Critics also viewed McKnight's reserved demeanor as moodiness, suggesting that USC coaches were handling him with kid gloves. Again, McNair shakes his head: "I think Reggie needed more coddling than Joe."
But from his first game as a sophomore, Bush cemented his reputation as a rare talent on the college level, able to accelerate to top speed in one or two steps.
McKnight's ups and downs this fall suggest that he is a different type of player and still very much a work in progress.
"He plays hard in practice," offensive lineman Charles Brown said. "He's getting better."
His coaches are learning too.
Last week's victory over Oregon might offer a blueprint for future success. The Trojans relied on the older, steadier C.J. Gable and Stafon Johnson for the brunt of the ground game, looking for opportunities to free McKnight on the edges.
Sometimes he ran from the backfield, other times he lined up at receiver. Much the way Bush was deployed in his sophomore season.
"I think the coaches will get better at how they use him and he'll get better too," Curtis said. "It takes patience."
In the meantime, McKnight said he's trying to ignore the urge to be like Bush. He won't even watch Bush on television.
"I feel like if I watch him, he'll do some things that I'm going to go out and try to do," he said. "I know I can't do it like him."
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david.wharton@latimes.com
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BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX
Fast company
Comparing the rushing and receiving numbers for Reggie Bush and Joe McKnight as freshmen . . .
*--* Bush -- 2003 McKnight -- 2007 Category No. Yds. TD Category No. Yds. TD Rushes 90 521 3 Rushes 94 540 3 Receptions 15 314 4 Receptions 23 203 1 *--*
. . . and as sophomores (through four games):
*--* Bush -- 2004 McKnight -- 2008 Category No. Yds. TD Category No. Yds. TD Rushes 51 330 3 Rushes 34 202 0 Receptions 14 196 4 Receptions 12 139 1 *--*
Los Angeles Times
