University Of Southern California

USC has not won a national title since 2004, but the Trojans finished No. 1 for the second consecutive year in terms of the NFL draft. With six players selected Sunday, USC upped its total to 11, more than any other program. "It was a great two days for the guys," Coach Pete Carroll said. "It's an awesome representation of how hard they work." In 2008, the Trojans had a national-best 10 players selected, four in the first round.

Twice in the last three games USC has had to do without Taj Gibson for a significant stretch. Twice, the Trojans have been able to survive, even thrive, without their best inside player. Strange, but true. Gibson played only 10 minutes of the first half against Oregon on Jan. 2, sitting out the last six after picking up his third foul. The Trojans got to halftime tied, 34-34, and went on to defeat the Ducks, 83-62.

USC's running backs apparently got the message. After their mostly lackluster effort in the Trojans' first scrimmage, Coach Pete Carroll pointedly told the group it wasn't running hard enough. On Sunday, the running backs answered en masse during practice with a punishing performance that left several defenders dazed or on the ground after absorbing contact. "We wanted to impose our dominance as much as possible and show everybody that we're not a slouch," senior Stafon Johnson said.

This time, Pete Carroll chose not to wait. A week after failing to announce a starting quarterback, and then watching Aaron Corp struggle in a loss at Washington, Carroll said Wednesday that freshman Matt Barkley would return to the lineup Saturday night against Washington State. "He's going to give us the best chance to win right now," Carroll said after practice. Barkley was sidelined last week because of a bone bruise in his right shoulder, an injury suffered against Ohio State on Sept.

Last year, Tim Floyd told anyone who would listen he was a USC Trojan for life. "This is my last job," he insisted. What Floyd never said was "this is my last job interview." This week, Floyd told players at the season-ending basketball banquet that he was in for the long haul. And Floyd meant it, at the time he said it. Before he knew it, though, he was on a private jet headed to Tucson and interviewing for the Arizona job. Reaction: Attach yourselves to dogs, folks, not coaches.

USC ends spring practice with its annual Trojan Huddle scrimmage at the Coliseum today at 1 p.m. Five things that are apparent after four weeks of workouts: Corp-orate feel Aaron Corp's running ability will give the Trojans a new weapon at quarterback -- if he can hang onto the job through training camp.

USC quarterback Aaron Corp spent much of Tuesday wearing a slight grimace on his face and a rubberized sleeve on his swollen left knee. Unable to practice because of an injury suffered the day before, Corp watched freshman Matt Barkley take command of the Trojans' morning walk-through and afternoon practice. By evening, after doctors had read Corp's X-rays, examined him and indicated there was no ligament damage, the sophomore smiled easily and walked with a spring in his step rather than a limp.

With USC having an open date on Saturday, Trojans tailback Allen Bradford went home for the weekend. And for the first time in his collegiate career, he did so without questions about his lack of playing time from family and friends waiting. Bradford, a fourth-year junior, enters this week's game at Notre Dame having carried the ball a career-high 12 times against California. Senior Stafon Johnson is out for the season because of a throat injury, so Bradford and fellow junior Joe McKnight will once again handle the rushing load for the Trojans.

Kevin O'Neill, USC's new basketball coach, said he was ready to move "forward" -- his view being that the glass is half full and not cracked and leaking all over the counter as the perception has been recently. These are hardly happy times around the Galen Center, with an NCAA investigation churning on and recruits leaving with such speed that they cause vapor trails.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley is not completely healed. Neither is safety Taylor Mays . But a day after announcing that Barkley would start Saturday night against Washington State despite a sore shoulder, Coach Pete Carroll on Thursday made a similar call regarding Mays, who is recovering from a knee sprain. "He's ready to go," Carroll said. Mays, though, said it was "50-50," and that it might be a game-time decision. "I think I'm going to play unless something goes wrong," he said.