USC’s Nickels Catches a Chance

Matt Nickels made the catch of the day in USC’s practice Wednesday, diving for a pass in the corner of the end zone, eliciting shouts and applause from his teammates.

It was the sort of play the senior needs to make. With the Trojans missing one of their top receivers--sophomore Steve Stevenson sat out a second day because of a pulled hamstring--Nickels has a chance to shine.

“Any time somebody steps out, you’ve got to come in and do your best,” Nickels said. “Mentally, you have to go that extra step.”

The senior came to USC in 1998 after two seasons at Dartmouth. A walk-on, he had no receptions last season but performed well enough in spring practice to have Coach Paul Hackett talking about giving him a scholarship.

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Stevenson said he hopes to return today when the Trojans begin practicing in pads, but he doesn’t expect to be fully recovered until next week. In the meantime, he can only watch as Nickels and freshman Keary Colbert get more snaps.

“It’s very frustrating,” Stevenson said. “There’s pressure on me to get out there and stake my claim.”

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The competition isn’t as great at tight end, where senior Antoine Harris is expected to start. But he has asked for extra work for a couple of reasons.

First, he wants to shed his reputation as a capable blocker who isn’t a good receiver. Second, he wants to set an example for young tight ends.

“It’s good for me and it’s good for them because, hopefully, they see how to fight through it when they’re tired,” he said. “I’m just trying to show those guys that we’ve got to do it on every snap.”

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Receiver Kareem Kelly missed practice because of a strained knee and defensive lineman Bobby DeMars suffered from dehydration. Both are expected to return today. . . . Hackett said he plans to use linebacker Zeke Moreno as a long snapper for a few games but hopes to find another player for that spot as the season progresses.