Reed Hopeful in Recovery

Desmond Reed said someone new reminds him nearly every day.

If not for the ankle-deep grass at Notre Dame Stadium, they say, Reed would be OK. He would not have suffered a major knee injury and nerve damage in his right leg. He probably would have opened training camp Thursday as a candidate to start at tailback in USC’s Sept. 2 opener at Arkansas.

Instead, Reed had to settle for being the biggest surprise of the day. The shifty 5-foot-9, 180-pound junior, who has not been cleared for contact, showed speed and flash during the veterans’ portion of the Trojans’ split-squad workout.

“It’s been nine months, a long journey, it just feels great to be back out here,” Reed said.

Reed’s career came to an abrupt halt nine months ago when he twisted to catch a kickoff against the Fighting Irish and fell, untouched, to the turf.

“I believe it was the grass,” Reed said, then recounted the Trojans’ walk-through at Notre Dame Stadium the day before their now legendary victory.

“Guys were complaining like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe the grass is so tall,’ ” Reed said. “You never really think anything is going to happen. But something did and I paid the price for it.”

Reed had knee surgery, but his comeback has been complicated by nerve damage that has left him unable to flex his foot. Reed said he would be tested next week to measure the growth of the nerve.

“Just a short time ago, we really weren’t even going to have him on the roster for camp,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “We set our numbers and we didn’t even think we would have a chance where he could be active.”

Junior Chauncey Washington is regarded as the No. 1 tailback and a group of freshmen that includes Stafon Johnson, Emmanuel Moody and C.J. Gable also will compete for playing time.

Reed said he hoped to be cleared by the season opener.

“I think the final say is going to be whether I want to risk it or not,” Reed said.

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Quarterback John David Booty looked strong in his first practice since the first spring workout, when he aggravated a back problem that required surgery.

“I don’t remember it ever feeling like this,” said Booty, a fourth-year junior. “Every throw feels great.”

Booty, who is No. 1 on the depth chart ahead of redshirt freshman Mark Sanchez, said he was unconcerned about contact.

“Before fall camp is over somebody will bump into me, or something will happen, a fluke deal but I’m really not too worried,” he said. “My back feels better than it ever has. I don’t see why me getting hit would be a problem.”

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Receiver Travon Patterson was perhaps the most impressive freshman, making several outstanding catches and returns in the morning session for newcomers. “Travon looked like he’d been here for a long time,” offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said.... Sophomore linebacker Clay Matthews was awarded a scholarship late Wednesday night.