Carroll Is Pleased to Have Line Intact

USC’s starting offensive line finally practiced together Sunday, the first time since the second day of training camp that all five players were in their regular positions.

Senior center Norm Katnik, who has a torn tendon in his knee, returned after sitting out more than a week and participated in a few contact drills. Katnik’s return allowed senior Lenny Vandermade to move back to left guard.

Senior left tackle Jacob Rogers, who missed most of training camp because of a foot strain, participated in about half of the practice.

The three players, along with right guard Fred Matua and right tackle Winston Justice, are expected to provide the eighth-ranked Trojans with their best line in years.

With the opener against sixth-ranked Auburn only six days away, Coach Pete Carroll was happy to see the line intact.

“It’s been a long time waiting to see it,” Carroll said. “It’s a comfort to know those guys are back competing for us.”

Katnik said experience would help offset the starters’ limited repetitions.

“We were out there together for so long last year, it just takes a few plays to get back into the rhythm,” he said.

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Carroll said there is no plan in place for freshman quarterback John David Booty to play a few series against Auburn.

“We won’t just throw him in there and use up his eligibility until he is ready to play,” Carroll said.

Redshirt sophomore Matt Leinart will start against Auburn, and redshirt junior Matt Cassel is the backup. Carroll, however, said the bye week after USC’s third game, against Hawaii, would be “a real critical time” for Booty.

“We’ll try to figure out where we are then with him and see where he fits in,” Carroll said. “We’ll know, obviously, a tremendous amount more about our own quarterback situation and the upper-class guys.”

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Fullback Brandon Hancock was released from the hospital Friday after being treated for a staph infection in his right knee.

Hancock said the five-day hospital stay might have helped in his recovery from a high ankle sprain.

“With it being elevated so long at the hospital, I was able to go through a lot of range of motion [exercises],” he said.

Hancock said he hoped to return for the Trojans’ second game against Brigham Young.

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Junior linebacker Matt Grootegoed did not practice again because of a sore back.... Running backs Chauncey Washington and Jody Adewale and lineman Fili Moala -- all freshmen -- could not practice because they are still awaiting certification by the NCAA Clearinghouse.... Today is the first day of classes at USC. The Trojans are off and will resume practice Tuesday.