Players-Only Meeting Held

With USC losing three consecutive games, senior cornerback Kris Richard had a gut feeling it was time to call a players-only meeting.

“Pull the guys aside and let them know,” he said. “We were letting things slip through our fingers and it was time to grasp them.”

Word spread from player to player during practice Wednesday. After the final horn sounded, as the coaches headed inside, the team gathered in a far corner of the field. Seniors did most of the talking.

Fullback Charlie Landrigan reminded the younger guys that playing No. 11 Washington in Husky Stadium could be one of the biggest games of their careers. Receiver Kareem Kelly had a strong message, telling his teammates: “Things have got to change.”

Kelly had backed up those words earlier in the afternoon, getting into a shoving match with defensive tackle Bernard Riley, who outweighs him by 125 pounds.

“We all need to show a little more fire,” he said.

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A medical update on three defensive starters: The MRI on tackle Ryan Nielsen’s right shoulder was negative but doctors have ordered him to rest until next week. End Bobby DeMars is expected to miss at least two weeks because of a sprained neck. Linebacker Matt Grootegoed was not cleared to practice Wednesday but will probably travel with the team to Seattle in hopes his shoulder can recover enough to allow for a few plays on Saturday.