Injuries Might Mean Pinkard Gets to Start

Josh Pinkard, a sophomore who moved from safety to cornerback during practice last week, could start for top-ranked USC against Washington State, Coach Pete Carroll said Sunday.

Pinkard played the new position on Saturday after cornerback John Walker suffered an ankle sprain late in the first quarter of USC’s 51-24 victory over Washington at Seattle. Carroll said Walker remained sore and that he was questionable for this Saturday’s game against Washington State at the Coliseum.

Carroll moved the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Pinkard to cornerback after Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn picked apart USC’s injury-thinned secondary Oct. 15. Carroll said Pinkard “has no choice” but to be ready to start if needed against a Washington State team that ranks sixth nationally in total offense.

“He’s going to have to go fast,” Carroll said. “I think this is a kid that can handle it.”

Pinkard, who made four tackles against Washington, has intercepted two passes this season.

Against Washington, he also played one of the “gunner” positions on the kickoff coverage team. Pinkard ran down the right side of the field on the opening kickoff, then gave chase as Washington’s Marlon Wood returned the opening kickoff 92 yards along the opposite sideline.

Pinkard caught Wood and tackled him at the USC eight yard-line, preventing a touchdown.

“When he gets a chance, he can run everybody down,” Carroll said.

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After playing five of its first seven games on the road, USC will not leave the state for the rest of the regular season.

The Trojans play Washington State and Stanford at home and then travel to Berkeley to play California. USC concludes the regular season with home games against Fresno State and UCLA.

“It’s going to be great to be at home,” safety Scott Ware said after the victory over Washington. “All this traveling does take something out of you. It’s going to be fun to be able to do something as simple as walk back to the apartment after a game.”

Linebacker Thomas Williams said the Trojans proved something to themselves by winning in front of hostile crowds at Oregon, Arizona State and Notre Dame.

“We handled this great as far as trying to take everybody’s best shot,” he said.

Said Carroll: “Fortunately, we made it through and survived.”

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USC accumulated only 390 yards against Washington -- 223 fewer than its previous average -- but the Trojans remain first nationally in total offense with an average of 581.1 yards a game. The Trojans also are first in scoring with an average of 49 points a game.... Carroll said he spoke to kicker Mario Danelo at halftime after Danelo missed an extra-point attempt in the second quarter after a five-yard penalty. Danelo also missed an extra point against Notre Dame. “I said, ‘Let’s get real about it,’ ” Carroll said. ... Linebacker Keith Rivers sat out much of the game because of hamstring soreness, but he was feeling better Sunday, according to Carroll. Linebacker Oscar Lua played despite twisting his ankle early in the game.