COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT / USC : Hackett Dashes Hopes of McCullough-Kelly Duel

It looked like showdown time Friday at Howard Jones Field, with tailback Sultan McCullough and receiver Kareem Kelly ready to see if Kelly could unseat McCullough as the fastest player in USC history.

But Coach Paul Hackett put an end to their yapping, calling off the race until spring.

“Can you imagine? The last race Sultan competed in he kicked it into high gear and nearly popped his hamstring,” Hackett said. “Are we really worried if they’re fast enough? I know already.”

McCullough’s time of 10.17 seconds in the 100 meters last spring makes him officially the fastest player ever to wear a Trojan football uniform, and he makes sure Kelly--whose best time is 10.28--knows it, by talking trash all the time.

“That’s the only reason for us racing,” Kelly said. “We both want to be the best. Every chance we get, we’re either talking about it or showing actions about it. We respect each other, though. We’re just being competitive.”

McCullough said that even though Hackett called off the race, it might not wait until track season.

“We tried to get out here before Hackett could get out here, but you see what happened,” he said.

“We talk so much, I get tired of talking. [Kelly has] just come out of high school, and I’ve been in college for a whole year. It’s a big difference to run in the NCAA than running high school track.

“I was just showing him you’re in the big pond. You’re a little fish in the big pond. I’m going for the bigger people in the big pond. I’m not worried about you.

“But that’s the best competition, competition on your own team. Then you know you can battle anybody else.”

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With no game today, the players’ minds are on relaxing.

“I’m just going to go home, hang out with my family, hopefully play a little golf,” said quarterback Carson Palmer, who has shot in the 80s, even though he rarely has time to play.

Tailback Malaefou MacKenzie was headed home too.

“I’m going to play with my nephew, and barbecue,” he said.

Receiver R. Jay Soward said he’d be in front of the television.

“Sitting at home, watching games, seeing who’s getting better, who’s not,” he said.