Reed Stands Out in Scrimmage

Desmond Reed, accustomed to playing the understudy to Heisman finalist Reggie Bush, showed again Sunday that USC has more than one electrifying playmaker in its backfield stable.

On a day when Chauncey Washington got most of the carries, Reed produced the biggest plays during the Trojans’ annual spring scrimmage before a Coliseum crowd that school officials estimated at 15,000.

“Flashy, just as always, real flashy,” Coach Pete Carroll said of Reed, who had a 45-yard run and a 60-yard kickoff return.

Reed arrived at USC in 2003 as part of a recruiting class that included Bush, Washington and LenDale White. He practiced as a defensive back and wide receiver while redshirting as a freshman, then switched to running back last spring and played mainly on special teams in 2004.

He is hoping for a larger role in the backfield rotation this season.

“They overlook me because I’m only 5-9,” Reed said, laughing. “But I’m content to wait my turn. Any time I get some plays, I’m jumping right in there. Anything I can do to help the team.”

Washington suffered an ankle injury in 2003 and was academically ineligible last season. With White not participating in spring practice to focus on academic issues and Bush coming off arthroscopic shoulder surgery, Washington received most of the carries during the first three weeks of workouts. The trend continued Sunday when he gained 40 yards in 20 carries and scored on two short touchdown runs during the 93-play scrimmage.

“We really wanted to give him a chance to show what he could do over the long haul, like he was the starting tailback, to see what he would look like,” Carroll said.

Senior fullback David Kirtman caught touchdown passes of 40 yards from John David Booty and eight yards from Rocky Hinds.

Booty completed 11 of 15 passes for 155 yards with one interception.

“Sometimes the best days aren’t always when you complete the most passes; it’s when you learn the most,” Booty said.

Hinds completed eight of 18 passes for 79 yards. Freshman safety Kevin Ellison and junior safety Ryan Ting intercepted consecutive passes by Hinds and returned them for 45- and 18-yard touchdowns.

“I need to work on making a little better decisions,” Hinds said.

Walk-on quarterback Michael McDonald completed six of 11 passes for 101 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Fred Davis.

Mario Danelo made both of his field-goal attempts from 34 and 38 yards.

Linebacker Keith Rivers had nine tackles and walk-on cornerback Jerry Williams had eight tackles and deflected three passes.

Carroll said he was pleased with the play of defensive linemen Sedrick Ellis, LaJuan Ramsey and Fili Moala, who are trying to fill the void left by All-American tackles Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson.

“We don’t have the experience and all the kind of stuff that those guys brought us in their later years, but they look like those guys when they were sophomores,” Carroll said.

“So, hopefully, we can continue to get these guys tuned in and get some good play out of them.”

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Senior safety Scott Ware intercepted a pass by Booty.... Steve Smith caught four passes for 33 yards, Whitney Lewis three for 59 yards.... After the scrimmage, players signed autographs and posed for pictures for an hour at the peristyle end of the Coliseum. The line to take a photo with Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Matt Leinart extended about a quarter of the way around the inside of the stadium.... The Trojans conclude spring practice with workouts on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.