USC head coach Pete Carroll has probably sweated bullets all week, knowing that his leading receiver, Steve Smith, could be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season.
Puhleeeze!
After last week's not-so-convincing win over then-No. 7 California, Carroll isn't discounting the loss of Smith, because he knows that his team possesses enough replacements to fill an NFL combine.
Freshman split end Dwayne Jarrett, a Parade All-American as a senior in high school, will make his first collegiate start Saturday, lining up opposite sophomore flanker Chris McFoy, when No. 1 USC attempts to remain unbeaten against No. 15 ASU on Saturday at the Coliseum in Los Angeles.
Versatile sophomore tailback Reggie Bush and freshman tight end Fred Davis have seen increased reps at wide receiver, although Carroll insists that Bush will continue to work primarily out of the backfield.
Regardless of where Bush and Davis are positioned, Heisman Trophy candidate Matt Leinart should have plenty of options. Oh yeah, then there's sophomore tailback LenDale White, who has quietly totaled five touchdowns and 387 yards rushing.
"Week to week, this is an extraordinary challenge, to see if you can maintain your high level of play," Carroll said. "We're all tested to get our guys and our game plans up every week. The Cal game was the biggest game that week, and we were very clear about handling it that way so that it wouldn't affect the enormous challenge this week with Arizona State.
"This is what we have come to expect. If you're going to try to fight for the top of this thing, every week you're going to get in a dogfight, and you've got to be after it every single time you go out. This is the way it is, and hopefully we'll do it well."
It's not like Jarrett will be seeing the field for the first time Saturday. He has played in all five games, catching 17 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns.
Bush, who ranks second nationally with 197.8 all-purpose running yards, concerns ASU head coach Dirk Koetter more than anyone, given his elusiveness and his knack for making big plays.
"That guy can do it," Koetter said. "Every time he touches the ball, you kind of hold your breath."
Nicknamed "The President," Bush has been likened to former NFL running backs Gale Sayers and Barry Sanders and St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk. His mere presence on the field has created opportunities for his teammates, evidenced by the fact that six other Trojans have scored touchdowns this season.
"He's as good as any receiver on their team, and the next moment he's running with power, makes one guy miss and he's so fast he can go the distance," BYU head coach Gary Crowton said. "He just has the ability to create lots of matchup problems without them changing the personnel groups. That's a real luxury they have."
White has managed to make a splash of his own, even while playing in Bush's shadow.
He packs more punch than Bush, setting up a dangerous combination when they are on the field at the same time in USC's "Pony" formation.
"He's very physical," Bush said. "He softens them up, and I run by them."
For USC, Leinart is the glue that holds everything together.
To wit: The Trojans are 17-1 when Leinart starts, and during their 14-game winning streak, Leinart has thrown 40 touchdowns and six interceptions.
"If you give him an inch, he'll take a mile," ASU senior quarterback Andrew Walter said. "He is a national championship quarterback, and he has a ring on his finger. He has some receivers that probably aren't as experienced as the ones he has had in the past, but he has still been able to do it."
Reach the reporter at brian.gomez@asu.edu.
