No. 4 USC splits kicking duties between McGrath, Brown

LOS ANGELES (AP) Freshman walk-on Chase McGrath will kick field goals for No. 4 Southern California in its season opener, while freshman Michael Brown will

LOS ANGELES (AP) Freshman walk-on Chase McGrath will kick field goals for No. 4 Southern California in its season opener, while freshman Michael Brown will handle kickoffs.

Coach Clay Helton split the kicking job Thursday among two inexperienced candidates for the preseason Pac-12 favorites.

McGrath and Brown are replacing Matt Boermeester, who kicked the winning 46-yard field goal as time expired in the Trojans' 52-49 Rose Bowl victory over Penn State last season.

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Boermeester was suspended in February for what the school termed a code of conduct issue, and he was removed from school this summer following a Title IX investigation. Boermeester is challenging his dismissal.

Boermeester made 18 of 25 field goals last season and missed only one of his 54 extra points.

USC opens the season Saturday against Western Michigan.