Punter a Victim of Team’s Success

Tom Malone was an All-American in 2003 and is a candidate for the Ray Guy Award, presented annually to the nation’s top punter.

USC’s offense, however, is keeping Malone off the list of NCAA leaders again.

Malone, a junior, is averaging 45 yards a kick. But he has punted only 21 times, one shy of the minimum necessary to qualify at the NCAA standard of 3.6 punts a game.

He would be ranked 10th nationally if he qualified.

Malone averaged a school-record 49 yards for 42 punts in 2003 but finished five kicks shy of the NCAA minimum.

“I think I made it through nine games last year before I dropped out,” Malone said Thursday.

“It seems like every year, the first few games you punt more, then it goes down. I don’t know how it will work out, but I’m not worried about it.”

Seven of Malone’s kicks this season have traveled at least 50 yards, including two for 62 yards.

He punted five times in the opener against Virginia Tech but has not kicked more than four times in a game since.

USC plays 1-5 Washington on Saturday in a game that does not figure to keep Malone very busy.

“You never know,” he said. “Last year, some of the games that I got most the punts were the games that we won by a lot.”

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It appears that USC’s streak of sellout crowds will end at two.

The Trojans drew more than 90,000 for games against California and Arizona State, but Saturday’s game is expected to draw 75,000 to 80,000.

Defensive tackle Shaun Cody is hoping that the noise level remains high.

“Arizona State had two [false start] penalties the first series because of the crowd,” Cody said. “That set them back on their heels and we took over from there.”

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Senior safety Greg Farr was fitted with orthotics to ease his left foot strain and he practiced for the first time in more than two weeks.

“There’s still some aching but I have to fight through the pain,” he said. “I’m limited in the number of games I have left so I have to make the most of it.”

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The NCAA’s decision not to reinstate Mike Williams’ eligibility still stings Coach Pete Carroll.

Asked for his reaction to the organization’s decision not to penalize former Washington coach Rick Neuheisel for participating in a NCAA basketball tournament pool, Carroll said: “Good for him, good for Rick. He’s obviously faring a little better with the NCAA than we did.”