COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : USC : Wachholtz, McCutcheon Start Saturday

Senior Kyle Wachholtz will start at quarterback and freshman Daylon McCutcheon at cornerback Saturday at Oregon State.

Wachholtz, a fifth-year senior who has never started a USC game, takes over for starter Brad Otton, still troubled by headaches after his concussion Saturday in the victory over Stanford.

McCutcheon, from La Puente Bishop Amat High, started three games earlier this year when Brian Kelly had an ankle sprain. But McCutcheon now has beaten Quincy Harrison out of his starting spot.

It has been a long wait for Wachholtz, who sat out his freshman year, was a two-year backup to Rob Johnson and was academically ineligible last season.

This season he has shared the quarterback position with Otton and is the Pacific 10 leader in pass efficiency. His completion rate is 61.8% and he has thrown nine touchdown passes.

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Redshirt freshmen quarterbacks John Fox and Quincy Woods are running simulated Oregon State option plays for USC’s defense in practice this week.

The Beavers are 0-6 in Pac-10 and 1-8 overall, yet rank second in the conference in rushing at 212 yards a game. Six Beaver backs have had 100-yard games.

At Wednesday’s practice, the Trojans used wet balls on run drills. Rain is forecast for Saturday at Corvallis.

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He handled the ball only five times on offense and once on defense, but Keyshawn Johnson may have played his best all-around game against Stanford.

In the 31-30 victory, Johnson caught four passes, including the game-winning touchdown, and ran a reverse for 30 yards.

“And on top of everything else, his blocking was outstanding,” offensive coordinator Mike Riley said. “I think he’s the best football player in the country.”