Leinart Is Set to Start Scrimmage

USC temporarily settled its quarterback situation Friday when Coach Pete Carroll said redshirt freshman Matt Leinart would take the first snaps in today’s scrimmage at the Coliseum.

“If we were playing a football game, Matt Leinart would start the game,” Carroll said. “Going into spring that wasn’t the case, but it proves that spring football can be of tremendous value in terms of competitive settings and guys can improve their stature.”

A depth chart released Friday listed Leinart, redshirt sophomore Matt Cassel, junior transfer Brandon Hance and redshirt freshman Billy Hart in boldface type, denoting all of them as projected starters. Carroll said Leinart held a slight edge over the others but stopped well short of naming Leinart as the starter for the Aug. 30 opener at Auburn.

“The competition remains open,” Carroll said.

Before spring practice began last month, Carroll said he wanted to settle on a replacement for Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer by the end of the 15 workouts.

The performance of all four quarterbacks made it a virtual dead heat by the end of Thursday’s 13th practice. Afterward, Carroll said he would not be able to determine a starter by Friday.

But after watching more film and discussing the options with offensive coordinator Norm Chow and Steve Sarkisian, the coaching staff chose Leinart, who did not throw a pass last season and last played extensively at Santa Ana Mater Dei High in 2000.

“All of the coaches were in agreement,” Chow said. “We liked his command of the offense. We were looking for efficiency, not the next Heisman Trophy winner.”

“I’m definitely not going to take this for granted,” Leinart, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound left-hander, said. “I’m going to go out there and still work as hard as I have been working.”

Cassel was Palmer’s backup last season and held a slight edge over the others when training camp began. He said he still intends to win the job.

“We have a whole bunch of time before the first game; there’s a lot of time to improve,” Cassel said.

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Today’s scrimmage begins at 11 a.m.... Freshman Darnell Bing, who enrolled in January, will start at strong safety. Kevin Arbet, who sat out last season because of a broken bone in his foot, will start at cornerback opposite returning starter Marcell Allmond. Transfer Lofa Tatupu and freshman Oscar Lua, who had knee surgery in December, are listed as co-No. 1s at middle linebacker. Freshman Dominque Byrd supplanted Gregg Guenther as the No. 2 tight end behind Alex Holmes. Freshman Brandon Hancock is the starting fullback. Freshman Fred Matua is the starting right guard.