USC quarterback Jesse Scroggins, who is recovering from hand surgery, attended practice Tuesday for the first time since he was removed from the 105-player training camp roster last week.
Scroggins, outfitted with a new cast, was not in uniform but he can once again attend team workouts and meetings because the NCAA allows rosters to be expanded when school begins.
"To me it made sense," he said of his removal from the roster. "They needed to bring in an extra [defensive back] so I was like, ‘OK, I understand.’ Coach [Lane] Kiffin told me, ‘Stay in the film room, do what you can do and I’ll see you next week.’
“I couldn’t practice and it just made sense.”
Before he was hurt, Scroggins was competing with freshmen Cody Kessler and Max Wittek to become starter Matt Barkley's backup.
Scroggins, a redshirt freshman, injured the thumb area of his throwing hand when defensive lineman George Uko, his roommate, inadvertently struck it during the Trojans’ second scrimmage.
“I told him, ‘Thanks. Thanks a lot,' ” Scroggins said, laughing. “We’re good friends.”
Scroggins said there was no timeline for his return to drills. But he intends to continue working and studying in meetings and the film room.
“Hopefully he’ll be back soon,” Kiffin said. “It’s good to have him back in the meetings.”
More later at latimes.com/sports.
--Gary Klein
Photo: Jesse Scroggins looks downfield for a receiver during USC's spring game this year. Credit: Christina House / For The Times
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