Freshmen Face Inspection in Scrimmage

USC will hold its first scrimmage of training camp at UC Irvine this afternoon, looking for a few answers, especially regarding the freshmen who have just joined the team.

The new faces that stood out this week were offensive lineman Joe McGuire, running back Chris Howard, safety Matt Grootegoed and receiver Keary Colbert, who shined Friday with a couple of catches and a nifty cut on a reverse.

Colbert, vying for the third receiver’s position, “made a big-time move,” Coach Paul Hackett said.

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David Newbury has “a little tiny leg up” in the competition for the kicker’s spot, Hackett said, even though the junior made only 11 of 20 attempts last season and had a poor spring practice.

Newbury has looked somewhat steadier the last two days and said he is feeling more confident.

“I just don’t want it to be like last year,” he said. “I don’t ever want to be there again, and I’ll work as hard as necessary to avoid that.”

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Minor injuries continue to pester the Trojans. Among the top players who missed all or part of Friday’s practices were linebacker Markus Steele (hamstring), safety Troy Polamalu (slight concussion), receiver Kareem Kelly (knee), defensive tackle Ryan Nielsen (shoulder) and defensive end Sultan Abdul-Malik (back).

Hackett expressed concern after the morning session but seemed mollified after several players returned for afternoon practice. The coaches were left to decide who they would urge into action for today’s scrimmage.

“If it’s a Steele or a Kelly I’d be more reserved because we already know what they can do,” Hackett said. “If you’re a young player, it’s critical. A real chance to move up the depth chart.”

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Pacific 10 Conference officials have been at practice this week, throwing flags for false starts and pass interference as the Trojans’ seek to curtail the penalties that hurt them last season. USC classifies penalties two ways:

* “Combat” penalties that result from aggressive play.

* “Dumb” penalties, such as late hits and taunting.

It’s the second category that Hackett addressed with his coaching staff this summer. His assistants passed the word to players.

“We have to be more controlled,” defensive coordinator Bill Young said. “More than anything, it’s a state of mind.”

Conditioning also plays a role. Senior offensive lineman Brent McCaffrey said last season’s penalties often resulted from players being tired and losing focus.

“It’s not just the coaches’ responsibility,” McCaffrey said. “Guys are taking it upon themselves, getting on each other.”