USC NOTEBOOK: AILING RUCKER DELAYS SURGERY.

Byline: Scott Wolf Staff Writer

USC opened its winter workouts Tuesday without starting defensive end Frostee Rucker, who was hospitalized Monday with a temperature of more than 103 degrees.

``It was kind of freakish,'' Rucker said. ``I thought I was gonna die.''

Rucker said his temperature decreased to 99 degrees Tuesday, but he clearly was not healthy. His fever delayed selecting a date for surgery on the torn ligaments in his right foot, which bothered him last season.

Surgery is expected to be performed late this week or next week and will require Rucker to miss spring practice. Depending on which surgery doctors choose, Rucker could be sidelined until training camp begins in August.

Rucker was frequently bothered last season by the injury, which required him to miss practices and caused him to be less than 100 percent for some games.

--Championship celebration: USC will have a public ceremony Friday at 3:30 p.m. to celebrate its national championship. The event will take place on campus at Tommy Trojan, with a free concert to follow at 5 p.m.

Among the national-championship trophies unveiled will be awards from ADT (crystal football), the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America (Grantland Rice Trophy) and the College Football Hall of Fame (McArthur Trophy).

USC quarterback Matt Leinart's Heisman and Orange Bowl Most Valuable Player trophies will also be unveiled, along with the Trojans' Orange Bowl and Pacific-10 Conference championship trophies.

The event will be televised on Fox Sports Net West and broadcast on radio station 1540-AM.

--Line coach hired: USC coach Pete Carroll hired Green Bay Packers defensive line coach Jethro Franklin to replace Ed Orgeron as defensive line coach.

Franklin coached with the Packers for five seasons and also spent one season at UCLA (1999). He was at Fresno State from 1991 to '98, where he was a two-time All-American defensive lineman in 1986-87.

--Second look: Carroll visited Dorsey High in Los Angeles on Tuesday, where USC is taking another look at receiver David Gettis, who played in last weekend's U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He also is the defending state track champion in the 400 meters.

Gettis committed to Baylor to run track but would like to play two sports in college. USC's top two receiver prospects are DeSean Jackson of Long Beach Poly and Patrick Turner of Madison, Tenn. Turner also is considering Tennessee, and Jackson is considering California.

--Position switch: With offensive tackle Winston Justice back from a year's suspension, USC is considering moving starting right tackle Taitusi Latui next season to left guard, where he probably would compete with sophomore Jeff Byers for the starting job.

--Spring dates: USC opens spring practice March 6, barely two months after the Orange Bowl, and concludes workouts April 10, the date of the official spring scrimmage at the Coliseum.

--Strength clinic: USC's football strength coaches will hold their annual public clinic for interested coaches Feb. 5. Information: [phone].

Scott Wolf, [phone]

scott.wolf(at)dailynews.com

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FROSTEE RUCKER

Starting defensive end delayed foot surgery because he's battling a high temperature that landed him in the hospital on Monday.