Depth Is Wearing Thin at Cornerback

After a light practice Monday, USC was hopeful that defensive back and returner Kevin Arbet can make it back from an ankle sprain by midweek.

The junior returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown and ran back two punts for 18 yards before he was hurt Saturday against Arizona. His return becomes all the more important because backup cornerback Darrell Rideaux also suffered an ankle sprain after replacing him.

“I just played through it because Kevin Arbet was hurt and we had no more reserves,” Rideaux said. “The pain was unbearable.”

Rideaux watched practice with a protective boot on his injured left ankle and is less likely to return for Saturday’s game against Oregon State. If neither cornerback is available, Coach Pete Carroll said he might switch safety Antuan Simmons back to cornerback and play reserve safety DeShaun Hill.

Several other players injured in the 41-34 win at Arizona, among them Simmons and linebacker Frank Strong, participated in drills Monday.

Linebacker Chris Prosser, out three weeks with a concussion, has undergone additional tests to determine the extent of his injury.

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The Trojans are at the point in the schedule when any freshman who hasn’t played is likely to redshirt. In that group are defensive back John Walker and quarterback Matt Leinart, though Carroll would not rule out using Leinart.

“I’ll always leave the door open for whatever we have got to do to win games,” he said.

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Cornerback Kris Richard, whose 58-yard interception return provided the winning touchdown against Arizona , was named the Pacific 10 Conference’s defensive player of the week.

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This season, for the first time since 1997, USC will play a football game that will not be televised. No network has picked up the Nov. 10 game at winless California, snapping a 48-game streak for the Trojans. Kickoff time has been set for 12:30.