Sanchez consolidates position in final scrimmage

After USC coaches tabbed him as the starting quarterback early last week, Mark Sanchez was not about to leave the decision open to summer debate.

Sanchez, a fourth-year junior, finished spring practice Saturday by passing for three touchdowns during the Trojans’ annual scrimmage at the Coliseum.

“I think the team really feels my energy and my confidence, so that will help team morale going into the summer,” Sanchez said after the 97-play controlled scrimmage.

Sanchez, working exclusively against the first-team defense, completed 16 of 24 passes for 203 yards. He connected on scoring plays of eight yards to running back C.J. Gable, 37 yards to receiver Ronald Johnson and six yards to tight end Rhett Ellison. Sanchez’s only major error was a short pass that resulted in an interception on a botched flea-flicker play.

Quarterbacks Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain also shined.

Corp, a redshirt freshman, finished with a flourish, completing 13 of 16 passes for 158 yards with two touchdowns.

“Things were opening up for me down the field and I took my shots and guys made good plays,” Corp said.

Mustain, the sophomore transfer from Arkansas, also passed for two touchdowns, but was not overly impressed with himself on a day he completed six of 10 passes for 111 yards.

Mustain, second on the depth chart, said he would continue to prepare to be the starter. “I didn’t come here to be a backup,” he said.

Wide receiver Travon Patterson, who caught six passes for 111 yards and a touchdown; receiver Brandon Carswell, who turned a short pass into a 55-yard scoring play with a spectacular cutback run; and linebacker Chris Galippo, who had six tackles for losses and returned one of tailback Marc Tyler’s two fumbles for a touchdown, were other standouts.

Coach Pete Carroll said he was encouraged by the Trojans’ play during the scrimmage, the last of their 15 spring workouts.

“They’ve got a lot of energy, they’ve got a lot of toughness, we have a lot of speed and if we can keep working and put things together we have a chance to have a nice team,” Carroll said.

Sanchez said he is looking forward to running summer workouts as the Trojans prepare for training camp and their Aug. 30 opener at Virginia.

“It will be my show,” Sanchez said. “There’s a lot of expectations but that’s what the position’s all about.”

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Safety Taylor Mays delivered the day’s biggest hit when he leveled receiver Patrick Turner after the senior caught a pass during an overtime situation near the end of the scrimmage. . . . Junior Stafon Johnson rushed for 58 yards in 13 carries. Other running backs combined for 28 yards in 19 carries. Quarterbacks were sacked seven times.

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gary.klein@latimes.com