Pasadena is second home for McKnight

Joe McKnight’s best all-around performance for USC came in the 2008 Rose Bowl, but don’t expect the sophomore tailback to get all misty about it.

“That’s in the past,” McKnight said.

Many college football observers thought they had glimpsed the future after watching McKnight amass 206 all-purpose yards in the Trojans’ 49-17 victory over Illinois.

McKnight rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries, caught six passes for 45 yards and returned three punts for 36 yards.

The speedy Louisiana native was projected as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate this season, but a series of injuries and other physical setbacks hampered him throughout much of training camp and slowed his progress.

McKnight has still rushed for a team-best 646 yards, but he has run for only two touchdowns and caught one touchdown pass.

He rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown in the Trojans’ 28-7 victory over UCLA on Dec. 6 at the Rose Bowl.

So USC Coach Pete Carroll is optimistic that McKnight will play another productive game in Pasadena when the fifth-ranked Trojans play sixth-ranked Penn State in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

“It’s been a nice setting for him,” said Carroll, whose team will return to practice Friday. “I’m not sure if there’s anything to that, but we’ll find out.”

McKnight said he would not be satisfied unless he plays a perfect game.

“That means just doing everything right,” he said. “No mistakes, no slipping and falling, everything goes my way.”

Quick kicks

All of USC’s Rose Bowl workouts will be held on campus. Tentative schedule: Friday, 10:30 a.m.; Saturday, 1:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1:30 p.m.; Monday, 1:30 p.m.; Tuesday: 2 p.m.; Dec. 31: 4:15 p.m. (Closed). . . A USC Rose Bowl pep rally will be held on Monday from 6-7 p.m. at The Americana at Brand in Glendale.

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gary.klein@latimes.com