Trojans are eager for their play date

USC players and coaches eagerly left the practice field Thursday, ready to finally play again after two weeks of workouts.

The unbeaten Trojans, who had an open date last week, play Oregon State on Saturday in Corvallis, Ore. They will not have another break until the end of the regular season.

“Guys are looking forward to going against someone besides ourselves for a change,” quarterback John David Booty said.

USC has not played since defeating Arizona State, 28-21, on Oct. 14 at the Coliseum.

The Trojans are 10-2 after open dates under Coach Pete Carroll. Their losses came in 2001 against Oregon and 2003 against California.

“You really don’t know how the off-week went until you play,” Carroll said. “It seems like it’s been extremely profitable for us, but you’ve got to go play and see how it turns out.”

Booty said he benefited from the extra time to work with split end Dwayne Jarrett, who appears back at full speed after several injuries. Flanker Steve Smith also progressed after sitting out last week because of lingering ankle soreness.

“Any time they’re out there it makes things a lot more fun for me as far as big-time guys to throw to,” Booty said. “Hopefully, we’ll get them going this weekend.”

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Steve Lopes, a senior associate athletic director at USC, will have a busy weekend in Oregon.

Lopes will attend the first half of the Trojans’ 12:30 p.m. game at Corvallis, and then drive 45 minutes to McMinnville where he will take part in a halftime ceremony honoring the newest members of Linfield College’s athletic hall of fame.

Lopes was an All-American tackle for Linfield’s 1982 NAIA national championship football team.

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Defensive tackle Chris Barrett, who twisted a knee Wednesday, rested most of practice but was expected to play Saturday, according to Carroll.... Quarterback Mark Sanchez (back) also practiced for the second day in a row and will back up Booty on Saturday.

gary.klein@latimes.com