A Fresh Start Is Likely at Tailback

USC experienced several firsts in the last five seasons under Coach Pete Carroll and there probably will be another when the Trojans play Arkansas on Sept. 2.

A freshman has never started a season opener during the Carroll era, but it appears C.J. Gable, Allen Bradford or Emmanuel Moody will get the call against the Razorbacks.

Junior Chauncey Washington, who entered training camp as the No. 1 tailback, has been slowed because of hamstring problems and is not expected to practice again until Saturday. Sophomore Michael Coleman, who has been hindered while recovering from hip surgery, worked with the scout team on Wednesday. Junior Desmond Reed, coming off knee surgery, is regarded as a situational back.

“We thought this could happen,� Carroll said of starting a freshman tailback. “I was hoping for Chauncey to be part of this deal but as of now we can’t say that he is. But there’s been a long time of this off-season that we’ve thought this might be the situation we would be in, so we’re mentally right about it. And the kids are really responding.... Now, how they perform on game day, we’ll have to wait and see. I don’t know. I have no idea.�

Gable, who played at Sylmar High, has impressed from the first day of practice. Bradford, from Colton High, has done the same since switching from safety to tailback on Aug. 12. And Moody, from Coppell, Texas, has come on strong in the last week. Freshman Stafon Johnson, who played at Dorsey High, also has impressed at times, but he is working with the scout team this week.

“We’re going to go with how it feels when we start playing and running and see what happens,� Carroll said. “We don’t have a set plan and that’s nothing different than we ever did.

“We had our guys that we’re going to work into it, see how it works out and then kind of go in the direction it feels right during game time.�

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All-American receiver Dwayne Jarrett said X-rays of his injured left hamstring revealed, “nothing bad, nothing serious. I just have to work through it, keep getting treatment and I should be ready for the game.� ... Senior Drew Radovich is working with the first-unit offense at left guard, but offensive line coach Pat Ruel said sophomore Jeff Byers is still competing to start the opener. “I would like one of them to separate himself a little bit. I don’t really feel that’s quite happened yet,� Ruel said. “They both do different things well so I’ve got to really be careful how I select this.� ... Receiver Chris McFoy returned to practice after missing Tuesday because of a neck strain.