Orange County Register

Poll: Which RB should get the most carries for USC?

“I can’t talk today. I might say anything.”

C.J. Gable and Joe McKnight were kidding. Sort of. Before I even approached the two running backs they were declining interview requests from an SID.

With most everyone giving their two cents on USC’s running back rotation — Coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday the team is “still searching” — I figured it’d be a good idea to see what the four so-called co-starters thought.

One-on-one with Joe McKnight:

Question: How can you be most effective?

Joe McKnight: When I get a chance to get in, just make plays.

Q: How many carries do you need to get into a rhythm?

McKnight: When you’re playing running back at this school and you got a lot of running backs, you should get into a rhythm immediately. Before the game you got to warm up to get in your rhythm. Every running back will need a couple carries to get settled in.

Q: Is the rotation keeping the rushing game from being at its best?

McKnight: I really don’t know. I don’t know. I just let the coaches do their job. Can’t put more pressure on the coaches than they already have.

Q: Do you think somebody should get at least 10 carries, even if it isn’t you?

McKnight: I feel like whatever running back is on that game should get the carries. Like Stafon, he was on last game. He had a couple good gains so he should have kept getting the ball. I feel like that. If you’re on, you should be getting the ball.

Q: How do you keep a good attitude about the situation?

McKnight: I just handle my football stuff when I’m at football. When I’m off the field I don’t worry about football. I don’t have an attitude. I don’t have a problem with it.

Related links:

• In search of … C.J. Gable
• In search of … Stafon Johnson
• In search of … Allen Bradford

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