Silas Redd makes smooth move from Penn St. to USC

And despite the rush, nearly everything about the former Penn State tailback's transition to the Trojans has been remarkably smooth.

"I can't believe it's only been a month," Redd said after a morning practice this week. "It's been a busy month. I haven't been able to experience much so far. Football and school takes up a lot of my time, but I'm going to get out."

A few weeks after Redd transferred to USC in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, the junior has been named a co-starter for the top-ranked Trojans heading into Saturday's opener against Hawaii. He has absorbed the Trojans' offense with a speed that has impressed his new coaches and teammates, and he's already feeling connected to the laid-back vibe on USC's sun-soaked campus.

For a Connecticut product who grew up dreaming of playing for Joe Paterno, this West Coast move was thoroughly unexpected — but he's already glad he did it. He's even wearing the same No. 25 jersey he wore in Happy Valley.

Redd said he chose the Trojans "just to be a part of something great. They had a great team without me, and I don't think I hurt the team."

The Trojans are certain he'll do quite the opposite. On a roster loaded with elite offensive talent, Redd is determined to be just another complementary piece around quarterback Matt Barkley — and he has worked overtime for the last month to get up to speed.

"He's a very bright kid, and he's fun to be around," said Kennedy Polamalu, the Trojans' offensive coordinator. "He still has some mental lapses, but he's so hard on himself. When he makes a mistake, he's so determined not to let it happen twice. You just know he has a bright future."

When he moved to USC, Redd already had a few tentative friendships with some Trojans. He played Pop Warner ball in middle school in Connecticut with USC backup quarterback Max Wittek, whose family eventually moved back to Orange County.

Redd said he has been welcomed by the entire team, but he's particularly happy about his burgeoning friendship with Curtis McNeal, the undersized tailback who emerged as the Trojans' best ball-carrier last fall during a 1,005-yard season. Redd racked up 1,241 yards for Penn State last year.

McNeal realizes everybody was waiting to see whether he would feel threatened by Redd's arrival. After persevering through academic problems and clawing his way up the Trojans' depth chart over the past three years, McNeal expected no problems — and when he saw Redd wearing a Yankees hat, he knew everything would be fine.