USC Football : Salisbury Named to Start Against Illini

Coach Ted Tollner of USC said Thursday that Sean Salisbury will start at quarterback against Illinois Sept. 7 at Champaign, Ill., but that four regulars are doubtful for the opener.

Tailback Fred Crutcher is still bothered by a sore left shoulder. Tight end Joe Cormier has a sprained ankle; inside linebacker Rex Moore has a hamstring injury, and offensive tackle Gaylord Kuamoo has a strained Achilles’ tendon.

They haven’t been able to participate in contact work, and Tollner is concerned about their status. But he won’t be surprised if Crutcher is ready for the Illini.

“Fred is as tough as they come,” Tollner said. “I know he wants to play even if he’s hurt. He’s a winner.”

Crutcher, a senior and the No. 1 tailback, had surgery last spring to remove calcium deposits from his left shoulder. But the calcium deposits have built up again, Tollner said.

If Crutcher can’t play, Ryan Knight, Steve Webster and Zeph Lee will operate at tailback. Freshman Aaron Emanuel is still bothered by a groin injury and hasn’t played in any scrimmages.

Trojan Notes Troy Richardson, who is contending with Chris Sperle for the punting job, is the victim of a freak accident. He had 20 stitches taken in his punting leg after cutting it on the jagged fender of a car. Sperle got off a couple of long punts in a Thursday morning scrimmage. . . . Several regulars didn’t participate, among them fullback Kennedy Pola, whose knees aren’t fundamentally sound, according to Ted Tollner. “He is just not capable of playing all the time,” Tollner said of Pola, a senior, who has had three knee operations during his USC career. . . . Tollner said he has no immediate plans to redshirt Aaron Emanuel, adding that the top priority is to get him healthy so he is able to play. “Aaron is a legitimate, quality player,” Tollner said. . . . The scrimmage was structured to put some pressure on USC’s inexperienced cornerbacks, and they responded by breaking up several long passes. Statistics: Sean Salisbury completed 3 of 6 passes for 32 yards; sophomore Kevin McLean was 3 of 7 for 43 yards, and second-year freshman Rodney Peete was 3 of 4 for 27 yards. . . . Tailback Ryan Knight scored on runs of 16 and 28 yards. . . . Freshman fullback Leroy Holt scored on a short-yardage run and hurdled a defender on a 15-yard run. . . . Al Washington, a transfer from Long Beach City College, caught 2 passes for 26 yards.