Cody Goes Back Inside, but He’s Still Looking Out

Shaun Cody got what he wanted when he moved from defensive tackle to end last week against Brigham Young.

Free of the double-team schemes he encountered inside, Cody helped USC to victory and was credited with a career-best three sacks.

Cody, however, will start at tackle today against Stanford because Manuel Wright struggled as a starter at tackle against BYU. Redshirt freshman Lawrence Jackson returns to the starting lineup at end.

“It was fun while it lasted,” Cody said of starting at end. “I’m sure I’ll be back out there, depending on how they rotate guys in.”

Cody had 2.5 sacks last year against Arizona State and finished the season with six. He has a team-high four sacks for minus-47 yards this season.

Senior defensive tackle Mike Patterson has 3.5 sacks for 23 yards.

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Junior running back Hershel Dennis, who rushed for 18 yards in three carries against BYU, hopes to get a few more chances today.

Dennis started every game last season, but sophomores LenDale White and Reggie Bush surged while Dennis was suspended for the first two games this year.

Dennis got increased repetitions in practice this week because White has an ankle sprain. If the ankle hinders White, Dennis could play more.

“He’s ready to jump in there,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “We’re in good shape.”

Quarterback Matt Leinart said the Trojans would benefit with Dennis in the offense.

“Reggie and LenDale obviously are having great seasons and doing their thing, but Hershel just brings another weapon to the offense, just like we had last year,” Leinart said.

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Today’s game marks the sixth time that Stanford is playing the No. 1 team in the nation. The Cardinal is 1-3-1 against top-ranked teams, 0-2-1 against USC when the Trojans are ranked No. 1.

Stanford scored its only victory over a No. 1 team in 1990, when the Cardinal defeated Notre Dame at South Bend, Ind., 36-31.

In 1979, Stanford tied top-ranked USC, 21-21, coming back from a 21-0 deficit.