Field Day Would Suit Kelly

When it comes to punt returns, most of the pregame hype for USC’s matchup with 12th-ranked Kansas State has focused on Wildcat return man Aaron Lockett, who led the nation with a 22.8-yard average last season. So USC returner Kareem Kelly has been itching to show what he can do.

Last week, Kelly had one return for 10 yards. San Jose State punter Michael Carr kept hitting short kicks that landed well in front of him.

In some regards, the strategy worked. A frustrated Kelly had to let the ball bounce harmlessly to a stop and Carr ended up with a 37.2-yard average. Kelly said he has learned from experience that short punts are the toughest to handle and trying to scoop up a bouncing ball can lead to disaster.

“I’m not going to make any stupid mistakes,” he said. “This game is real important.”

By the same token, he doesn’t want to be a bystander each time the Kansas State punter kicks.

“I’ll check him out in pregame and we can adjust from there,” Kelly said. “I want to get my hands on the ball.”

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Suspended receiver Marcell Allmond expects to meet with university officials Monday and, according to a source, is confident he can resolve the matter of his alleged involvement in a scuffle that took place off campus last month. .

Meanwhile, suspended linebacker Chris Prosser was still waiting Friday for an NCAA decision on his eligibility.

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How big a turnaround has Coach Bill Snyder engineered at Kansas State?

Consider that the Wildcats finished with a winning record only once in the 18 seasons prior to his arrival. In a dozen years since then, Snyder has won 99 games.