Updates: FB20080101

LB Rey Maualuga, defensive MVP of USC’s 49 - 17 dismantling of Illinois in the Rose Bowl, told John Jackson on FSN’s postgame show that he will be returning for his senior season, “100 percent.” With Maualuga, Kaluka Maiava, and Brian Cushing as the probable starters at linebacker, and with Malcolm Smith, Clay Matthews, and […]

The Trojans, a healthy 22 - 9 in Rose Bowl games, will roll it out today against Illinois, 3 - 1 in Rose Bowls, including a 45-9 pummeling to the Rick Neuheisel quarterbacked Bruins in 1984.  It will be nice to finally watch the game after weeks of some of the more tired cliches  coming from […]

After Sunday’s practice, each of the senior players exited the field through a tunnel formed by the underclassmen, a tradition Pete Carroll instituted in his first season. Except for injured DB Josh Pinkard, every other link to USC’s Orange Bowl National Championship team of 2005 will be gone after Tuesday’s game.  None of SC’s current […]

There hasn’t been a truckload of news items coming out of Rose Bowl practice this week, other than the typical storyline that USC has trouble with mobile quarterbacks (such as Illinois’ “Juice” Williams). The daily Patrick Turner injury issue hasn’t been completely resolved. Because he could only participate in a few drills Saturday, Pete Carroll described […]

USC’s freshman quarterback Aaron Corp, who is redshirtting this year to learn the playbook and get stronger before competing for playing time next spring with Mark Sanchez and Mitch Mustain, has impressed Trojan coaches with his bowl practice performances as the would-be “Juice” Williams, Illinois’ mobile starting quarterback. Pete Carroll told the LA Times, “At […]

Junior wide receiver Patrick Turner, second to only Fred Davis in receiving yards this season with 569, missed practice again Thursday with a hematoma in his right leg and seems even more likely to miss the Rose Bowl.  Though the coaching staff can afford to wait at least another day for him, and Turner was scheduled to […]

Trojan players noticed a perceptible change in the tone and speed of practice Wednesday, the official beginning of game-week preparations for Tuesday’s Rose Bowl.  Pete Carroll challenged his injured players to get on with returning to the team and proving that they’re healthy enough to take on the Illini. Carroll told the Times, “In essence, I […]

The Trojans practiced again at Carson’s Home Depot Center on Friday and Saturday, and now are off for a short Christmas break before returning to campus for their final week of Rose Bowl preparations on Wednesday. Here are the latest developments:

LB Brian Cushing suffered a painful knee bruise in Friday’s practice after colliding with a […]

The Trojans held their first of three practices at the Home Depot Center on Thursday as they continued preparations for the Rose Bowl. Among the developments:

LB Keith Rivers worked with the first unit for the first time since injuring his ankle in the Cal game in early November. Rivers hopes to play against Illinois, although […]

The Trojans ended their first week of Rose Bowl preparations on Sunday with an intrasquad scrimmage, which the coaches used primarily as a way to evaluate players for next season. Former Arkansas teammates Mitch Mustain and Damian Williams (each sitting out this season under NCAA transfer rules and thus unable to practice with the team […]