Line gets help as Williams returns

USC practiced at midday Thursday, allowing players and coaches to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends.

Coach Pete Carroll retired to his office especially thankful that the Trojans’ offensive line finally came back together after illness and injury disrupted preparation for Saturday’s game against Notre Dame.

“It was a little bit messed up because of the offensive line, but they came back and they were fine,” Carroll said.

Right tackle Kyle Williams returned after quarantining himself in a hotel for two nights so he would not infect teammates with a virus that worked its way through nearly his entire family.

Williams said he took four bags of intravenous fluids on Tuesday at the campus health center.

“They wanted to give me seven or eight of them, but I said, ‘I can’t do this. I’ve been here too long,’ ” Williams recalled.

Williams, who is listed at 6 feet 6 and 300 pounds, said he dropped weight while ill but was on the road to recovery and would be ready for Notre Dame.

“I lost a couple pounds, probably just water weight,” he said. “Nothing [Thanksgiving] dinner can’t put back on, so I’m looking forward to that.”

Left guard Drew Radovich also practiced after sitting out three days because of a bone bruise in his foot.

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Carroll attempts to limit distractions before games, but when the Trojans play Notre Dame at home it becomes virtually impossible.

So Carroll is embracing that the game will be the last at the Coliseum for seniors and that it comes during Thanksgiving weekend.

Not to mention that it also carries huge national championship implications for the Trojans, who are third in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

“It’s been a week to make reference to how grateful we are for the time we’ve been here, and the things we get to do together, and the game that we play and the fact that our guys are finishing up their homestand for their careers,” Carroll said. “That’s been in the conversation quite a bit this week, and it suits the week quite well.”

Carroll, however, said he is speaking to seniors about not letting their emotions get the best of them on Saturday.

In USC’s final home game last season against UCLA, former quarterback Matt Leinart was overcome by tears and struggled early in the game.

“I made a point to guys, ‘Let’s not take it too far that we do the Matt Leinart thing,’ ” Carroll said.

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Defensive end Lawrence Jackson said he had not decided whether he would return for a final season or make himself available for the NFL draft.

Jackson, who has four sacks among his nine tackles for losses, said he must complete two classes in the spring to graduate with a sociology degree.

“I’m going to graduate either way it goes,” he said.

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Defensive tackle Chris Barrett (calf) is doubtful for Saturday’s game, Carroll said.

gary.klein@latimes.com