McCullough Is In It for the Long Run

Sultan McCullough feels as if he’s playing a waiting game, waiting to break his first long run of the season.

The sophomore tailback, known for his sprinter’s speed, had a quiet 91 yards against Colorado--scoring on a five-yard run in the third quarter--and a bruising 128 yards against Penn State. Neither of those efforts included anything resembling a 100-yard dash.

“I’m not worried,” he said. “It’s going to come. I’ve just got to be ready.”

Coach Paul Hackett has talked this week about giving McCullough more big-play opportunities. That could include playing him in more one-back formations, a privilege McCullough said he has earned by proving to coaches he can pass block.

It could also include letting him run outside more often instead of keeping him between the tackles.

McCullough set a goal for himself to outrush the opposing tailback each week, a goal he already missed when Colorado’s Marcus Houston ran for 150 yards last Saturday.

Next comes San Jose State’s Deonce Whitaker and Oregon State’s Ken Simonton, currently the No. 3 and 4 rushers in the nation.

“I feel like I’m ready to run for 200 yards,” McCullough said. “One big run might be all it takes to set me off.”

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Once again, USC was missing an unusual number of players Thursday in the last full practice of an off week.

The team continued to be bothered by an illness that has kept eight to 10 players out of action each day.

“It’s the flu or a virus of some sort,” Hackett said. “It hasn’t even been the dormitory guys. It’s the guys who are living out in the apartments.”

In addition, offensive lineman Joe McGuire and tight end Gregg Guenther Jr. will have their sore backs evaluated today.