McCullough Remains Hamstrung by Injury

USC running back Sultan McCullough, battling transfer Justin Fargas for a starting job, said Wednesday he intends to seek outside medical treatment for a sore left hamstring because the condition is not improving.

McCullough, a senior who gained 1,163 yards two years ago, was mostly on the sidelines as Fargas took the majority of repetitions during two-a-day practices Tuesday and Wednesday. “I don’t know what to do,” McCullough said. “I keep going to therapy, but ice is not working.

“I need to see someone who knows about hamstrings and what I’ve got because I can’t keep doing the same thing I’ve been doing.

“I haven’t seen a specialist or doctor.... I’m going to have to go on my own outside of SC to get something done.”

McCullough missed the final six games last season because of a strained abdominal muscle and had surgery after the last regular-season game. He finished as the team’s leading rusher with 410 yards.

McCullough said he felt healthy Monday after the first day of camp, but hamstring swelling has since slowed him.

Trojan coaches said they are limiting McCullough’s reps because they do not want the condition to become chronic. But McCullough said he is frustrated sitting on the sidelines.

“I’m falling behind, but I can’t do anything about it,” he said. “I need somebody to say something to me or try to go help me or get something done, but I’ve got to go do something myself.

“Everyday I’m hoping to get better but doing nothing about it is not going to [help it] get better.

“They’re just telling me, ‘Mind over matter. If want to play you can come out here and play.’ But if I’m 85% and can’t do what I can do when I’m 100%, what’s the point of being out here?”

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Junior cornerback Marcell Allmond did not practice in the morning and was admitted in the afternoon to USC University Hospital where he was scheduled to remain overnight while being treated for an infection in his right knee.

Allmond, a converted receiver who was contending for a starting job in the secondary, performed well during the first two days of practice, but irritated stitches he received in the knee after being hit by a car last week.

Allmond said he began feeling ill after practice Tuesday.

“I was throwing up all night and couldn’t get out of bed [Wednesday] morning,” he said by phone from his hospital room. “My knee up to my thigh was swollen.”

Allmond said he eventually made it to the training room at USC and was taken to the hospital where he was treated for a 103-degree fever. He is receiving antibiotics and expects to miss at least a few days.

“It pretty much kills me not being there,” he said. “I’m fighting for a spot and I’ll be doing the same thing when I get back out there.”

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For the second time in three days, sophomore defensive end Kenechi Udeze returned a tipped pass for a touchdown during a full-squad drill against the first-team offense.

“We have a load of potential and we have experience,” said Udeze, a starter last season.

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With the Trojans set to begin workouts in full pads today, players did not wear shoulder pads during Wednesday afternoon’s light workout. “The third day of camp is traditionally the day that coaches always dread, but we had a great practice in the morning,” Coach Pete Carroll said....

Defensive lineman Daniel Urquhart was sidelined during the morning practice because of a stinger in his left shoulder and did not participate in afternoon drills....

Wide receiver Frank Candela, a 24-year-old redshirt freshman who played four years of minor league baseball, has left the team....

Former USC players are invited to attend Saturday’s practice. All practices are closed to the public.