Mitch Mustain close to his comfort zone for USC

He traveled more than 1,500 miles from Arkansas to Los Angeles to become USC's starting quarterback. Spent more than a year learning a new offense. And went up and down the depth chart with hopes of sticking at No. 1.

Saturday's game against Arizona State at the Coliseum might have been Mustain's opportunity.

But Mark Sanchez has recovered from a knee injury that briefly sidelined him during last week's victory over Oregon and provided Mustain with his first taste of real playing time for the Trojans.

So Mustain waits. And prepares. He is content, for now, knowing he is one play away from getting back onto the field and leading the offense.

"Certainly, this is the best spot I've been in since I got here," he said this week.

Mustain started and won eight games for Arkansas as a freshman but left after Razorbacks Coach Houston Nutt abandoned a pass-oriented offense and the team's postseason disintegrated into a bad soap opera.

The after-season developments included the departure of Mustain's high school coach, Guz Malzahn, who had been Arkansas' offensive coordinator. There was also a well-publicized meeting between some football families, including Mustain's, with Arkansas Athletic Director Frank Broyles that led to accusations of meddling. And there was more drama when the contents of an angry e-mail sent by a booster to Mustain became public as part of a Freedom of Information Act request for Nutt's cellphone records.

Still, with all that behind him, Mustain appeared to have the size, skills and experience to challenge Sanchez as USC's leader.

But Sanchez's skill set, combined with his three years in USC's system, gave him a clear edge, one that the junior from Mission Viejo built upon daily in spring practice to win the starting job.

By the time USC traveled to Oregon State for its Pacific 10 Conference opener last month, Mustain had fallen to No. 4 on the depth chart behind Sanchez, junior Garrett Green and redshirt freshman Aaron Corp.

However, during practice last week, Mustain showed flashes of his Arkansas form and better command of the Trojans' offense. Coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian elevated him to No. 2 for Oregon and he was in the game after Sanchez was injured in the third quarter.

After having a pass intercepted in the end zone in his first series, Mustain returned in the fourth quarter and threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to receiver David Ausberry.

The play signified Mustain's growing comfort within the Trojans' complex system.

"I kind of went through that phase where you're just having to tear everything down and start over again," he said. "I think I'm finally through that."

Carroll does too.

"He had fun, loved it and had a big light in his eye because he had a blast," Carroll said.

The look, and the confidence that produced it, was in stark contrast to the mostly tentative vibe Mustain gave off as he attempted to learn and consistently execute the Trojans' offense.

In high school, Mustain deftly ran a spread attack almost exclusively from the shotgun formation. The scheme was similar at Arkansas, where his high school coach was hired as offensive coordinator.