COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : USC : Fields Impresses Robinson

John Robinson watched his team for nearly an hour in its first scrimmage Saturday, then pronounced the Trojans on track for their Aug. 29 Anaheim Stadium opener with North Carolina.

With starting quarterback Rob Johnson and backup Kyle Wachholtz taking turns, USC’s first-team offense moved the ball in spurts against the first-team defense, but seemed most effective on plays from the defense’s three-yard line.

Backup sophomore tailback Scott Fields had several impressive runs, but Robinson said returning starter Dwight McFadden--who also ran well--still had the job. One of Fields’ runs was a 35-yarder on a pitch from Johnson.

“Fields is a tough kid, but I wanted to see how tough he is when he’s tired--to see if he understands what this is all about,” said Robinson, commenting on the 15-or-so carries by Fields.

“I’d say he’s put himself in a position where he can challenge Dwight for the job.”