USC FOOTBALL WATCH: AN INSIDE LOOK

Opening blast: Looks as if they still haven’t forgiven USC Coach Larry Smith for deserting Arizona three years ago after seven seasons as head man of the Wildcats.

Wrote columnist Greg Hansen of Smith in Wednesday’s Arizona Daily Star: “The two flaws in his 1986 move were (1) that he created a caste system within the Pac-10 by jilting a middle-class program to join the rich and famous, and (2) that he didn’t so much as say it had been fun.

“It was a most sterile departure for a man given to tearful locker-room scenes.”

Ouch.

Injuries: Arizona redshirt freshman quarterback George Malauulu, the Pac-10 leader in passing efficiency at 172, is out for the season after tearing knee ligaments last week against Cal. Junior Ron Veal will start Saturday against USC.

Also out for the year is Wildcat free safety Jeff Hammerschmidt, who tore knee ligaments two weeks ago against Pacific.

Honors: The list of candidates for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the defensive back deemed the nation’s best, has been narrowed to 10 finalists, among them USC’s Mark Carrier and Notre Dame’s Todd Lyght.

The winner will be announced in January.

Numbers: In last year’s Arizona-USC game, the Wildcats had the ball for only 18 minutes 3 seconds, yet managed to rush for 241 yards against the Trojans. Arizona still lost, 38-15.

This year, the Wildcats are averaging 245.2 rushing yards a game and lead the Pac-10.