Chance to Get Old Hands on Deck

Open dates on USC’s schedule usually portend a week of extended practice opportunities for young players and reserves.

The top-ranked Trojans, however, will focus this week and next on working some of their mainstays back into the fold for their game against Notre Dame on Nov. 27 and the regular-season finale against UCLA on Dec. 4.

“We’ll kind of go the other way a little bit,” Coach Pete Carroll said Sunday. “The guys who have missed time will be the guys we’ll try to get rounded back into shape and get them going.”

Flanker Steve Smith, who has missed five games because of a fractured fibula, is expected to join full-squad workouts this week. Safety Scott Ware (foot strain) also could return.

Offensive lineman John Drake (high ankle sprain), cornerback Kevin Arbet (knee sprain) and receiver Chris McFoy (knee sprain) are among other players who will begin a concerted push to be ready for Notre Dame.

USC demonstrated again on Saturday that it could withstand the loss of key players.

In addition to those already sidelined, defensive tackle Manuel Wright sustained a high ankle sprain during a 49-9 rout of Arizona that improved the Trojans’ record to 10-0 and extended their winning streak to 19 games.

USC remained atop both major polls and will hold onto the No. 1 spot in the bowl championship series standings today.

But after losing three fumbles, the Trojans nosedived in the statistical category Carroll values most. USC, which went into the game ranked second nationally in turnover margin, fell into a four-way tie for fifth place.

In 2003, USC lost 13 of 20 fumbles. The Trojans already have lost 11 of 22 this season with two regular-season games and a bowl game remaining.

“It’s an enormous emphasis.... Our guys want to do the right thing, it’s not that they’re not trying to, but we need a bigger conscience about it to take care of it,” Carroll said.

Carroll also remains concerned about kicker Ryan Killeen, who missed a 27-yard field-goal attempt against Arizona and has made only seven of 16 tries.

After the game Saturday, Carroll acknowledged he would be worried if the Trojans found themselves in a close game. On Sunday, Carroll said he would “open the competition up” for backup Mario Danelo, but the coach also said Killeen would still get the first opportunity in the next game.

“He did well coming off the bye last time and maybe we’ll go back to basics again,” Carroll said. “He’ll kick the first one for us next time we get a shot and we’ll see what happens from there.

“In my mind, it’s like any other position. You’ve got to take a good look at the other guy and make sure he’s ready to go, and if we have some problems then he’s going to kick.”

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Defensive lineman LaJuan Ramsey played much of the game after Wright was injured and will get extensive work in practice during the next two weeks, Carroll said....

Freshman tight end Fred Davis was suspended for the Arizona game because of academic issues. Carroll said he expected Davis to return for the regular team meeting today.