Safety Ellison to have knee surgery

USC safety Will Harris will start today in place of injured Kevin Ellison when the Trojans, No. 5 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, play winless Washington in a Pacific 10 Conference game at the Coliseum.

Ellison suffered torn cartilage in his right knee during practice Thursday and will have surgery next week. He could be sidelined two to four weeks.

Harris, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior from Covina, has played in every game and has made 13 tackles. He also intercepted a pass against Washington State.

Harris said Thursday that he would be ready if called upon.

“It helps having experience, because once you get the feel for it and all that, it helps when you get back out there,” he said.

Another Green day?

With Washington struggling at 0-7, USC redshirt freshman tailback Broderick Green could get an opportunity similar to the one that resulted in his 121-yard rushing effort against Washington State two weeks ago.

Green did not play last week against Arizona.

“I’ll be ready just like the last time,” Green said. “Whatever opportunity I get, I’ll make the most of it.”

Big impression

Freshman nose tackle Jurrell Casey will get significant playing time today after a strong effort against Arizona.

Casey made a key stop on a fourth-and-one play in the fourth quarter of last week’s 17-10 victory over Arizona at Tucson.

“The older guys just told me, ‘Don’t get nervous. Just come out and do what you know how to do and use your size to your advantage,’ ” Casey said. “I just got lower than the bigger guys, got underneath and just clogged the hole up and let the older dudes do the rest.”

Casey, who is listed at 6 feet 1, said he arrived at training camp weighing 308 pounds but is down to 282.

“I’m going to be back up there pretty soon, once I start putting on more muscle and losing all the fat I’ve got,” he said. “I’m feeling pretty good, moving quicker, so I’m liking it.”

Quick kicks

USC leads the series with the Huskies, 48-26-4. Washington last defeated USC in 2001. . . . Safety Taylor Mays is the only USC player from Washington. The Huskies have 37 players from California on their roster.

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gary.klein@latimes.com