Smith Breaks Left Leg

Steve Smith, USC’s leading receiver, suffered a broken leg during the Trojans’ 23-17 victory over California on Saturday and is expected to sit out most of the remainder of the regular season.

Smith, a sophomore flanker, broke his left fibula when he dived for a 31-yard reception that set up USC’s only second-half touchdown.

Smith also had a 45-yard reception in the second quarter that helped set up the first of Ryan Killeen’s three field goals.

“It’s tough to lose our go-to guy,” said quarterback Matt Leinart, who connected with Smith on 27 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns this season.

Chris McFoy moved into Smith’s spot after the injury and finished with two catches for 20 yards. Jason Mitchell had one catch for five yards.

Receivers coach Lane Kiffin said Mitchell, Greig Carlson, William Buchanon and John Walker would compete for the third receiver position this week. The coaching staff also is expected to consider moving freshman tight end Fred Davis back to receiver.

Freshman Dwayne Jarrett, who had four receptions for 37 yards and a touchdown, said all of the Trojan receivers and running backs would shoulder the load in Smith’s absence. “The receivers have to step up more, myself included,” Jarrett said.

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Less than a week after stock-car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. let an expletive slip out on NBC, resulting in the network’s going with a five-second delay in NASCAR coverage, another vulgarity made it on the air during ESPN’s “GameDay” college football pregame show at the Coliseum.

It was heard after host Chris Fowler went to contributor Rocket Ismail for a live report. Ismail could not be heard, but the vulgarity could be, loud and clear. Fowler apologized to the audience.

ESPN spokesman Mac Nwulu said a technician on the production crew had given Ismail the wrong microphone. Nwulu said it was believed the vulgarity came from the technician, who was holding the live microphone. He said it did not come from Ismail.

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Times staff writer Larry Stewart contributed to this report.