The Trojans practiced in the morning at Howard Jones Field (which wasn’t originally scheduled–meaning few fans in attendance), with the afternoon reserved for a walk-through and the evening a hotel stay in anticipation of Wednesday’s mock game at the Coliseum, as the coaching staff attempted to simulate every last detail. We highlight the developments of the day in this installment of our daily practice roundup.

Who looked good

• QB John David Booty, back from his day of rest, continued to excel, and even showed some mobility during the morning practice.
• Freshman WR Ronald Johnson continued to push for playing time with another impressive showing. Tuesday was also the first day he was permitted to speak with the media.
• Senior RB Chauncey Washington–who has impressed all month–is all but official as the starting tailback for the Idaho game. Pete Carroll won’t come out and say it (yet), but he continues to hint at it.

Injuries and problems

• Freshman FB Jordan Campbell was held out of practice with a sore shoulder (and was seen with his arm in a sling). The severity of his injury is unknown, but Campbell apparently first injured his shoulder before the start of fall camp. Walk-on FB Adam Goodman has been getting reps with the second-team offense in his place. (As Scott Wolf points out, that’s not such a bad thing–he’s the biggest fullback on the roster.)
• RB CJ Gable was out with a sore groin, and could sit out another day or two as well as a precaution. Gable’s absence meant extra reps with the first team for fellow sophomore Stafon Johnson. Freshmen running backs Joe McKnight (knee) and Marc Tyler also continued to sit out, as did senior Hershel Dennis.
• OT Sam Baker (cracked rib) did not practice again on Tuesday, but sophomore WR Travon Patterson participated in a few drills for the first time since injuring his foot last week.
• Although David Buehler has a strong leg and has been stellar on kickoffs, he has been notably inconsistent on field goals throughout fall camp (as reported here many a day), and missed another attempt on Tuesday. His struggles may have opened a door for walk-on JC transfer Joe Houston to make a play for the starting field goal job (at least on shorter kicks). Houston has been a pleasant surprise from short range over the past few weeks.

Also of note

• Freshman WR Brandon Carswell has finally been cleared to play by the NCAA, leaving only RB Broderick Green as the lone new Trojan who has not yet been declared eligible by the NCAA Clearinghouse. Both players had been participating in practice under a 14-day waiver granted by the NCAA while they await paperwork, although those two weeks will end on Thursday for Green.
• OT Drew Radovich, in only his third day of fall camp (after missing most of it with a back injury), was back with the first-team offense, although it’s still too soon to tell if he will be able to regain his starting job in time for the Idaho game.
• The Times’ Gary Klein profiles sophomore RB Allen Bradford in Wednesday’s paper. Bradford reiterated that he has no intention of transferring and seems to have a very positive attitude about waiting for his turn in the spotlight.
• Scott Wolf reports that recently-released WR Jamere Holland is seeking to transfer to Oregon, but Carroll will not grant his release to another Pac-10 school. If that is indeed the case, Holland would have the option of appealing Carroll’s decision to an academic committee at USC.
• The Trojan’s 7:15 pm simulated game at the Coliseum Wednesday night is free and open to the public. WeAreSC has prepared a handy (free) preview of what to expect at the scrimmage. (See link below)

Tuesday Practice Insider: Washington running, Gable sore (Rivals, $)
Bradford is willing to wait for his turn (LA Times)
Hot competition for tailbacks (OC Register)
Is USC football suffering from too much depth? (Daily News)
Carroll won’t grant release to Holland (Press-Telegram)
A Fan’s Guide to the Scrimmage (WeAreSC)