He Doesn’t Want to Hit Wall Too Early

Training camp began Saturday, and USC wasted no time launching the search for a kicker. David Newbury, Anthony Boscarini and junior college transfer David Davis took turns throughout the morning and afternoon practices.

Standing to one side, however, was sophomore John Wall. Wall started much of last season but missed the final three games because of a torn knee ligament. He is on the mend, taking limited kicks, hoping to go full swing before the end of camp.

“I feel great actually,” he said. “I just can’t try to do everything and kill myself.”

Wall learned to be patient during a recovery process that lasted all spring and half the summer, a stretch during which he says he nearly gave up a few times.

“It’s a long camp,” he said. “I’ll get better each day.”

Matt Grootegoed and Frank Strong got passing marks Saturday, the first day of their switch from safety to outside linebacker.

“They both showed tremendous bursts chasing the football,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “I saw enough to be excited.”

Both players got fooled by the counter play. But Grootegoed seemed at ease in his new spot, hitting runners in the backfield, and Strong seemed to be enjoying the experiment.

“I’m closer to the line, playing with bigger guys, so it’s a challenge,” he said. “I’m just trying to have fun out there.”

Carroll had expectations for the first day. He expected to see fumbles, fumbled snaps and players jumping offside. The coach was pleasantly surprised.

“Guys have obviously stayed together over the summer,” he said. “You can tell because they’re playing with technique, running right off the bat.”

Cornerback Antuan Simmons was held out of practice because of illness. Team doctors are being cautious with the senior because he missed last season after life-threatening complications from abdominal surgery. . . . Fullback Chad Pierson is participating in only one of two practices each day, recovering from lower back pain that bothered him in the off-season.