They’ll see if half measures still work

For most of the last five seasons, USC Coach Pete Carroll has been celebrated for making uncannily effective halftime adjustments.

Save for missteps against California in 2003 and Texas in last season’s Rose Bowl, the Trojans have enjoyed remarkable success by implementing and then executing nearly all the right moves after the midgame break.

Carroll and his staff used halftime as their model during the last two weeks as the unbeaten Trojans prepared for the second half of their season, which begins today against Oregon State at Reser Stadium.

“It’s the same thing,” Carroll said. “We saw what was working and what needed attention and we made some adjustments.”

USC is 6-0 overall, 4-0 in the Pacific 10 Conference, and third in the Bowl Championship Series standings. But after winning their last three games by seven points or fewer, the Trojans remain a work in progress, a team trying to recapture the traits it flashed in a season-opening rout at Arkansas.

USC players are confident that new wrinkles to the offense and defense and the return of veteran playmakers to full health will keep them on track for a third consecutive appearance in the BCS title game.

Strengthening the pass rush and getting receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith onto the field at the same time with quarterback John David Booty were among the issues that USC focused on during the break.

The 6-foot-5 Jarrett appeared to be his old high-flying self this week after putting quadriceps and shoulder injuries behind him. Smith is still experiencing sore ankle ligaments but is expected to start today.

“You know that those guys have a really good chance of making plays because you’ve seen them do it time and time again,” Booty said. “You kind of have it in the back of your mind.... That’s really a comforting thing, really knowing you can trust them and depend on them to come through at all times.”

After struggling in the second half in each of the last two games, Booty also is hoping to come through with a strong performance over the last six games.

The fourth-year junior has completed 63% of his passes for 1,357 yards with 13 touchdowns, but he fell out of rhythm against Washington and committed two costly third-quarter turnovers against Arizona State.

Booty threw only one pass during the Trojans’ 14-play fourth-quarter drive against Arizona State as tailback Chauncey Washington carried the Trojans to victory.

“You can’t do anything about that anymore,” Booty said of the first half of the season. “All you can do is worry about what’s ahead of us. I think of it is a fresh start.”

So, in a way, does Washington, who has emerged as the undisputed No. 1 tailback after rotating with freshmen C.J. Gable and Emmanuel Moody. Washington nursed a hamstring injury during training camp and the first five games before pounding the ball 10 times during what he hopes was a career-bolstering drive.

Like Jarrett, Washington seemed to mend over the last two weeks and displayed a burst not previously seen.

“I hope they keep giving me the ball,” said Washington, who carried a career high 22 times for 108 yards against Arizona State.

Booty is all for it.

“I don’t think we’re going to be quite the same team we’ve been,” the quarterback said. “With [Washington] coming on strong, that makes things a little different. If he’s the guy, let him run the rock. If we’re running effectively, you’ve got to keep giving it to the workhorse.”

USC faces an Oregon State team that is 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Pac-10 after winning its last two games against Washington and Arizona.

A stout front seven leads a Beavers defense that ranks first in the conference and third nationally in sacks, averaging 3.71 a game. Oregon State is ranked third in the Pac-10, behind UCLA and USC, in total defense.

“We have some new guys that have kind of found their way to be more effective players from the beginning and we have some older guys who have paid a little more attention to the detail of playing,” Coach Mike Riley said.

Oregon State’s offense, however, might be without its most dynamic weapon, running back Yvenson Bernard.

The Pac-10’s second-leading rusher injured his ankle last week against Arizona. Riley said this week that the 5-9, 204-pound junior was doubtful for today’s game, but the Trojans expect Bernard to play.

Senior quarterback Matt Moore, the former Newhall Hart High star who transferred to Oregon State from UCLA, leads an offense that also features receiver Sammie Stroughter.

Moore was erratic last season, throwing a conference-worst 19 interceptions. But he has made fewer mistakes this season and will be facing a USC secondary that will be without cornerback Kevin Thomas, who suffered a broken foot against Arizona State.

The last time the Trojans journeyed here, in 2004, they defeated the Beavers in a game played at night in dense fog.

The conditions should be better today, and USC hopes to make a clear statement.

“We’ve got to get on track and start this second half of the season and get going,” Carroll said.

gary.klein@latimes.com