Orange County Register

USC coach Pete Carroll said he wasn’t trying to send a message to sophomore defensive end Everson Griffen by supplanting him in the starting lineup with senior Clay Matthews.

But Griffen must have received something in his inbox, because there has been a noticeable uptick in his practice intensity in recent days.

“He’s determined,” Carroll said Tuesday. “He wants his play time. He’s going to fight for it. He practiced beautifully today. He was getting after it. That’s how you do it.

“He’s determined to get more play time, which is what competition is all about.”

Even if it wasn’t intentional, as Carroll contended, Griffen’s demotion definitely seems to have lit a fire within a player who hasn’t always had the most consistent work ethic.

“It’s quite natural,” Carroll said. ” You lose something that you cherish, you’re going to fight for it. That’s what he’s doing.”

Griffen had one of USC’s four sacks against Oregon last week.

Today’s links:

• Who is USC’s quarterback?
• What’s the deal with Allen Bradford?
• Reed didn’t mean to hurt Mark Sanchez

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