At USC, it's tailback who?
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Trojans appear to have ample depth at the position, unless injuries hit like last season. But with six qualified candidates, will there be enough carries to go around?
So many tailbacks, so little urgency.
The season opener at Virginia is less than two weeks away, but USC's coaching staff is in no hurry to designate a starter or a firm rotation at tailback.
"As we found out last year -- a lot of this settles itself," offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said.
USC opened its 2007 training camp with an almost embarrassing 10-deep list at tailback, and then watched as a transfer and injuries thinned the corps to, at one point, two players.
This year, for their Aug. 30 opener at Charlottesville, the Trojans expect to tote what the coaching staff views as a more-than-manageable six tailbacks competing for playing time.
Juniors Stafon Johnson and Allen Bradford, sophomores C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight and redshirt freshmen Broderick Green and Marc Tyler offer USC a variety of skill-sets and combinations. The challenge, once again, will be finding ways to deploy them and keep the peace.
Last season, Chauncey Washington made things easy for running backs coach Todd McNair. The fifth-year senior's talent and, perhaps more tellingly, his longevity in the program kept the younger backs from complaining about playing time.
"They deferred a lot because he was the big dog," McNair chuckled. "It makes it a little more difficult [this season]. . . . Hopefully we can find ways to make all of them happy."
Johnson is the Trojans' top returning runner, having rushed for 673 yards and nearly seven yards a carry last season. But the former Dorsey High star is all for spreading around the ball.
Johnson cites Auburn's Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown, USC's Reggie Bush and LenDale White and Arkansas' Darren McFadden and Felix Jones as recent backfield combinations that showed that NFL opportunity and riches await those who share carries.
"There's no such thing as one back anymore in the NFL or in college," Johnson said. "I have no problem with a two-to-three-back system because it gives you weapons to throw at a defense and it makes it easier.
"Spread it around and get everybody work."
McKnight could get the most because Coach Pete Carroll and Sarkisian plan to expand his role, especially as a receiver.
The sophomore from Louisiana reported for training camp weighing 200 pounds, 20 more than last year. More important, McKnight appears to have grasped a system that he struggled to master in his first season before his breakout performance in the Rose Bowl.
