Los Angeles Press Enterprise: Maualuga, Rivers back at practice

Wednesday, November 9, 2005

Dan Weber

LOS ANGELES - Rey Maualuga returned to the USC team Wednesday, saying he planned to play this week for his father, Talatonu, who is battling cancer back home in Eureka.  "My father is my motivation," Maualuga said after a one-day trip home that caused him to miss practice and classes Tuesday.  "I went home," he said. "I could have stayed a little longer."  But recalling his father's pride in announcing that his son would be attending USC on the Army All-America Game telecast on ESPN last year, Maualuga said he was honoring his father's hopes for him.  "My mom said to come home and talk to dad before something happens," he said. "If it gets worse, I'll go back."  But for now, with USC in need of linebackers because everyone scheduled to play Saturday at California (12:30 p.m., Channels 7 and 42) has some sort of injury except for Maualuga, the top-ranked Trojans welcomed Maualuga's return at middle linebacker.  "There was nothing more he could do up there," USC coach Pete Carroll said.  Maualuga, 18, remains in legal jeopardy as the result of a misdemeanor battery charge from an altercation with another USC student after a Halloween party. He is scheduled for a Nov. 22 hearing in LA Municipal Court.  Having worked out a course of action with Maualuga and the USC players committee, Carroll is committed to keeping Maualuga with the team.  As far as getting ready for Cal, starting middle linebacker Oscar Lua will return today to see if he can go full speed after spraining a knee Saturday against Stanford. Behind him, Thomas Williams will step in if his groin pull allows.  On the outside, freshman Brian Cushing wasn't able to practice Wednesday because of a sprained neck. He will get a bone scan test today.  "If it comes back OK, I'll be fine Saturday," Cushing said.  The best news for USC at linebacker was the return of starting outside linebacker Keith Rivers from a pulled hamstring muscle that's limited him the past three games.  "It felt great," Rivers said, anticipating a return to full speed by Friday. "I think I had a pretty good day today."  

More USC Notes

Carroll acknowledged that freshman safety Will Harris is out for the year with a torn knee ligament, but he wasn't sure of plans for surgery.  Cornerback John Walker returned to action for the first time since his high ankle sprain in the Washington game.  Freshman Troy Van Blarcom, the Trojans' kickoff specialist, hit a 52-yard field goal to end specialty teams work. Carroll said Van Blarcom had made one that would have been good "from at least 60 yards out" Tuesday.