Hackett Is Tested by Schedule

About 30 players were missing because of final exams Friday as USC resumed practicing for the Sun Bowl after almost a week’s layoff, and Coach Paul Hackett expects players to be out today as well.

That has raised the issue of conditioning, with the game against Texas Christian less than two weeks away.

“I think we’re in trouble,” Hackett said, though he acknowledged most bowl teams face the same exam hurdle.

Finals end Monday, and USC will practice hard Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then travel to El Paso on Saturday for intense preparations for the Dec. 31 game.

“[Strength and conditioning coach] Matt Schiotz says 10 days is enough, and I’m assuming he’s right,” Hackett said. “I don’t think preparing what we’ll do will be a problem. It’s how well we’ll do things, how well we’ll execute.”

Tailback Petros Papadakis said that even without practice, players were required to check in with Schiotz a couple of times to run sprints to maintain conditioning.

“Once we get past finals everybody will be able to zero in, and practice will be back to the way it was during the season,” said Papadakis, a junior. “It’s to be expected--I guess. I’ve never been to a bowl game.”

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TCU has only a 6-5 record partly because of its one-dimensional offense. The Horned Frogs rushed for 239 yards a game but averaged only 97 yards passing.

Hackett called TCU “a very strong running team,” comparable to Notre Dame, which had no passing attack after the injury to quarterback Jarious Jackson.

“Obviously, we’ve got to stop the run first,” Hackett said.

Next Up for USC

What: Sun Bowl TCU (6-5)

Where: El Paso

When: Dec. 31

Time: 11 a.m.

TV: Channel 2

Radio: XTRA (690)