Offensive Line Will Have a New Look

Center Eric Denmon and right tackle Matt Welch have won starting jobs, making right guard Travis Claridge the only returning starter on USC’s offensive line.

That’s not all bad, because the Trojan line struggled last season, when USC averaged only 139 yards rushing.

Welch, a 6-foot-6, 295-pound junior transfer from Santa Ana College, beat out two seniors with starting experience--Ken Bowen and Rome Douglas.

Bowen will back up Welch, but might miss the opening Purdue game because of a hyperextended left elbow, leaving Douglas to back up both tackles.

At center, where the the Trojans had to replace two-year starter Jonathan Himebauch, Denmon is undersized at 6-2, 260.

“A lot of people ask if I’m a fullback. I’ve had a couple say tailback, linebacker. Anything but offensive line,” Denmon said.

But Coach Paul Hackett said Denmon’s quickness, intelligence and work habits helped him beat out Matt McShane, who won the job in the spring but missed time at training camp because of a shoulder injury and was overtaken.

Sophomore Brent McCaffrey (6-5, 270) is at left tackle and junior Jason Grain (6-5, 310) is at left guard. Claridge, a 6-6, 310-junior, has started all 23 games of his career.

“I think the big thing is finally settling the offensive line,” Hackett said. “I hesitate to see it as too rock-solid. Right now, I think these five are doing the best job.”

*

Mike Van Raaphorst will make the third start of his career at quarterback, and Hackett doesn’t seem bent on throwing backup Carson Palmer into the fire right away.

“I don’t know [if he’ll play],” Hackett said. “I’m not much of a rotate-the-quarterbacks kind of guy. I think Mike needs to go out and see what he can do.”

*

Reserve quarterback Quincy Woods still hadn’t contacted Hackett Thursday, three days after leaving the team after being told he would be third or fourth string.

“Until I talk to Quincy, I’m not going to say anything,” Hackett said.

*

The Trojans’ main injury concern for the Purdue game is standout linebacker Mark Cusano, slowly returning from a hamstring injury. If Cusano can’t start, Zeke Moreno will. . . . Brennan Ochs will start at fullback, sharing time with Ted Iacenda. . . . Mike Bastianelli will start at the flanker position held by R. Jay Soward, who is suspended for the first game because of academic shortcomings last spring. . . . Ken Haslip will start at the cornerback position vacated by Brian Kelly, with sophomore Antuan Simmons as the third corner.