USC FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: CARROLL VISITS DORSEY BACK.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

USC reports back today with its first practice of the week for the UCLA game, but it's never too early to look ahead, so Trojans coach Pete Carroll is expected to make a home visit tonight to tailback Stafon Johnson from Dorsey High of Los Angeles.

Today is the first day coaches are allowed to visit high school recruits. Most schools already ended their season, but USC plays another week, which causes some double duty.

Johnson is listed as the third-best tailback in the nation by Rivals.com.

--Back on time: Tight end Fred Davis usually reported back late whenever USC had a bye week or time off last season and it eventually led to his suspension for the Orange Bowl. But Davis he vowed to fly back to Los Angeles from his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, on Saturday night to make sure there are no problems.

``I'm coming back this time early, I'll be good,'' Davis said. ``I'm definitely coming back on time. Being older, I'm used to being here, so it's not a problem. Before, I was homesick.''

It doesn't hurt Davis' morale that he started the past two games and is sharing playing time with former starter Dominique Byrd.

Freshman linebacker Brian Cushing, who is from Park Ridge, N.J., said he empathizes with Davis. Cushing flew home Wednesday night and saw his brother for the first time in five months.

``Thinking about it now, it's weird, five months is a long time,'' Cushing said. ``It's not acceptable (that Davis came back late), but it's understandable.''

Carroll said he encouraged all out-of-state players to return home for Thanksgiving.

``Particularly the first-year guys,'' Carroll said. ``It's a time to reconnect. We've had a long, hard stretch before this break.''

--Big interception: Safety Scott Ware intercepted his first pass of the season last week against Fresno State, and the play satisfied two concerns for Ware.

``It was more getting annoying, because people always asked me when I would get an interception,'' Ware said. ``And I was mad because (Fresno State) sent back my (recruiting) tape.''