No Sign of Woods at Scrimmage

The chances of reserve quarterback Quincy Woods returning to the USC team seem slim after he didn’t show for the Trojans’ scrimmage Wednesday at the Coliseum--two days after packing his things and leaving the UC Irvine training camp.

“I’ve known him a while. I don’t think he’s coming back,” said tight end John Fox, the former quarterback. “Everybody got the idea.”

Coach Paul Hackett said he hadn’t heard from Woods since telling him Monday night he won’t be among the Trojans’ top two quarterbacks, asking him to take a day to consider playing wide receiver.

“I haven’t heard a word,” Hackett said, but refused to call Woods AWOL.

“I was pretty flexible [in telling him to get away from the team and consider his options],” he said.

Woods could not be reached for comment.

A USC spokesman said late Wednesday the school had no word on whether Woods plans to transfer. Woods’ mother, reached in suburban Chicago, said she had been unaware of the situation and was trying to reach her son.

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The worrisome USC offense looked spectacular at times during the Trojans’ invitation-only scrimmage.

Of course, the first-team offense didn’t face the first-team defense, but after the Trojans’ faltering offensive performance in last week’s scrimmage, why quibble?

There was a 47-yard touchdown pass play from Mike Van Raaphorst to R. Jay Soward, a 43-yard pass play from Carson Palmer to Soward, a 43-yard run by Malaefou MacKenzie, a 55-yard run by fullback Ted Iacenda, and a 71-yard touchdown pass play from Jason Thomas to freshman walk-on Jason d’Autremont.

Soward, suspended by Hackett for the first game Aug. 30 against Purdue because of academic problems last spring, caught five passes for 133 yards.

The quarterback statistics: Van Raaphorst completed eight of 10 passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns, Palmer completed 11 of 15 for 166 yards and Thomas completed six of 10 for 108 yards and a touchdown.

But there are plenty of concerns--too many wasted timeouts, a 32.6-yard punting average by Mike MacGillivray, and a groin strain to tailback Chad Morton, who is expected to be OK but rushed for only 17 yards in five carries.

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USC doesn’t have a proven running back, but the Trojans have a stable of candidates who broke more tackles in the scrimmage than the Trojans did in several games last season.

MacKenzie was the leading rusher with 78 yards and two touchdowns in five carries, but the emerging star is freshman Frank Strong, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound tailback who ran for 39 yards in three carries. So far, Strong has outshone highly touted recruit Sultan McCullough, the sprinter from Pasadena Muir, showing he can break tackles and make elusive moves.

“I said all along, a guy who played linebacker like Frank did and runs like he does is a very interesting guy,” Hackett said.

“What I didn’t know, with him being from Northern California, from Stockton, is what the competition was like. I know [Santa Ana] Mater Dei, I know [Long Beach] Poly.

“What Frank’s done is he has seized every opportunity and made everyone take note. . . . He’s an exciting football player.”