TIME FOR TROJANS TO GO ON OFFENSIVE.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

Off they go, not so much into a cardinal and gold sunset as to ridiculous NFL riches.

Quarterback Matt Leinart, graduating and signing with talent agents. LenDale White, taking that NFL body where it will really shine.

And now Reggie Bush, he of the breathtaking moves and shiny new Heisman, gone too.

Bush made official Thursday what everyone had known for weeks - that he will join White in leaving USC after his junior season to enter the NFL Draft.

This leads to two quick thoughts: There will never be another trio like them; and now we'll really see what kind of magic Pete Carroll can work.

First, a fond farewell. They were at the heart of what many considered the greatest college offense ever. It was some three-year run, one truly special time.

Bush was faced with the same decision as Leinart was last year, coming off a Heisman-winning season, yet everything seemed very different.

A year ago, uncertain fans gathered outside the windows of the news conference at Heritage Hall and cheered when Leinart announced he would return. Carroll heralded the decision as the right move.

This time there was less suspense, no cheers when Bush said he was gone.

Carroll was attending the funeral of linebacker Rey Maualuga's father, Talatonu, in Northern California on Thursday but said in a statement: ``As much as we'll miss Reggie, we understand that this is the right move for him. He's ready for the next level.''

A seeming reversal. Most were pretty sure Leinart was ready for the next level last season.

But now Carroll has lost all three. He will lose at least five offensive starters, plus White. Junior offensive linemen Winston Justice and Fred Matua are also considering leaving early.

This is one serious offensive hit. The entire starting offensive backfield and the greatest backup tailback in the country.

Last season, when offensive coordinator Norm Chow moved to the NFL, there were obvious questions about his youthful replacements, offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and assistant head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Though there were certainly moments when their calls came into question, a tremendously talented and experienced offensive group shrugged off any growing pains.

Next season, it's a new game. New quarterback, tailbacks and (sort of) fullback. Warts will be exposed.

There will be new pressure on Carroll, Kiffin and Sarkisian to demonstrate they can make it happen on their own, that last season was not mostly a holdover of Chow's system and players.

``I definitely feel like they won't be missing a beat,'' Bush said. ``You have Dwayne Jarrett coming back, Steve Smith. John David Booty is going to do a great job of leading this offense next year.

``I look forward to seeing them compete for another national championship next year.''

Yep, USC will be highly ranked again next season despite all the uncertainty. Not No. 1, but likely in the top five.

The schedule is not all that daunting. USC opens at Arkansas - a team the Trojans defeated 70-17 last season but will be no pushover next season - but otherwise their most challenging games are at home: Nebraska, Oregon, Arizona State, Cal and Notre Dame all play at the Coliseum.

Placing Booty at quarterback is assumptive. Booty is the highly regarded Shreveport, La., phenom who graduated from high school a year early to join the Trojans for the 2003 season.

Booty will be a redshirt junior next season and has patiently waited behind Leinart for three years.

But freshman quarterback Mark Sanchez, the 2004 Parade All-American Player of the Year, figures to challenge. It should be interesting, but there is no Chow to school them, either.

Tailback is much less clear. Hershel Dennis, the one-time s+tarter, is coming off knee surgery. He was mostly a bursting, straight-ahead runner, however, and not in the Bush-White class.

The most intriguing prospect could be Chauncey Washington, who came in with Bush and White and who some even thought was the most promising of the three.

Washington, however, has had problems in the classroom. He has consistently been academically ineligible, but is back to give it another try.

Then there are Desmond Reed and Michael Coleman, who flashed promise last season but saw their seasons end in injury, with Reed having knee surgery and Coleman undergoing from hip surgery.

That leaves an opening for another Bush-White style freshman class. Emmanuel Moody of Coppel, Texas, already has committed to USC and the Trojans are considered the favorite to land Dorsey's Stafon Johnson, ranked the No. 3 tailback prospect in the country by Rivals.com. Michael Goodson from Collins, Texas, is also considering the Trojans, as are prep stars C.J. Cable of Sylmar and LeSean McCoy of Harrisburg, Pa.

There figures to be plenty of new talent, but replacing two Heisman winners and another NFL first-round pick in White will give Carroll a new test.

``I know it's going to be tough,'' Smith said. ``Those guys could do so much. But coach Carroll prides himself on being able to come back with other players and really show why we're such a great university. I think it will be fine, but it is a little bit of a concern.''

The defense lost six top starters from its 2004 team, but it was thought USC was so loaded and Carroll so skilled as a defensive mastermind, the Trojans would hardly miss a beat.

The 2005 defense, hit hard by injury, never did resemble the 2004 unit. And now Carroll faces the same challenge on the offensive side.

Bush is off to prove he's not too small to be an every-down tailback in the NFL. Carroll is aiming to prove he can continue his great run at USC with a new offensive cast.

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(color) With a slew of departing players, including USC tailback Reggie Bush (pictured), Pete Carroll will have his hands full.

Reed Saxon/Associated Press