He Is No. 2 but Wants to Be No. 1

USC tailback Sultan McCullough switched numbers four times in the last week while waiting for his left hamstring to heal.

McCullough’s No. 4 practice jersey was too large, so he donned 19, 46, even Marcus Allen’s retired No. 33 while he paced the sideline and sat on the trainer’s table as teammate after teammate joined the injured list.

On Thursday, McCullough wore No. 2 as he began his push to become the Trojans’ No. 1 tailback. He returned to contact drills and did not appear tentative making sharp cuts and absorbing several solid hits.

“You can’t get timid--that’s when you’re going to hurt it again,” said McCullough, a senior who was the team’s leading rusher the last two seasons. “I go out and give my all. If anything happens, it happens.”

McCullough began training camp listed behind transfer Justin Fargas on the depth chart. But with Fargas and Darryl Poston slowed because of hamstring problems, McCullough can make a move to the starting lineup for the Sept. 2 opener against Auburn.

Poston could be up to speed by today. Fargas, however, is expected to sit out a scrimmage on Saturday and not return until Monday, Coach Pete Carroll said.

The Trojans, therefore, are taking it slow with McCullough.

“We didn’t want to put him in more than a couple plays in a row,” Carroll said. “We wanted to make sure we didn’t fatigue him and put him in a vulnerable position.”

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William Buchanon became the latest player to switch from offense to defense as the Trojans continue searching for depth at cornerback.

Buchanon, a 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman from Oceanside, was moved from receiver to the same position his father, Willie, played as an All-American at San Diego State in 1971 and during an 11-year NFL career with the Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers.

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Freshman linebacker Dallas Sartz stood out for the second consecutive day, intercepting a pass, knocking down another and almost intercepting a third.

Sartz, 6 feet 5, 210 pounds, is playing behind Matt Grootegoed at strongside linebacker.

“Being 6-5 out there is such an advantage,” Carroll said. “He’s such a natural athlete and he has such tremendous range, if he gets in the same place other guys do, he has a lot more playmaking range.”

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Quarterback Matt Cassel, who has a chipped bone in his right knee, is scheduled to return to drills on Monday, but Carroll said that Matt Leinart is probably the No. 2 quarterback behind Carson Palmer for the Auburn game.... Senior receiver Kareem Kelly, out since Sunday because of a right hamstring strain, returned to contact drills.... Defensive lineman Kenechi Udeze, who had an MRI exam Wednesday night, practiced and said he had a bruised bone in his left knee.... Freshman defensive lineman LaJuan Ramsey did not practice because he is not yet approved by the NCAA clearinghouse. Compton Dominguez High was late in sending Ramsey’s transcripts. Carroll said Ramsey can rejoin practice when the NCAA approves the transcripts.... Linebacker Melvin Simmons blocked a 50-yard field-goal attempt by David Davis at the end of a two-minute drill.