Carroll’s Backup Plan Appears to Include Cassel

Matt Cassel took a circuitous route to get there, but he is once again in position to become USC’s No. 2 quarterback.

“We have to figure out what we’re going to do here with the backup situation in a couple different scenarios,” Coach Pete Carroll said Thursday after the Trojans completed their second day of split practices.

Carroll and his staff will weigh the possibility of redshirting sophomore John David Booty if record-setting Matt Leinart remains healthy and performs as expected through the first few games of the season.

That could leave the No. 2 spot open, probably for Cassel, a fifth-year senior who was Carson Palmer’s seldom-used backup for two seasons and Leinart’s backup for the first five games last season. Cassel played part of the first half against Arizona State, but was asked to move to tight end a week later after Booty was elevated to No. 2 on the depth chart and tight end Dominique Byrd was injured against Stanford.

After the season, Cassel skipped spring practice for the first time to play for the Trojan baseball team. In May, he graduated with a communications degree, and offensive coordinator Norm Chow granted his request to return to quarterback for his final season of football eligibility.

Regardless of Booty’s situation, Cassel’s familiarity with USC’s offense might make him the first quarterback the Trojans turn to if Leinart is hurt or unexpectedly falters.

Senior Brandon Hance has struggled to remain healthy. Junior Billy Hart, who is playing in a baseball tournament in Kansas this week, has taken only one snap in a game. Freshman Rocky Hinds sat out his senior season at Playa del Rey St. Bernard High because of a knee injury and probably will redshirt.

“We’ll see what happens,” said Cassel, who has performed well while working out in the afternoon practice session with newcomers. “There are no expectations. Win or lose, I’m just trying to have fun.”

Hance, meanwhile, said he hoped to practice today for the first time after recovering from apparent dehydration.

Hance, who is rooming with Leinart, Cassel and Booty during training camp, said he woke up Tuesday morning, “and it went downhill from there.”

Hance said Leinart found him on the bathroom floor. He said he was taken to the university’s student health center and was treated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics.

It was the latest setback for Hance, who had surgery on torn cartilage in his right shoulder after transferring from Purdue in the fall of 2002 and contracted a viral form of spinal meningitis last summer.

Hance finished the 2003 season as the No. 2 quarterback after Booty suffered a wrist injury against UCLA, but he had arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder and knee after spring practice.

Hance will wear No. 4, the number that Carroll stripped from him before the opener last season to appease freshman receiver Whitney Lewis, who was declared academically ineligible on Wednesday.

Hance said he had no hard feelings about last season’s number switch. “I’m over it,” he said.

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Receiver Mike Williams did not practice because he had a class and needed to finish some schoolwork, Carroll said.... Freshman Michael Stuart was moved from tight end to linebacker, and freshman Eugene Germany was moved from linebacker to tight end.