No Kickoff Classic for Washington

Delon Washington, USC’s leading rusher last season, was suspended Tuesday because of a non-football related rule violation and will sit out Sunday’s Kickoff Classic against Penn State.

Washington, a junior who became the Trojans’ first 1,000-yard rusher since 1990 with 236 carries for 1,109 yards, had recovered from a pulled hamstring and was set to start against the 11th-ranked Nittany Lions.

“USC became aware of a violation, a one-time happening,” USC Coach John Robinson said. “He has acknowledged the violation. The violation was not connected to his involvement with our football team.

“The process is we suspend him and apply for reinstatement. USC has taken that action on its own. I can’t talk any more about it, so I can’t answer any questions.”

Rodney Sermons and LaVale Woods will share the tailback duties for the seventh-ranked Trojans against Penn State.

“There’s not too much I can say,” Washington said in a statement issued by the school. “I’ll persevere. All I can do is accept the situation and just go on. I’ll cheer on my teammates in the opener and prepare myself for the next game.”

As a freshman in 1994, Washington gained 109 yards in 10 carries in a 24-17 victory over Washington, and then led USC in rushing with 44 yards in nine carries in 38-14 loss at Penn State.

Before the season’s third game, USC decided to withhold him from competition while questions regarding his eligibility, which was certified by the NCAA, were being resolved.

Those questions weren’t cleared up until late in the season, and Washington didn’t play again until USC’s 55-14 victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl.

“These guys are ready to go,” Robinson said. “Woods and Sermons have had really good camps. Both were plagued by injuries last year. Both did very well when they weren’t hurt.”

Sermons, a junior, was USC’s second-leading rusher last year, gaining 244 yards in 60 carries. He also caught 12 passes for 86 yards. Woods, another junior, gained 146 yards in 28 carries last year.

Even before the suspension, USC entered the season inexperienced on offense. Now, because of the suspension and injuries to wide receiver Larry Parker and offensive lineman Phalen Pounds, the only starter on offense from last year who will play against Penn State is quarterback Brad Otton.

“I think we have two teams who are rather unsettled,” Robinson said. “On offense, we will start six players who have not played much. We’re more settled on defense. As I look at the season, I think this team needs to spend the next month, five weeks, trying to get better.

“This game cannot influence us. If we lose and people say we’re not good, we can’t listen. If we win and people say we’re real good, we can’t listen.”

Robinson said Travis Claridge will start at right guard, becoming the first freshman offensive lineman to start an opener for USC since Brad Budde in 1979. Claridge, 18, is from Vancouver, Wash.