USC’s Redd May Return this Weekend, Pac-12 Players of the Week

In last week’s first game of the season, USC (1-0) played without running back Silas Redd but looking ahead to Game 2, the player may return to the field.

Silas Redd

Redd is battling a knee injury and last week for the opening game against Hawaii, the team’s leading rusher remained on the mainland. Instead he went to see the doctor of athletes, Dr. James Andrews, and underwent a procedure on his knee. Details weren’t released but Redd has returned to the university, awaiting action.

USC coach Lane Kiffin said of Redd’s visit to Andrews via ESPN, “We sent Silas there right before we left for Hawaii. He had a procedure done down there with Dr. Andrews and they felt positive about it and he’s coming back today.”

He added that he was unsure when Redd would return to play but said, “I hope this week.”

Redd has been out beginning with the team’s latter half of spring practice. It evolved into an absence from summer training and the season opener.

Last season the player rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns. This followed 2011’s season with 1,241 yards and seven touchdowns.

In Redd’s place last week against Hawaii in a 30-13 victory, running backs Tre Madden and Justin Davis had been co-starters. Madden had a 109-yard game while Davis added 74 yards.

Meanwhile in other USC news, its quarterback controversy is coming to an end as Kiffin has selected his starter but the big news won’t be disclosed until Saturday when the team plays Washington State (0-1). This represents the first Pac-12 conference game of the season.

The battle is between two redshirt sophomore quarterbacks: Cody Kessler and Max Wittek. Prior to last week’s game against Hawaii they had been listed as co-starters and both saw playing time in Game 1. Kessler took the first snaps and played through the third quarter’s first series. He went 10 for 19, 95 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Wittek came in and had a 5 for 10,  77 -yard game.

So who’s likely the victor for the starting role? Signs are pointing toward Wittek, who started in two games at the end of 2012.

USC sits at 40/1 to win this year’s BCS Championship game but things look better for a win against Washington State this week: -14.5.

Pac-12 Players of the Week

While USC and Washington have the honor of kicking off Pac-12 conference play this week, it’s not too soon to name this week’s Players of the Week. This included Colorado (1-0) wide receiver Paul Richardson, Arizona (1-0) safety Tra’Mayne Bondurant and California (0-1) kicker Vincenzo D’Amato.

Here’s some background on the players’ Week 1 accomplishments.

Paul Richardson

Richardson: He had 10 receptions for 208 yards (two were for 75-plus yards) and two touchdowns (one 82-yard reception) in the 41-27 win over Colorado State. Richardson missed the 2012 season thanks to recovering from a knee injury. His 200 yard-plus game was the only one in the country for the first weekend of college football but it wasn’t his first 200-yard game. He had one in 2011 with 284-yards receiving.

Bondurant: In Arizona’s 35-0 win over Northern Arizona, the safety had a game-leading seven tackles (one for a loss) and two interceptions–a first in a game for multi-picks. He returned one for a 23-yard touchdown.

D’Amato: The kicker had a accounted for a career-best 18 points in Saturday’s 44-30 loss against Northwestern (1-0). At the end of Cal’s initial series, D’Amato had a 10-yard touchdown pass to holder Jackson Bouza from a fake field goal attempt. In addition, the senior kicker went 3 for 3 in his initial three attempts, which tied a career-high.

For the game, he executed his three extra-point attempts.

Looking ahead to the season’s Pac-12 conference winner, Arizona sits at 15/2 and Cal is 50/1.