USC

The struggle between USC’s offensive line and Purdue’s defensive front might be the key battleground in Sunday’s game.

Rosevelt Colvin, Purdue’s right defensive end, had 12 1/2 sacks last season.

“If you look at it on paper, it’s the strength of their defense versus the big unknown of our offense,” said Steve Greatwood, USC’s offensive line coach. “I think our guys are up to the task.”

Much of the responsibility will fall on right guard Travis Claridge, the only returning starter on the line. Claridge--who has been practicing to take on duties as an emergency tackle as well--has been going through a seminar on technique since the new coaching staff arrived.

Greatwood said Claridge, a junior who has started every game of his career, needed to learn to “use more body position instead of trying to muscle everything” and that losing 20 pounds will help Claridge avoid holding penalties he drew before “just from laziness.”

“He has to be our rock,” Greatwood said. “He can’t let himself get frustrated. He used to get worked up if a guy missed a blocking assignment. He’s got to be a rock.”

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Linebacker Mark Cusano will get some help from Zeke Moreno against Purdue after missing nine days because of a hamstring injury, though it isn’t yet certain who will start. “It’s up in the air,” said Cusano, whose role is being adjusted because of the recent injury. “He starts in some defenses and I start in others . . . Probably around game time [the hamstring] will be 100%. As the game wears on, it tends to tire.”

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Doctors were scheduled to take another look at freshman quarterback Jason Thomas’ surgically repaired left ankle after he was hobbled most of Monday’s practice. Scar tissue and conditioning have hampered him.

“I wouldn’t expect to see him in the ballgame at this point, only if he absolutely had to be put in. It wouldn’t be fair to him,” Hackett said.

Whether Thomas should redshirt probably won’t be addressed for several weeks.

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As part of a national “Take a Kid to the Game” promotion, a youth ticket to the USC-Purdue game can be purchased for $1 for every adult ticket purchased, but the promotion only applies to tickets bought on game day.