Cody Is Eager to Beat Irish

USC arrived here Thursday evening for the first night of a two-night stay before playing Notre Dame.

The Trojans will practice this morning at a local high school and then bus about 40 minutes for a walk-through at Notre Dame Stadium in the afternoon.

Trojan defensive tackle Shaun Cody will be making his third trip to Notre Dame Stadium, where the Trojans have won once since 1981.

Cody visited Notre Dame as a recruit when he was a senior at Hacienda Heights Los Altos High, and he played against the Fighting Irish in 2001 when the Trojans lost, 27-16.

Cody, however, could not play in last year’s 44-13 rout of Notre Dame in the regular-season finale at the Coliseum because of a season-ending knee injury he suffered in the sixth game against California.

“Not being able to play in last year’s win and being a part of the loss two years ago, it feels like I haven’t got a win against Notre Dame,” Cody said earlier this week. “So I feel like I’m personally going to go out there and get a win for the Trojans.”

Cody recorded 2 1/2 sacks on Oct. 4 against Arizona State, prompting Coach Pete Carroll to say that Cody’s knee is no longer an issue.

“It’s something I’m used to now,” Cody said. “I’ve come to the point where I’m never going to be flying around like I thought I was, but I’ve adapted.”

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USC receiver Mike Williams will see some familiar faces Saturday.

Williams, a 6-foot-5 sophomore who has 39 receptions for 631 yards and seven touchdowns, attended Plant High in Tampa, Fla.

Notre Dame cornerbacks Dwight Ellick and Preston Jackson also attended high school in Tampa.

Ellick, a 5-10 junior from Wharton High, started at right cornerback last week against Pittsburgh and is listed first on the depth chart.

Jackson, a 5-9 senior from Hillsborough High, started the first four games and is listed as Ellick’s back-up.

“Preston’s high school and mine have one of the biggest rivalries in our state,” Williams said. “We didn’t beat them at all in high school, so it was good to beat them last year.”

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While USC has no players from Indiana, Notre Dame lists four players from Southland schools on its roster.

Sophomore receiver Rhema McKnight from La Palma Kennedy High, has caught 19 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns.

Others: safety Freddie Parish (Long Beach Poly); sophomore offensive lineman James Bonelli (Ventura St. Bonaventure) and sophomore defensive end Chris Frome (Newhall Hart).

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USC’s Matt Grootegoed is one of 11 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, given annually to the nation’s best linebacker.