The Trojans practiced in shorts, shoulder-pads and helmets on a very hot Wednesday which saw the return of Stanley Havili and some impressive power running by big backs, and ended with the news of Emmanuel Moody’s transfer. Continue reading for a roundup of today’s practice coverage.

Who looked good

• FB Stanley Havili returned to practice today (after he sustained a neck stinger yesterday) and caught an impressive 30-yard touchdown pass from John David Booty on the last play of the afternoon. Pete Carroll lauded the young back: “He is potentially the best fullback we’ve had since we’ve been here, and that’s a lot to say when he’s only played in a few games. But it’s just that clear.”
• Offensive drills focused on running between the tackles today, with big backs Broderick Green and Allen Bradford getting two-thirds of the total reps. Green looked particularly impressive, though Bradford commented that he didn’t consider the drill a head-to-head battle. Carroll noted, “Green looked very good…We got to see him get rumbling. He’s a load, and its going t be fun to see how that works out.” Bradford also echoed what seems to be consensus among the team, that senior Chauncy Washington seems to be the number one running back.
• Offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian said that Booty, remarkably, has not thrown an interception in the first 10 days of camp.
• Carroll once again praised the play of freshman WR Ronald Johnson after practice: “There’s no question he is going to help us this year…He’s tough, he’s got terrific speed, and his hands are excellent. He’s a good all-around athlete.”
• Offensive line coach Pat Ruel singled out Alex Parsons, who recently switched from defense to the offensive line, as someone with long term potential on offense, hinting, according to Rivals, that he has a career in football beyond college. Parsons will shore up an O-Line unit which will lose four players next year. “I’m pretty fired up about him,” Ruel said.
• RB Stafon Johnson, who has been, by many accounts, the best runner in camp despite being somewhat inconsistent in pass protection, leveled LB Rey Maualuga who fired through the line on a blitz, which reportedly gave subsequent rushers pause during the remainder of the session.
• David Buehler was 3 for 4 on kicks, making an extra point and field goals from 37  and 40 yards, while missing a 32-yarder with a low line drive.  Buehler, showing a strong leg, also landed most of his kickoffs deep into the end zone.
• Amidst the many injury reports during the first 10 days of practice, a pleasant surprise has been the fact that LG Jeff Byers has been healthy and playing strong. “I haven’t felt this good since I got here” he told the LA Times.

Injuries and problems

• Joe McKnight sprained his knee while blocking. The freshman back told the LA Times he would be out the rest of the week. After being fitted with a brace, he said, “I’ll be OK.”
• Herschel Dennis is still being held out of practice with knee soreness.
• According to Carroll, RB Marc Tyler is “still waiting for the space where they took the screws out (of his surgical repaired leg) to heal…I would think it’s a few weeks.” (Rivals)
• Coach Ruel was unhappy with the play of sophomore tackle Thomas Herring today while attempting to block DE Everson Griffen in one-on-one drills. Ruel thought Herring was giving too much respect to the speedy freshman and not relying on his fundamentals. According to Rivals, the coach barked, “You’re acting like, ‘Oh (shoot), here comes Everson Griffen! He’s fast!’…(Screw) that (stuff)!”

Also of note

• Scott Wolf reports that McKnight was named a co-starter on punt returns today. The coaching staff informed McKnight he would share duties with senior Desmond Reed. “The coaches told us for the Idaho game I would get two (returns) and he would get two,” McKnight said.
• Sarkisian told the LA Daily News that the offense will primarily use the shotgun in third-and-long or second-and-long if the Trojans are in the red zone.
• Safety Alfred Rowe practiced with the fullbacks today, adding depth to the position which was so depleted by injury last year.
• Rivals grades the running backs thus far in camp as follows: Washington (A), Johnson (A), Gable (B), Green (B), Reed (B), McKnight (B-), Bradford (B-), Moody/Tyler/Dennis (incomplete).
• NFL scouts from the Patriots, Cowboys, and Jaguars attended practice and commented, according to Scout, on how intimidating USC’s big receivers must be for college defensive backs.
• Cal WR DeSean Jackson, the focus of a recent ESPN the Magazine article, continues to obsess about USC and its senior CB Terrell Thomas, claiming that the Trojans had to triple-team him to stop him in last year’s game. Thomas responded that “he had two catches and we won - that’s all I care about.” According to the LA Times, Jackson said he would rather defeat the Trojans than win the Heisman trophy: “Honestly I don’t need to win it if we beat SC.”

Tailback Moody to transfer (LA Times)
Source: Tailback Moody will transfer from USC (LA Daily News)
Wednesday Practice Notes (Scout)
Wednesday Practice Insider: Short-Yardage Battle (Rivals, $)
Tailback Notebook: Chemistry (Rivals, $)