Williams Says He’ll Gear Up for the Irish

Mike Williams said it was not an optical illusion.

USC’s freshman receiver acknowledged Monday that he was a step slow Saturday against UCLA when he mishandled one pass and could not catch up to another that probably would have resulted in a touchdown.

It was the second consecutive game that Williams struggled because of a thigh bruise.

“I’ve been missing a gear,” Williams said. “I can’t top out. But I’m getting that back. Today I felt light and carefree with no pain at all.”

Williams’ 997 yards receiving are a Pacific 10 Conference freshman record. He caught six passes for 66 yards against UCLA, but did not have a touchdown reception for the first time in eight games.

Williams said he would be at full strength for Saturday’s regular-season finale between sixth-ranked USC and No. 7 Notre Dame at the Coliseum.

“The last two weeks, I haven’t performed as well as my teammates or the fans have been accustomed to,” Williams said. “This week’s game presents a perfect opportunity to show everybody that I’m back.”

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Offensive coordinator Norm Chow said officials at Utah have not contacted him regarding their head coaching position.

Utah, which defeated USC in the Las Vegas Bowl last year, fired Ron McBride on Monday, two days after the Utes completed a 5-6 season. Chow is regarded as a natural candidate because he played on the offensive line for Utah in 1965-67 and coached at Brigham Young for 27 seasons.

“No one’s called and I’m not calling them,” Chow said. “It’s a mixed bag. Can you go home? Do you want to go back? ... I’m not sitting around looking to be a head coach.”

Chow, however, said he would not rule out talking to schools about head coaching positions if contacted.

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USC moved up to No. 6 in the bowl championship series standings.... Center Norm Katnik did not practice because of a left ankle sprain suffered against UCLA, but said he expected to play Saturday.... Freshman fullback Brandon Hancock had an MRI exam for a right knee injury suffered in the fourth quarter against UCLA. He said it was a sprain that would not prevent him from playing Saturday.