Booty Remains Confident

Quarterback John David Booty struggled in the second half in each of USC’s last two games, but the first-year starter is confident that he will get back on track.

“I want to win and that’s what we’re doing, but obviously I feel there is a lot of room to get better,” he said after practice Tuesday. “I’ve only gotten half as good as I can be for this season.”

Booty has helped lead USC to a 6-0 record. The Trojans have an open date this week before playing at Oregon State. Booty is ranked third in the Pacific 10 Conference is passing efficiency, having completed 63% of his passes for 1,357 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions.

But he entered this week coming off a turnover-plagued third quarter against Arizona State, which converted a Booty fumble and an interception into touchdowns that helped the Sun Devils overcome a 21-0 deficit and tie the score.

Late in the third quarter, fans at the Coliseum booed after penalties backed the Trojans inside their 20-yard line and Booty overthrew receiver Dwayne Jarrett on a second-and-37 play. The rare sound, at least during the last four-plus seasons of the Pete Carroll era, was heard again after Booty completed a 12-yard pass to running back Desmond Reed.

“Their expectations are high and ours are too, so if they’re not happy with it, well, at times we’re not happy with it either so they’re not alone as far as that goes,” Booty said. “But you really can’t do anything about it. If they want to boo, they’re going to boo and we just have to continue to play the game.”

Steve Sarkisian, USC’s quarterbacks coach, heard the fans’ displeasure but did not think it was directed at Booty. “I thought they were booing me, I didn’t think they were booing him,” Sarkisian said, laughing. “I coached for the Oakland Raiders, man. I heard a lot of boos, bro.”

USC won the game with a 14-play, 74-yard drive that included one pass. Asked if Booty’s shaky third-quarter performance factored into the decision to stick with the run, Sarkisian said, “There’s no doubt. You have to get a feel for the psyche of your players, especially the guy in charge of what you’re doing out there and the guy who touches the ball every snap. If he’s not on top of his game there’s no point for us to force it on him.”

Booty said his surgically repaired back is sound, but he will take fewer repetitions this week. “It’s a good time for me to rest my arm a little bit and come back out next Monday ready to go for the second half,” he said.

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Offensive tackle Kyle Williams did not practice and was scheduled to see a doctor Tuesday because he is suffering from sprained ligaments in both knees. Williams, who also had an MRI exam on his neck Monday, hurt his left knee a few weeks ago during practice and aggravated the injury against Washington State.

Williams hurt his right knee during the game-winning drive against Arizona State.

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Cornerback Kevin Thomas had foot surgery Tuesday. Carroll said Thomas would try to return for a bowl game.... Receiver Steve Smith will not practice this week to rest his sore foot.... Freshman fullback Stanley Havili, who broke his leg against Arizona on Sept. 23, said he would try to play against Oregon State. Carroll said Havili still could redshirt.

gary.klein@latimes.com