Shoulder Problems End Barrett’s Season

USC’s depth along the defensive line took a hit on Thursday when freshman defensive end Chris Barrett was declared out for the season because of shoulder problems.

Barrett, who backed up junior Kenechi Udeze and played against Brigham Young and Hawaii, has a dislocated left shoulder and a loose right shoulder, USC officials said.

Barrett, 6 feet 5, 250 pounds, is awaiting results from an MRI exam. No surgery has been scheduled.

“He got nicked in practice the other day, and it’s something that’s bothered him since he was a sophomore in high school,” USC Coach Pete Carroll said.

Redshirt junior Van Brown, who sat out the first three games because of a groin injury, has practiced for two weeks and will back up Udeze in the third-ranked Trojans’ Pacific 10 Conference opener Saturday at California.

Carroll said tackle LaJuan Ramsey could also play the position if necessary.

*

Sophomore Dallas Sartz continues to prosper in his transition from linebacker to safety.

Sartz, 6-5, 220 pounds, switched positions before the Hawaii game and made three tackles in the Trojans’ 61-32 victory.

Carroll said Sartz has worked himself into the spot behind starters Darnell Bing, the strong safety, and Jason Leach, the free safety.

“I’m feeling better back there,” Sartz said. “All of the other safeties have been really helpful.”

*

Last season against Cal, senior tailback Sultan McCullough rushed for 176 yards in 39 carries, the most carries by a Trojan tailback since Steven Webster ran 40 times against Washington in 1987.

Sophomore tailback Hershel Dennis has vivid memories of the game.

“I remember Sultan having a good game and me having a bad one,” said Dennis, who incurred the wrath of the coaching staff when he attempted to return a kickoff from deep in the end zone.

“I definitely want to make up for that.”

Dennis leads the team with 177 rushing yards in 46 carries.

*

With travel rosters limited to 60 players for Pac-10 games, Carroll said quarterback Billy Hart would be among those not making the trip to Cal.... USC has won 19 of its last 25 conference openers on the road.... Daryl Gross, a senior associate athletic director at USC, said it was too early to consider what impact, if any, there would be on scheduling of the USC-Notre Dame series if Notre Dame joined the Atlantic Coast Conference. “That game has so much history, and everyone always has nonconference games, we would always keep that thing going,” Gross said.