Trojans looking forward to season opener at UH

With just 70 scholarship players this season due to NCAA sanctions, USC football coach Lane Kiffin said the Trojans will need to get the most out of what they have beginning with the season opener against Hawaii.

"We’ve got to maximize every player on our roster and how they can contribute to help us win and get ready to beat Hawaii," Kiffin said today at the Pac-12 Football Media Day in Culver City, Calif.

UH plays the Trojans Aug. 29 at Aloha Stadium. The NCAA maximum on scholarships is 85.

The Trojans, ranked No. 1 to start the 2012 season, finished a disappointing 7-6.

"For us, at USC, this is an exciting time right now," Kiffin said. "Next week (and the opening of fall practice) can’t come fast enough. I know our players, our coaches are extremely excited to get back to work. And get back on the practice field."

Kiffin said, "We had a great spring, coming out of spring really felt that we had developed a number of our players and had improved in all three phases of our game, offense, defense and special teams and as we go into this fall camp, we’re gonna need to do that."

The Pac-12 media picked the Trojans third in the conference’s south division.

Kiffin said the starting quarterback job is open among three candidates and a starter for the UH game will be chosen, "at some point in fall camp."