Ware Could Get His First Taste of Action

Safety Scott Ware did not play against Virginia Tech, but the junior college transfer from Santa Rosa will play, and could start, against Colorado State in the top-ranked Trojans’ home opener Saturday.

With strong safety Darnell Bing sitting out because of a nagging shoulder injury, Ware worked with the first-unit defense throughout Monday’s practice, the Trojans’ first after a three-day break.

Starter Jason Leach moved from free safety to strong safety in Bing’s place. Ware played free safety.

Coach Pete Carroll said Bing’s status for the Colorado State game is to be determined.

“I think he’ll be ready to help us -- I don’t know if he’ll be ready for full-time duty,” Carroll said.

Ware sat out several practices before the Virginia Tech game because of headaches. He went through warmups before the game but said he was told he probably would not play unless it was a blowout.

Ware said he would have preferred to enter Saturday’s game with some experience against Virginia Tech, but he was prepared nonetheless.

“Experience is always better -- but I did get to kind of step back and watch for a while, which I’m sure was good,” he said. “I’m ready.”

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Freshman wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett was removed from practice, and freshman tight end Fred Davis was put through punitive conditioning drills for reporting late.

“Travel problems,” Carroll said after practice.

Jarrett, who will turn 18 on Saturday, was excused from practice on Aug. 30 so he could remain on the East Coast and visit with family after the Trojans’ opener at Landover, Md.

Asked why Jarrett did not work out Monday, Carroll said, “He had a hard day,” but declined to elaborate.

About an hour after the Trojans ate dinner, Jarrett went through a series of drills on an intramural field near the athletic dining hall.

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Kicker Ryan Killeen said he felt for Oregon State kicker Alexis Serna, who missed three extra-point attempts, including one that allowed Louisiana State to escape with a 22-21 overtime victory.

“You don’t want that to happen to anybody, especially under those circumstances,” said Killeen, who has made 115 of 119 extra-point attempts in two-plus seasons.

“I saw the second and third kicks. When I saw the last one, I was like, ‘Dang.’ It’s unbelievable, but it happens. Unfortunately, it happens.”

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Suspended running back Hershel Dennis will not be reinstated for the game against Colorado State, Carroll said.... The Trojans and other USC students attended a screening Monday night of the football-themed movie “Friday Night Lights.” Former USC offensive lineman Allan Graf was the second-unit director on the film, which is based on a book about a high school football team in Odessa, Texas.