USC quarterback Mark Sanchez suffered a bone bruise to his left knee on this play Saturday against Oregon.

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LOS ANGELES — USC quarterback Mark Sanchez did some work in practice Wednesday, giving the Trojans hope that he will be able to play against Arizona State on Saturday at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

"Much better today," USC coach Pete Carroll said.

"Dramatic improvement," was offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian's opinion.

Sanchez suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in the third quarter of USC's 44-10 victory over Oregon on Saturday.

"He threw the ball really well and practiced really well," Carroll said. "This is what the doctors hoped he could do. We'll see what happens after today's work. If he's no worse off, he'll practice the whole practice tomorrow, or the majority of it."

In Tempe, the news was not as upbeat. ASU coach Dennis Erickson said quarterback Rudy Carpenter, hobbled by a left ankle injury, "is very doubtful."

Carpenter, hurt last week in a loss to California, did not practice Wednesday night.

Erickson does not plan to make a decision until later in the week, but he indicated that backup Danny Sullivan would make his first career start.

"Our plan is that Sully's going to play," Erickson said. "That's where it's at right now."

Sanchez, in his first full season as USC's starter, has already been selected the Pac-10 offensive player of the week three times this year, having thrown for 1,069 yards and 13 touchdowns.

If Sanchez cannot go, he would be replaced by Mitch Mustain, a sophomore transfer from Arkansas who completed 5 of 8 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown with an interception against Oregon.

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville fired offensive coordinator Tony Franklin on Wednesday just seven games into his tenure, pulling the plug after the Tigers' rocky transition to his spread offense.

The 20th-ranked Tigers have struggled offensively all season after entering as the favorites to win the Southeastern Conference Western Division.

They have dropped league games to LSU and Vanderbilt after beating Mississippi State by a score of 3-2.

● East Carolina suspended receiver Jamar Bryant indefinitely Wednesday for an undisclosed violation of team policy.

Bryant had started 18 consecutive games and is second on the team with 19 catches for 216 yards and three touchdowns.

● LSU defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois apologized for what he described as an unfortunate use of diction when he spoke about the pressure the Tigers' hoped to put on Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, hoping to "take him out of the game."

"By taking him out of the game, I meant as a defense we are going to try to make him ineffective," Jean-Francois said Wednesday.