Quick Hits

Kyle Prater graduated early from high school to get a head start on his USC career. The rangy receiver from Illinois has been slowed some by a hamstring injury, but the 6-foot-5 freshman is making a big impression during the Trojans' spring workouts. On Tuesday, Prater made several impressive catches, including one that came just before cornerback Torin Harris delivered a neck-bending hit. "That was the hardest hit I've ever felt," Prater said. Prater, 17, was among the recruits who were stunned by the news that Pete Carroll was leaving USC to coach the Seattle Seahawks.

UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince tested his throwing arm, tossing passes in drills Wednesday during practice. "It was a step forward," Prince said. It was the first time Prince had thrown passes in drills since suffering an AC sprain and mild separation in his right shoulder. "It's not perfect," Prince said, "but it's better." Prince injured the shoulder in the USC-UCLA game on Nov. 28. Whether he can play against Temple in the EagleBank Bowl on Dec. 29 remains to be seen.

No USC football player looked forward to Saturday's open date more than Chris Galippo . The Trojans' middle linebacker played nearly every snap against Arizona State and the entire game against Arizona, both of which ended with USC giving up more than 40 points. Galippo was unfazed after Coach Lane Kiffin told reporters this week that the senior's first three games this season were better than his last two. Galippo had three tackles against Arizona State and seven against Arizona, which rolled up 554 yards and 37 first downs.

The giggling, joking and general lightheartedness that USC players typically display en route to team meetings was noticeably absent Monday at Heritage Hall. Somber players and coaches met for the first time since their embarrassing 55-21 loss to Stanford on Saturday at the Coliseum. Middle linebacker Chris Galippo said the gathering and ensuing film review would help answer several questions. "Just where are we?" Galippo said. "Who are we?" With an open date this week, the Trojans have four practice days to try to figure it out before preparations begin for a Nov. 28 game against UCLA at the Coliseum.

UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel seemed in a spinning mood after Thursday's practice, invoking the image of "Rocky" for his team. It had been that kind of day. Senior guard Micah Kia was lost for the season, after an MRI exam revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Center Kai Maiava , meanwhile, was a spectator, sitting out contact drills, said to be precautionary because of a sore shoulder. On the other side of the ball, Jerzy Siewierski , a starting defensive tackle, was missing because of a back injury.

USC fullback Stanley Havili , who sat out nearly all of the last three games because of a shoulder injury, will start Saturday against Stanford, giving the struggling Trojans offense a boost. Havili, hurt in the game against Notre Dame on Oct. 17, did not play against Oregon State and Oregon. The junior was in for a few plays last week against Arizona State but did not carry the ball or catch a pass in a victory he described as "just a terrible game to watch." "We just need more tempo -- we need more life out there," Havili said Tuesday.

UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince , still recovering from a shoulder injury, took one snap and handed off. That was his high point for practice Sunday. Bruins Coach Rick Neuheisel is confident that Prince will be back by "midweek" and be ready to play against Temple in the EagleBank Bowl on Dec. 29. Prince, though, came off as more pragmatic. "One doctor told me that I might be ready to play or I might not," said Prince, who suffered an AC sprain against USC. "There is no set timetable."

These were the guys earmarked for the come-to- UCLA brochure that Bruins Coach Rick Neuheisel longs to produce. Wide receiver Randall Carroll and tight end Morrell Presley picked UCLA over USC. While there wasn't much evidence to why there was such a recruiting tug-a-war last fall, there is this spring. Carroll, in particular, has impressed coaches. His play was a sharp contrast to others Monday. Carroll snagged everything thrown his way, while other receivers were lost on routes and dropping passes.

Matt Barkley's spring could not be classified as perfect. But it's been pretty close for USC's sophomore quarterback. Barkley has not had a pass intercepted in three scrimmages, a huge leap for a player who seemingly could not avoid turnovers last spring and had 14 passes picked off last season. Barkley said Thursday that he was looking forward to finishing strong Saturday when USC concludes spring practice with the annual Trojan Huddle scrimmage at the Coliseum.

On a night when quarterback Matt Barkley struggled to find his rhythm in his biggest showcase to date, USC's offense might have suffered a more long-range setback. Starting center Kristofer O'Dowd , regarded as a linchpin for an experienced line expected to ease the transition of a new quarterback, suffered a dislocated right knee during the first series of a scrimmage Monday night at the Coliseum. O'Dowd, a junior coming off shoulder surgery, went down at the end of a mistake-prone first series on a running play that ended with Joe McK night's fumble.