Gary Klein of the LA Times is reporting that USC’s junior linebackers Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing told him Tuesday that they will return for their final seasons of eligibility. Both players cited the influence of senior linebacker Keith Rivers, who made the same decision last year, and the opportunity to play another year for Pete Carroll and Pro Bowl linebackers coach Ken Norton. Carroll, who hadn’t yet spoken with the players about their decisions, refrained from commenting other than to reiterate his position that “other than the extreme cases, (returning for one’s senior season) is going to pay off.” Cushing, who missed most of the first five games of this season with an ankle inury, wants to be an All-American and said that he and Maualuga “want to continue a great tradition of linebackers here at USC and dominate.” Read on for more notes from Tuesday.

• Butch Lewis continues to lead Charles Brown in their competition to start at the left tackle spot usually manned by the injured Sam Baker (torn hamstring).
• CB Vincent Joseph, who was suspended last week for missing classes and/or tutoring sessions, will learn Thursday if he’s eligible to line up against Cal.
• Carroll told reporters, in what seems like a same report as last week, that Stafon Johnson is “finally healthy…He was much freer to make his runs…This is the first two days he’s had some spring in his step.”
• Freshman kick returner Ronald Johnson, who returned a kick 45 yards against Oregon State on Saturday, has his eyes trained on bigger and better things, telling the OC Register: “Now, I’m looking to score…I’m looking to get past that. Hopefully, this next game, I should score off it. I think my vision is a lot better than it was when I first started.”
• Redshirting LB Chris Galippo, recoving from back surgery, began physical therapy this week and should be out about two or three months. The freshman added, “It’s looking good for spring (practice).”
• Cal coach Jeff Tedford was suffiently vague in telling reporters that starting QB Nate Longshore is “doing fine” and feeling better after being affected for several weeks with a sprained ankle. The coach added that he wasn’t surprised USC has two losses on the season: “This conference is so difficult that anything can happen.”
• Safety Kevin Ellison has been shying away from the attention he’s gotten this week from the crushing hit he put on Cal receiver DeSean Jackson in last year’s game, stating, “It was a nice little hit…That was last year. It’s over. That has nothing to do with right now.”

Insider: Revisiting the hit on DeSean Jackson (Rivals, $)
Maualuga, Cushing say they’ll return for final seasons (LA Times)
Trojans’ Ellison doesn’t think much of hit (LA Daily News)
USC’s freshman kick returner seeks trip to end zone (Orange County Register)
Cal-USC important? We need playoffs first (Daily Trojan)
Trojans work in practice to shape up penalty issues (Daily Trojan)
USC-Cal Scouting Report (The Press-Enterprise)
Tuesday Practice Report (WeAreSC, $)
Audio: Pete Carroll’s Tuesday Press Conference (AM 570)