O’Hara Moves Ahead of Marinovich

If anything was resolved following USC’s two-hour, 131-play spring scrimmage Friday at Howard Jones Field, it’s that Pat O’Hara has gained the inside track in the battle to replace Rodney Peete as the Trojan quarterback.

O’Hara, a redshirt junior from Santa Monica High School, completed 13 of 18 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns during the scrimmage, in which the first-team offense scored four touchdowns, one against the first-team defense and three against the second team. O’Hara’s scoring passes went to tight ends Scott Galbraith for 75 and four yards, and to Yonnie Jackson for seven yards.

Todd Marinovich, O’Hara’s primary competitor, had a poor day. The highly-regarded redshirt freshman from Capistrano Valley High completed only four of 15 passes for 14 yards and one touchdown, a six-yarder to tight end Frank Griffin.

“O’Hara is in the lead. . . .He’s playing extremely well,” Coach Larry Smith said. “Marinovich has a wealth of talent, but of course, Pat has an experience edge.”

Although he didn’t score, tailback Aaron Emanuel was the most productive running back as he gained 65 yards in 11 carries. Scott Lockwood carried six times for 65 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown on a draw play against the first-string defense.