Pinkard Is Focus of Attention

Safety Josh Pinkard’s increasing value to USC’s defense can be measured in a number of ways.

On Tuesday, it was evident by the number of times Coach Pete Carroll checked on Pinkard’s condition after the sophomore slammed into a fence that rings one of the Trojans’ practice fields.

USC players and coaches rarely miss a beat when that type of incident occurs. The Trojans move from one drill to the next without pause as team medical personnel attend to the fallen.

But Pinkard, who has intercepted two passes and is also playing as a nickel back for a unit hit hard by injuries and illness, kept Carroll on his toes.

Carroll checked on Pinkard three times during a 15-minute span as trainers examined his neck and his right knee and ankle.

“He’s playing as a first-teamer and rotating in for special situations and special teams as well,” Carroll said. “We’re counting on him every step of the way.”

Pinkard said he hit his head against the fence, which sits about seven feet off the southern sideline of an auxiliary practice field, but said his neck felt fine. X-rays of his knee and ankle were negative.

“It was very scary,” he said. “If you’ve never been in a situation like that you don’t know what to expect.”

Carroll said he was surprised the Trojans have not had more incidents with the fence.

“That’s the first time anybody’s really hit it,” Carroll said. “I’ve always wondered how we survived all these snaps.”

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Reggie Bush, who had a career-high 30 touches against Oregon, did individual drills but stayed out of contact again because he remains sore from his workload against the Ducks.

“I’ve had like six bags of ice on me everywhere -- I tend to look like the Iceman,” Bush said.

Bush is expected to practice in the next few days in preparation for Saturday’s game against No. 14 Arizona State.

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Flanker Steve Smith (shin bruise) and defensive lineman LaJuan Ramsey (ankle sprain) returned to practice.... Sophomore defensive lineman Jeff Schweiger practiced for the first time since the first day of training camp, when he broke a bone in his right foot that required surgery.... Offensive lineman Drew Radovich did not practice because of a lingering hip injury and said he would have surgery after the season.... Kickoff for USC’s game against Arizona on Oct. 8 has been set for 12:30 p.m. The game will be televised by FSN.... Verle Sorgen, coordinator of football officiating for the Pacific 10 Conference, said he would review two penalty calls that nullified apparent Oregon touchdowns during USC’s 45-13 victory over the Ducks. Sorgen said that at first glance, an apparent fourth-quarter touchdown should have counted. Sorgen said it appeared that an Oregon player made an illegal block during receiver Cameron Colvin’s six-yard run. But Sorgen said the infraction appeared to have occurred after Colvin was in the end zone.