COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : USC : Most of Scrimmage Dismays Robinson

USC’s kick return team, two weeks before the Sept. 3 opener against Washington, seemed about a mile ahead of every other phase of the Trojans’ game in a one-hour, 61-play scrimmage.

First, wide receiver Ken Grace returned the opening kickoff 93 yards, going the distance untouched. Later, wide receiver Anthony Volson dropped a punt, picked it up, headed to the sideline, cut to midfield and ran it back 60 yards to the end zone.

Grace later dropped a punt . . . but returned it 25 yards up the middle.

Coach John Robinson didn’t seem impressed, largely attributing the returns to defensive lapses.

“If we’d played a game today, we’d have lost,” he said.

“We saw how far we have to go. . . . We were kind of dull and slow.”

Other highlights:

--Quarterback Rob Johnson and Grace connected on a 40-yard play early.

--A 60-yard punt by John Stonehouse.

--A crunching sack by new linebacker Israel Ifeanyi, on backup quarterback Brad Otton.

--A 45-yard interception return by defensive back Sammy Knight of Matt Koffler’s pass.

--Several impressive runs up the middle by freshmen tailbacks Delon Washington and Rodney Sermons.

The Trojans have today off, while the coaching staff evaluates film of the scrimmage.

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The only injury was to special teams player Jesse Gomez, who picked up a hip pointer on Volson’s punt return. . . . Starting tailback Shawn Walters, who could barely walk Saturday evening after getting hit in the back, didn’t play much in the scrimmage. . . . Center Robert Loya, with a foot injury, might miss the Washington opener.