Freshman Mat Barkley, who draft guru Mel Kiper already is touting as a future No. 1 overall NFL draft pick, completed 12 of 20 for 124 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

A third interesting sidebar emerging from USC's spring: The tailback position is no more clear and perhaps even more crowded than last year. While injuries limited the lead names on the depth chart from a year ago, Curtis McNeal and Marc Tyler turned in impressive springs.

So, for those keeping scoring at home, there's Stafon Johnson, Joe McKnight, C.J. Gable, Allen Bradford and McNeal and Tyler. And one ball.

Which means Pete Carroll will roll his eyes at me and every other reporter this summer when we write this story again.

Follow the jump for the complete list.

Once the throwing session was complete, Barkley became the focal point for the shivering media throng. (Top quarterback competitor Aaron Corp had to leave early to go to class.) Here’s what Barkley had to say, including his vision for Sept. 12, 2009:

(on his film review of Saturday’s scrimmage) It was kind of sporadic at times. It was kind of backyard football. (So I’m) trying to tighten down on some fundamentals and footwork stuff to get the little things right. Overall, it really wasn’t too bad.

(on his comfort level with the offense) I’ve gotten really comfortable with it. I’m trying to get the protections down and my hot reads. Concept-wise and terminology-wise, I’ve progressed a lot since I first got here.

(on how much time he spends with the playbook) As much as I can. I don’t know hours … when I’m done with tutoring, looking at it before I go to bed, whenever I get a chance.

(on dispelling the notion that a freshman QB can’t start for Pete Carroll) That’s why I came here. … You dream about it. You picture yourself at The Horseshoe (Ohio State) in front of 100,000 people. It’s up to Coach, but he’s known for letting freshmen play (at other positions). I just know I have a shot and I’m in this thing.

(on whether he has to definitively outplay Corp to win the job) That might be a little spur to get me going, to play harder. I don’t know if that’s true or not. It might be just because of the fact I’m new; I don’t have any experience. I might have to do a little extra to give them confidence.

I’m just having fun knowing that I have the opportunity to play. The opportunity is there. In the end, whatever happens, I need to know that I did what I could to be where I’m at.

More from the USC blog:

• USC football: QB Q+A with Jeremy Bates
• NFL draft: The case for Mark Sanchez
• USC football poll: Who’s your QB pick now?
• USC football: QB decision might require overtime
• USC football: Disappointed Mustain gets fewer snaps
• USC football: C.J. Gable has MRI on hip
• USC football: The defense puts up a front
• USC basketball: Feeling lost? You aren’t alone
• USC football: QB Q+As
• USC basketball: DeRozan still 50-50 on agent, but …

Post from: USC

Vote for CJ's runback against Stanford for the Pontiac Game Changing Play of the Year. This is your chance to lead the Trojans to complete domination in the postseason peoples' choice awards. It may not be as much fun as dominating physically like the Trojan D, but it's the next best thing.

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