Don't ask Rudy Carpenter if he can play on Saturday.

You'd get the same answer from him even if he were in a wheelchair.

While coach Dennis Erickson said it would be a "surprise" if his starting quarterback played against USC because of an ankle injury, Carpenter - who did limited work in practice - said he's been telling Erickson since Monday he's good to go.

"I (told Erickson) on Monday, I did it on Tuesday, I did it on Wednesday, I did it (Thursday)," Carpenter said. "I made him jog with me (Thursday) at practice. But that's just me, because I want to play. Coach E has to worry about 104 other guys on the team - 64 other guys who are traveling - and he has to make the decision on who is going to give us the best chance to win. If that's not me, then it's not me."

Carpenter took second-team snaps during practice after missing Tuesday and Wednesday.

  

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