Friends Will Be All Business Today

USC receiver Mike Williams and Washington receiver Reggie Williams became friends in May when they roomed together in Arizona during a three-day photo shoot for a preseason All-American team.

The players talked by phone this week. Among the topics of conversation: today’s game between fifth-ranked USC and the Huskies.

“It’s going to be fun, especially knowing that I played so well against them last year and he played well too,” Mike Williams said.

Mike Williams, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound sophomore, caught nine passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns against the Huskies in USC’s 41-21 victory at the Coliseum.

Reggie Williams, a 6-4, 225-pound junior, had seven receptions for 134 yards and one touchdown.

Both Williamses wear No. 1 and have similar statistics this season.

Mike has caught 48 passes for 743 yards and eight touchdowns. Reggie has 49 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns.

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Sophomore linebacker Dallas Sartz will start for the first time because Butkus Award semifinalist Matt Grootegoed has a high ankle sprain and did not make the trip.

Sartz had moved to safety before the Trojans’ third game against Hawaii but returned to linebacker when Grootegoed was injured against Stanford.

Sartz, 6 feet 5 and 225 pounds, said playing two positions helped him learn the intricacies of Coach Pete Carroll’s defense. It also cut down on physical wear and tear.

“[Playing safety,] my body definitely was not as sore,” he said. “I come back to linebacker, and my body is aching.”

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Defensive end Frostee Rucker will probably have his most active role to date because of Omar Nazel’s thumb injury.

Nazel’s right wrist is in a cast and he may be limited.

“It’s important that Frostee does step up,” Carroll said. “ ... He’s one of the fastest guys we have in the front seven.”

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USC is among the conference leaders in several statistical categories, but third-down conversions is not one of them. The Trojans, who have converted only 29 of 90 attempts (32.2%), are ranked ninth.

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A sellout crowd of 72,500 is expected at Husky Stadium. The forecast is for mostly sunny skies with temperatures in the high 50s or low 60s.