Rod Perry Out for Season

Receiver Rod Perry Jr., one of USC’s most prized freshmen, will miss the season because he needs a second surgery on his right knee.

“This is about as disappointed as I’ve ever been,” said Perry, who had surgery as a junior at Santa Ana Mater Dei High school after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament but re-injured the knee during USC’s fall practice.

“I tried to ignore it and play through it . . . [but] the way it was, I was taking a chance of really hurting it,” said Perry, who would have gotten considerable playing time at receiver and returned some punts. “I had such high expectations for myself and for helping the team. I wanted to play that game Saturday.”

Doctors will seek to tighten the previously repaired ligament, which had loosened and undermined the stability of Perry’s knee. The recovery is expected to take four to six months, so Perry--also a center fielder for USC’s baseball team--might be ready for the start of that season in late January.

“The positive is I’ll be back for the baseball season to play for Coach [Mike] Gillespie,” Perry said.

Losing him is a blow to a USC receiver corps that is already in danger of losing senior Larry Parker, who will seek a second opinion about foot surgery and might try to play through the injury.

*

Florida State’s defense has taken another blow with the loss of starting end Greg Spires, who is expected to miss three games because of a broken leg. Spires, the heir apparent to All-American ends Peter Boulware and Reinard Wilson, had six sacks as a backup last season.

The Seminoles will be without three defensive starters against USC. Cornerback Mario Edwards was dismissed from school and tackle Julian Pittman is suspended from the team, both for disciplinary reasons.