A big glorious image of PT.

Thanks to Know Your Song Girls we can accurately identify this as Jenny.

Instead of just hurdling defenders, step on them like you would a springboard. Works every time.

Although Stafon Johnson had a season-high 19 carries against Arizona - almost twice as many as Joe McKnight and C.J. Gable combined - Coach Pete Carroll said USC isn’t ditching its much-debated tailback rotation.

“It’s exactly the way we always do it,” Carroll said. “Nothing’s changed. Nothing’s different.”

Carroll said the disparity in carries simply was a product of Johnson having a hot hand and his plays working while McKnight’s and Gable’s weren’t.

“We liked the way he was playing,” Carroll said of Johnson.

“Joe went in and couldn’t get going much. It wasn’t Joe; the plays weren’t happening.”

McKnight played sparingly after missing the previous game and most of the practice week because of turf toe. He finished with 16 yards on five carries.

Gable had 4 yards on five carries. Johnson finished with 83 yards and a touchdown.

Related links:

• Sanchez’s inexperience showing
• Trojans still No. 5 in BCS, more or less

Turns out Johnson was hurt — in the first quarter.

Johnson suffered a bruised thigh early in Saturday’s game. It didn’t stop him from rushing for 112 yards — but it did keep him from scoring on that one, final rush.

Johnson said Monday that his thigh is still sore, but it didn’t keep him out of practice and shouldn’t keep him out of the Arizona game.

Sanchez cleaned up his act with no interceptions and 5 touchdowns in the first half: 2 to Turner, 2 to RoJo and 1 to McCoy. Three tailbacks had over 100 yards, Broderick Green (126 yd, 2 td), Stafon Johnson (111 yd) and CJ Gable (104 yd, 3 tds). The Cougar's only bright spot was a blocked extra point to start the second quarter. And to credit the Trojan-D [who made it look effortless] USC has not been scored on in their last ten quarters of play, without a touchdown against them since Oregon managed a single TD in the first quarter, three games back.

Dear Coach Carroll:

I am writing this letter to you on Monday, September 1, 2008 at 3:30 pm
(ET).

I am at a complete loss for words because my son, Vidal, has not received
treatment on his ankle and quadriceps since the team's return to Los Angeles
on Saturday evening. As you know, Vidal suffered a contusion to his
quadriceps muscle and sprained his ankle during the UVA game. To date (for
over 36 hours), (1) his ankle has not been X-rayed and (2) he has received
no treatment to either injury, other than having a boot placed on his ankle.

I must admit that I am completely perplexed by the lack of attention your
training staff is giving to Vidal's injuries. When I asked Vidal if he
received treatment today, he told me that the training room is closed today.
In all of my years of associating with athletes, and corresponding with
athletic trainers, I have never heard of a training room being closed on a
holiday during the sport's season. This includes Labor Day, Thanksgiving,
Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, etc.

You and I have discussed my dissatisfaction with the manner in which Vidal
has received treatment for injuries in the past. Most notably, the double
hernia that he played with for all of the 2007 season, and possibly the 2006
season - an injury that went misdiagnosed for the entirety of the season(s).
Given our discussions, I trusted that corrective action would be taken.
However, this is clearly a policy issue that has not been addressed, and the
results are intolerable.

In consulting with doctors and athletic trainers on the east coast, I have
been told that Vidal should be receiving at least three treatments a day.
Additionally, his ankle should have been X-rayed upon the team's return to
Los Angeles, and no later than the early morning hours of Sunday, August 31,
2008. However, it appears as though your training staff has no "sense of
urgency" to get him back to 100%.

The clock is ticking and Ohio State will be in town next week. What is
being done to ensure that my son is being cared for in a proper manner???
When is the USC training staff going to meet his medical needs??? It makes
me wonder if the trust that I have extended is misplaced.

Sincerely,
Dexter Hazelton

NOTE: Dexter Hazelton said Thursday he didn't know how letter surfaced on an Internet message board. He also said Carroll called him that day and his son received treatment on his ankle later that day.
--

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 feel like I can’t take any days off because at any point in time I can easily be out the picture,” he said. “I feel 100 percent.

“I’m expecting to do what I did last week and the week before that.”

That does not appear to be the case, as Coach Pete Carroll said Stafon Johnson will be the Trojan’s starting punt returner against Arizona State.

“(Johnson) had a steady game last week and I want to make sure Joe is focused on his stuff and not concerned with that right now.”

McKnight, who has muffed a punt in three of four games, said he made an adjustment this week in the placement of his hands.

“My hands were too low every time I (caught) it,” he said. “By the time the ball was coming out I was bringing my hands up.”

Carroll said McKnight will back up Jonson and still might make returns against the Sun Devils. Another candidate is receiver Damian Williams. The team’s third option works on returns before most practices and had a few repetitions Thursday. Williams said coaches have not talked to him about having a greater role, however.

“It’s more like I’ve talked to them about doing it,” Williams said.

“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