Turner set to show his skills

Who’s No. 1?

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson reportedly asked USC coaches that question when he was being recruited out of Long Beach Poly High in 2005 and he was told the jersey number did not belong to him.

Instead, it went to Tennessee native Patrick Turner, who had already committed to the Trojans.

Jackson eventually spurned USC and went to California. “He didn’t get No. 1, but he got No. 1 there,” Turner said Wednesday.

Turner and Jackson could be the No. 1 targets for their respective quarterbacks on Saturday when 12th-ranked USC plays 24th-ranked Cal at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.

“I’m just going to go out there and play hard and do my thing,” Turner said. “If I have a [better] game than DeSean, good. If he has a [better] game than me, big ups to him.”

Turner then chuckled, adding, “It would be good to have a great game.”

Jackson and Turner first met at a national high school all-star game in Texas after their senior seasons in high school.

The Trojans, having tabbed Mike Williams from Florida in 2002 and Dwayne Jarrett from New Jersey in 2004, had reached across the country for Turner.

The speedy Jackson also wanted to play at USC.

“I thought we both were going to be here and I thought that was tight,” Turner said. “Unfortunately, he didn’t come here. . . . We stay in touch still.”

Jackson, 6 feet and 172 pounds, made an impact for Cal from the outset. He began this season as a Heisman Trophy candidate after catching 97 passes for 1,661 yards and 16 touchdowns and returning four punts for touchdowns during his first two seasons in Berkeley.

Turner, 6-5 and 220, played mainly as a backup to Jarrett and Steve Smith as a freshman and sophomore. He entered the season with 41 catches for 442 yards and four touchdowns.

Both Jackson and Turner have struggled at times this season.

Jackson has caught 51 passes, including five for touchdowns, but his yards per catch has decreased from 18 yards last season to 11.5. Lavelle Hawkins leads the Golden Bears with 53 receptions for 681 yards and four touchdowns.

Turner leads USC with 39 catches for 438 yards (11.2 yards per catch) and two touchdowns, but he and other receivers have also stunted the offense at times by dropping passes.

Asked if he was getting tired of criticism of Trojans receivers, Turner said, “I don’t even hear it unless it’s from [reporters] because we don’t have time to pay attention to none of that.”

All-American tackle Sam Baker will sit out a second consecutive game because of a torn hamstring. “Coming back and injuring it every week is getting old,” Baker said. “The doctor said I could probably come back this week, but I would probably re-injure it again.”

Baker is hoping his condition will improve during a 12-day break between the Cal and Arizona State games.

Redshirt freshman Butch Lewis will start in Baker’s place for the second game in a row and the third time this season.

USC Coach Pete Carroll on defending Jackson as a punt returner: “The best way is to don’t punt.” . . . Cornerback Vincent Joseph, who was suspended for the Oregon State game because of academic issues, will be reinstated for Cal, Carroll said. . . . Officials from Pacific 10 Conference schools met in Los Angeles with bowl representatives from the Rose, Holiday, Sun, Las Vegas, Emerald and Bell Helicopter Armed Forces bowls. “It’s sort of like speed dating, you just keep moving from table to table,” said Dennis Slutak, USC’s director of football operations.

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