“The past Sunday when I got out of bed I could barely walk. I rehabbed all day,” he said. “On Monday morning I felt good. I was running.”

His status was uncertain for much of this week after he suffered a strained hip flexor last week that extended to his groin and abdomen.

He spent Sunday and Monday doing lunges and other strength drills, while sitting out practice. With the Trojans four-deep at cornerback, he might not have been able to afford to miss another day.

Wright, along with cornerback Cary Harris, is listed ahead of former starters Josh Pinkard and Kevin Thomas.

(more…)

For entertainment purposes only. And if I'm wrong, I'm guessing you'll be entertained.

Oregon State 24, Stanford 20: This smelled like a potential Stanford upset, but then the Cardinal got hit with a couple of injuries on the OL and at WR, so the Beavers get the nod in a game that figures to be low scoring. Oregon State's biggest edge is at the skill positions, and here's a guess that QB Lyle Moevao will be much smoother this season distributing the ball.

Oklahoma State 38, Washington State 24: The Cougars were hit hard by bad news this week with DT Andy Roof being kicked out of school and OT Dan Rowlands retiring due to recurring shoulder problems. The Cougars are thin on both lines. Meanwhile, the Cowboys' offensive line boasts 89 career starts, which makes this a mismatch up front.

USC 42, Virginia 10: The biggest point of interest here is how well USC QB Mark Sanchez plays after his rapid recovery from a dislocated knee. It's also worth watching to see how Pete Carroll distributes the ball among his six tailbacks. And you might want to catch the nation's best defense. Virginia is rebuilding, with just 11 starters back, and the Trojans don't do that. 

California 28, Michigan State 24: This might be the best matchup of the weekend. Kevin Riley surged late to win the Bears QB job over Nate Longshore, but Longshore is expected to see some action. Will TB Jahvid Best put on a show? Speaking of shows, Spartans tailback Javon Ringer and a huge OL will test the Bears' new 3-4 look.

Oregon 35, Washington 24: Justin Roper takes over Oregon's spread-option offense after Nate Costa went down with a knee injury, and his strong performance in the Sun Bowl suggests he is fully capable. He'll get a lot of help from Jeremiah Johnson and LeGarrette Blount in the backfield and an offensive line that should have its way with the young Huskies front. A Washington upset will require a spectacular performance from QB Jake Locker, which is not beyond the realm of possibility.

Arizona 44, Idaho 20: Arizona needs a fast start and it will get it here. The veteran Wildcats offense should look good out of the gate, even without outstanding TE Rob Gronkowski. Moreover, the young defense probably will build up its confidence against an overmatched Idaho offense.

Arizona State 48, Northern Arizona 17: The Sun Devils get a preseason game. They might want to recall Appalachian State at Michigan a year ago and remember to show up.

Tennessee 27, UCLA 17: New UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel's debut is a tough one, with an SEC power coming to town. The UCLA defense and special teams could keep this one close, but the offense  -- even with guru Norm Chow calling the shots -- figures to struggle mightily against a tough Vols DL.   

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…)

The 3-4 is less popular than the 4-3, and USC won’t face another one until the Cal game Nov. 8.

The biggest difference is the way the defensive linemen attack: They go head-up on the offensive linemen, trying to clear space for the linebackers to make tackles.

“They teach it really well,” USC offensive line coach Pat Ruel said of the Cavaliers. “It presents problems because not many teams run a 3-4.”

(more…)

So here it is, an all-Virginia five-question pop quiz between myself and DT Fili Moala.

1. Question: What do you know about Virginia?

Fili Moala: It’s a very prestigious school. A lot of big names have come out of there, senators and all types of people like that. They have history.

My answer: Allen Iverson was born in Hampton.

The correct answer: Twelve senators have graduated from Virginia, as well as other historical people. Iverson was also born there.

Point goes to: Me. We talkin’ ‘bout birthplace, man.

2. Question: Which Trojan might have a breakout game?

FM: I’d have to say Clay Matthews. He’s just so explosive. He’s a smart football player. He’s a good utility guy. He plays linebacker, defensive end. He plays all around the field and is a great pass rusher.

My answer: I was going to say kicker David Buehler but I noticed he’s shaved his Mohawk. I’m too sad to answer this one.

Point goes to: Moala. His answer came out of nowhere.

(more…)

“He missed two weeks of practice, and that’s important,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “There’s some rust in there.”

Sanchez, who might have been a victim of his own adrenaline, said he was “bummed” about the picks. But, in typical Sanchez fashion, he tried to view them as a positive.

“I needed to see that kind of stuff and know that I can’t just be throwing the ball anywhere,” he said. “I’ve got to be accurate.”

Four days before the season opener at Virginia, Sanchez, who has been cleared to play, took a few minutes with us to discuss what he has been thinking about since injuring his knee three weeks ago.

Question: You have gone out of your way to stay near your teammates while injured, even watching from a golf cart during several practices. Were you trying to send a message?

Mark Sanchez: They understood. At first they were saying, ‘You can’t go out to practice. There’s no way you’re going to be able to stand on it that long.’ I said, ‘All right. Well, I need something.’ I’m not just not going to go to practice. I’m not just going to wait to watch the film. I feel too far away from the guys.

They saw me and how close I was and how nothing changed in my preparation. I was still in the film room. I was still working out extra. It might have been rehab but it was extra.

And they understand where my head’s at. They knew I was coming back. And I told them that.  I said, ‘I’m coming back as fast as possible so don’t get used to me not being around.’ I made sure they knew that.

(more…)

Unlike a lot of Heisman watches, my preseason list is intended to determine which players have the best chance of actually winning the trophy at season’s end. If a player does not have a realistic shot at winning the Heisman, he is not on this list.

Therefore, the following ranking is NOT a prediction of the eventual order of the voting (so calm down Gator fans), but a gauge of the strengths of each of the top candidates based on The Ten Heismandments. Other players who are not on this list will get votes and finish high in the race but won’t win.  I will put out top 10 updates predicting the order of the vote from time to time, but this is not one of those times.

I can say with extreme confidence that the Heisman winner will come from the following group of players. THESE ARE THE GUYS WITH THE BEST CHANCE! Here we go:

1. Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells, Jr., RB., Ohio State–A perfect candidate. A top talent from a traditional power that will compete for a national title. Has the schedule and the name recognition to run away with this. His stiff arm could be more famous than the trophy’s by season’s end.

2. Chase Daniel, Sr., QB, Missouri–Outside of Tim Tebow, he’s the top returning vote getter from last season. Well-known quarterback playing in an exciting offense and an emerging program. Will put up big numbers once again and could win the Heisman if the Tigers make a serious title run.

3. Patrick White, Sr., QB, West Virginia–Might end up as one of the biggest winners in college football history. Dangerous runner who could win the Heisman if he can up his passing stats and lead his team to yet another 11-win season.

4. Stafon Johnson, Jr., RB, USC–The last seven USC tailbacks to top 1,400 rushing yards at some point in their careers have either won the Heisman or finished second in the voting. Johnson looks like he may break out from a crowded running back corps and have that kind of year.

5. Percy Harvin, Jr., WR/RB, Florida–Can do-it-all when healthy. He’ll benefit from Tebow’s exposure and the explosiveness of the Gators offense. If he gets 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving, look out.

6. Colt McCoy, Jr., QB, Texas–If he can regain his freshman year form, he could be a top contender. Has added more rushing yards to his repertoire, but must cut down on his interceptions.

7. Keiland Williams, Jr., RB, LSU–With the LSU quarterback position unsettled, look for the Tigers to lean on Williams in the early going. That could mean a hot start and a chance to emerge as a serious Heisman candidate.

8. Graham Harrell, Sr., QB, Texas Tech–To have a chance at the Heisman, he basically has to break every single-season passing record in existence while leading TTU to the Big 12 title and beyond. If anyone can do it….

9. Matt Stafford, Jr., QB, Georgia–A top pro prospect who has yet to put it together for a whole season. Plays in a system that doesn’t produce big numbers, but could still get attention based on his team’s success.

10. Marlon Lucky, Sr., RB, Nebraska–Once upon a time, the Nebraska I-back was a shoo-in Heisman contender. But Lucky won’t get a single vote unless Nebraska somehow revives under Bo Pelini. If that happens, Lucky will probably be seen as one of the main reasons why. And Heisman voters may take notice.

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.

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.

From the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA):

The USC Trojans are the top-ranked team in the Football Writers Association of America's preseason Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll. The Trojans nipped second-ranked Georgia, although both schools picked up five first-place votes. It's the fourth time in five years USC has been picked No. 1 by the FWAA in the preseason.

The only other Pac-10 team in the poll is Arizona State, tied with BYU for 16th. The Big 12 placed five teams in the top 16 and the SEC had four. California and Oregon also received votes.

Which means that Johnson–USC’s only fully healthy every-down back at the moment–should increase his carries in the early season.  When you also take into account the gimpiness of Mark Sanchez and the possible debut of a new quarterback, it makes sense that USC would lean heavily on its running game in the first half of the season.  As a result, big games against Virginia and Ohio State could catapult Johnson from Heisman dark horse into real Heisman contention.

Remember, the last seven Trojan tailbacks who surpassed 1,400 yards in a season at some point in their careers went on to either win the Heisman or finish second in the voting.