Galippo could be the man in middle

Chris Galippo envisioned a methodical path into the starting lineup when he arrived at USC in the fall of 2007:

Play as a reserve behind a Butkus Award candidate, then gradually take over the middle linebacker position.

A back injury, however, forced Galippo to have surgery and redshirt after three games last season. A second back surgery 13 weeks ago kept him out of practice and off the sideline for the first three games this season.

But when the ninth-ranked Trojans play No. 23 Oregon on Saturday, Galippo could be in the starting lineup. If senior Rey Maualuga remains sidelined because of a knee sprain, Galippo might be running the defense for a team looking to bounce back from an upset loss at Oregon State.

"Sometimes opportunity's just thrown at you and you just have to be ready for it," Galippo said Tuesday after his second full practice.

The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Galippo was regarded as the leader of the 2007 recruiting class, a player who made an early commitment to the Trojans out of Anaheim Servite High and then urged others to join him.

But Galippo's back problems, along with those of fourth-year junior Luthur Brown, left the Trojans thin in the middle.

Galippo was cleared for full contact last week.

"It's his moment so he needs to prepare as well as he can," Coach Pete Carroll said. "We need to figure out if it's fair to him with the amount of preparation he's had to put him out there."

Maualuga was examined by doctors Tuesday and will not require surgery, an athletic department official said. Maualuga said he would try to return for the game against the Ducks.

"I'm not counting Rey out," Carroll said.

But Galippo is preparing for his moment.

"I shook off a little more rust and I'm getting back into it," Galippo said. "My back feels great. It's just a matter of waking up with a little more of a football ache that I'm not really used to."

Hazelton to redshirt?

Junior Vidal Hazelton, who caught more passes than any USC wide receiver last season but has fallen behind sophomore transfer Damian Williams, said he had spoken to Carroll about the possibility of redshirting.

Hazelton started against Virginia and caught five passes for 33 yards but suffered a high ankle sprain. He did not catch a pass against Ohio State or Oregon State.

"I would take a redshirt year because a lot of things are going on right now," said Hazelton, who practiced Tuesday.