<H1>USC competition heats up between Sanchez, Mustain</H1>
<DIV =storysub style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 15px; COLOR: #333333! important">Quarterbacks have a spirited day of practice.
<DIV =storybyline style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 15px; COLOR: #999999! important">By Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
April 4, 2008
<DIV =story>USC's much-ballyhooed quarterback competition finally began to look like one on Thursday, with junior
Mark Sanchez and sophomore
Mitch Mustain engaging in what occasionally seemed like a game of one-upsmanship.
"Today was really the first day when I felt confidence that I could come out and actually play my game and compete a little bit," Mustain said.
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Heating up
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Mustain, who started eight games at Arkansas in 2006, clearly benefited from the extended and faster scrimmage drills during the second half of the Trojans' sixth spring workout. Mustain was at his best when plays broke down, completing several impressive passes on the run.
During one period, Sanchez connected with split end
David Ausberry on a difficult throw, only to have Mustain immediately follow with a sideline strike to receiver
Brandon Carswell.
The full-pads workout concluded when linebacker
Malcolm Smith intercepted a tipped pass by Sanchez, but Sanchez, Mustain and redshirt freshman
Aaron Corp all played substantially better than the previous three workouts.
"To end on a pick like that is frustrating . . . but I felt good and everything else felt good," said Sanchez, who remains the leading candidate to succeed
John David Booty as the starter. "It felt like we were starting to click a little bit and starting to get a little momentum."
Coach
Pete Carroll praised Sanchez, Mustain and Corp, but said the lack of protection, especially by the second-unit offensive line, was "forcing them to show us their resourcefulness. . . . We're not really happy with the protection of the second group."
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Corp is coming on after consulting with USC pitching coach
Tom House and implementing some mechanical adjustments in his throwing motion.
"Before, I would step and my shoulders and hips would come through at the same time," Corp said. "Now, it's just my hips coming through first. It creates a little more torque."
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Senior cornerback
Cary Harris is a two-year starter, but he knows that coaches regard his position as up for grabs with the maturation of junior
Shareece Wright and the return of
Kevin Thomas and
Josh Pinkard from injuries.
Harris sent a message by delivering huge hits on consecutive plays, first breaking up a pass to running back
Allen Bradford and then pounding receiver
Travon Patterson. Both plays generated whoops and hollers from fans and the Trojans defense.
"I'm still here," Harris said.
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The Trojans practice Friday, will be off Saturday and will scrimmage Sunday. . . . With receiver
Damian Williams still out because of a foot injury, Ausberry and Patterson got more opportunities. Both made several outstanding catches. . . . Safety
Taylor Mays sat out much of practice after he was kneed in the thigh, Carroll said. Running back
Joe McKnight (hip) also was limited. Linebacker
Rey Maualuga remained out because of a hamstring strain, Carroll said. . . . Redshirt freshmen tailback
Marc Tyler had the most impressive run of the day, moving left and then cutting back against the grain for a long gain.
gary.klein@latimes.com
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