USC’s Lane Kiffin wants East Coast players focused on business

USC’s trip to face Syracuse in East Rutherford, N.J., on Saturday is bit of a homecoming for a trio of Trojans.

Running back Silas Redd (Norwalk, Conn.), linebacker Anthony Sarao (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.), and safety Gerald Bowman (Philadelphia) all hail from the East Coast.

Redd and Sarao said this week that they expect plenty of family and friends to attend the game at MetLife Stadium.

Following Thursday’s practice, after which the team prepared for its charter flight, USC Coach Lane Kiffin emphasized that this trip is business, not pleasure, even for players from the area.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t about family,” he said. “That’s what the off-season is for. This is about business. We’re flying there with one thing in mind: to win the game and fly back home.”

Kiffin also said that he doesn’t expect crowd noise to be a factor, even though the “neutral” site will probably have a strong Syracuse fan presence.

More happy returns

Hayes Pullard provided USC’s highlight-reel defensive play in its opener, returning an interception for a touchdown in his first start at middle linebacker.

Safety Josh Shaw also intercepted a pass and USC recovered two Hawaii fumble in the 49-10 victory over the Warriors.

The coaching staff wants more.

Kiffin spoke this week about how the lack of turnovers forced by the defense was the “one glaring thing” that has been very different from his time as a USC assistant and his two-plus seasons as head coach.

Kiffin described the four turnovers against Hawaii as “a good start,” but Pullard said defensive players are motivated to do more and will not become complacent.

“They talk about the defensive line is still babies, our linebackers are no good and the secondary is just terrible,” Pullard said.

Who, he is asked, is saying that?

“That’s what the coaches are saying,” he said, laughing. “That’s where we’re getting our information from, so we’re like . . . we need to get better.”

In the long run

USC passed the ball 41 times and rushed it 23 against Hawaii, so Trojans tailbacks would welcome a larger opportunity against Syracuse.

“We’ve just got to stay prepared and not let all that throwing get to us,” senior Curtis McNeal said. “We just have to stay prepared for when our number is called.”

Backup plan

Backup quarterback Max Wittek is hoping for another opportunity after playing for the first time in the fourth quarter against Hawaii.

“Any time you can get experience like that out there on the field like I did in front of all those people, under the lights, on such a big stage — I think that’s very important,” Wittek said.

Wittek, a redshirt freshman, completed all three of his passes for 22 yards. One came on a play he mistakenly ran to the opposite side. Luckily for Wittek, receiver Victor Blackwell, his teammate at Santa Ana Mater Dei, also made the same error and he caught the pass.

“You can’t complain about a completion,” Wittek said.

Clearance received

Former Carson High receiver Darreus Rogers received word Thursday that he had been cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center to join the Trojans, his father, KJ, said.

Rogers was an All-City player last season at Carson. “He’s screaming on the phone,” his father said of his son’s excitement.

gary.klein@latimes.com; twitter.com/LATimesklein

baxter.holmes@latimes.com; twitter.com/BaxterHolmes

Staff writer Eric Sondheimer contributed to this report.