USC quarterbacks Sanchez, Mustain ready for Sunday's scrimmage
USC's Trojans cruised through the seventh of 15 spring football practices Friday, essentially tuning up for Sunday's 11 a.m. open scrimmage at Howard Jones-Brian Kennedy Field.
"Each practice is like a homework assignment," quarterback Mark Sanchez said after taking the bulk of first-team snaps the past two days. "Sunday is like a test."
Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain said he was hoping he'd get a shot Sunday -- "It is the halfway mark." And, yes, he thought the competition for the quarterback spot was still open.
"I'll assume it is until I hear otherwise," he said.
Sanchez, a redshirt junior going into his fourth season, said he likes getting the first-team reps.
"That's all I expect," he said.
New Motion Helps Corp
One new element Friday was the improvement in Aaron Corp, the redshirt freshman running No. 3 in the quarterback competition.
He finished off practice with a perfectly thrown touchdown pass through two defenders to a leaping Garrett Green. It's the result of a new throwing motion he's been working on.
"I actually went to see the pitching coach, Tom House," he said, referring to the former major league pitcher and coach.
The issue for Aaron Corp, whose quick feet have been a bigger weapon than his arm, has been arm strength. The diagnosis was to have him throw with more of his core, his torso and hips, integrated into his throwing motion and not just all arm.
"The first week I was struggling with it," Corp said of his new delivery. "But I'm starting to do it the majority of the time now."
Snap Decision
Third-year punter Gregg Woidneck wasn't asked about his improved leg strength and explosiveness now that he's 195 pounds, down from 205. But will it help his hops in order to play the position with a crew of inexperienced long snappers having trouble with their accuracy.
"Obviously, it's better to have experience there," Woidneck said of the departed Will Collins, especially after the first two punts in specialty teams were blocked Friday after high and wide snaps. "It definitely affects the punter."
But as USC rotates four or five snappers on a daily basis and waits for two more walk-ons to arrive in the fall, it's a hit-and-miss deal right now.
"It's a tryout camp right now," USC coach Pete Carroll said.
Offensive lineman Michael Reardon and defensive end Trey Handerson were the latest to step up.
"We have no experience," Carroll said, "but Cooper (Stephenson, walk-on tight end) looked real good snapping (for) field goals," after having accuracy issues on the long snaps.
Trojan Huddle at Coliseum
Carroll said he wasn't concerned if the field at the Coliseum looked like Shea Stadium, where his Jets teams played. The Trojans will still play their spring game there April 19 despite the skinned infield left over from the Dodgers-Red Sox exhibition game.
Admission is $10 (students and children 12 and under enter free) with gates opening at 10 a.m. for the 11 a.m. start with an autograph session after the scrimmage.
More USC Notes
USC's Brian Cushing and Taylor Mays are on the 42-player watch list for the Lott Award given to the nation's top defender. It's named for former Trojan All-American Ronnie Lott.
Whether offensive linemen Butch Lewis, Zack Heberer and Cushing will be available for Sunday's scrimmage has not been determined, Carroll said.
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