While USC became a longshot in the Pac-12 South race with its decisive loss to Oregon on Saturday, coach Clay Helton emphasized that he and his staff are intent on maximizing whatever remains.

"We're throwing everything but the kitchen sink to get a big win this weekend," Helton said.

With that, the Trojans (5-4, 4-2 Pac-12) remain hopeful that they might get some starters back for their game Saturday at Arizona State (5-3, 2-3).

Defensive end Drake Jackson (ankle) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (shoulder), who both missed the last two games after being injured in the win over Arizona, practiced Tuesday.

"Drake got some good work today, he was bouncing around. He looks a lot better. We'll gauge him through the week," Helton said. "I think Talanoa's gaining some more confidence. We're not putting him in contact situations yet, but they're getting good work this week. They're progressing toward Saturday. We'll see where it's at the end of the week … but it's a positive right now."

Jackson is USC's best pass rusher and would be useful in any capacity he might be available against the Sun Devils. There's also an interesting storyline with Jackson, who went down to the final moments on his recruiting decision last December, waffling between USC and Arizona State right until his announcement ceremony at Corona Centennial High School.

Hufanga, meanwhile, is USC's best safety. It was unclear how quickly he might be able to return after dislocating his right shoulder -- the same side on which he twice broke his collarbone in the last year -- but the report Tuesday was indeed encouraging.

Meanwhile, running back Stephen Carr -- who also went down in that Arizona game with an ankle sprain and missed the last two contests -- is getting closer to a return as well, but it's too soon to tell if it will happen this week.

"He's not practicing right now. You've seen him out here running. He was going through a running progression. He thinks he's in the 90-percent range right now. He is running, it's just not top speed," Helton said. "I think one of the great things that our people do is the GPS system -- you know their top speed and you know what that actually is and being able to gauge it. He's not quite there yet. We're going through the week and he's working really hard to get back. If it's not this week, it probably will be [next week]."

Freshman running back Kenan Christon has now played in three games and will be the Trojans' featured back this week unless Carr exceeds expectations in his recovery.

That would put him at four games -- the most he can play while still protecting his redshirt.

That's why the coaching staff is really hoping that Carr and maybe even Vavae Malepeai, who underwent a minor knee surgery last month, might be able to return next week and make the decision easy for the staff to sit Christon down the rest of the way and save a year of eligibility.

"He's got this game and we hope to acquire a couple backs next game, so we're going to get through this game ... and then we're going to address that next week," Helton said. "We're going to see where we are with the other two backs. It would be great possibly getting Stephen Carr back, we'll see where Vavae is and hopefully be able to save it."