LOS ANGELES — Ronald Johnson is pursuing a degree in sociology at USC.
This week, however, the junior wide receiver majored in chemistry.

Johnson, who publicly expressed his frustration with both his role and his performance in the No. 4 Trojans’ 34-27 victory at Notre Dame on Saturday, spent most of this week trying to reconnect with freshman quarterback Matt Barkley.
“We’re just trying to get back on the same page,” Johnson said after practice Thursday. “We’re getting that chemistry back.”
There has been enough chemistry between Barkley and Johnson, the team’s top deep threat who missed the first five games because of a broken collarbone, that Johnson has regained his starting spot.
“I’ll be in there a lot,” Johnson said.
“He had a very good week,” USC coach Pete Carroll said. “Very solid. You know he really needed a week to get back to full speed, and as much as he was frustrated that he couldn’t do more in that game it was just part of the process of getting him back.
“So he’s ready to roll and we’re expecting him to be right in the middle of it.”
Johnson figured to have an equally prominent role in the Trojans’ plans until he was injured in August. Instead, he found himself starting from scratch this month. He had just one catch for 13 yards against Notre Dame on a day when he not only expected to play a larger role but also seemed to indicate he and Barkley weren’t always in sync.
“I was frustrated because I expected to do a lot more in the game,” Johnson said. “They knew I wasn’t ready, but in my mind I was like I’m ready to go. I wanted to get out there and do everything.”
He feels like he and Barkley are on the same wavelength.
“We’re getting there,” Barkley said. “He’s been out for a while, and he’s just getting back. I’m trying to boost his confidence. He was kind of down a little bit. We’re not 100 percent, but we’re working on it and getting there.”