McCullough Has to Wait

Sultan McCullough, USC’s No. 2 tailback who rushed for 83 yards against Hawaii, is frustrated after getting only four carries over the last two games.

Nothing was harder than Oregon, where his brother, Saladin, holds the single-season rushing record.

Sultan had one carry for a three-yard loss.

“On the sideline, I’m getting ripped. The fans were saying, ‘If you went to Oregon, you’d be playing,’ ” McCullough said.

USC has turned almost exclusively to Chad Morton lately, a reversal of the plan to avoid overburdening him and a decision that leaves some wondering why.

“Chad Morton, that’s the answer,” USC Coach Paul Hackett said. “He is the main man on this team, and he has had some rough sledding the last few weeks in terms of opportunities, but he has just played as well and as hard as I’ve ever seen him play. In the end, he makes the big play that should win the game. . . . It’s nothing about Sultan. He’s going to be a fine player. Right now, when the game is tight, we are going with Chad.”

That’s partly because USC is already without quarterback Carson Palmer and receiver Windrell Hayes because of injuries, and Morton is a two-time captain and dependable leader. Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said USC intended to put McCullough in early against Oregon, but coaches changed their minds when USC was pinned on its two-yard line.

McCullough understands his role as backup but is puzzled when inexperience is cited.

“I’m a redshirt freshman, so I don’t know about young,” he said. “I’m almost 20 years old, and I’ve been playing football all my life. I don’t know if they don’t have faith or what.”

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Center Eric Denmon is being rested because of a nagging knee injury, meaning Matt McShane will start, although USC hopes Denmon will be able to play.

The injury raises the issue of whether USC will use third-string center Lenny Vandermade, a freshman who has been expected to redshirt.

“We don’t want to use him, and we haven’t planned to, but if we had to we would,” Hackett said.