Focus Builds on Hawaii Trip

Training camp routines, two-a-day workouts and simulated games are behind them.

After a day off from football for the start of classes, USC players returned to practice Tuesday knowing their departure for the Sept. 3 opener at Hawaii was just more than a week away.

“You can feel it, the game is right around the corner and the urgency and the attitude is there, the enthusiasm and the energy,” quarterback Matt Leinart said. “We’re just fighting at the bit to get out there and play against someone else.”

Coach Pete Carroll said the Trojans would spend this week “trying to understand the themes of each day,” which the team follows before a game.

“We won’t give out game plan stuff until next week, but we certainly are started with the preparation,” Carroll said.

Leinart, backup John David Booty and freshman Mark Sanchez divided repetitions throughout training camp, but Leinart and Booty will handle the bulk leading up to the game.

“The first order of business is to make sure that Matt is real confident in what we’re doing in the plan and then dump as much work as we can to the other guys so that they’re ready also,” Carroll said. “That has to go to John David for the most part.”

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Oscar Lua, who was in line to start the opener at middle linebacker, wore a protective boot and said he did not practice because of a bruised muscle in his lower leg. Lua participated in the Trojans’ scrimmage at the Coliseum on Sunday, but said he felt pain in his foot that night.

“The MRI and the X-rays were negative, so with treatment, I could be back in two or three days,” he said.

Redshirt sophomore Thomas Williams worked at middle linebacker with the first unit for most of the day and said he would be ready to start or play extensively if called upon.

“I look at it as a window of opportunity,” he said. “Right now, it’s ‘compete, compete, compete.’ Here it is, ‘Competition Tuesday,’ and I got a chance to go with the ones all day.”

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Asked what he thought of the new Harris poll that will be used as part of the formula to determine BCS standings, Carroll said, “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

When Carroll was informed that the 114-member panel that will vote in the poll included former coaches such as Lou Holtz and Earle Bruce, who Carroll worked under as an assistant, Carroll grinned and asked, “So now I should send them Christmas cards?”