USC FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: RECRUIT ASHLEY STAYS ON HOLD.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

Although he received approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse, USC recruit Walker Lee Ashley must be accepted by the university's admissions office before enrolling next month.

It's the last hurdle for Ashley, an All-American defensive tackle from Eden Prairie, Minn., who has been trying to attend USC for nearly a year.

Ashley incorrectly filled out some paperwork last week, which further delayed his case being settled by the university. He signed with USC in February but was unable to enroll in August because he did not meet the NCAA minimum academic requirements.

He recently received a passing test score but still needs official acceptance from USC's admissions office. If he gains acceptance, Ashley will participate in spring practice and be considered a redshirt freshman next season.

--Familiar foe: Defensive line coach Jethro Franklin is familiar with Texas because of trips he made to Austin during his five-year tenure as an assistant with the Green Bay Packers.

``We worked out a lot of their players,'' Franklin said. ``I got to know Mack Brown and some of the other coaches.''

Franklin, who lives in the Valley, said Texas quarterback Vince Young is the best college quarterback he's played against as an assistant coach.

``He's a Daunte Culpepper or Donovan McNabb,'' Franklin said, referring to NFL quarterbacks. ``It's not how many times he runs, it's the mere fact he does it that makes you nervous, because you always have to be ready.''

USC faces the nation's passing-efficiency leader for the second straight game. UCLA quarterback Drew Olson led the nation before the crosstown rivalry while Young currently leads the nation.

--Does it matter? USC tailback Reggie Bush failed to return a kickoff for a touchdown this season and Texas has gone 57 games without allowing a kick return for a score. Texas also has blocked 52 kicks in Brown's eight seasons.

--History lessons: Brown is 1-0 against USC, with a 31-9 victory over the Trojans in the 1993 Pigskin Classic, when he coached North Carolina. That also was the first game of John Robinson's second stint as USC head coach.

USC is 5-0 in bowl games when it holds the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press rankings, winning the national championship in 1962, 1967, 1972, 2003 and 2004.

The Trojans are 4-0 against Texas but haven't played since 1967.

USC's 34-game winning streak is the third-longest in college football since 1915.

Scott Wolf, [phone]

scott.wolf(at)dailynews.com