Booty is raring to face the Irish

USC quarterbacks utilized the Trojans’ last two home games against Notre Dame to clinch the Heisman Trophy.

Carson Palmer wrapped up the award against the Fighting Irish at the Coliseum in 2002. Matt Leinart did the same in 2004.

John David Booty, a fourth-year junior, is a year away from contending for a Heisman, but he is looking forward to starting against Notre Dame for the first time Saturday at the Coliseum.

Booty has passed for 22 touchdowns with six interceptions.

“It’s a big game just because the whole country is watching,” Booty said Tuesday. “I’ve been around all those weekends, I know the build-up to the games and I know what all that’s like, so I’m just really excited to finally be a real part of it.”

Fighting Irish quarterback Brady Quinn could garner some Heisman support with a big performance against the Trojans.

Quinn, a senior, has passed for 32 touchdowns with five interceptions.

“You can pull out the New England Patriots’ film and see him make the same kinds of plays that Tom Brady makes,” USC Coach Pete Carroll said.

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Linebacker Rey Maualuga said he practiced with a cast because of a “cracked” left wrist suffered against California.

“Coach was like, ‘Rey, this will be good for you and help you tackle better. Help you wrap up better,’ so I don’t make any arm tackles,” Maualuga said.

Maualuga was not the only starter nursing an injury.

Guard Drew Radovich did not practice and said he wore a protective boot on his right foot because of a bone contusion suffered against Cal. Radovich said he would practice Thursday.

Tackle Kyle Williams was stricken with flu symptoms, Carroll said.

Receiver Dwayne Jarrett participated in individual drills but sat out most of the workout for the second day in a row because of a concussion suffered against Cal.

Chauncey Washington sat out because of a knee sprain but would return to practice today, Carroll said.

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David Buehler said his phone hasn’t stopped ringing since he kicked a 49-yard field goal against Cal in his first try.

“I heard from old coaches, friends, and people I hadn’t heard from in ages,” Buehler said.

Buehler worked exclusively at kicker in training camp but practiced at safety after Josh Pinkard was injured in the opener. He moved to fullback two weeks after Ryan Powdrell was injured in the second game, against Nebraska.

Buehler said he benefited from practicing at fullback and safety, as he did in high school and in junior college, rather than kicking all the time.

“Being just focused on kicking, it just messed with my head a little bit,” he said. “Once I got back in the groove of being on the field and playing, I think it helped my kicking.”

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Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis commented on the controversial length of the grass at last year’s game between USC and Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium.

“In the Midwest, grass doesn’t grow as high as it does in the South or in warm-weather climates. Therefore, if you cut the grass low early in the year, usually you have no grass left at the end of the year.

“I mean, it’s pretty simple, a pretty simple concept if you think about it. If we go cut the grass low early in the year, it’s not going to grow as much, then you’re going to be playing on dirt. Because we’re not going to FieldTurf here, last I checked, we’re going to stay on natural grass.

“Was the grass higher than it will be in a lot of places? Yes. Both teams played on the grass. What difference does it make what field you play on? You play on a field, you play on a field.”

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USC’s practice Thursday is closed to the public, school officials said.

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gary.klein@latimes.com