USC’s Smith Tells Undecided Carrier to Stay Away From Practices for Now

USC will begin spring football practice today, but Mark Carrier, the Trojans’ All-American free safety, won’t be among the participating players.

Coach Larry Smith has advised Carrier to stay away from practice, at least for a while.

Carrier, a junior, is undecided whether he will apply for the NFL draft of college players next month.

“We talked for a long time and I told him not to come out this week, or next,” Smith said. “He needs time to make a decision (on the draft).”

Smith added that Carrier will continue to run and lift weights.

The NFL now allows underclassmen to participate in the draft. An underclassman must apply for the draft by March 22 and accompany his application with an affidavit irrevocably renouncing his remaining college eligibility.

Junior Seau, a junior linebacker at USC, has already announced that he will enter the NFL draft, forfeiting his final year of eligibility.

As for the 20 days of spring practice, USC has eight returning starters, including Carrier. That’s the fewest number since USC went to two-platoon football in 1965.

“The combination of our inexperience and our demanding schedule makes this the toughest coaching challenge of my career,” said Smith, who has a 21-1-1 record against Pacific 10 opponents in his three years at USC.

USC has a 12-game schedule that includes nonconference games against Syracuse, Penn State, Ohio State and Notre Dame.