Strained Hamstring Keeps Soward on Sideline

R. Jay Soward dressed for the game and stood or sat on the sideline all afternoon Saturday, but didn’t play because of a strained hamstring.

Soward injured his leg against Stanford last week and thought he would be able to play Saturday despite not practicing, but when he tested his leg before the game he was limping.

“He just couldn’t do anything in the pregame warmup,” USC Coach Paul Hackett said.

Soward had 229 all-purpose yards against Cal in USC’s 32-31 loss last season.

Even though the Trojans didn’t expect him to return kicks because of his injury, they didn’t expect to be without him entirely.

“I thought he was going to play,” Hackett said.

Soward has 35 catches this season for 429 yards and three touchdowns, but has been limited in several games--once by illness, another time by a concussion, and then missing the Cal game because of the hamstring injury.

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Quarterback John Fox is on the verge of completing an amazing cycle--from starting quarterback to tight end to linebacker, and possibly, next week, back to starting quarterback.

“You always dream,” Fox said. “That was pretty much what I was doing--I was dreaming.”

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For the third week in a row, USC won the yardage battle but lost the game.

USC outgained Cal, 452-232, outgained Stanford last week, 587-456, and outgained Notre Dame, 411-376, on Oct. 16.

“It’s not about the fact we doubled their yardage,” Hackett said. “You’ve got to score.”

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USC freshman wide receiver Kareem Kelly’s nine catches and 170 receiving yards were career highs. . . . Punter Mike MacGillivray’s 11 punts were a career high. He averaged 42.6 yards a punt, with the longest 57 yards. . . . Offensive guard Trevor Roberts broke a small bone in his left wrist, but he’s expected to be able to play with the injured arm in a cast. . . . Offensive tackle Brent McCaffrey aggravated an ankle injury but no determination was made about his status for next week.

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Cal senior defensive back/kick returner Deltha O’Neal’s 60-yard punt return that set up a field goal was the longest of his career. He also intercepted a Mike Van Raaphorst pass and returned it 67 yards for a 7-0 Cal lead in the second quarter. It was the third interception O’Neal has returned for a touchdown this season, a Cal record. He has six interceptions this season.