A Red Flag for White, USC

Top-ranked USC’s preparations for 11th-ranked UCLA got off to a precarious start on Sunday when running back LenDale White suffered an apparent shoulder injury, putting his status for Saturday’s game at the Coliseum in doubt.

White was hit in the left shoulder while carrying the ball during a team drill early in practice. The junior lay face down, grimacing in pain for several minutes, and, once he got to his feet, needed assistance to walk to the trainer’s area. White was carted to the locker room later in the workout.

“It didn’t look like there was a lot of velocity in the whole thing,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “But [the tackler] must have hit him just right or something.”

Carroll said White would undergo tests today.

“He has an old shoulder injury from way back -- they just want to make sure they know what’s going on,” Carroll said.

After receiving ice treatments on the field and in the locker room, White said he was feeling better.

“They said it was a stinger, maybe a sprained shoulder,” said White, who has rushed for 1,024 yards and a team-high 19 touchdowns. “Other than that, it’s not bad.

“They said to wait until [today] and if it hurts I’ve got to get it checked out.”

White’s condition exacerbates USC’s dwindling depth at tailback.

Desmond Reed, who backed up White and Reggie Bush, is out for the season because of a knee injury suffered against Notre Dame. Freshman Michael Coleman also is out because of a chronic hip injury.

“Suddenly we look very thin,” Carroll said of his tailback corps.

Carroll said fullbacks David Kirtman and Brandon Hancock would take snaps in White’s place.

In light of White’s apparent injury, Carroll was asked whether he regretted having the Trojans go through a tough practice after three days off.

“We had to do this, we had to come out and go,” Carroll said. “You can blame it on the day, I don’t know. I just think it was just kind of a freaky little thing that happened.”

Bush, considered by many the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy, also has been nursing a shoulder injury. When asked how he felt, Bush said, “About as good as I’m going to be, whatever that means.”

Bush, however, said he would be ready to play more if White could not play against UCLA.

“Obviously, it would just mean I would have to carry more of the load with the running game,” said Bush, who has rushed for 1,398 yards in 163 carries, the same number as White. “But hopefully, everything will be all right with him and that won’t be the case.”

In the Trojans’ game against Fresno State on Nov. 19, Bush carried 23 times for a career-high 294 yards and two touchdowns. White, the Trojans’ power back, had only seven carries for 21 yards but scored two short-yardage touchdowns.

Against UCLA last season, Bush had scoring runs of 65 and 81 yards and finished with 204 yards in 15 carries. White rushed 16 times for 75 yards against the Bruins, but injured his ankle in the second half.

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After three days off for the Thanksgiving holiday, all players returned to campus on time, Carroll said. The Trojans went through a tough practice -- “like the end of the bye week,” Carroll said -- but will return today to their normal Monday routine, which features meetings and a short, light workout without shoulder pads.

Carroll said he would address UCLA with his players today and get heavily into the game plan on Tuesday.... Defensive end Frostee Rucker did not practice because of a sore shoulder and will not work out until Tuesday, Carroll said. Linebacker Keith Rivers (hamstring) did not practice, and Carroll said his status remained uncertain.... USC will tighten restrictions on visitors to practice this week. “We don’t want new faces we haven’t seen before,” Carroll said.