COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : USC : Morton ‘Amazed’ by Smooth Johnson

Rob Johnson, USC’s sophomore quarterback, has been remarkably consistent, completing 61.2% of his 85 passes for 680 yards and eight touchdowns, with four interceptions.

“I’m surprised, but I’m not,” said junior split end Johnnie Morton, who has caught six touchdown passes. “When I first saw him, I noticed how smooth he was. He kind of reminded me of Todd (Marinovich). And then to realize he only played quarterback his senior year (at El Toro High), it really amazed me.

“Every practice, he gets better and better.”

California tailback Russell White might be holding his tongue before Saturday’s game against USC at the Coliseum, but defensive tackle Mack Travis is not.

“They’ll probably try to embarrass us,” Travis said of the Trojans during an interview with Jeff Faraudo of the Hayward Daily Review. “What they don’t understand is, while they’re ticked at us, we’re ticked at them.

“They beat Cal for so long, it became a tradition. If it were us (on the losing end last season), they would have run the score up to 75-0.”

Cal defeated USC last season at Berkeley, 52-30.

White and Travis are both listed as doubtful for Saturday’s game, White because of a groin injury and Travis because of a toe injury.