It’s a Blistering Day for Fargas

The highlight of USC’s final spring practice came late in a Saturday scrimmage and gave the Trojans two reasons to be hopeful in the months between now and the start of summer training camp in August.

With the first-string offense on the field, Justin Fargas twisted out of one tackle, then eluded another defender as he sprinted toward the end zone. It was the kind of effort coaches have come to expect from a player who could be the answer at tailback next season.

“Justin was special again today,” Coach Pete Carroll said of the senior, who carried 12 times for 111 yards and a touchdown.

But near the end of that 36-yard run, as Fargas seemed ready to score, cornerback Marcell Allmond dived from the side to strip the ball free. It was recovered on the five-yard line by safety DeShaun Hill.

“I finally forced a turnover,” Allmond said. “I’ve been waiting all spring to do that.”

In some ways, he has waited even longer. After two seasons at receiver, Allmond was suspended from school last fall for fighting with other students. Upon his return, he was moved to defensive back, where the Trojans are thin.

Although he still has much to learn, Allmond has the size and quickness to help his team out of a jam, perhaps as a nickelback.

Other than that play, the scrimmage was largely unremarkable, as is often the case with spring workouts. Quarterback Carson Palmer completed eight of 13 passes for 104 yards, throwing a short touchdown to D. Hale but also suffering an interception and a fumble.

Tailback Sultan McCullough carried 10 times for 48 yards. Neither Matt Cassel nor Matt Leinart played well enough to settle the competition for second-string quarterback.

Carroll seemed happiest that his offensive line, already besieged by injury, survived the day short-handed while his defense curbed a recent tendency to surrender big plays. Safety Troy Polamalu led all tacklers with five, Allmond had four. “It’s the last day of spring practice,” Allmond said. “I just treated it like fun.”