Trojans Get Their Backfield in Motion at Scrimmage

USC scrimmaged with its full complement of running backs available for the first time Sunday night and the results were predictable.

Reggie Bush and LenDale White showed no ill effects from recent injury problems and appeared to amp up the intensity of the entire team during the 74-play scrimmage.

Bush, who did not practice Friday and Saturday because of groin tightness, rushed for 76 yards in five carries and caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Matt Leinart.

White, who recently returned after missing five days -- and the team’s first scrimmage -- because of a toe injury, ran for 68 yards in 10 carries and scored on a 15-yard run.

“When we’re not in there and able to provide for the offense there’s a lot of energy loss,” Bush said.

Coach Pete Carroll had originally scheduled his team to practice on the artificial surface at Cromwell Field inside the school’s track facility. He said he changed his mind because the field does not provide enough room for the kicking game.

Leinart completed 12 of 20 passes for 187 yards. John David Booty was six for 13 for 56 yards and freshman Mark Sanchez did not complete any of his three attempts.

Kicker Mario Danelo made field goals of 27 and 42 yards and Dwayne Jarrett caught six passes for 94 yards.

But not everything went well for the Trojans, who were penalized 12 times.

“We were at our worst at the line of scrimmage tonight,” Carroll said. “That’s something that we totally have control over and I was real disappointed in that.”

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The Trojans were scheduled to spend their last night in a campus dormitory before moving out today in preparation for the start of school on Aug. 22.

On the night before move-out day last year, an alleged incident at an off-campus apartment complex where the Trojans were housed during training camp resulted in a sexual assault investigation.

Carroll said he did not expect any problems Sunday night.

“We’ll pay great attention to it and we’ll be all around,” he said. “We don’t want anything to happen. We had a very good camp and we want to end it on a good note.”

Earlier this week, Carroll said he was generally pleased with his players’ conduct. He chastised the team after several veterans shaved the head of freshman quarterback Sanchez -- which also happened to Booty two years ago when he was a freshman. Carroll also reprimanded players after a raucous water fight inside the dorm.

Asked if he was concerned about the behavior, Carroll said, “That’s kind of a boys-will-be-boys deal. Living together, there’s a little bit of Lord of the Flies going on.”

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Receiver Greig Carlson and tight end Fred Davis spent the entire practice running and performing punitive calisthenics. Carroll would not specify the reason why. Carlson said he was late for a meeting.