Casting Call Goes Out This Week

Auditions to possibly replace safety Josh Pinkard will begin today when USC returns to practice, but that is only one position where young players will get extended looks because of Saturday’s open date.

USC does not play again until Sept. 16, when the Trojans play host to Nebraska.

As he did in 2002, 2004 and 2005, Coach Pete Carroll will use practices preceding a second-week open date to evaluate young players and rest banged-up veterans.

“I love this time because you can be real specific about what you want to look at without a game coming up immediately,” Carroll said.

In 2002, freshman tackle Winston Justice did not play in the opener against Auburn but vaulted into the starting lineup during the off week.

Freshman Taylor Mays or another player could do the same if the knee injury Pinkard suffered Saturday against Arkansas is serious. Pinkard said he heard his right knee “crack” while he covered a punt against the Razorbacks. He is scheduled to have an MRI exam today, but Carroll said team doctors suspected that Pinkard tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Freshmen Antwine Perez and Garrett Green, sophomore kicker David Buehler and senior linebacker Dallas Sartz also are among the possible solutions if Pinkard is out for an extended period, Carroll said.

Freshman Allen Bradford, who switched from safety to running back during training camp, would not immediately move back to defense, Carroll said.

Senior middle linebacker Oscar Lua also is expected to have medical tests this week after injuring his left hamstring against Arkansas. Lua, a team captain, started ahead of sophomore Rey Maualuga but was injured during the first series.

Maualuga finished with six tackles in the 50-14 victory over Arkansas.

“This would be the time to go back and compare, but you can’t really do that because Oscar got hurt,” Carroll said.

Lua’s status opens the door for redshirt freshman Luthur Brown, who sat out the 2005 season because of a back injury, but came on strong in the latter half of training camp and made one tackle against Arkansas.

“This is a great chance for him to show that he can handle it,” Carroll said.

Receivers Vidal Hazelton and Travon Patterson, tight ends Anthony McCoy and Gerald Washington, cornerbacks Shareece Wright and Vincent Joseph, defensive tackle Walker Lee Ashley and offensive linemen Butch Lewis and Thomas Herring are others expected to be watched closely this week.

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gary.klein@latimes.com