Injuries Thin Line Ranks

USC’s veteran offensive line is expected to be a strength this season, but the Trojans are struggling to keep starters healthy in preparation for their Aug. 30 opener at Auburn.

Senior center Norm Katnik became the latest casualty Wednesday when his left knee locked up during the afternoon practice. He limped off the field and was carted away for X-rays.

“[Our] numbers just went in the tank here all of a sudden,” Coach Pete Carroll said.

Said Kyle Williams, a redshirt freshman tackle who did not practice because of a concussion suffered Tuesday: “We’re dropping like flies.”

Katnik said “nothing was torn, no rupture of the tendon,” and that he expected to miss a couple days because of the knee strain.

Katnik might join senior left guard Lenny Vandermade and senior left tackle Jacob Rogers on the stationary bikes they have been riding on the sideline to keep fit while nursing foot injuries.

USC began training camp down a lineman because senior Eric Torres is recovering from a broken ankle suffered in the Orange Bowl and is not expected back until late September. Carroll said there is no timetable for Rogers’ return. He said Vandermade was “just going to have to tough it out because it’s not going to go away and get a whole lot better.’”

Freshmen center Ryan Kalil, guard Sam Baker and tackle Drew Radovich have helped fill the void, and freshman Fili Moala was moved Wednesday from defense to offense.

Carroll chose to look at the bright side.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for the freshmen and will help us down the road,” he said.

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Freshman quarterback John David Booty looked alternately sharp and rusty in his return to practice after three days of inactivity because of back soreness.

Offensive coordinator Norm Chow said that Booty received an epidural injection on Tuesday to relieve stiffness.

“It made a world of difference,” said Booty, who ended practice with a 40-yard pass to freshman receiver Steve Smith. “It was heaven sent for me because I sure needed some relief.

“The idea was to get it calmed down and now strengthen it so that it doesn’t re-occur.”

Booty is now competing for a back-up role -- sophomore Matt Leinart is on track to start the opener -- a fact made clear when Carroll addressed the distribution of repetitions for other quarterbacks in practice.

“Once you take care of Matt Leinart and we get him ready there’s not enough snaps to go around,” Carroll said.

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Cornerback Kevin Arbet worked briefly at safety because starters Jason Leach (illness) and Darnell Bing (hamstring) and backup Mike Ross (foot) were sidelined. “It was just a precautionary move,” Arbet said.... Carroll said cornerbacks Will Poole (hamstring) and Ronald Nunn (groin) could be back in a day or two.