Weekend Forum Answers, Part II

I don't think USC sees quarterback Nate Montana as anything more than a walk-on candidate. He might get a scholarship like Romeo Miller, if he were best friends with Arthur Brown or Patrick Johnson.

DeWayne Walker left USC because he wanted to go back to the NFL, which he felt would be more challenging if he was just going to be a position coach. Like many coaches,he wanted to be the defensive coordinator, but that job was held by Pete Carroll. His relationship with Carroll is probably considered ``businesslike'' these days although they were quite close about six years ago. Carroll says he has no problem with Walker but they don't speak to each other much like they used to, unless they run into each before a game or at recruiting camps.

I don't know if the coaching staff saw the new Hannah Montana video. Sounds like a good question for the Caesar blog. If Pete Carroll were offered total control (GM, HC) of the 49ers, I think he would listen. The 49ers are no longer his dream team however with a different owner since he coached there. And I doubt they would ever offer him total control anyways. Now if Miami did that a year ago, it might have been a different story.

This week's practices will be exactly like a regular game week. The team will be in a hotel, so that helps keep focus. And there will be the usual predictable Rose Bowl events (Disneyland, Beef Bowl) that shouldn't be a distraction since USC's done them for three straight years.

Kris O'Dowd is 100 percent now and played a bit against Arizona State. He has not really played much since the Washington game, which is a shame because he could have redshirted if he did not participate in that game. The center position is not one you like to alternate or play more than one person, so once Matt Spanos took over and did fine, he kept the job.

Here's my revised answer to a previously answered question on the running-back depth chart, a casualty of answering questions at 3:30 in the morning.

1. Stafon Johnson
2. Joe McKnight
3. C.J. Gable
4. Broderick Green
5. Allen Bradford
6. Marc Tyler