COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : USC : Green, Parker Will Run Back Punts

Running back Leonard Green and wide receiver Larry Parker will start the season sharing punt-return duties, Coach John Robinson said Monday.

Freshman Daylon McCutcheon had been penciled in over the summer, and one day last week was 11 for 11 catching John Stonehouse’s sky-high punts. But on the next day he dropped three.

A year ago, Robinson said, “Before you can be a great punt returner, you must first show me you’re a great punt catcher.”

*

Two starters left practice Monday afternoon wearing ice bags. Tailback Shawn Walters came up with what was believed to be a foot bruise and safety Sammy Knight was carted off with what looked like an ankle sprain. Both were to be X-rayed today.

*

Paul Knox, football coach at Dorsey High, had both Keyshawn Johnson and his cousin, Chris Miller, as prep athletes.

Johnson is a senior All-American, Miller a wide receiver junior college transfer from West Los Angeles.

Of the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Miller, Knox said, “He was small and slow.”

Apparently, Miller has speeded up. Johnson says Miller now is “much faster” than he is.

*

Robinson, on senior tight end Johnny McWilliams’ improvement as a blocker: “Two years ago I hoped we could bring him up to average as a blocker. Now, I think he could be one of the best blocking tight ends we’ve ever had.”