Otton Guardedly Says He’s Ready

Brad Otton, who Wednesday put his chances of playing against Notre Dame on Saturday at better than 50%, raised them to 100% Thursday.

Attired in a custom-made flak jacket to protect his bruised sternum and ribs, the USC quarterback seemed to throw smoothly against the scout team defense. John Robinson had said Tuesday that Otton wouldn’t play “unless he’s pain free.”

“I honestly think it’s a 100% chance I’ll play, but how long I don’t know,” he said.

“The jacket is heavy, but they’re going to trim it down.”

Otton threw several dozen passes, including a 40-yarder to Chris Miller.

Robinson said he would reserve judgment until today. He has indicated backup Matt Koffler probably would start.

“If he improves Friday, there’s a chance he’ll play,” Robinson said after a two-hour Thanksgiving Day practice.

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Add freshman linebacker Chris Claiborne to the list of young players who say they would consider leaving USC if Robinson is forced out.

“If he left, I’d have to sit down and talk to my parents about it . . . but yeah, I’d consider leaving,” he said.

Claiborne has 106 tackles, one fewer than team leader Sammy Knight, and the most by a Trojan freshman since Mark Carrier had 115 in 1987.

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Freshman offensive tackle Faaesea Mailo, the 350-pound Hawaiian sumo wrestler, will start Saturday in place of sophomore Rome Douglas. . . . Cornerback Chad Morton, bothered for several weeks by lower back pain, aggravated it in the UCLA game and probably won’t play Saturday.