USC FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: USC AIRS IT OUT IN SCRIMMAGE.

Byline: SCOTT WOLF Staff Writer

USC's offense finally threw the ball with repeated success in a scrimmage Sunday night, although it took a rigged lineup to do it.

With the Trojans staging a mock game at the Coliseum in front of an announced crowd of 15,000, USC coach Pete Carroll decided to let the scout teams play the first team. The results were not pretty, but the statistics were.

For example, John David Booty completed 10 of 12 passes for 98 yards with a touchdown, and Mark Sanchez was 6 for 7 for 79 yards with a touchdown against the third team. Those are by far the best numbers of training camp, but then again, this was the easiest competition for the offense in a game situation.

In fact, everyone looked good against the scout team.

Maybe that's why the best play was tailback C.J. Gable's 24-yard run against the regular defense.

Booty said it still was not easy.

``It is by far the best (scout team) we've had.'' he said. ``Those are big-time prospects. It's not a gimme.''

But Booty said he played better than in the previous two scrimmages.

``My accuracy was much better and I played a lot faster,'' he said.

Booty also benefited from getting more snaps than Sanchez, perhaps a sign Carroll wants Booty to get as many snaps as possible as the season- opener against Arkansas approaches.

``I felt I was able to stay in a rhythm,'' Booty said. ``It was nice.''

Carroll said Booty got more snaps because, ``there wasn't enough plays to go around.''

Carroll also said the simulated noise inside the Coliseum bothered the offensive line, which had some false-start penalties.

``The noise won. It challenged us,'' Carroll said. ``It was obvious we were sloppy at times on the line of scrimmage. It was noise related. That's good, we can get it taken care of. We wanted to get in and out of game situations.''

Gable (Sylmar High) gained 53 yards in six carries with two touchdowns. Stafon Johnson gained 56 yards in 10 carries while Emmanuel Moody and Allen Bradford each gained 29 yards in four carries.

Desmond Reed returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown.

``It looked like a New York Life commercial,'' Carroll said. ``They let him run right through them.''

With the game kicking off at 7:45 p.m., the crowd was much smaller than last year's mock game, which drew an announced crowd of 25,000. Carroll brought in speakers to play crowd noise to simulate a game.

No beer: There was no beer sold at the Coliseum for the mock game. A year ago, the stadium accidentally sold beer in the first half.

Position switch: Defensive end Gerald Washington moved back to his natural position of tight end.

Not ready for prime time: The Coliseum turf remains battered from summer soccer games, with the area at the goal line completely chewed up and patches of dirt visible throughout the field.

USC plays Nebraska in its home opener Sept. 16.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) USC head coach Pete Carroll talks to the team prior to the start of the USC intrasquad game Sunday.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

(2) USC's John David Booty completed 10 of 12 passes for 98 yards with a touchdown during the USC intrasquad game.

Michael Owen Baker/Associated Press