The Search for No. 2 Tailback Begins

With Petros Papadakis preparing for foot surgery and resigned to missing the entire season, USC began looking at its options for No. 2 tailback in a lengthy scrimmage Saturday at UC Irvine.

“I don’t know that it will get itself resolved right away,” Coach Paul Hackett said. “After [No. 1 tailback] Chad Morton, it’s a battle that will have to sort itself out.”

Sultan McCullough began making his case by rushing 29 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns while Morton took it easy to protect a tender hamstring and Frank Strong and Malaefou MacKenzie were held out because of minor injuries. (Strong has a bruised thigh and MacKenzie has a hamstring problem after recovering from knee surgery.)

Jabari Jackson carried five times for 30 yards and caught four passes playing behind McCullough.

“I’m just trying to do my thing. It seemed like everybody was hurt,” said McCullough, who practiced lightly early in camp because of the hamstring injury he suffered in the NCAA track championships last spring. “I’m just trying to get my ‘reps’ to get back in shape.”

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USC will explore getting an extra year of eligibility for Papadakis, a senior who already has sat out a year.

“I think we have a very good case here,” Hackett said.

Papadakis watched the scrimmage from a cart on the sidelines, his foot already in a cast.

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Offensive lineman Trevor Roberts and defensive lineman Bernard Riley will miss about a week after spraining ankles during the scrimmage. . . . Carson Palmer completed 11 of 15 passes for 135 yards, including a 65-yard scoring pass to R. Jay Soward. Backup Mike Van Raaphorst completed six of seven for 69 yards. . . . Freshman standouts: Safety Troy Polamalu had eight tackles, forced two fumbles and scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery. Cornerback Kevin Arbet, a walk-on from Stockton who is the biggest surprise of camp, made five tackles, including two for losses, and broke up a pass. . . . The kicking game is “a concern,” Hackett acknowledged, with neither newcomer David Newbury nor David Bell establishing himself yet. . . . Bad hangover from last season: 15 penalties.