Football Closes 1999 Season Friday

Nov. 22, 1999

LOS ANGELES - USC-on a 2-game winning streak in 1999 and on a high after snapping an 8-game losing skid to UCLA last week-will try to end its 1999 season on the rise in its first-ever game against Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs, coming off a bye, will show off their aerial fireworks-they have one of the nation's premier offensive attacks (No. 1 in passing offense and No. 2 in total offense)-behind the arm of star QB Tim Rattay (the nation's total offense leader). USC will counter with a defense that is among the Pac-10's top 4 in all statistical categories, including fourth nationally in turnover margin (Troy's pass offense isn't bad, either, ranking 19th in the country).

A win by Tech would bolster its bowl hopes. It's USC's first game in 1999 against a ranked opponent. It's not only a rare Friday game for the Trojans, but it's unusual whenever USC finishes its regular season against someone other than UCLA or Notre Dame. The game is will be shown live nationally by FOX Sports Net.

THE FACTS--USC (5-6 overall, 3-5 Pac-10) vs. Louisiana Tech (8-2), Friday, Nov. 26, 3:30 p.m. (PST), Los Angeles Coliseum

RANKINGS-USC is not ranked. Louisiana Tech is 25th by AP.

SERIES-This is the first meeting between USC and Louisiana Tech.

USC VS. LOUISIANA SCHOOLS-Against schools from the state of Louisiana, USC is 2-1 against Tulane and 1-1 against LSU. The Trojans last faced a team from Louisiana in 1984 (a 23-3 home loss to LSU).

USC VS. BICKNELL-Although the Trojans have never faced a team coached by Jack Bicknell III, they are 2-0 against his father, also named Jack, when he was at Boston College (wins in 1987 and 1988).

SEASON ENDERS-USC is 57-39-10 (.585) in all season finales.

1999 USC FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (5-6)

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME/RESULT
Sept. 4	at Hawaii	W 62-7
Sept. 18	San Diego State	W 24-21
Sept. 25	at Oregon	L 30-33 (3OT)
Oct. 2	Oregon State	W 37-29
Oct. 9	at Arizona	L 24-31
Oct. 16	at Notre Dame	L 24-25
Oct. 23	Stanford	L 31-35
Oct. 30	at California	L 7-17
Nov. 6	Arizona State	L 16-26
Nov. 13	at Washington State	W 31-28
Nov. 20	UCLA	W 17-7
Nov. 26	Louisiana Tech	3:30 p.m. (FSN)

TICKETS--Tickets for the USC-Louisiana Tech game, priced at $27, are available at the USC Ticket Office (213-740-GO SC), L.A. Sports Arena box office and all Ticketmaster agencies. For group discounts (25 or more), call (213) 740-4170.

RADIO-TV-Live national cable TV: 3:30 p.m. (PST), FOX Sports Net, Steve Physioc, Tom Ramsey, Paul Sunderland.

Local cable TV replay: 4:30 p.m. (PST), Saturday (Nov. 27), FOX Sports West 2, Steve Physioc, Tom Ramsey, Paul Sunderland.

Live local radio: 1:30 p.m. (PST), XTRA-AM (690), Lee Hamilton, Paul McDonald, Tim Ryan, John Fricke (includes 1-hour USC pre- and post-game shows sandwiched by 1-hour college football pre- and post-game shows). Five other stations are included on the USC radio network: KCTD-AM 1540 in Los Angeles, KGEO-AM 1230 in Bakersfield, KSHP-AM 1400 in Las Vegas, Nev., KDEF-AM 1150 in Albuquerque, N.M. and KAXX-AM 1020 in Anchorage, Ak. Fans also can hear the live XTRA broadcast on the Internet as a "cybercast" (type http://www.usctrojans.com) or can pay to listen to it live on the phone by dialing 1-800-846-4675 ext. 5933.

USC Trojan Talk: 7 p.m. (PST), Sundays during football season, KDWN-AM (720), Harvey Hyde, Chuck Hayes. Fans also can hear the live KDWN broadcast on the Internet as a cybercast" (type http://www.usctrojans.com).

USC HOTLINE--Dial (213) 743-2989 for a brief taped interview with USC coach Paul Hackett.

INFO CONNECTION--Dial (800) 300-2050, passcode 72210, for the Pac-10 Info Connection, a fax-on-demand system that provides access to press releases from the Pac-10 Office and all Pac-10 schools on a 24-hour-a-day basis. Media callers must have a PIN number (which can be obtained by calling 770-399-0096).

USC ONLINE--The USC athletic department has an official "home page" on the World Wide Web, featuring current and historical information about Trojan sports. For access, type http://www.usctrojans.com.

IT'S NOT SOUTHERN CAL--Note to the media: In abbreviated references to athletic teams of the University of Southern California, the following are preferred: USC, Southern California, So. California, Troy, Trojans and (for women's teams) Women of Troy. PLEASE do not use Southern Cal.

PAC-10 ONLINE--Pac-10 information, press releases, statistics and links to all league schools are available online at http://www.pac-10.org.

PAC-10 SATELLITE FEED--The Pac-10 provides a weekly satellite feed featuring interviews with coaches and selected players regarding upcoming games along with highlight footage. The half hour feed airs every Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. (PST) through Nov. 24. Coordinates are GE2, Transponder 6 (C-Band). Trouble numbers: 310-543-1835 or 310-286 3749 or pager 888-423-0095 or 925-932-4411.

PAC-10 STANDINGS

	PAC	10	OVER	ALL
	W	L	W	L
STAN	7	1	7	3
ORE	6	2	8	3
WASH	6	2	7	4
OSU	4	4	7	4
ASU	4	3	5	5
ARIZ	3	4	6	5
USC	3	5	5	6
CAL	3	5	4	7
UCLA	2	6	4	7
WSU	1	7	2	9

AP POLL

1.	Florida State
2.	Virginia Tech
3.	Nebraska
4.	Wisconsin
5.	Florida
6.	Tennessee
7.	Texas
8.	Alabama
9.	Kansas State
10.	Michigan
11.	Michigan State
12.	Marshall
13.	Minnesota
14.	Southern Miss
15.	Penn State
16.	Georgia
17.	Arkansas
18.	Mississippi State
19.	Purdue
20.	Georgia Tech
21.	East Carolina
22.	Boston College
23.	Mississippi
24.	Texas A&M
25.	Louisiana Tech

USA TODAY/ESPN POLL

1.	Florida State
2.	Virginia Tech
3.	Nebraska
4.	Wisconsin
5.	Texas
6.	Florida
7.	Tennessee
8.	Kansas State
9.	Alabama
10.	Michigan
11.	Michigan State
12.	Marshall
13.	Southern Miss
14.	Minnesota
15.	Penn State
16.	Georgia Tech
17.	Texas A&M
18.	East Carolina
19.	Mississippi State
20.	Boston College
21.	Georgia
22.	Arkansas
23.	Purdue
24.	Mississippi
25.	Stanford

WOMEN'S HOOPS-The USC women's basketball team opens its home season against Creighton this Friday (Nov. 26) at 12:30 p.m. in the Sports Arena prior to the USC-Louisiana Tech football game. Anyone with a ticket to the football game will be admitted to the basketball game for free.

SENIORS SALUTE-This will be the final USC game for 19 Trojan seniors: WR Rocky Brown, S Frank Carter, OT Travis Claridge, CB Tanqueray Clark, QB John Fox, S David Gibson, OG Jason Grain, CB Antoinne Harris, WR Windrell Hayes, LB Kenny Horwitz, TB Jabari Jackson, OG Donta Kendrick, DT Todd Keneley, S Rick Luce, C Matt McShane, TB Chad Morton, WR R. Jay Soward, TE Pat Swanson and DT Aaron Williams.

IN THE COLISEUM-USC has a 355-115-27 (.741) all-time record in the Coliseum since the stadium opened in 1923.

CLOSE LOSSES-This is the first season ever that USC has lost 6 games all by 10 points or less.

YOUNG TEAM-On USC's 44-man 2-deep, 33 players are non-seniors, including 15 who are starters (there's only 1 senior defensive starter).

USC-LOUISIANA TECH CONNECTIONS-USC has no players from Louisiana, while Louisiana Tech lists 1 player (DB Curtis Speller of Ventura) from California. USC defensive line coach Ed Orgeron is a Louisiana native, where he was a 3-sport star at South Lafourche High in Galliano and then starting 4 years on the defensive line at Northwestern State, before serving as a graduate assistant there in 1984 and at McNeese State in 1985 and as the linebackers coach at Nicholls State in 1994. USC offensive assistant Phil Pettey earned his master's degree from LSU in 1993. USC TB Miguel Fletcher was born in Thibodaux, La.

LAST GAME-USC-behind a pair of touchdown passes from QB John Fox to WR Kareem Kelly along with 143 hard-earned rushing yards by TB Chad Morton and inspired play by the Trojan defense-snapped an 8-year losing streak to UCLA with a 17-7 win in front of a sold-out crowd of 91,384 fans in the Coliseum (many of whom stormed the field afterwards) and a live ABC-TV regional audience. It was USC's first win over the Bruins since 1990 and the first over UCLA in the Coliseum since 1987.

Troy scored on its initial possession as PK David Newbury hit a 22-yard field goal. But UCLA took the lead late in the second quarter when freshman QB Ryan McCann, making his first start, scrambled for a 6-yard TD. However, USC answered right back 2 plays later on a 22-yard pass from Fox to Kelly (it was set up by TB Sultan McCullough's 48-yard run, the longest by a Trojan in 1999). The Trojans scored again early in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard Fox pass to Kelly, who appeared to have a foot out of bounds on the catch. USC dominated the statistics, getting more total yards (430-249), plays (84-62), first downs (19-13) and possession time (34:59-25:01). Troy, which allowed the Bruins to rush for only 45 yards, sacked McCann 6 times and forced 5 turnovers (3 interceptions, including 2 by S David Gibson and the other by LB Zeke Moreno, and 2 fumble recoveries, by Moreno and S Ifeanyi Ohalete).

Three of the Bruin turnovers came when UCLA was threatening within the Trojan 30-yard line, as did a failed Bruin fake field goal. USC was hampered by 16 penalties for 126 yards (including 8 illegal motion penalties), while UCLA was flagged 9 times for 68 yards. Morton, who publicly guaranteed the victory back in August and whose brother (Johnnie) was on the last Trojan team to beat UCLA, ran for a game-best 143 yards on a personal-high 36 carries (the most rushes by a Trojan since Steven Webster had 40 against Washington in 1987).

In the game, Morton went over the 1,000-yard rushing barrier for the season. Fox was 17-of-34 for 216 yards and the 2 scores (with no interceptions). McCullough added 69 yards on 8 rushes, WR Windrell Hayes had a team-best 5 catches for 92 yards and Kelly had 3 grabs for 32 yards. McCann hit 17-of-29 passes for 204 yards but had 3 picked off, TB DeShaun Foster caught a game-high 6 passes for 30 yards (he also ran for 59 yards on 17 tries) and WR Freddie Mitchell added 5 catches for 88 yards. Moreno led USC in tackles with 7 (2 for losses) to go along with his interception and fumble recovery (which he forced), while Gibson (with the 2 picks), LB Markus Steele and CB Darrell Rideaux each had 6 stops, and Ohalete had 5 tackles along with his fumble recovery (which he forced). DEs Lonnie Ford and Matt Childers and DT Ryan Nielsen had 2 sacks apiece. It was the first time since 1941 that both teams entered the game with losing records.

SCHEDULE--USC's 12-game schedule in 1999 is as challenging as ever (the Trojans have played slates ranked among the nation's 5 most difficult in 4 of the past 6 years). The Trojans played 4 of their first 6 contests on the road, but finish with 4 of their final 6 at home. Troy opened the season at Hawaii, played at Oregon, Arizona, Notre Dame, California and Washington State. San Diego State, Oregon State, Stanford, Arizona State and UCLA have visited the Coliseum, with Louisiana Tech (in the season finale on the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend) still coming up at home.

CAPTAINS--USC's 3 season captains are TB Chad Morton (offense), S David Gibson (defense) and S Ifeanyi Ohalete (special teams). Morton, who was also a captain in 1998, is USC's first two-time captain since Dan Caley in 1902 and 1903 (and only the fourth Trojan ever).

FUN FACT I-This is USC's first game on a Friday since playing Syracuse in the 1990 Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (Troy won, 34-16). In the 1950s and 1960s, the Trojans played occasional Friday night games in the Coliseum when sharing the stadium with UCLA.

FUN FACT II-This is only the sixth time since 1936 (when USC began finishing its regular season with either UCLA or Notre Dame) that the Trojans will end their regular campaign with a team besides the Bruins or Irish. The other years were 1942 (St. Mary's Pre-Flight), 1946 (Tulane), 1965 (Wyoming), 1978 (Hawaii) and 1985 (Oregon).

USC: COLLEGE OF THE YEAR 2000--USC has been chosen as the "College of the Year" by the 2000 edition of the Time/The Princeton Review College Guide. USC was chosen because of the remarkable bonds the university has forged with local schools, community residents, police, businesses and community organizations. "More institutions might do well to emulate USC's enlightened self-interest," according to the guide's editors. "For not only has the 'hood dramatically improved, but so has the university." The editors cited the university's model of service learning -- the practice of applying academic theory to real-life situations through public service -- as their main reason for choosing USC as college of the year, saying USC has one of the most ambitious social-outreach programs of any university in the nation. USC also has seen its undergraduate applications nearly double over the last few years and is enrolling the most academically accomplished freshman class in its history. And USC is the only university in history to have received three individual gifts of $100 million or more ($110 million by the Keck Foundation to the School of Medicine, $120 million by Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg to establish the USC Annenberg Center for Communication and $100 million from Alfred E. Mann to establish the Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering).

HACKETT--Energetic and innovative Paul Hackett, a one-time USC assistant coach who has been on coaching staffs that have won a national championship in college and a Super Bowl in the pros, made an immediate mark on the Trojan football program upon his return to Troy as its head football coach. In his first year at USC's helm, he led the Trojans to an 8-5 record in 1998 (5-3 in the Pac-10 for a third place tie) and a berth in the Sun Bowl. With his 1998 opening win over Purdue, he became the first head coach to win his Trojan debut since Jess Hill in 1951, and by starting off 3-0, he became only the third Trojan coach since 1915 to win his first three games (joining Hill in 1951 and the legendary Howard Jones in 1925). Hackett is 1 of only 2 USC head coaches to have won their first outing against Notre Dame (John Robinson is the other). Hackett, Robinson and Larry Smith are the only USC coaches to have guided squads to a bowl game in their first seasons at Troy. The 52-year-old Hackett signed a 5-year contract to replace Robinson on Dec. 17, 1997. Regarded as one of the game's most progressive offensive coaches, he has 30 years of experience as a college and professional assistant and head coach. He has tutored some of football's top players--including Joe Montana, Marcus Allen, Jerry Rice, Andre Rison, Tony Dorsett, Steve Bartkowski, Charles White, Brian Sipe, Herschel Walker, Danny White, Dwight Clark and Vince Evans--and has worked under such head coaches as Bill Walsh, Tom Landry, Marty Schottenheimer and Robinson. Before coming to Troy, Hackett was the offensive coordinator at Kansas City for 5 years (1993-97). The Chiefs advanced to the NFL playoffs in 4 of those years, including 1997. Before that, he was at the University of Pittsburgh (1989-92), the first season as the quarterbacks coach and then 3 seasons as the Panthers' head coach (posting a 13-20-1 record). As a college coach, he has a 26-31-1 overall mark in 4 seasons (including 13-11 in his second year at USC). Hackett began his coaching career for 3 seasons (1969-71) at his alma mater, UC Davis. He then was an assistant at California for 4 years (1972-75). Then, at age 29, Hackett moved to USC for 5 years (1976-80), where under Robinson he was in charge of the quarterbacks and receivers for the first 2 years and then the quarterbacks and passing game the final 3 years. During his Trojan tenure, USC was the 1978 national champion, won 4 bowl games (including 3 Rose Bowls), posted a 50-8-2 record and produced a Heisman Trophy winner (White). Hackett began his pro coaching career as quarterbacks coach with the Cleveland Browns for 2 seasons (1981-82). He next was the quarterbacks and receivers coach with the San Francisco 49ers for 3 years (1983-85). The 49ers won Super Bowl XIX in the 1984 season. He then became the pass offense coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys for 3 years (1986-88) before returning to the college ranks at Pitt. A 3-year starting quarterback at UC Davis (1966-68), Hackett collects old music juke boxes filled with 1950s and 1960s rock 'n roll music. A rock music fan, he sat in the front row at the final Beatles concert, held in 1966 in Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Born on July 5, 1947 in Burlington, Vt., he shares a birthday with former USC head coach John McKay. One son, David, is an administrative assistant with the USC football program and the other, Nathaniel, is a redshirt freshman on UC Davis' football team.

MORTON--Exciting senior tailback Chad Morton (244 tcb, 1,057 yds, 4.3 avg, 12 TD in 1999, plus 17 rec for a 4.6 avg, 17.7 KOR avg and 7.4 PR avg), a lightning-quick jitterbug style runner, is in his second season as the starting tailback. He's on the 1999 Doak Walker Award "Watch List". His 1,057 yards in 1999 is the 21st time a Trojan has cracked the 1,000-yard season rushing barrier. His 12 rushing TDs in 1999 are the most by a Trojan since Marcus Allen had 22 in his 1981 Heisman Trophy season. The one-time defensive back has found his niche on offense, where he has 2,427 rushing yards (eighth on USC's career rushing list) for a 4.9 average per carry--including 100-yard outings 12 times (4 in 1999)--on 499 carries with 21 scores as a tailback. He was just 15 yards shy of running for 1,000 yards last fall (985 yards), had a half dozen 100-yard games and ended up second in the Pac-10 in rushing (96.7). He also was used occasionally returning kicks (he took USC's first kickoff of 1998 back 98 yards for a touchdown) and punts, something he's doing again in 1999. He is tied for 14th on USC's career punt return list (390 yards). For the second year in a row, he is a USC captain, the first time that's happened at Troy since Dan Caley in 1902 and 1903 (and only the fourth time in history). And he stars in the classroom, where he has been a 4-time Pac-10 All-Academic first teamer, a 2-time GTE Academic All-District VIII first teamer and, with a 3.43 GPA as a sociology major, he's a top candidate for Academic All-American honors in 1999. He was named a 1999 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete (one of 9 Division I-A seniors), entitling him to an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship (he will be honored at a Dec. 7 dinner in New York City).

In just over 2 quarters of action at Hawaii, he was just 5 yards shy of rushing for 100 yards, getting 95 yards on 19 carries (with a 17-yard TD) and caught 3 passes for 11 yards.

Against San Diego State, he again just missed the 100-yard rushing barrier, gaining 91 yards on a then-career-best 30 carries (both game highs). He also caught a pair of passes for 7 yards, plus returned 2 kickoffs for 39 yards and a punt for 11 yards.

He scored a career-best 3 touchdowns (all on short runs) and had a game-best 34 rushing yards on 18 carries at Oregon, plus 3 catches for 22 yards and a 20-yard kickoff return.

Against Oregon State, he ran for a career-best 153 yards on 27 carries and had 2 scores (including an impressive 15-yard burst), plus caught 2 passes for 2 yards, and returned 2 kickoffs for 21 yards and a punt for 4 yards.

Morton could get only 28 yards on 14 carries at Arizona.

At Notre Dame, he ran for a game-high 85 yards and a TD on 21 carries.

He rushed for a game-high 151 yards with a TD on 22 carries against Stanford and also caught 2 passes for 21 yards and returned 2 kickoffs for 42 yards.

He had a game-best 84 yards on 12 carries (7.0 avg) at California, and also caught a 12-yard pass, returned 4 kickoffs for 67 yards and 3 punts for 23 yards, giving him 186 all-purpose yards.

He topped USC in rushing against Arizona State with 76 yards and a TD on 16 carries (he also returned 2 kickoffs for 35 yards and caught 3 passes for 2 yards).

For the second time in 1999, he ran for 3 TDs (equaling a career high) and had a game-best 117 yards on 29 carries at Washington State.

Against UCLA, Morton had his second consecutive 100-yard game as he ran for a game-best 143 yards on a personal-best 36 carries (the most by a Trojan since Steven Webster had 40 against Washington in 1987), in the process eclipsing the 1,000-yard rushing barrier (the 21st time a Trojan has done so), he also returned 2 punts for 14 yards and a kickoff for 32 yards.

USC CAREER RUSHING LEADERS
(Includes bowl games)

		TCB	NYG	AVG.
1.	Charles White	1147	6245	5.44
2.	Marcus Allen	932	4810	5.16
3.	Anthony Davis	784	3724	4.75
4.	Ricky Bell	710	3689	5.20
5.	O.J. Simpson	674	3423	5.08
6.	Mike Garrett	612	3221	5.27
7.	Fred Crutcher	670	2815	4.20
8.	Chad Morton	499	2427	4.86

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT CHAD MORTON

Former USC running back Shawn Walters: "He makes runs like you only see on 'John Madden Football.'"

Former Oregon State head coach Jerry Pettibone: "He's one of the most exciting runners I've seen in a long time."

USC offensive coordinator Hue Jackson: "He's like the Energizer Bunny out there. Any time you can put the ball in a guy's hands who is a threat to get to the end zone, that makes a difference. Everything doesn't have to be perfect for Chad to make a play. When things aren't exactly the way you wanted, he can squirt out and make a play. Pound for pound, he might be the best player I've ever coached. He's exceptionally fast, has quick feet, real good vision, and he's hard to tackle one on one."

Former USC Butkus Award winning linebacker Chris Claiborne: "Chad brings a lot of speed to the game. He's the kind of guy who stretches the defense." Former USC safety Rashard Cook: "Chad can score on you in a second. He has to scare you every time he touches the ball. He hits the hole so fast and is right on top of you. As a defensive back, you know if you miss the tackle it's a touchdown."

Mike Waldner, South Bay Daily Breeze: "Pencil him in as USC's little big man...He has sensational speed. He also has the outstanding runner's knack of dipping in to make a sweep appear as if it is a run at tackle. Then he cruises back a few yards as he is running laterally to the line of scrimmage and explodes to the outside, turning upfield for a big gain. And he is tough. He may get beat up. But he does not back down."

SOWARD--Senior R. Jay Soward (48 rec, 12.1 avg, 3 TD in 1999, plus 7 tcb for a 6.0 avg, a 12.8 PR avg with a TD and a 21.5 KOR avg) is perhaps America's most explosive collegiate wideout. He is 20th nationally in punt returns (12.8 avg, second in the Pac-10). His 48 catches in 1999 is tied for 17th on USC's season reception list. A 1999 pre-season All-American who was on the 1999 Biletnikoff Award "Watch List", he has scored a touchdown every 8.6 times he has touched the ball in his career (31 TDs on 267 plays) and those scores have averaged 48.5 yards each (1,502 yards). He has scored 4 different ways (22 on receptions, 3 on kickoff returns, 3 on reverses and 3 on punt returns). A 3-year starter, he is fourth on USC's career reception list (158 grabs, tied for 16th on the all-time Pac-10 list), second on the all-time kickoff return chart (1,414 yards) and 18th on the career punt return ladder (342 yards). In his career, he has 24 plays of 40-plus yards (6 for 80-plus yards). With 6 scoring punt/kickoff returns, he is within reach of the NCAA record of 8.

At Hawaii, he caught 3 passes for 34 yards, ran 20 yards on a reverse, returned 3 punts for 30 yards and a kickoff for 3 yards.

He had 2 catches for 25 yards against San Diego State, plus 2 punt returns for 44 yards (including a 38-yarder)

He had a breakout game at Oregon, collecting 241 all-purpose yards, including 148 (with a TD) on a career-high 12 receptions, 81 on 3 kickoff returns, 9 on 2 punt returns and 3 on 2 carries.

Although he didn't catch a pass against Oregon State while bothered by nausea and dehydration, he had a spectacular zigzagging 85-yard scoring punt return to open the game's scoring (he returned 3 punts overall for 92 yards, plus had a 14-yard kickoff return) and Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week and Compaq National Play of the Week honors for his performance.

He caught 3 passes for 29 yards at Arizona and returned a kickoff 31 yards before leaving with a concussion early in the fourth quarter.

At Notre Dame, he had a game-high 10 catches for 101 yards with a 12-yard TD, plus ran 23 yards on 2 reverses, returned 2 kickoff for 54 yards and had a 5-yard punt return (giving his 183 all-purpose yards).

He caught 5 passes for 92 yards (including a 64-yard TD) against Stanford, plus returned a kickoff 15 yards.

He sat out the California game with a hamstring pull.

He led USC in receptions against Arizona State with 7 for 58 yards and he also returned a kickoff 22 yards.

At Washington State, he caught 3 passes for 59 yards, returned 2 punts for 29 yards and had a 16-yard kickoff return.

He caught 3 passes for 35 yards against UCLA.

USC CAREER PASS CATCHING LEADERS
(Includes bowl games)

		NO.	YDS	AVG.	TD
1.	Johnnie Morton	201	3201	15.93	23
2.	Keyshawn Johnson	168	2796	16.64	16
3.	John Jackson	163	2379	14.60	17
4.	R. Jay Soward	158	2489	15.75	22

USC CAREER KICKOFF RETURN LEADERS
(Includes bowl games)

		NO.	YDS	AVG.	TD
1.	Curtis Conway	73	1723	23.60	1
2.	R. Jay Soward	56	1414	25.25	3

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT R. JAY SOWARD

South Carolina head coach Lou Holtz: "He's one of the great receivers I've seen. Throw him a 4-yard hitch and he can turn it into a 70-yard gain. He reminds me so much of Raghib Ismail, the way he does things with his quickness, abilities and talent."

Notre Dame head coach Bob Davie: "I can't imagine there are many receivers in this country better than him. He reminds me an awful lot of Terry Glenn, who played at Ohio State. He's an excellent return man and a game-breaker player."

California head coach Tom Holmoe: "We just couldn't stop him."

Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti: "R. Jay Soward is probably the most dangerous player in the conference. He forces you to do things you don't want to do and commit more to cover him."

Oregon State head coach Dennis Erickson: "He has unbelievable speed. He is very athletic. He is probably one of the best, if not the best, receivers in college football right now. He is a threat all the time. He is a guy you must keep in front of you because he is a game breaker. He creates concern for everyone who plays against USC."

Robyn Norwood, Los Angeles Times: "You don't see many like Soward. He has become a cornerback's nightmare."

Earl Gustkey, Los Angeles Times: "At USC, R. Jay Soward is the preferred new spelling for E-X-P-L-O-S-I-V-E."

Lyle Spencer, Riverside Press-Enterprise: "He's a burner blessed with the explosiveness and fearlessness of Keyshawn Johnson."

Steve Bisheff, Orange County Register: "With Soward, it's not just speed. It is moves. It is an innate ability to make tacklers miss that only the naturally gifted broken-field runners possess."

Phil Collin, South Bay Daily Breeze: "His chatty personality is a perfect compliment to his ability, which throws a scare into opponents, draws gasps from USC fans and tests the patience of anyone within hearing distance. He has been compared to USC's legendary talker, Keyshawn Johnson, which Soward takes as a compliment. But more important, he is also being compared to Johnson as a player who will deliver the big play, whether it's as a wide receiver or kick returner. For all the talk, it's not all swagger."

Ed Graney, San Diego Union-Tribune: "You really have to see Soward in person to appreciate his ability. His is an extra gear that separates from defenders, combined with the kind of instincts that set him apart. He really is incredible."

USC wide receivers coach Mike Wilson: "R. Jay has great potential. I've played with Jerry Rice. I've coached James Jett and Tim Brown. R. Jay has the speed to play at that level if he continues to work hard and stay focused. He's extremely confident. There's nothing wrong with it. He has the energy you need to be a successful player."

USC quarterback Mike Van Raaphorst: "It's scary. He's got a gear when he gets going. He puts it in gear and it's like the Millennium Falcon, he puts it in super-space. Or hyper-space...On a deep route, you just try to get back as quick as you can and throw it as far as you can...I have yet to see him overthrown...No matter how far you throw it, if you put enough air on it, he's going to catch up with the ball."

USC quarterback Carson Palmer: "I just have faith in him that he's going to go up and get the ball. He's so fast, opponents have to respect his speed, but they can't overplay him. If you're expecting a deep catch, he'll take a quick hitch and outrun you, he's so hard to tackle in the open field."

R. JAY SOWARD'S CAREER LONG PLAYS
(40-PLUS YARDS)

YARDS	PLAY	OPPONENT	YEAR
98 (TD)	KOR	Arizona State	1996
97 (TD)	Rec.	Illinois	1996
95 (TD)	KOR	Washington State	1997
85 (TD)	PR	Oregon State	1999
80 (TD)	PR	California	1998
80 (TD)	Rec.	UCLA	1997
78 (TD)	KOR	Washington State	1996
78 (TD)	Rec.	UCLA	1996
78 (TD)	Rec.	UNLV	1997
77 (TD)	Rec.	California	1998
74 (TD)	PR	San Diego State	1998
66	Rec.	UCLA	1996
65 (TD)	Rec.	California	1997
64 (TD)	Rec.	Stanford	1999
62	KOR	Arizona State	1998
60 (TD)	Rec.	UCLA	1996
56	KOR	Houston	1996
53 (TD)	Rec.	San Diego State	1998
49	KOR	Notre Dame	1996
44 (TD)	Rec.	UNLV	1997
44	Rec.	Notre Dame	1998
42	Run	San Diego State	1998
42	Rec.	Washington State	1999
40	Rec.	UCLA	1997

QUARTERBACKS--USC features 3 quarterbacks ranked in the school's career Top 15 passing chart and each has started at least 8 games. With the injury to sophomore Carson Palmer (39-of-53, 73.6%, 490 yds, 3 TD, 3 int in 1999) at Oregon, re-assuming the starting quarterback role the next 5 games (Oregon State, Arizona, Notre Dame, Stanford and California) was junior Mike Van Raaphorst (139-of-258, 53.9%, 1,758 yds, 8 TD, 9 int in 1999), who started USC's first 8 games of 1998 before giving way to Palmer. He also started twice in 1997. He is ninth on USC's career passing list (232 completions) and 19th on the all-time total offense chart (2,809 yards), and owns the USC single game passing yardage record (415 yards versus Stanford in 1999) and total offense mark (390 yards against Stanford in 1999). His 139 completions in 1999 is good for 14th on USC's season passing ladder.

The starter the past 3 games (Arizona State, Washington State and UCLA) has been senior John Fox (56-of-105, 53.3%, 707 yds, 3 TD, 1 int in 1999), who started 9 games at quarterback in 1997 but was No. 3 last season and didn't take a snap (he also played briefly at tight end and on special teams in 1998). Fox switched to linebacker in 1999 and spent the first 3 games as USC's utility player: he was the holder on all placekicks, he was on the kickoff and kick return teams, he was the protection man on punts, he saw action as a reserve inside linebacker and he was the emergency quarterback. He concentrates on quarterback and holder now, he played quarterback most of the second half at California before starting versus ASU. He is 10th on Troy's all-time passing ladder (209 completions) and 24th on the career total offense list (2,661 yards).

Palmer opened eyes in the college football world with his impressive play as a true freshman in 1998...and he improved on that as the starter in the first 3 games in 1999 before being sidelined with a broken right collarbone. Already, he ranks 15th on USC' career passing chart with 169 completions. A starter in USC's last 5 games of 1998 (he played significantly off the bench in Troy's first 8 contests), he became only the second first-year frosh to start for USC at the position (the other was 1-game 1991 starter Rob Johnson, now in the NFL). He threw for at least 200 yards in 4 of his 5 starts in 1998.

Palmer was a near-perfect 14-of-16 (87.5%) for 167 yards and a 32-yard TD pass at Hawaii (he was never sacked) and also ran 9 yards for a score on a bootleg in just over 2 quarters of action, while Van Raaphorst was 5-of-10 for 83 yards and Fox got in the game at quarterback for USC's final series but didn't attempt a pass.

Palmer played the whole game against San Diego State, where he was 16-of-24 for 188 yards and 2 TDs, but threw a pair of interceptions.

Palmer broke his right collarbone after being tackled while scrambling for a 3-yard gain at the end of the first half at Oregon (he had completed 9-of-13 passes for 135 yards (with a pick) to that point), so Van Raaphorst came in and performed brilliantly, completing 20-of-36 passes for 227 yards (all then-career bests) with a TD.

Van Raaphorst got his first start of 1999 and responded well by completing 17-of-31 passes for 197 yards against Oregon State (Fox played 1 snap).

At Arizona, Van Raaphorst completed 23-of-41 passes for 291 yards, all then-career highs, and threw 2 TDs with an interception.

Van Raaphorst threw for a career-best 298 yards at Notre Dame on 23-of-41 passing (equaling his career highs), with 2 TD tosses and an interception.

Against Stanford, Van Raaphorst set a USC single game record with 415 passing yards and his yardage, completions (25) and attempts (51) set or equaled career bests for the third week in a row (he also had career highs with 3 TD passes, including a pair of 64-yarders, and 3 interceptions), his 390 yards of total offense was also a USC game mark.

Van Raaphorst started at California and hit 14-of-24 passes for 156 yards with an interception before being relieved early in the third quarter by Fox, who hit 12-of-25 passes for 226 yards (including a USC season-long 72-yard TD toss) while seeing his first significant action at quarterback since 1997.

Fox started against Arizona State (his first start since the end of the 1997 season) and hit 15-of-24 passes for 148 yards with an interception before giving way to Van Raaphorst early in the second half (Van Raaphorst was 12-of-24 for 91 yards with 2 picks).

Fox went the whole way at Washington State and played efficiently, hitting 12-of-22 passes for 117 yards (he also had a 37-yard scramble).

Against UCLA, Fox was 17-of-34 for 216 yards and 2 TDs (and, for the second week in a row, didn't throw an interception).

USC CAREER PASSING LEADERS
(Based on Number of Completions - Includes bowl games)

		PA	PC	INT	NYG	Pct.	TD
1.	Rob Johnson	1046	676	28	8472	.646	58
2.	Rodney Peete	1081	630	42	8225	.583	54
3.	Todd Marinovich	674	415	25	5001	.616	29
4.	Brad Otton	718	410	14	5359	.571	40
5.	Sean Salisbury	602	346	19	4481	.575	25
6.	Paul McDonald	501	299	13	4138	.597	37
7.	Jimmy Jones	604	298	25	4092	.493	30
8.	Pat Haden	468	241	25	3288	.514	33
9.	Mike Van Raaphorst	459	232	15	3042	.505	17
10.	John Fox	385	209	9	2647	.543	15
11.	Steve Sogge	370	201	17	2542	.543	16
12.	Jim Powers	348	186	23	2329	.547	19
13.	Rob Hertel	321	176	21	2812	.548	28
14.	Mike Rae	323	172	17	2684	.533	16
15	Carson Palmer	288	169	9	2245	.587	10

RUNNING BACKS--Besides the previously-mentioned Morton, USC has many other talented runners. Since senior tailback Petros Papadakis, who started 4 games last season, broke his foot in fall camp and will miss the 1999 season, look for contributions from 3 other tailbacks: redshirt freshman Sultan McCullough (69 tcb, 334 yds, 4.8 avg, 1 TD in 1999, plus 1 rec, 6.0 avg), the No. 2 tailback and the fastest player in Trojan football history (running for the USC track team this past spring, he was the Pac-10 100-meters champion and twice won a 100 in 10.17, good for No. 5 all-time on Troy's vaunted sprinting list), sophomore Malaefou MacKenzie (17 tcb, 50 yds, 2.9 avg, 3 TD in 1999, plus 5 rec, 8.0 avg), who was second on Troy in rushing in 1997 (332 yards) while starting twice but who redshirted last fall with a knee injury (a hamstring injury sidelined him for the San Diego State, Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona games this season), and senior Jabari Jackson (18 tcb, 50 yds, 2.8 avg in 1999, plus 11 rec, 7.0 avg and 8.0 KOR avg). At times in 1999, more than one tailback is employed, whether in split back formations or as a slot receiver. Manning the traditional fullback role has been sophomore Charlie Landrigan (10 rec, 6.3 avg in 1999), along with junior Brennan Ochs, who started the 1998 season opener, and redshirt freshman Chad Pierson (1 tcb, -1.0 avg in 1999, plus 2 rec, 8.0 avg and 2.0 KOR avg). Ochs started the first 3 games of 1999 and Landrigan the past 8.

At Hawaii, McCullough ran for 83 yards on 17 carries (with a 5-yard TD) and MacKenzie had 3 short scoring runs.

Versus San Diego State, McCullough gained 10 yards on 3 carries, while Jackson had 4 yards on 3 carries and also caught 3 passes for 28 yards (MacKenzie and Strong were sidelined with injuries).

At Oregon, Jackson had 5 yards on 2 carries and 9 yards on 3 catches (MacKenzie missed the game with an injury).

McCullough had 17 yards on 4 rushes against Oregon State, Jackson caught 2 passes for 13 yards and ran once for 3 yards, Strong had 2 grabs for 22 yards and Landrigan had 3 receptions for 23 yards.

At Arizona, McCullough had 15 yards on 5 tries and Jackson caught a 7-yard pass.

McCullough had 13 yards on 6 carries at Notre Dame, MacKenzie added 8 yards on 2 tries, Landrigan had 3 catches for 27 yards and Pierson added a 5-yard catch.

McCullough ran for 47 yards on 6 carries against Stanford, MacKenzie added a 2-yard run and Landrigan caught a 4-yard pass.

McCullough had 37 yards on 7 rushes at California and also caught a 6-yard pass, Jackson added 3 yards on 2 carries and Pierson got his first career carry (for a 1-yard loss).

Against Arizona State, McCullough had 8 yards on 2 carries, Jackson gained 2 yards on a rush, MacKenzie caught 3 passes for 21 yards and Landrigan had a catch (for a 2-yard loss).

McCullough had 38 yards on 10 carries at Washington State, McKenzie added 9 yards on 4 tries (he also caught a 3-yard pass) and Pierson had an 11-yard reception.

McCullough ran for 69 yards on 8 tries (with a USC season-long 48-yard pickup) against UCLA, MacKenzie added 6 rushing yards on 2 carries and caught a 16-yard pass, Jackson caught 2 passes for 20 yards (including a 17-yarder on a fake field goal to set up a TD) and had a 5-yard run and Landrigan grabbed a 7-yard pass.

WIDE RECEIVERS---USC's receiving unit literally is in good hands in 1999 with the already-mentioned Soward and fellow starter Windrell Hayes (52 rec, 13.4 avg, 4 TD in 1999), a sure-handed senior who runs precise routes. His 52 catches in 1999 puts him tied for 11th on USC's season reception list. He has 154 catches between his 2 seasons at San Jose State and 2 years at USC. With 76 career grabs at USC, he is 20th on Troy's all-time pass catching ladder. Additionally, there are 3 precocious newcomers who are being called upon (all have started at least once in 1999): prep All-Americans Kareem Kelly (team-best 53 rec, 16.9 avg, 4 TD in 1999), the California prep 100 (1999) and 200 (1998 and 1999) champion who started against Oregon State and Arizona and has set USC freshman records for most catches (53, 10th on USC's single season chart) and receiving yards (895, the most by a Trojan since Keyshawn Johnson had 1,434 in 1995), Marcell Allmond (14 rec, 16.6 avg, 2 TD in 1999, plus 17.0 KOR avg), the California prep high hurdles champ in 1998 and 1999 who started against California and UCLA, and Steve Stevenson (5 rec, 14.2 avg in 1999, plus 13.0 KOR avg), who became the first freshman since Johnnie Morton in 1990 and first true freshman since Randy Tanner in 1984 to start for USC at wide receiver when he did so at Oregon. Kelly has had 4 outings with 100 receiving yards and is the only Trojan with a catch in every game in 1999.

At Hawaii, Hayes had a game-high 6 catches for 80 yards (including a 32-yarder for USC's first TD of 1999), Kelly caught 5 throws for a game-best 104 yards and Allmond made a 9-yard grab despite having his helmet ripped off.

Against San Diego State, Kelly had 6 catches for 98 yards (both game highs), including 13-yard TD in the fourth quarter (the game's decisive points) as he outleaped an SDSU defender (who ripped off his helmet on the tackle), while Hayes made a 15-yard reception early in the game before being sidelined with an ankle sprain.

Kelly had another solid outing with 5 catches for 87 yards at Oregon, while Stevenson's 2 catches for 51 yards set up USC touchdowns.

Kelly had 3 receptions for 56 yards against Oregon State, Allmond added 2 grabs for 38 yards and Stevenson caught a 7-yarder.

At Arizona, Hayes returned from a 2-game layoff because of an ankle injury and had a personal-high 115 receiving yards on a game-best 9 catches (equaling his career high in receptions), while Kelly added 6 catches for 100 yards (giving USC its first pair of 100-yard receivers in a game since 1997), Allmond had 2 grabs for 32 yards (including a 21-yard TD, his first as a Trojan) and Stevenson had a 5-yard catch.

At Notre Dame, Hayes caught 8 passes for a game-high 107 yards with a 23-yard TD and Kelly hauled in a spectacular 58-yard pass to set up a score.

Kelly caught 8 passes for 129 yards (both game bests and career highs) against Stanford, Hayes added 6 receptions for 79 yards with a TD and Allmond had 3 for 90 yards with a 64-yard score.

Kelly had 9 catches for 170 yards (both career and game bests) with a 72-yard TD (a USC 1999 long reception) at California, Hayes added 8 grabs for 88 yards and Allmond had 5 receptions for 55 yards (both personal highs).

Kelly had 6 catches for 51 yards against Arizona State, while Hayes added 5 for 96 yards (with a 56-yarder to set up a field goal) and Allmond had 1 for 9 yards.

At Washington State, Hayes led USC with 4 catches for 24 yards and Kelly added a 10-yard reception.

Hayes led USC with 5 catches for 92 yards against UCLA, Kelly had 3 for 32 yards (with touchdowns of 22 and 5 yards) and Stevenson had an 8-yard grab.

Veteran Antoine Harris (6 rec, 13.5 avg, 1 TD in 1999) is a 2-year starter who brings good hands (31 career grabs) and blocking ability to the tight end position. Behind him is redshirt freshman Scott Huber (1 rec, 2.0 avg in 1999) and senior Pat Swanson (5 rec, 15.0 avg in 1999), who doubles as the long snapper.

Harris opened the San Diego State game's scoring by catching a 13-yard TD pass and Huber had a 2-yard reception (his first catch at USC).

At Oregon, Swanson had 2 grabs for 37 yards and Harris added a 4 yard catch.

Harris had 2 catches for 36 yards against Oregon State.

Harris caught a 3-yard pass at Arizona.

At California, Swanson caught a 26-yard pass and Harris a 25-yarder.

Swanson had a 4-yard catch versus Arizona State.

Swanson caught an 8-yard pass at Washington State (Harris went out early with a hamstring pull).

OFFENSIVE LINE---Entering last year, the line was USC's most unsettled offensive unit, as only 1 player with any measurable experience was in the lineup. It's quite different in 1999, as all of last fall's starters are back and they're all upperclassmen, although there has been some shuffling of positions. Further, injuries have resulted in 5 different starting units in USC's 10 games in 1999. The veteran is rough-and-tough senior right tackle Travis Claridge, who has started all 47 games of his USC career. On track to start all 48 games of his Trojan tenure, he'd be the first USC offensive lineman to do that since Jeff Bregel (1983-86), but the first ever to do so from the day he stepped on campus (Bregel redshirted his first year). Claridge was moved to right tackle this year after starting the previous 3 seasons at right guard. He was an All-Pac-10 first team pick in 1998 and is a pre-season All-American this year. He's on the 1999 Outland Trophy "Watch List" (SPORT magazine lists him as the favorite to win the Outland Trophy). Perhaps USC's most underrated lineman is junior Brent McCaffrey, the returning starter at the all-important left tackle spot. He didn't start against Notre Dame, Stanford or California (but played) while coming off an ankle sprain, so junior Trevor Roberts started in his place (Roberts missed the Arizona State, Washington State and UCLA contests with a broken wrist suffered at California). McCaffrey, who worked on his grandfather's Fresno farm as a youngster, was named to the 1999 All-American Farm Team by Successful Farming magazine. Senior Jason Grain, who started 9 times at guard and twice at center in 1998, started the first 5 games of 1999 at guard (this year on the right side) before tearing knee cartilage (redshirt freshman Zach Wilson has started the past 6 games in his place). Senior Donta Kendrick, who started once last season after transferring from a junior college, emerged as the starting left guard (he missed the Oregon State and Arizona games with an ankle injury, didn't start-but played-at Notre Dame, then missed the Stanford game after re-spraining his ankle, but returned to the starting lineup at California). Junior Eric Denmon, who started 3 times in 1998, captured the center job (he missed the Oregon State game with a knee injury and didn't start-but played-at Arizona). Several others with starting experience are also in the mix: junior Matt Welch, who started 10 times at right tackle in 1998 after transferring from a junior college (he also doubles as a tight end in short yardage situations, putting on jersey No. 98, he played a significant amount there against Washington State and UCLA, even catching a 6-yard pass against UCLA), senior Matt McShane, an 8-game 1998 starter at center (he started this year's Arizona and Notre Dame games), and sophomore tackle-guard Faaesea Mailo, a 3-game starter in 1996 who is back this fall from a 2-year Mormon mission (he started against Oregon State, Arizona, Notre Dame and Stanford, then missed the California contest with a leg bruise), look for him at fullback in short yardage situations.

DEFENSIVE LINE--USC's strongest defensive unit seems to be the line, as 2 starters return from 1998 (a third 1998 starter is now playing linebacker). Both tackles are back to serve as anchors up front: beefy junior Ennis Davis (30 tac, 7 for loss, 5 sac, 2 FR, 1 FF, 2 int with a TD, 4 dfl in 1999), who won All-Pac-10 first team honors last fall and is a 1999 pre-season All-American, and senior Aaron Williams (24 tac, 2 for loss, 1 sac, 4 dfl, 1FF in 1999), who started the last 5 games of 1998 (he has been an often-used backup most of 1999, but did start against Stanford, he missed the Washington State game with a neck sprain). Davis topped the Trojans in tackles for losses (13) last fall, while Williams recovered a team-best 4 fumbles. Davis is on the "Watch Lists" for the 1999 Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Sophomore Ryan Nielsen (39 tac, 6 for loss, 3 sac, 1 FR, 3 dfl in 1999), who started the 1998 opener, has started all but the Stanford game of 1999 for Williams. Also seeing action, especially in short yardage downs, is freshman Bernard Riley (5 tac in 1999), a 1998 prep All-American. Manning the end spots, now that junior Sultan Abdul-Malik has moved to linebacker, are a pair of juniors--Matt Childers (23 tac, 7 for loss, 5 sac, 2 FF, 3 dfl in 1999), who redshirted last season after transferring from Kansas State and has started all of 1999 except the California, Arizona State, Washington State and UCLA games (he was out with a shoulder sprain for the first 3 of those, but returned for UCLA), and Shamsud-Din Abdul-Shaheed (19 tac, 5 dfl in 1999), a 7-game starter (5 at end, 2 at tackle) in 1998 and the starter versus California, Arizona State, Washington State and UCLA in 1999--on one side and a pair of sophomores--Lonnie Ford (24 tac, 10 for loss, 5 sac, 2 FF in 1999), who started twice at tight end in 1998 (he caught a touchdown) but was moved to defense this past spring and has been the starter in all but the Oregon State game, or Kori Dickerson (13 tac in 1999), the starter against Oregon State who has high jumped 6-8 for the USC track team--on the other.

Williams had 3 stops and 2 deflections at Hawaii, Ford had 2 sacks among his 3 tackles, Nielsen added 3 tackles and Childers 2, Abdul-Shaheed was suspended for the opener (for a team rules violation from last spring).

Childers had 6 tackles against San Diego State and Ford added 2 stops and a forced fumble which Nielsen recovered (Nielsen also had 3 tackles, with a sack).

At Oregon, Nielsen had 9 tackles, Williams 7, Davis 6, Childers 3 (with a forced fumble) and Ford 2.

Davis recovered a fumble, forced another, broke up a pass and had 3 tackles (1 sack) against Oregon State, Childers forced a fumble, broke up 2 passes and made 3 stops (2 for losses), Abdul-Shaheed had 5 tackles and a deflection, Dickerson had 4 stops and Ford and Nielsen each made a tackle.

Davis had 6 stops (1 for a loss) at Arizona, Childers and Nielsen added 3, Abdul-Shaheed, Dickerson, Ford and Williams had a pair apiece.

At Notre Dame, Davis had 5 tackles (4 were for losses, including 3 sacks) and recovered a fumble, Williams had 3 stops and forced a fumble, Nielsen and Ford had 2 tackles each, and Childers and Dickerson had 1 each.

Nielsen had 5 tackles and 2 deflections (1 leading to an interception) against Stanford, Abdul-Shaheed had 3 stops and a deflection, Williams had 2 tackles with a sack, Ford had 1 tackle for a loss and Davis intercepted a pass and had 2 deflections.

At California, Williams posted 5 tackles with a deflection, Ford, Davis and Nielsen 3 each, Abdul-Shaheed and Riley 2 apiece, and Childers 1 stop with a deflection.

Davis intercepted a pass against Arizona State and returned it 30 yards for a TD (he also had 6 tackles), while Nielsen had 5 stops, Ford 3, Abdul-Shaheed and Riley 2 each, and Williams and Dickerson 1 each.

At Washington State, Adbul-Shaheed had 5 tackles, Nielsen had 3, and David and Ford had 1 each.

Childers (4 tackles), Ford (3 tackles) and Nielsen (2 tackles) each had 2 sacks against UCLA, while Williams, Abdul-Shaheed and Dickerson added 1 stop each.

LINEBACKERS--Talk about a unit that could have been affected by personnel losses in 1999 and the linebacking corps jumps out. After all, unanimous All-American middle linebacker Chris Claiborne, the 1998 Butkus Award winner and Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year who had 312 tackles and 8 interceptions while starting for 3 years, went on to the NFL after his junior campaign (he was a first round pick) and 1998 weakside starter David Gibson moved back to the secondary. But the linebacking play has been superb. USC's only returning linebacker is junior Zeke Moreno (team-high 103 tac, 7 for loss, 4 sac, 3 int with a TD, 2 FR with a TD, 4 FF, 3 dfl in 1999)...and he's a good one (he was on the 1999 Butkus Award "Watch List").

When injuries struck the spot last year, he stepped in and started 12 times on the strong side. He starts in the middle in 1999. Hard-charging junior Sultan Abdul-Malik (25 tac, 5 for loss, 2 sac, 2 dfl, 1 FR in 1999), who started the past 2 seasons at defensive end, moved this past spring to the strongside linebacker spot, where he starts (he was a linebacker in high school). He also was on the 1999 Butkus Award "Watch List." He led the Trojans in sacks each of the past 2 years (16 in his career). Markus Steele (89 tac, team-best 12 for loss, 3 sac, 6 dfl, 1 int, 3 FF, 2 FR with 1 TD in 1999), a junior who was a 1998 J.C. All-American, made an immediate impact in fall camp and starts on the weakside. He's upholding the USC tradition of outstanding defensive players wearing the No. 55 jersey, including NFLers Claiborne, Junior Seau and Willie McGinest. Moreno is tied for second in the Pac-10 in tackles (9.4) and Steele is tied for eighth (8.1). Also seeing action are sophomores Darryl Knight (11 tac, 1 for loss, 2 dfl in 1999), who spent a few mid-season games in 1999 playing tight end and started for an injured Steele against Stanford and California (he missed the Arizona State game while suspended for a violation of team rules), and Henry Wallace (7 tac in 1999) and freshmen Troy Polamalu (12 tac, 2 sac, 2 FF, 1 dfl in 1999), who has sat out the past 4 games with a concussion, and Aaron Graham (4 tac, 1 FR in 1999).

At Hawaii, Steele began his college career with 4 tackles (1 was a sack), 2 deflections (1 led to a USC interception) and a recovered fumble which he returned 46 yards for a TD, while Moreno added 3 stops.

Moreno had a game-high 13 tackles against San Diego State and also intercepted a pass, Steele made 9 tackles (2 for losses, with a sack), intercepted a pass and forced a fumble which he recovered, and Abdul-Malik made 3 stops (including a sack).

Steele had a game-high 16 tackles at Oregon, Moreno added 15 and Polamalu had 4 (each had a forced fumble).

With his predecessor Claiborne in attendance watching from the sideline, Moreno had a fabulous outing against Oregon State: he scored twice (on a 17-yard fumble runback and a 71-yard interception return) and made a game-best 13 tackles (with an 11-yard sack) to earn Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week, Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and Compaq National Interception of the Week honors. Steele added 4 stops, Abdul-Malik 3, Wallace and Graham each had 2 and Polamalu 1.

Steele posted a game-high 14 tackles (2 for losses) and a deflection at Arizona, Moreno had 6 stops (including a 14-yard sack) and forced a fumble which Antuan Simmons returned 44 yards for a TD, and Abdul-Malik had 2 tackles.

Steele had a game-high 12 tackles at Notre Dame (2 for losses, with a sack) and forced a fumble, Abdul-Malik had 7 stops (2 for losses, with a sack), recovered a fumble and broke up a pass, Moreno added 6 tackles and Polamalu 1.

Moreno had a game-high 12 tackles against Stanford, Knight added 4 stops, Steele also had 4 tackles despite playing a limited role while bothered by shoulder and ankle sprains and Abdul-Malik had 3 stops.

Moreno (with a sack) and Steele (with 3 for losses) tied for the team-high in tackles at California with 7, Abdul-Malik added 2 stops (1 for a loss) and Knight had 1.

Moreno had 13 tackles against Arizona State, Steele added 9 with a deflection and Adbul-Malik had 1.

Moreno had 8 tackles (with a sack) and forced a fumble at Washington State, Steele added 4 stops (1 for a loss), and Abdul-Malik (for a loss), Knight and Wallace had 1 each.

Against UCLA, Moreno led USC with 7 tackles (2 were sacks), forced a fumble which he recovered, and made a one-handed interception inside the Trojan 10-yard line, Steele added 6 stops, Knight had 4 (1 for a loss), and Abdul-Malik (with a deflection) and Polamalu added 1 each.

SECONDARY--The secondary is another area that had to be revamped almost totally in 1999, as 3 starters departed. It was a challenge to replace 4-year starting cornerback Daylon McCutcheon, a 1998 All-Pac-10 first teamer and Thorpe Award semifinalist who had 10 interceptions, 46 pass break-ups and 187 tackles in his career, plus 2-year starters Rashard Cook (a 1998 All-Pac-10 first teamer with 218 career stops) at free safety and Grant Pearsall (138 tackles overall) at strong safety. There's no doubt that junior cornerback Antuan Simmons (49 tac, 6 for losses, 2 sac, 10 dfl, 2 FR with 1 for a TD, 1 FF, 3 int, 3 blk in 1999), a 2-year starter (at rover linebacker and strong safety in 1997 and at cornerback last season), has emerged as an outstanding defender capable of continuing USC's tradition of noted defensive backs. He returned 2 of his picks for touchdowns last fall and made an impact on special teams by blocking 3 kicks. He has 6 career blocks. He's on the 1999 Thorpe Award "Watch List." He had back surgery prior to the UCLA game, though, and is out for the rest of 1999. The secondary got a boost when senior David Gibson (76 tac, 3 for loss, 2 FR, 1 FF, 3 int, 6 dfl in 1999) returned after spending 1998 as Troy's starting weakside linebacker. He's now back at his more natural position, strong safety (he started in 1997 at rover linebacker, a combination linebacker and strong safety). Always around the ball, he is USC's top returning tackler (85 in 1998). The free safety is junior Ifeanyi Ohalete (78 tac, 3 for loss, 1 sac, team-high 13 dfl, 1 int, 5 FF, 3 FR in 1999), who started 4 early-season games at strong safety in 1998. He leads the Pac-10 in forced fumbles (5) and is tied for first in fumbles recovered (3). Gibson and Ohalete are 1999 USC captains. Sophomore Kris Richard (36 tac, team-high 5 int with 2 TD, 1 FR, 2 FF, 8 dfl in 1999) won the vacant cornerback job in spring ball and has done well. He is tied for 25th nationally in interceptions (0.5, fourth in Pac-10). Others who see the field include senior Tanqueray Clark (2 tac in 1999), who started versus San Diego State, soph Eric Reese (4 tac, 1 sac in 1999) and freshmen Darrell Rideaux (27 tac, 4 dfl in 1999), a 1998 prep All-American who was the California state 100 champion in 1998 (he started against UCLA for an injured Simmons), and Kevin Arbet (6 tac, 1 dfl in 1999) at corner and soph Frank Strong (1 tac in 1999, plus 7 tcb, 27 yds, 3.9 avg, and 3 rec, 11.3 avg) and junior John Morgan (6 tac, 1 for loss in 1999) at safety. Strong, who was moved from tailback prior to this year's Stanford game, became just the fourth USC first-year freshman to start at tailback when he did so versus California in 1998. Arbet and Morgan are former walk-ons who earned scholarships in 1999.

Simmons had a team-best 5 tackles (including a sack) at Hawaii (along with a deflection), Gibson posted 3 tackles, recovered 2 fumbles and broke up a pass, Ohalete had 3 tackles (with a sack) and a forced fumble, Richard had 3 stops, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery and a forced fumble, and Polamalu had 4 tackles (1 sack) and a forced fumble.

Richard intercepted a pair of passes (returning the first 51 yards for a TD) and made 2 tackles against San Diego State, Simmons had 4 stops and 2 deflections, Ohalete had 3 tackles with a deflection and Gibson made 2 stops.

Ohalete and Gibson had 11 tackles apiece at Oregon (Ohalete also recovered a fumble), while Simmons had 6 stops and Richard 5.

Ohalete made 8 tackles against Oregon State, Richard had 7 stops and 3 pass breakups (with an interception), Gibson also had 7 tackles, Simmons added 6 stops and Rideaux 2.

Gibson had 7 tackles at Arizona, Ohalete had 5 with 2 deflections and a forced fumble, Simmons had 5 stops and returned a fumble 44 yards for a TD, Rideaux had 3 tackles with a deflection and Richard made 2 stops.

Simmons had 9 tackles at Notre Dame (1 for a loss) and blocked 2 kicks (a field goal and PAT), Gibson also had 9 stops (1 for a loss) and intercepted a pass, Ohalete added 7 tackles and Richard had 1 stop and forced a fumble.

Against Stanford, Ohalete had 9 tackles, Gibson had 7 (1 for a loss) with a deflection, Richard had 4 stops, Simmons intercepted 2 passes (leading to a Trojan field goal and touchdown) and recovered a fumble which he forced to go along with his 3 tackles, Arbet had 2 tackles and Rideaux and Morgan had 1 each.

Gibson tied for the team-lead in tackles at California with 7, Ohalete had 4 stops, 2 deflections and an interception, Simmons had 3 stops (1 for a loss) and an interception in the end zone, Morgan had 2 tackles and Richard, Rideaux and Arbet added 1 each.

Against Arizona State, Gibson had a game-best 15 tackles (1 for a loss) with a forced fumble, Ohalete had 12 stops (1 for a loss) with 1 fumble recovery, a forced fumble and 2 deflections, Simmons had 2 tackles (with a 7-yard sack), a deflection and a blocked field goal, Rideaux had 5 tackles, Richard had 4 and Arbet 1.

Ohalete led USC with 11 tackles at Washington State, Richard returned an interception 6 yards for a TD (he also had 4 stops), Rideaux made 9 tackles while playing extensively as the nickel back, Simmons had 6 stops (1 for a loss) and broke up a pass, Gibson added 2 tackles and Arbet 1.

Gibson had 6 tackles against UCLA along with 2 interceptions and 3 deflections, Rideaux had 6 stops and a breakup, Ohalete made 5 tackles (1 for a loss), recovered a fumble which he forced and had a deflection, Richard had 3 tackles with a deflection, and Morgan and Strong each made 1 stop.

SPECIALISTS--Sophomore Mike MacGillivray (41.5 avg in 1999) is the returning punter after doing a steady job last fall (37.7 avg in 1998) when he set USC season records for most punts (87) and punt yardage (3,284). He is especially effective as a placement punter, as 54 of his 157 career boots have pinned opponents within the 20-yard line. For the past 4 years, USC could count on Adam Abrams to usually deliver on all placekicks, as he drilled 44 field goals (including 4 that proved to be the deciding points in games) and 117 PATs in his career. He has graduated, so now the Trojans rely on sophomore junior college transfer David Newbury (11-of-19 FG, 36-of-38 PAT in 1999). Handling the kickoff chores and serving as the backup to Newbury and MacGillivray is junior David Bell (0-of-1 FG, 6 tac in 1999), Troy's kickoff man 2 of the past 3 years, 33 of his 59 kickoffs in 1999 haven't been returned past the 20-yard line (including 15 touchbacks).

Newbury had an impressive collegiate debut at Hawaii, as he nailed both of his field goals (a 48-yarder for USC's first points and then a 34-yarder at the first half gun) and all 8 of his PATs, while MacGillivray averaged 35.5 yards on his 2 punts (the first one traveled 59 yards to pin the Rainbows within the 20-yard line) and 7 of Bell's 10 kickoffs weren't returned past the 20.

Newbury hit 1-of-2 field goals (a 26-yarder) and all 3 PATs against San Diego State, 3 of Bell's 5 kickoffs weren't returned past the 20 (including 2 touchbacks) and 1 of MacGillivray's 4 punts kept SDSU within the 20.

Newbury struggled at Oregon, hitting his first field goal (29 yards), but then missing his next 3 (including 2 in overtime), while MacGillivray averaged 35.5 yards on 6 punts (2 were within the 20) and 3 of Bell's 5 kickoff kept the Ducks within the 20.

Newbury bounced back somewhat against Oregon State, hitting a 38-yarder on his only field goal attempt and 4-of-5 PATs, while 4 of Bell's 7 kickoffs weren't returned past the 20 and 1 of MacGillivray's 6 punts kept the Beavers within the 20.

MacGillivray had a huge day at Arizona, averaging a career-high 50.6 yards on 8 punts (with a 66-yarder to equal a personal long and 4 others over 50 yards) and pinning the Wildcats within the 20-yard line 6 times (twice inside the 5) to earn Pac-10 Special Team Player of the Week honors, while Newbury nailed a 40-yard field goal on his only attempt and was 3-of-3 on PATs and 1 of Bell's 5 kickoffs kept UA within the 20.

Newbury hit a 29-yard field goal and all 3 PATs at Notre Dame, MacGillivray averaged 35.4 yards on his 5 punts and Bell saw 2 of his 5 kickoffs not returned past the 20-yard line.

Against Stanford, MacGillivray averaged 43.2 yards on 5 punts (2 pinned the Cardinal within the 20-yard line), while Newbury hit a 31-yard field goal (he missed 2 others) plus all 4 PAT kicks and Bell missed his first field goal try of 1999 (a 52-yarder), but 4 of his 6 kickoffs weren't run back past the 20-yard line (2 were touchbacks).

MacGillivray averaged 42.6 yards punting at California (his 11 punts and 469 yards were both career highs), with a pair of 50-yarders (including a long of 57 yards) and 2 that pinned Cal within the 20, while Newbury hit his only PAT kick and Bell's only kickoff was a touchback.

MacGillivray averaged 44.1 yards on 9 punts (with a pair of 56-yarders and a pair within the 20-yard line) against Arizona State, while Newbury hit a 29-yard field goal and 1 of Bell's 4 kickoffs was a touchback.

At Washington State, MacGillivray averaged 40.7 yards on 7 punts (with a 54- and 51-yarder and 1 within the 20), Newbury hit a 34-yard field goal and all 4 of his PATs and 4 of Bell's 7 kickoffs pinned WSU within the 20 (2 were touchbacks).

Newbury hit a 22-yard field goal to open the scoring against UCLA, MacGillivray averaged 44.7 on 7 punts (with a 53-yarder) and 3 pinned the Bruins within the 20, and 3 of Bell's 4 kickoffs weren't returned past the 20 (2 were touchbacks).

ROSTER ADDITIONS/DELETIONS-Here are some roster updates from the 1999 USC media guide:

This past June, USC added a scholarship freshman to its roster: Sandy Fletcher, a 6-3, 185-pound safety from Inglewood (Calif.) High (he wears #24), was All-Area, All-Bay League first team and team MVP while playing safety and wide receiver as a 1998 senior. He had 67 tackles and 6 interceptions on defense in 1998, while on offense he scored 12 TDs and averaged 150 all-purpose yards. He also started as a 1997 junior (earning All-Bay League second team) and 1996 sophomore. He also starred in basketball, winning 1999 All-CIF Division II first team, South Bay Daily Breeze All-South Bay first team, Bay League Co-MVP, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West honorable mention and team MPV honors as a 1999 senior guard. He averaged 19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals as a senior. Inglewood was 30-5. He was a 3-year starter and earned All-Bay League second team honors as a junior. He also sprinted for Inglewood's track team.

Three walk-ons earned scholarships at the end of fall camp: S John Morgan, CB Antoinne Harris and first-year Trojan CB Kevin Arbet (#30, 5-11, 175, Fr., Stockton, St. Mary's HS).

Five new walk-ons are also on the roster: #45 Mark Gomez (TB, 5-10, 200, So., San Gabriel, Golden Sierra HS/Mt. San Antonio JC), #49 David Munoz (WR, 5-10, 185, Jr., Rancho Santa Margarita, Santa Margarita HS/SMU/Saddleback JC), #54 Alex Bottom (C-SNP, 6-4, 220, Fr., Newport Beach, Corona del Mar HS), #91 Joe Boskovich (TE, 6-5, 245, Fr., Westlake, Westlake HS), #95 Michael Murray (LB, 6-0, 225, Fr., Los Angeles, St. Monica HS).

There are five jersey number changes: S Rick Luce is now #8, FB Chad Pierson is now # 34, OT Eric Torres is now #66, QB-WR Matt Dalton is now #16 and LB Ryan Shapiro is now #14. OG-C Norm Katnik, who was wearing #96 when he was moved to TE in fall camp, is now back to #62. Also, OT Matt Welch (#72) switches to #98 when he lines up as a tight end in short yardage situations.

There are several position changes: Frank Strong is now a S, Omar Nazel and Anthony Daye are now DEs and Miguel Fletcher is now a TB. Darryl Knight, who was moved to TE early in the season, is now back at LB. Norm Katnik, who was moved to TE in fall camp, is now back at OG-C.

OL Luke MacKay prefers going by Lucais (pronounced Lucas).

Two 1999 signees, DT Sagan Atuatasi of Los Alamitos (Calif.) High and WR Craig Mitchell of West Los Angeles (Calif.) City College did not meet USC admission standards and are not with the Trojans in 1999.

Walk-on S Pierre Zado quit the team.

STAT NOTES

USC is tied for second nationally (with Kansas State) in fumble recoveries (17), behind Texas' 19.

USC is tied for fourth nationally in turnover margin (+1.0, first in Pac-10) and is 19th in passing offense (268.6, third in Pac-10).

USC's defense ranks in the Pac-10's top 4 in all statistical categories: second in rushing defense (124.7) and pass efficiency defense (115.1), third in scoring defense (23.5) and fourth in total defense (366.9).

USC's defense has posted 39 sacks (3.3 per game) by 14 different players and has scored 7 touchdowns (4 on interceptions and 3 on fumbles).

USC is outscoring opponents in the first half 183-98, including 90-60 in the second quarter. However, in the fourth quarter and overtime, USC is being outscored 99-54.

USC's 6 losses-4 were on the road-have been by a total of 35 points (5.8 points a game) and none were by more than 10 points: 1 point at Notre Dame, 3 points in triple overtime at Oregon, 4 points to Stanford, 7 points at Arizona and 10 points versus California and Arizona State. USC had second-half leads in the first 4 losses (including 3 fourth-quarter leads). USC twice lost despite having a 21-point lead (Notre Dame and Stanford). Troy twice gave up 22 unanswered points (Oregon State and Notre Dame), twice 21 unanswered points (Arizona and Stanford), once 19 unanswered points (Arizona State) and twice 14 unanswered points (San Diego State and Washington State), with the Oregon State, Notre Dame, Arizona and Washington State barrages all coming in the second half and the Stanford streak in 2:37 of the second and third quarters.

USC has outgained its opponent in 4 of its 6 losses (all but Arizona and Arizona State).

Opponents are converting just 31.6% of their third downs (55-of-174).

USC has been penalized 119 times for 1,021 yards, an average of 10.8 penalties and 93.4 yards a game.

USC has won the time of possession battle just 4 times (Hawaii, Stanford, Washington State and UCLA), as opponents are holding the ball 30:59 on average.

USC scored on its first possession in 7 games in 1999--including its first 3 games and then its sixth, seventh, 10th and 11th contests--and on its second possession in the fourth and ninth contests.

Four of the 13 interceptions USC has thrown in 1999 have been returned for touchdowns (another was run back to the 1-yard line, leading to an opponent's TD on the next play).

RANDOM NOTES

When USC hosted Oregon State on Oct. 2, the Trojans played the 1,000th game in their history. Troy became the 37th Division I-A school to hit that milestone. Since starting football in 1888, USC has amassed a 672-281-54 (69.4%) record. The winning percentage and victories puts USC 10th among all Division I-A schools.

This might be one of the fastest teams USC has fielded. TB Sultan McCullough (bests of 10.17 in the 100 meters, 20.61 in the 200 meters) won the 100 at the 1999 Pac-10 meet and twice clocked 10.17 last spring to become the fastest Trojan footballer ever. WR Kareem Kelly (10.28, 20.53) won the 100 and 200 at the 1999 California state meet after capturing the 200 in 1998. CB Darrell Rideaux (10.30, 21.03) won the California state 100 in 1998 (he was second in 1999 and third in 1997) and was fourth in the 200 in 1999. TB Miguel Fletcher (10.47, 20.94) was the runnerup in the California state 100 in 1997 and 1998 and in the 200 in 1998. WR Marcell Allmond (13.54 in the 110-meter high hurdles, 37.40 in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles) won the California state high hurdles in 1998 and 1999 (he was sixth in the 1999 intermediates), and also set a National Junior Olympics record in the decathlon in 1999. Other speedy Trojans with track backgrounds include WR R. Jay Soward (10.34), TB Chad Morton (10.74) and CB Eric Reese (10.75). And speaking of track, there are several Trojans who excel in the field portion of the sport. For instance, OL Lucais MacKay (199-7 discus, 61-0 shot put, 217-10 hammer) was second in the discus at the 1999 California state meet, while DE Kori Dickerson (6-8 high jump) placed third in the high jump at the 1999 USC-UCLA dual meet.

When USC head trainer emeritus Jack Ward missed the game at Arizona because of intestinal flu, it was the first game in his 42-year career that he was absent (dating to 1958). He had worked 474 consecutive USC games. Incidentally, 88-year-old Trojan fan Oliver Pellerin hasn't missed a USC game--home or away--since 1945...that's 613 in a row. His late brother, Giles, who died at the 1998 USC-UCLA game at age 91, had seen 797 consecutive Trojan games.

Four Trojans have fathers who played on national championship USC football squads: LB-DE Sultan Abdul-Malik (father, Ed Powell (now Wali Abdul-Malik) was on 1972 and 1974 teams), WR Rocky Brown (father, Dave, was on the 1972 team), OT Derek Graf (father, Allan, was on 1972 team), and OT Brent McCaffrey (father, Bob McCaffrey, was on 1972 and 1974 teams).

Two other Trojans have dads who lettered at Troy in 1970 and 1971: TB Petros Papadakis (father, John) and S John Morgan (father, Mike). And CB Kevin Arbet is the stepson of ex-Trojan (1980-82) Jeff Simmons. Papadakis also has a brother (Taso, 1994 and 1996) who played at USC, as does LB Darryl Knight (Ryan, 1984-87, and Sammy, 1993-96), TB Chad Morton (Johnnie, 1990-93) and DT Todd Keneley (Matt, 1993-96). Two Trojans had cousins who played at USC--WR Kareem Kelly (Rashard Cook, 1995-98) and TE Joe Boskovich (Martin Boskovich, 1993)--and two had uncles who were Trojan footballers: S-LB Troy Polamalu (Kennedy Pola, 1982-85) and OG-C Norm Katnik (John Katnik, 1986-87).

USC has 3 players with first names all pronounced the same but spelled differently--Antuan, Antoine and Antoinne--and 2 of them even have the same last name--TE Antoine Harris and CB Antoinne Harris! CB Antuan Simmons is the third of these homonyms.

Three of USC's 12 opponents in 1999 are coached by former Trojan assistants: San Diego State (Ted Tollner, who also was USC's head coach), Arizona State (Bruce Snyder) and UCLA (Bob Toledo).

Here's a statistical oddity: 3 members of the USC football staff have fathered twins! Offensive line coach Steve Greatwood has 11-year-old twin daughters Tessa and Emmy, director of football administration and facilities Larry Petroff has 10-year-old twin sons Alex and Jason, and defensive line coach Ed Orgeron has 1-year-old twin sons Parker and Cody.

The 1999 season marks the anniversaries of a pair of dramatic USC comeback victories over Notre Dame. It's the 25th anniversary of the 1974 Trojan-Irish game, regarded as one of college football's most incredible comebacks. USC trailed 24-0 late in the first half against a Notre Dame team that sported the nation's top-ranked defense. But then USC scored 55 unanswered points in under 17 minutes to win 55-24 in the Coliseum. Tailback Anthony Davis scored 4 TDs: on a 7-yard Pat Haden pass just before halftime, a 102-yard kickoff return to open the second half and a pair of short third-quarter runs. Haden also threw 3 scoring passes in the second half, a pair to Johnny McKay and another to Shelton Diggs, and Charles Phillips capped the scoring blitz with a 58-yard interception TD. The victory propelled USC, which then beat Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, 18-17, to the 1974 national championship. (Interestingly, that Rose Bowl win was dramatic, too. USC trailed, 17-10, with just minutes left. Then Haden teamed with McKay on a 38-yard TD pass with 2:03 to go, and followed that with a 2-point conversion toss to Diggs for the victory.) This year is also the 35th anniversary of the 1964 USC-Notre Dame game. Rod Sherman caught a 15-yard TD pass from Craig Fertig with 1:33 to play to upset the unbeaten and top-ranked Irish, 20-17. USC was down, 17-0, at halftime.

IN THE NFL--USC is always well-represented in the NFL. There were 26 Trojans on 1999 opening day NFL rosters, including players such as LB Junior Seau, OLs Tony Boselli and Bruce Matthews, DLs Willie McGinest and Darrell Russell, WRs Keyshawn Johnson, Curtis Conway and Johnnie Morton, QBs Rob Johnson and Rodney Peete, and DBs Tim McDonald, Jason Sehorn and Mark Carrier. Six NFL head coaches have USC ties (either as former players or assistants): New York Giants' Jim Fassel, Tennessee's Jeff Fisher, Seattle's Mike Holmgren, San Francisco's Steve Mariucci, Washington's Norv Turner and San Diego's Mike Riley. Six current USC players have relatives with NFL playing backgrounds: C Eric Denmon (cousin, Rod Jones), WR Kareem Kelly (cousin, Rashard Cook), OT Brent McCaffrey (father, Bob McCaffrey, uncle, Mike McCaffrey), TB Chad Morton, (brother, Johnnie Morton, half-brother, Michael Morton), S-LB Troy Polamalu, (cousin, Nicky Sualua), QB Mike Van Raaphorst, (father, Dick Van Raaphorst). Additionally, 4 Trojan assistants (Ken O'Brien, Phil Pettey, Dennis Thurman and Mike Wilson) played in the NFL, while head coach Paul Hackett, Thurman, Wilson and Steve Greatwood were NFL assistants.

ON TV--USC is one of America's most televised teams. The Trojans have appeared on live national, regional or local telecasts 271 times, including all 12 games in 1998 and 1999. In fact, USC had an amazing streak of 111 consecutive games on some form of live television from 1988 to 1997.

ACADEMICS--TB Chad Morton (3.43, sociology) is a leading candidate for 1999 Academic All-American honors. Morton was named a 1999 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete (one of 9 Division I-A seniors), entitling him to an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship (he will be honored at a Dec. 7 dinner in New York City). He was named to the GTE-Academic All-District VIII first team in 1998 and 1999 and has made the Pac-10 All-Academic first team for 4 straight years (1996-99). Among the other top scholars on the 1999 Trojan squad are QB Mike Van Raaphorst (3.70 GPA, broadcast journalism/political science major), DT Todd Keneley (3.74, communication), FB Brennan Ochs (3.27, political science), S Frank Carter (3.19, computer engineering/computer sciences) and TE Scott Huber (3.16). Van Raaphorst, Ochs and Carter made the 1999 Pac-10 All-Academic first team (Van Raaphorst was an honorable mention selection in 1997 and 1998 and Ochs was an honorable mention pick in 1998). In its history, USC football has produced 22 Academic All-American first teamers (tops in the Pac-10 and tied for fifth in the nation), 20 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship winners, 11 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes, 4 NCAA Today's Top Six winners, 1 Rhodes Scholar and 1 Academic All-American Hall of Famer.

In the latest NCAA four-year graduation rates (based on scholarship football players entering school in 1989-92), USC graduated more than three-fifths of its players (61%). That figure is well above the Division I-A average for that period (52%) and within range of the overall USC student body four-year rate of 67%. If the 1999 pre-season USA Today/ESPN football poll had been based on the current NCAA four-year graduation rates, USC would rank fifth. Here's a look at the Top 5 (and Troy's other Top 25 opponents):

1.	Notre Dame	78%
	Penn State	78%
3.	Virginia	75%
4.	Nebraska	63%
5. USC	61%
8.	(T) UCLA	58%
11.	Arizona	55%
12.	(T) Division I-A average	52%
21.	Arizona State	38%

SCOUTING LOUISIANA TECH-After losing its first 2 games of 1999, Division I-A independent Louisiana Tech-under third-year head coach Jack Bicknell III-has rolled to 8 straight wins and is looking to secure a post-season berth. Its 29-28 win at the gun over No. 18 Alabama this season was the school's first-ever over a ranked opponent. The Bulldogs, coming off a bye, lead the nation in pass offense (402.9), are second in total offense (474.1) and are eighth in scoring offense (37.0). Senior QB Tim Rattay (307-of-448, 68.5%, 3,517 yds, 32 TD, 9 int in 1999), Tech's most noted signalcaller since Terry Bradshaw in the late 1960s, is the nation's leader in total offense (378.6) and is fourth in passing offense (154.0). On the NCAA career charts, he ranks second in total offense (12,240) and third in passing yards (12,341) and TD passes (112). He owns 11 school records. He aims his aerials at a quartet of talented receivers, including 3 who have at least 70 catches: sophomore WR James Jordan (73 rec, 10.6 avg, 8 TD in 1999), soph WR Delwyn Daigre (71 rec, 14.5 avg, 9 TD in 1999), soph TB John Simon (70 rec, 9.7 avg, 2 TD in 1999, plus 25 tcb, 109 yds, 4.4 avg, 4 TD rushing, 25.2 KOR avg and 6.4 PR avg), and junior WR Sean Cangelosi (57 rec, 15.3 avg, 10 TD in 1999, plus 6.9 PR avg). Jordan is 10th nationally in receptions (7.3), Daigre is ninth in receiving yards (103.0) and 13th in receptions (7.1), and Simon is 14th in receptions (7.0) and 20th in kickoff returns (25.2). Jordan is Tech's No. 7 all-time pass catcher (129), Cangelosi is eighth in catches (117) and fifth in TD catches (16). Senior TB Bobby Ray Tell (92 tcb, 540 yds, 5.9 avg, 5 TD, plus 16 rec, 6.4 avg, 1 TD) is the team's top rusher this season and his 2,448 career yards is sixth on Tech's all-time list. Leading the defense is senior LB Damon Harrington (77 tac, 7 for loss, 1 int, 1 FR in 1999), freshman FS Michael John Lenard (63 tac, 3 for loss, 1 int, 3 FR in 1999), junior LB Quincy Stewart (61 tac, 6 for loss, 2 int in 1999), soph DB Bobby Gray (51 tac, 3 for loss, 1 int in 1999) and senior DL Otis Pitts (36 tac, 8 for loss, 4 sac, 1 FR in 1999). The Bulldogs are tied for 10th nationally in turnover margin (+0.9).

HACKETT SAYS--"The victory over UCLA was a marvelous experience for our staff and players, particularly the seniors. And it was a marvelous atmosphere. It was great to see the Coliseum come alive in Cardinal and Gold. It was a hard fought victory. Our defense took over and shut the door on UCLA's offense. Getting 5 turnovers was sensational, while our offense turned the ball over only once. And our special teams made big plays. So many things came together. We played as a team and we responded when we had to. It gives us an opportunity to finish our season with momentum and carry it over to next year. This season has had some losses, but our program is headed up in the right direction. It was fantastic to beat UCLA. Louisiana Tech is a very, very dangerous team. They have one of the premier quarterbacks in the country, plus they have an experienced offensive line and a fine receiving corps. They haven't had to play a lot of defense because they score so many points and roll up lots of offense. So we have our hands full on defense. And our offense must continue to progress. It's an exciting way for us to end our season."

GAME PROMOTIONS-Senior Lisa Bartoli of the USC women's rowing team, a biomedical engineering major with a 3.77 GPA, will be recognized during the Academic Salute. USC's baseball team will be saluted during the Team Spotlight. In the spirit of the Thanksgiving season, members of the U.S. armed forces and their families showing military identification will receive up to 4 free tickets to the game, courtesy of the USC athletic department. The athletic department has invited 12,500 members of local youth groups to watch the game as part of USC's "Kid's Corner," as well as local youth participants and counselors from the National Youth Sports Program, sponsored by USC and the NCAA.

INJURY UPDATE--OUT: CB Antuan Simmons (back), FB Chad Pierson (concussion), QB Carson Palmer (collarbone), OG Jason Grain (knee), S DeShaun Hill (back), DE-LB Jason Steen (neck), TB Petros Papadakis (foot), LB Mike Pollard (knee), WR Troy Garner (knee), TE Joe Boskovich (knee). POSSIBLE: LB Markus Steele (abdominal muscle), S John Morgan (neck). PROBABLE: C Eric Denmon (ankle), OT-OG Trevor Roberts (wrist).

USC IN NCAA/PAC-10 STAT RANKINGS

			NCAA	PAC-10
USC NAME	CATEGORY	AVG	RANK*	RANK**
R. Jay Soward	Punt Returns	12.8	20	2
Kris Richard	Interceptions	0.5	25T	4
USC	Turnover Margin	+1.0	4T	1
USC	Passing Offense	268.6	19	3
Kareem Kelly	Receiving Yards	81.4	--	3
Windrell Hayes	Receptions	5.8	--	3
Windrell Hayes	Receiving Yards	77.3	--	4
Mike MacGillivray	Punting	41.5	--	4
David Newbury	Field Goals	1.0	--	4T
Chad Morton	Rushing	96.1	--	5
Kareem Kelly	Receptions	4.8	--	5
Chad Morton	Scoring	6.5	--	5T
USC	Rushing Defense	124.7	--	2
USC	Pass Efficiency Defense	115.1	--	2
USC	Scoring Defense	23.5	--	3
USC	Net Punting	36.8	--	4
USC	Total Defense	366.9	--	4
USC	Punt Returns	9.6	--	4
USC	Total Offense	398.7	--	5

*Top 25 only
**Top 5 only

RED ZONE PRODUCTION

GAME	USC	OPPONENT
HAW	7 of 8 (TD, TD, TD, TD, FG,	0 of 0
	TD, failed 4th, TD)
SDSU	3 of 4 (TD, failed 4th, FG, TD)	1 of 1 (TD)
ORE	5 of 7 (TD, FG, TD, TD,	6 of 7 (TD, FG, TD, FG, miss FG,
	miss FG, TD, miss FG)	TD, FG)
OSU	2 of 3 (TD, TD, failed 4th)	3 of 3 (TD, TD, TD)
ARIZ	1 of 1 (TD)	2 of 4 (miss FG, failed 4th, TD, TD)
ND	3 of 3 (TD, TD, FG)	5 of 7 (miss FG, lost fumble, FG,
		TD, TD, FG, TD)
STAN	3 of 7 (TD, TD, lost fumble,	3 of 3 (TD, TD, TD)
	miss FG, FG, miss FG, interception)
CAL	0 of 0	1 of 3 (miss FG, interception, FG)
ASU	2 of 2 (TD, FG)	4 of 6 (TD, TD, TD, lost fumble, miss FG, TD)
WSU	4 of 4 (TD, TD, FG, TD)	2 of 3 (TD, failed 4th, TD)
UCLA	3 of 6 (FG, TD, miss FG, TD,	1 of 3 (interception, TD, lost fumble)
	failed 4th, end of game
TOTAL	33 of 45 (73.3%)	28 of 40 (70.0%)
	25--TD, 4--failed 4th	21--TD, 5--miss FG
	8--FG, 3--miss FG	6--FG, 2--failed 4th
	1--interception, 1--lost fumble	2--interception, 3--lost fumble
	1-end of game

AVERAGE STARTING FIELD POSITION

GAME	USC	OPPONENT
HAW	41-yard line (15 drives)	20-yard line (14 drives)
SDSU	39-yard line (14 drives)	28-yard line (13 drives)
ORE	34-yard line (19 drives)	25-yard line (18 drives)
OSU	26-yard line (13 drives)	30-yard line (15 drives)
ARIZ	27-yard line (13 drives)	27-yard line (14 drives)
ND	24-yard line (13 drives)	40-yard line (14 drives)
STAN	35-yard line (17 drives)	23-yard line (15 drives)
CAL	22-yard line (18 drives)	34-yard line (16 drives)
ASU	24-yard line (15 drives)	36-yard line (16 drives)
WSU	25-yard line (12 drives)	30-yard line (14 drives)
UCLA	33-yard line (15 drives)	29-yard line (14 drives)
TOTAL	30-yard line (164 drives)	29-yard line (163 drives)

MIKE MacGILLIVRAY PUNTS

GAME	PUNTS	WITHIN 20	50+ YARDS
HAW	2	1	1
SDSU	4	1	0
ORE	6	2	0
OSU	6	1	0
ARIZ	8	6	5
ND	5	0	0
STAN	5	2	0
CAL	11	3	3
ASU	9	2	2
WSU	7	1	2
UCLA	7	3	1
TOTAL	70	22	14

DAVID BELL KICKOFFS

GAME	KICKOFFS	WITHIN 20
HAW	10	7 (including 1 touchback)
SDSU	5	3 (including 2 touchbacks)
ORE	5	3 (including 1 touchback)
OSU	7	4 (including 1 touchback)
ARIZ	5	1 (including 1 touchback)
ND	5	2 (including 1 touchback)
STAN	6	4 (including 2 touchbacks)
CAL	1	1 (including 1 touchback)
ASU	4	1 (including 1 touchback)
WSU	7	4 (including 2 touchbacks)
UCLA	4	3 (including 2 touchbacks)
TOTAL	59	33 (including 15 touchbacks)

TWO-DEEP

USC

SE	86	Windrell Hayes (6-0, 205, Sr.)
	82	Kareem Kelly (6-1, 185, Fr.)
	83	Steve Stevenson (6-2, 205, Fr.)
LT	68	Brent McCaffrey (6-5, 275, Jr.*)
	72/98	Matt Welch (6-6, 300, Jr.*)
LG	70	Donta Kendrick (6-3, 290, Sr.*)
	75	Faaesea Mailo (6-5, 330, So.)
C	50	Eric Denmon (6-1, 265, Jr.*)
	61	Matt McShane (6-5, 300, Sr.*)
	62	Norm Katnik (6-5, 245, Fr.)
RG	69	Zach Wilson (6-4, 300, Fr.*)
	78	Lenny Vandermade (6-4, 270, Fr.)
RT	71	Travis Claridge (6-6, 310, Sr.)
	72/98	Matt Welch (6-6, 300, Jr.*)
TE	81	Antoine Harris (6-4, 245, Jr.)
	84	Pat Swanson (6-4, 235, Sr.) OR
	85	Scott Huber (6-3, 255, Fr.*)
QB	4	John Fox (6-4, 220, Sr.*)
	11	Mike Van Raaphorst (6-5, 220, Jr.*)
FB	28	Charlie Landrigan (6-0, 220, So.*)
	48	Brennan Ochs (6-2, 230, Jr.*)
TB	7	Chad Morton (5-8, 185, Sr.*)
	21	Malaefou MacKenzie (6-0, 210, So.*)
	13	Sultan McCullough (5-11, 180, Fr.*)
	27	Jabari Jackson (6-2, 220, Sr.*)
FL	89	Marcell Allmond (6-2, 180, Fr.)
	18	R. Jay Soward (5-11, 175, Sr.)
	87	Matt Nickels (6-1, 190, Jr.*)

DE	25	Lonnie Ford (6-3, 245, So.*)
	92	Kori Dickerson (6-4, 230, So.*)
DT	90	Ryan Nielsen (6-5, 275, So.*)
	93	Bernard Riley (6-3, 295, Fr.)
DT	99	Ennis Davis (6-4, 300, Jr.*)
	57	Aaron Williams (6-3, 280, Sr.*)
DE	58	Matt Childers (6-4, 260, Jr.*)
	52	Shamsud-Din Abdul-Shaheed (6-4, 250, Jr.*)
SLB	44	Sultan Abdul-Malik (6-3, 240, Jr.*)
	53	Armand Holland (6-1, 225, Fr.*)
MLB	9	Zeke Moreno (6-3, 240, Jr.)
	36	Aaron Graham (6-2, 220, Fr.) OR
	53	Armand Holland (6-1, 225, Fr.*)
WLB	55	Markus Steele (6-3, 215, Jr.)
	17	Darryl Knight (6-3, 215, So.*) OR
	51	Henry Wallace (6-2, 210, So.*)
LCB	2	Darrell Rideaux (5-9, 175, Fr.)
	26	Eric Reese (5-11, 200, So.*)
SS	22	David Gibson (6-2, 215, Sr.)
	47	John Morgan (6-2, 210, Jr.*)
FS	31	Ifeanyi Ohalete (6-2, 220, Jr.)
	1	Frank Strong (6-2, 215, So.)
	47	John Morgan (6-2, 210, Jr.*)
RCB	42	Kris Richard (6-0, 175, So.*)
	30	Kevin Arbet (5-11, 175, Fr.) OR
	23	Tanqueray Clark (6-0, 185, Sr.*)

P	38	Mike MacGillivray (5-10, 205, So.*)
	37	David Bell (6-0, 195, Jr.*)
PK	15	David Newbury (5-9, 170, So.)-PAT/FG
	37	David Bell (6-0, 195, Jr.*)-KO
SNP	84	Pat Swanson (6-4, 235, Sr.)
	9	Zeke Moreno (6-3, 240, Jr.)
HLD	4	John Fox (6-4, 220, Sr.*)
	31	Ifeanyi Ohalete (6-2, 220, Jr.)
KOR	7	Chad Morton (5-8, 185, Sr.*) OR
	18	R. Jay Soward (5-11, 175, Sr.) OR
	82	Kareem Kelly (6-1, 185, Fr.) OR
	89	Marcell Allmond (6-2, 180, Fr.)
PR	7	Chad Morton (5-8, 185, Sr.*) OR
	18	R. Jay Soward (5-11, 175, Sr.)
	82	Kareem Kelly (6-1, 185, Fr.)

*Used up redshirt year

LOUISIANA TECH

WR	83	James Jordan (6-1, 232, So)
	88	Devon Long (5-9, 190, Sr)
LT	66	Joey Chustz (6-7, 310, Sr)
	78	Terrence Sykes (6-5, 312, Jr)
LG	79	Randy Richard (6-4, 310, So)
	62	Joey Morgan (6-4, 280, Jr)
C	61	David St. Marie (6-2, 284, Sr)
	60	Kiso Aab (6-1, 290, So)
RG	65	Rob Koontz (6-3, 285, Sr)
	58	Shawn Murff (6-4, 285, Fr)
RT	77	Robert Skapura (6-5, 308, Sr)
	70	Damon Lavergne (6-6, 364, Fr)
TE	85	David Newman (6-6, 250, Jr)
	48	Major Richmond (6-3, 227, Fr)
QB	13	Tim Rattay (6-1, 210, Sr)
	7	Brian Stallworth (6-0, 209, So)
FB	32	Terry Pratt (5-11, 248, Sr)
	26	Corey Addison (6-0, 210, Fr)
TB	22	Bobby Ray Tell (5-7, 197, Sr)
	8	John Simon (5-9, 192, So)
XR	9	Delwyn Daigre (5-11, 210, So)
	86	Allen Stark (6-2, 187, Fr)
ZR	81	Sean Cangelosi (6-4, 214, Jr)
	80	Corey Berlin (5-11, 180, Fr)

Will	59	Desmond Nunnery (6-2, 275, Sr)
	56	Foster Bradberry (6-3, 223, So)
Tackle	93	Jarrett Procell (6-2, 267, Sr)
	52	Mickey Clark (6-3, 240, Jr)
Nose	94	Otis Pitts (6-0, 315, Sr)
	96	Chris Willis (6-3, 289, Sr)
End	99	Jerome King (6-3, 285, Sr)
	92	Carlin Thomas (6-2, 235, Fr)
Sam	42	Brian Bradford (6-0, 210, Jr)
	5	Curtis Randall (6-2, 218, Fr)
Mike	51	Damon Harrington (6-0, 232, Sr)
	36	Brandon Avance (6-3, 236, Fr)
Zip	25	Quincy Stewart (6-0, 203, Jr)
	67	Nathan Darby (6-0, 218, Sr)
BC	3	Roderick Pernetter (5-10, 190, Jr)
	20	Willie Sheppard (5-9, 200, Fr)
Rover	19	Bobby Gray (6-1, 209, Sr)
	29	Dewey Simpson (5-9, 173, Sr)
FS	10	Michael J. Lenard (5-11, 202, Fr)
	23	Clint Davis (6-1, 209, Sr)
FC	27	Freddie Lewis (5-10, 193, Sr)
	4	Kerry Davis (5-10, 169, So)

P	15	Caleb Price (5-10, 177, Sr)
	28	Kevin Pond (5-9, 175, Sr)
PK	28	Kevin Pond (5-9, 175, Sr)
	17	Josh Storrs (6-2, 200, Fr)
SNP	96	Chris Willis (6-3, 255, Sr)
	51	Damon Harrington (6-0, 232, Sr)
HLD	15	Caleb Price (5-10, 177, Sr)
	88	Devon Long (5-9, 190, Sr)
KOR	21	Arthur Jefferson (5-9, 198, Fr)
	8	John Simon (5-9, 192, So)
PR	81	Sean Cangelosi (6-4, 200, Jr)
	83	James Jordan (6-3, 200, So)

1999 LOUISIANA TECH FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (8-2)

GAME	OPPONENT	RESULT
Aug. 28	at Florida State	L 7-41
Sept. 4	Texas A&M#	L 17-37
Sept. 11	Sam Houston	W 55-17
Sept. 18	at Alabama	W 29-28
Oct. 2	at UL-Lafayette	W 41-31
Oct. 16	M. Tennessee St.	W 42-18
Oct. 23	at Central Florida	W 46-35
Oct. 30	at Toledo	W 34-17
Nov. 6	UL-Monroe	W 58-17
Nov. 13	at UAB	W 41-20
Nov. 26	at USC

#at Shreveport

University Southern California Trojans