Players make it back for Rose Bowl practice

USC’s first practice in preparation for the Rose Bowl featured one beaming national award winner, two jet-lagged All-Americans and another surprised one.

After the Trojans’ 90-minute workout Friday, senior Fred Davis said he had expected to win the John Mackey Award, presented annually to the nation’s top tight end. Davis was announced as the winner Thursday night.

“I kind of felt I was going to win it for some reason,” said Davis, who was named to the Sporting News All-America team Friday.

Davis clearly benefited this season from the absence of a go-to wide receiver such as Dwayne Jarrett or Steve Smith. Davis, the first USC player to win the Mackey Award, has a team-best 55 receptions for 764 yards and seven touchdown catches entering the New Year’s Day bowl game against Illinois.

“We haven’t featured the tight end as much in years past,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “We adjusted a bit because Freddie was so hot and so effective.”

Nose tackle Sedrick Ellis and offensive tackle Sam Baker appeared a bit groggy after a cross-country flight and Friday’s workout. The two seniors had attended an awards show in Florida on Thursday night at which they were announced as members of the Walter Camp All-American team. They awoke at 4:30 a.m. to catch a flight back to Los Angeles so they could participate in practice.

“It was definitely an early morning,” chuckled Ellis, the Pacific 10 Conference’s defensive player of the year, who has been named to two All-American teams. “I’ve done well for myself here. It’s been fun playing here, and it’s all starting to come together.”

Sophomore safety Taylor Mays, who was only honorable mention All-Pac-10, said he was surprised that he was named to the Sporting News All-American team.

“I honestly don’t really care,” Mays said. “If Coach Carroll thinks I’m a good ballplayer then I know I’m all right. . . . If I don’t bring it on Jan. 1, it kind of doesn’t really mean anything.”

Quarterback John David Booty was given the day off and he will also miss today’s practice to attend a class field trip that includes a stop at Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific. “It’s 30% of the grade in the class, and I need that 30%,” Booty said.

USC will not practice again until next Friday, essentially giving him two weeks of rest following the Trojans’ season-ending victory over UCLA on Dec. 1.

Sophomore Mark Sanchez, redshirt transfer Mitch Mustain and freshman Aaron Corp took snaps in place of Booty.

Sophomore running back Allen Bradford also was among the players who took the bulk of the repetitions in preparation for a job battle in the spring.

“Coach Carroll just told me to go out there and run hard and prepare for spring ball,” Bradford said. “The only person that can stop me is me.”

USC is making its third consecutive appearance in the Rose Bowl, so to break up what has become a routine preparation schedule, the Trojans will stay in a beachfront hotel in Santa Monica on Dec. 20-22 and practice at the Home Depot Center on those days, said Dennis Slutak, USC’s director of football operations. The Trojans are allowed 15 bowl practices, but they are scheduled to use only 14, taking Dec. 23 off.

Senior linebacker Keith Rivers (ankle), defensive lineman Lawrence Jackson (knee) and running back Chauncey Washington (hip) were held out of practice, but all three are expected to play in the Rose Bowl. . . . Freshman running back Joe McKnight was absent because he needed to attend to academic issues, Carroll said. . . . Defensive end Everson Griffen was selected to the Sporting News Freshman All-America team. Offensive tackle Butch Lewis was a second-team selection.

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gary.klein@latimes.com