Football Squad Ready to Take to the Field
August 02, 1999 | Football
Aug. 9, 1999
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 play 4 of their first 6 contests on the road. Troy opens the season at Hawaii and also has road games at Oregon, likely Pac-10 favorite Arizona, Notre Dame (USC has won 3 in a row over the Irish), California and Washington State (the Arizona and Notre Dame games are back-to-back). Visiting the Coliseum will be San Diego State (guided by former USC head coach Ted Tollner), Oregon State, Stanford, Arizona State, UCLA (which has won 8 in a row over USC) and Louisiana Tech (in the regular-season finale on the Friday of Thanksgiving weekend). Four kickoff times already have been set: 12:30 p.m. for San Diego State, 1:30 p.m. at Notre Dame (11:30 a.m. in Los Angeles), 4 p.m. at Washington State and 3:30 p.m. for Louisiana Tech.
1,000TH GAME- When USC hosts Oregon State on Oct. 2, the Trojans will be playing the 1,000th game in their history. Troy will become the 37th Division I-A school to hit that milestone (Northwestern will also reach 1,000 that day). Since starting football in 1888, USC has amassed a 667-275-54 (69.7%) record. The winning percentage ties USC for ninth (with Tennessee) among all Division I-A schools and the victories places Troy 10th on the all-time list.
RETURNING TROJANS- The 1999 USC team features 68 returning squadmen (39 were lettermen), including 16 starters (9 on offense, 6 on defense, plus the punter). Back are 43 Trojans who saw action last year and 28 who have started at least once in their career. Twenty-nine players return from USC's 1998 Sun Bowl two-deep.
USC PRE-SEASON PRACTICE SCHEDULE- USC will conduct the first two weeks of its 1999 pre-season practices at UC Irvine. Drills there run from Aug. 14 to Aug. 27, then the Trojans return home to work out on Howard Jones Field for the week leading up to its Sept. 4 opener at Hawaii.
PRE-SEASON RANKINGS...Here's a look at where the 1999 Trojans are ranked by various pre-season prognosticators:
National Pacific-10
Phil Steele's 8th 1st
Athlon 11th 2nd
Football News 18th 2nd
Preview Sports 18th 2nd
The Sporting News 19th 4th
SPORT 20th 4th
USA Today/ESPN 21st 3rd
Lindy's 21st 3rd
Street & Smith's 24th 2nd
Pac-10 Media NA 2nd
College & Pro Football Newsweekly NA 3rd
...AND PRE-SEASON HONORS - Senior WR R. Jay Soward (Playboy, The Sporting News, Athlon, Preview Sports), senior OG-OT Travis Claridge (Athlon, SPORT, Preview Sports) and junior DT Ennis Davis (Athlon, Street & Smith's) have been named to 1999 pre-season All-American first teams. SPORT picked Claridge as the favorite for the Outland Trophy. Soward, Claridge, Davis, junior CB Antuan Simmons, sophomore QB Carson Palmer, senior S David Gibson, junior TE Antoine Harris and junior LB-DE Sultan Abdul-Malik were named to various pre-season All-Pac-10 first teams.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT THE 1999 TROJANS
Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN Magazine: "Watch for USC to make its way back to the top in 1999. I like the way Paul Hackett is directing USC. The Trojans are a team of the future, because of the talent base and because the program has direction now."
Lindy's: "It's tough to ignore the Trojans. At least a run at its third Pac-10 title of the ?90s should be in order for USC."
The Sporting News: "Assuming the defense settles and the offense performs as expected, the Trojans could contend for the Pac-10 title."
Dwight Chapin, Street & Smith's: "Paul Hackett should have plenty of offense. The question is whether his young defense will be able toget its legs by the meat of the Pac-10 season. If it can, this should be a conference championship contender, at least."
Athlon: "USC's offense should be much better, but will it be enough to offset the defensive inexperience? If it is, the Trojans can be among the Pac-10's elite."
Phil Steele's College Football: "USC is my pick for the Rose Bowl."
QUOTING PAUL HACKETT
THE 1999 TROJANS
"This is a very important year for us. Last year, there were so many
uncertainties because it was our first year. This season is about making a
great leap individually and collectively as a team. We need to raise our
level of performance in Year Two.
"With the shift of our team's experience from defense to offense, I anticipate we'll struggle a bit early in the season. But by mid-season, I feel we'll be a contender.
"This is Year Two of a process. We showed some flashes last year. We showed some improvement. And we showed our ability to bounce back. But by no means were we satisfied with our showing in 1998. We need to take it up to another level in 1999, and I expect us to."
THE OFFENSE
"The pressure, particularly early in the season, will fall on the offense
because this is the side of the ball where all the experience is. That's a
flip-flop from last year.
"We need to improve our offensive timing and execution. We were much too inconsistent in those areas offensively in 1998. Working together will be the theme in 1999. And we need to establish depth at the wide receiver spots."
THE DEFENSE
"What you'll see in 1999 is a total rebuilding of the league's premier
defense, especially at linebacker and then in the secondary. We expect
only two seniors will start. I'm excited to see how the new players will
step up as they attempt to replace all the key players we lost on defense.
"Although the returning players will get first crack, look out because we're expecting some immediate help from some high profile newcomers in the fall."
THE SPECIAL TEAMS
"Our biggest concern here is to have a kicker who can be consistently
successful. Generally, we didn't have to worry about that too much the
past few years. We also need to get increased production out of the
punter. And we must be certain that the returners continue to be the
threats they've been in recent years (USC returned 2 punts and a kickoff
for touchdowns in 1998). We're as good returning kickoffs and punts as
anyone in the country.
"We take great pride in our special teams play. We devote a lot of time to it. It will be a weapon for us."
LAST YEAR- In coach Paul Hackett's debut season in 1998, his Trojans went 8-5 overall and tied for third place in the Pac- 10 at 5-3. Among the wins was a shutout victory over Notre Dame. Eight of USC's foes played in bowls and 4 finished ranked in the AP Top 25. Troy advanced to the Sun Bowl.
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 21-25-1 overall mark in 4 seasons. 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.
OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW- Nine starters return on offense in 1999. The Trojans' top 4 rushers, top 2 passers and 4 of their top 6 pass catchers from 1998 are back. However they'll be asked to improve upon USC's offensive output of a year ago. Last season, Troy was ninth in the Pac-10 in total offense at 343.8 yards (126.8 rushing, 217.0 passing) while scoring 26.6 points a game.
MORTON- Exciting senior tailback Chad Morton (199 carries, 985 yards, 4.9 average, 6 TDs in 1998, plus 18 catches, 7.6 average, 1 TD) , a lightning-quick jitterbug style runner, returns for his second season as the starting tailback and could rank among the best around. The one-time defensive back has found his niche on offense, where he already has 1,370 rushing yards for a 5.4 average per carry--including 100-yard outings 8 times--in just 17 games as a tailback. He was just 15 yards shy of running for 1,000 yards last fall, 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 might do again in 1999. And he stars in the classroom, where he has been a 3-time Pac-10 All- Academic first teamer and, with a 3.43 GPA as a sociology major, he's a top candidate for Academic All-American honors in 1999.
SOWARD- R. Jay Soward (44 catches, 15.4 average, 6 TDs in 1998, plus 12 carries, 150 yards, 12.5 average, 1 TD rushing, 28.9 PR average with 2 TDs and 21.5 KOR average) enters his senior campaign as perhaps America's most explosive collegiate wideout. A 1999 pre-season All-American and a top candidate for the Biletnikoff Award, he has scored a touchdown every 6.9 times he has touched the ball in his career (27 TDs on 186 plays) and those scores have averaged 49.5 yards each. He has scored 4 different ways (19 on receptions, 3 on kickoff returns, 3 on reverses and 2 on punt returns). A 2-year starter, he is eighth on USC's career reception list (110 grabs) and third on the all-time kickoff return chart (1,178 yards).
PALMER- Sophomore quarterback Carson Palmer (130-of-235, 55.3%, 1,755 yards, 7 TDs, 6 interceptions in 1998) opened eyes in the college football world with his impressive play as a true freshman in 1998. A starter in USC's last 5 games of the season (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 starring in the NFL). He threw for at least 200 yards in 4 of his 5 starts.
BACKFIELD- Besides the previously-mentioned Morton and Palmer, USC is many other talented runners and throwers. Look for senior tailback Petros Papadakis (93 carries, 365 yards, 3.9 average, 8 TDs in 1998), who started 4 games last fall, to be on the field often in 1999. He proved to be equally effective as USC's short yardage back and as a breakaway threat last year (he had scoring bursts of 65 and 53 yards, while another 58-yarder was negated because of a late penalty behind the play). He had more rushing touchdowns (8) than any Trojan last year. Other tailbacks in the mix are senior Jabari Jackson (13 carries, 25 yards, 1.9 average in 1998), who also is a top special teams performer, sophomores Frank Strong (37 carries, 193 yards, 5.2 average in 1998), who became just the fourth USC first-year freshman to start at tailback when he did so versus California last season, and Malaefou MacKenzie, who was second on Troy in rushing in 1997 (332 yards) while starting twice but who redshirted last fall with a knee injury (he was limited in this past spring's drills, but should be ready to go now), and redshirt freshman Sultan McCullough, 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). It's likely that more than one tailback will be employed at times in 1999, whether in split back formations or as a slot receiver. Manning the traditional fullback role, replacing the graduated Marvin Powell, likely will be junior Brennan Ochs (4 carries, 8 yards, 2.0 average in 1998), who started the 1998 season opener and then was Powell's backup and a special teamer. Behind him are 2 Trojans who have yet to play: sophomore Charlie Landrigan and redshirt freshman Chad Pierson. It's possible that some of the tailbacks could see action here, too. The No. 2 quarterback will be junior Mike Van Raaphorst (77-of-155, 49.7%, 1,066 yards, 8 TDs, 4 interceptions in 1998), who started USC's first 8 games of 1998 before giving way to Palmer. And, in a pinch, a former Trojan quarterback is still on the roster, but at a different position: senior linebacker John Fox, who started 9 games at quarterback in 1997 (he completed 153-of-280 passes, 54.6%, 1,940 yards, 12 TDs, 8 interceptions that season) but was No. 3 last season and didn't take a snap (he also played briefly at tight end and on special teams).
WIDE RECEIVERS- USC took a big hit at this position, as a trio of players who rank in the school's all-time Top 25 pass catching list--No. 4 Billy Miller (125 catches, including a team-high 49 in 1998), No. 19 Larry Parker (78, including 29 last year) and No. 23 Mike Bastianelli (68)--are gone now. But with the expected starters, the receiving unit literally is in good hands in 1999. Opposite of the already-mentioned Soward (filling in for Miller) will be Windrell Hayes (24 catches, 14.2 average, 2 TDs in 1998), a sure-handed senior who runs precise routes. He has 121 catches between his 2 seasons at San Jose State and last year at USC. Also in the picture are 2 juniors who have played little and have yet to catch a pass: Stanley Guyness and Troy Garner. Guyness, who was sidelined during last spring's drills while recuperating from a 1998 knee injury, should be ready to contribute, but Garner tore ligaments in his knee in spring practice and likely will miss the 1999 season. That means some newcomers will be called upon early: prep All-Americans Marcell Allmond (St. Paul High in Santa Fe Springs, Calif.), Kareem Kelly (Poly High in Long Beach, Calif.) and Steve Stevenson (Charter Oak High in Covina, Calif.), plus junior college transfer Craig Mitchell (West Los Angeles City College in Los Angeles, Calif.), who will enroll as a junior.
TIGHT ENDS- Veteran Antoine Harris (13 catches, 11.8 average 1 TD in 1998) is a 2-year starter who brings good hands (25 career grabs) and blocking ability to the tight end position. Look for the junior to play a bigger role in 1999. Angling to back him up is a group of players who have yet to see the field at that position: senior Pat Swanson, who is also USC's long snapper, and redshirt freshman Scott Huber, who missed 1998 with a hip injury, plus a pair of true freshmen in prep All- American Jacob Rogers (Oxnard High in Oxnard, Calif.), who enrolled at USC last spring and participated in spring practice, and Chad Cook (Jesuit High in Portland, Ore.), who begins in the fall.
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. In 1999, the offensive line should be a strength. All of last fall's starters are back and they're all upperclassmen. The veteran is rough-and-tough senior right guard Travis Claridge, who has started all 36 games since arriving at Troy. He was an All-Pac-10 first team pick in 1998 and is a pre-season All-American this year. He might be moved to right tackle this fall. Perhaps USC's most consistent, yet underrated, lineman is junior Brent McCaffrey, who returns as the starter at the all-important left tackle spot. Senior Jason Grain, who started 9 times at guard and twice at center in 1998, returns at left guard, but senior Donta Kendrick, who started once last season after transferring from a junior college, emerged from last spring's practice as the starter there. They figure to battle all fall for the job. The returning right tackle is junior Matt Welch, who started 10 times in 1998 after transferring from a junior college. He missed spring practice while recovering from shoulder surgery.
Claridge is ready here if Welch can't go. The returning center is solid senior Matt McShane, an 8-game starter last year. But junior Eric Denmon, who started 3 times in 1998, had the upper hand in spring practice and could win the job. The competition for the spot should continue all fall. Four other Trojan linemen will be competing to get some action. There's junior guard Trevor Roberts, sophomore tackle-guard Faaesea Mailo, a 3-game starter in 1996 who is back this fall from a 2-year Mormon mission, and 2 redshirt freshmen in guard-tackle Zach Wilson, who likely would start at right guard if Claridge is moved to tackle, and tackle Derek Graf. Mailo and Graf are listed behind McCaffrey at left tackle, and Roberts is a reserve at right guard. Arriving in the fall will be 5 freshmen: tackle Nate Steinbacher (Esperanza High in Anaheim, Calif.) and guard-center Lenny Vandermade (Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, Calif.), who both were prep All-Americans, plus tackle-center Norm Katnik (Foothill High in Santa Ana), guard-tackle Luke McKay (Hughson High in Hughson, Calif.) and tackle Eric Torres (Bishop Montgomery High in Torrance, Calif.).
DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW- Six starters return on defense in 1999. They'll be hard-pressed to repeat the stinginess of last year's defensive unit when the Trojans led the Pac-10 in total defense (332.5), pass efficiency defense (91.2, third nationally) and scoring defense (18.5, tied for 17th in the U.S.).
DEFENSIVE LINE- USC's strongest defensive unit figures to be the line, as 2 starters return from 1998 (a third 1998 starter is now playing linebacker, but could see some action up front). Both tackles are back to serve as anchors up front: beefy junior Ennis Davis (47 tackles, 13 for losses, 4 deflections, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble in 1998), who won All-Pac-10 first team honors last fall and is a 1999 pre-season All-American, and senior Aaron Williams (44 tackles, 9 for losses, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 forced fumbles, 1 deflection in 1998), who started the last 5 games of 1998. Davis topped the Trojans in tackles for losses (13) last fall, while Williams recovered a team-best 4 fumbles. Davis missed spring practice while recovering from a knee injury, but he is expected to be full speed in the fall. Sophomores Ryan Nielsen (12 tackles, 1 for a loss in 1998) and Bobby DeMars (1 tackle in 1998) back up Davis. Both can also can play end (Nielsen started the 1998 opener there). Junior Darren Collins, who redshirted in 1998 after transferring from a junior college, and senior Todd Keneley, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship this year, are behind Williams. Manning the end spots vacated by junior Sultan Abdul-Malik, who has been moved to linebacker, and Lawrence Larry will be junior Shamsud-Din Abdul- Shaheed (25 tackles, 6 for losses, 1 deflection in 1998), a 7-game starter in 1998 (5 at end, 2 at tackle) who also can slide to tackle, and sophomore Kori Dickerson (10 tackles, 3 for losses, 1 deflection in 1998). Matt Childers, who redshirted last season after transferring from Kansas State, will back up Abdul-Shaheed, while sophomore Lonnie Ford, who started twice at tight end in 1998 (he caught 2 passes, including a touchdown) but was moved to defense this past spring, is behind Dickerson. Ford also can play linebacker. In the fall, don't count out the contribution that incoming prep All-American freshman tackle Bernard Riley (Los Alamitos High in Los Alamitos, Calif.) might make.
LINEBACKERS- Talk about a unit that will be 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 (a USC-best 120 in 1998) and 8 interceptions (a team-high 6 in 1998) while starting for 3 years, has gone on to the NFL after his junior campaign (he was a first round pick) and 1998 weakside starter David Gibson has moved to the secondary. USC's only returning linebacker is junior Zeke Moreno (66 tackles, 10 for losses, 1 deflection, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles in 1998)...and he's a good one. When injuries struck the spot last year, he stepped in and started 12 times on the strong side. He'll start in the middle in 1999, but he's flexible enough to play any of the 3 linebacker slots. Hard-charging junior Sultan Abdul-Malik (34 tackles, 10 for losses, 8 sacks, 2 deflections in 1998), who started the past 2 seasons at defensive end, was moved this past spring to the strongside linebacker spot, where he'll start (he was a linebacker in high school). He could also see some time at end. He has led the Trojans in sacks each of the past 2 years (15 in his career). Sophomore Darryl Knight (16 tackles, 2 deflections in 1998) emerged as the starting weakside linebacker. He'll be backed by soph Henry Wallace (2 tackles in 1998) and senior ex-quarterback John Fox, who started 9 games at quarterback in 1997 (he completed 153-of-280 passes, 54.6%, 1,940 yards, 12 TDs, 8 interceptions that season) but was No. 3 last season and didn't take a snap (he also played briefly at tight end and on special teams). Junior Jason Steen (16 tackles in 1998), who also can play defensive end, and redshirt freshman Anthony Daye are behind Abdul- Malik on the strong side. Backing Moreno in the middle will be redshirt freshman Armand Holland. Sophomore Mike Pollard (8 tackles, 2 for losses, 1 forced fumble in 1998) likely would have pushed for starting time in the middle, but tore knee ligaments in 1999 spring practice and figures to be sidelined all season. Coming aboard in the fall will be J.C. All- American Markus Steele (Long Beach City College in Long Beach, Calif.), who will be a junior, and incoming freshmen Aaron Graham (Bakersfield High in Bakersfield, Calif.), Omar Nazel (Skyline High in Oakland, Calif.) and Chris Prosser(Morse High in San Diego, Calif.).
SECONDARY- The secondary is another area that will have to be revamped almost totally, as 3 starters have departed. It will be 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, including 89 last fall) at free safety and Grant Pearsall (138 tackles overall, 58 in 1998) at strong safety. There's no doubt that junior cornerback Antuan Simmons (55 tackles, 3 interceptions, 14 deflections, 1 forced fumble in 1998), 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. The secondary did get a boost when senior David Gibson (85 tackles, 7 for losses, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 5 deflections, 1 interception in 1998) 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. The free safety will be junior Ifeanyi Ohalete (52 tackles, 4 for losses, 8 deflections, 3 interceptions in 1998), who started 4 early-season games at strong safety in 1998. Sophomore Kris Richard (14 tackles in 1998) won the vacant cornerback job in spring ball. Seniors Tanqueray Clark (9 tackles, 1 interception in 1998) is behind him, with soph Eric Reese, who has yet to play at USC, and redshirt freshman Miguel Fletcher, who has moved over from tailback, listed as Simmons' backups. Backing Gibson is senior Frank Carter(4 tackles in 1998), who has made his mark on special teams, while walk-on junior Pierre Zado is a reserve free safety. More help comes this fall with the arrival of a trio of freshmen--prep All-American Darrell Rideaux (Poly High in Long Beach, Calif.), a cornerback, and safeties Sandy Fletcher (Inglewood High in Inglewood, Calif.) and Troy Polamalu (Douglas High in Winston, Ore.)--and a sophomore junior college transfer, safety-cornerback DeShaun Hill (Long Beach City College in Long Beach, Calif.).
SPECIALISTS- Sophomore Mike MacGillivray (37.7 average in 1998) is the incumbent punter after doing a steady job last fall when he set USC season records for most punts (87) and punt yardage (3,284). He was especially effective as a placement punter, as 34 of his boots pinned opponents within the 20-yard line. Junior David Bell, who handles USC's kickoffs, will push him for the job, as will first-year freshman tight end Jacob Rogers. 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 will choose between Bell, Troy's kickoff man whose only PAT try as a Trojan was blocked, and incoming sophomore David Newbury (Navarro Junior College in Corsicana, Tex.), a junior college transfer who will arrive in the fall. In a pinch, USC could also turn to MacGillivray, who hasn't tried any placekicks at USC but was 14-of-17 on field goals and 33-of-37 on PATs as a high school senior.
GONE FROM 1999- USC's main offensive losses are 2-year starting wide receiver Billy Miller, who ended his career as the school's No. 4 all-time receiver with 125 catches (including a team-best 49 in 1998), starting fullback Marvin Powell, often- used wide receivers Larry Parker (78 career receptions, including 29 last year) and Mike Bastianelli (68 career catches), and offensive linemen Ken Bowen, Rome Douglas and David Pratchard, who between them had 45 career starts. The defensive unit will be hard-pressed to replace the likes of unanimous All-American middle linebacker Chris Claiborne, the Butkus Award winner and Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year last season who had 312 tackles (a USC-best 120 in 1998) and 8 interceptions (a team-high 6 in 1998) while starting for 3 years (he was an NFL first rounder), 4-year starting cornerback Daylon McCutcheon, a 1998 All-Pac-10 first team selection and Thorpe Award semifinalist who had 10 interceptions, 46 pass break-ups and 187 tackles as a Trojan, 2-year starting safeties Rashard Cook (a 1998 All-Pac-10 first teamer with 218 career stops, including 89 last fall) and Grant Pearsall (138 tackles overall, 58 in 1998), and end Lawrence Larry. Also gone are 3 players who had 60 career starts among them: linebacker Mark Cusano (224 career tackles), who played a pivotal role in USC's 1996 and 1997 wins over Notre Dame, tackle Marc Matock (42 tackles in 1998) and cornerback Ken Haslip (32 tackles in 1998). And a replacement must be found for placekicker Adam Abrams, who nailed 44 field goals and 117 PATs in his 4-year career.
ANNIVERSARIES- 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.
ROSTER ADDITIONS/DELETIONS- This past June, USC added an incoming scholarship freshman to its roster: Sandy Fletcher, a 6-3, 185-pound safety from Inglewood (Calif.) High (he'll wear #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. At the end of 1999 spring practice, 3 scholarship players were dropped from the roster for "failing to uphold team standards." They were S Darnell Lacy, WR Quincy Woods and OG-C Robby Wood. Also, one 1999 prep signee, DT Sagan Atuatasi of Los Alamitos (Calif.) High did not meet USC admission standards and will not be with the Trojans in 1999.
RANDOM NOTES
USC'S NFL CONNECTIONS- A number of USC players have relatives with NFL playing backgrounds:
USC Player NFL Relative
C Eric Denmon Cousin, Rod Jones
WR Kareem Kelly Cousin, Rashard Cook
OT Brent McCaffrey Father, Bob McCaffrey
Uncle, Mike McCaffrey
WR Craig Mitchell Cousin, Dennis Thurman
TB Chad Morton Brother, Johnnie Morton
Half-brother, Michael Morton
S 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. Speaking of the NFL, did you know that there are 6 NFL head coaches with 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. There's a good chance those coaches will have a Trojan on their teams. At the start of training camp this summer, there were 41 ex-Trojans on National Football League rosters. Last year, there were 26 Trojans on opening day NFL rosters.
ACADEMICS- TB Chad Morton (3.43, sociology) is a leading candidate for 1999 Academic All-American honors. Morton was named to the GTE-Academic All-District VIII first team in 1998 and has made the Pac-10 All-Academic first team for 3 straight years (1996-98). 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 is a 2-time (1997-98) Pac-10 All-Academic honorable mention selection, while 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.
CLOSING QUOTES
OG Travis Claridge, on protecting the quarterback: "I take it personally when our quarterback gets hit. It's like somebody was slapping my mother in the face. I don't like to see my quarterback leaving the game dirty. I don't like to see him put his uniform away to get it washed."
OG Travis Claridge, on his secret ambition of being a pro wrestler: "I'd want to be a bad guy. I want people to hate me when I'm wrestling. I think that would be fun, everybody booing!"
WR Troy Garner, on putting football in perspective: "I would rather be considered a great person than a great player. I would rather be respected for who I am than for what I do."
S David Gibson, on a consequence of playing weakside linebacker in 1998: "I worked hard to stay slim as a safety, so the move allowed me to eat more. I used to wake up and not eat breakfast, but after the move, it was three meals a day. Unfortunately, most of it was in the mid-section!"
TE Antoine Harris, on his late stepfather, comedian Robin Harris: "My teammates always ask, 'Antoine, have you got the tapes (of his stepfathers performances) yet?' Then they'll come over and next thing I know I'll have 70 people in my house. I'm more of a quiet person. I usually don't show them. But when I do, everybody would want to be at my house. And then everybody would look at me to be the comedian and I don't have any jokes. My advice to people who went to his comedy shows: Never get up when he's on stage, and don't walk in late, either. He'd get all over you. But he was even funnier at home. He'd fall asleep and we'd think he was dreaming, but he'd be talking, saying all kinds of things. Nothing but jokes. My mom and I were saying we wish we had recorded it."
P Mike MacGillivray, on contact: "I love making tackles and I love hitting. I like coming down on a punt and making a big hit. It is ever sweeter when the ball carrier looks up and sees it is the punter that hit him."
TB Malaefou MacKenzie, on rugby versus football: "I never knew what football was until I came here (from Western Samoa when he was 9). I used to think it was a wussy sport, compared to rugby. I'd tease my brother when he had it on TV. But I found out football is not a wussy sport. Both are physical, but I think rugby is more physical because there are no pads. But in football, people are bigger and stronger."
OT-OG Faaesea Mailo, on going on his Mormon mission: "I matured immensely while on the mission. I met a lot of good people and the experience helped me focus better on what I'm doing. We were treated very well by the Japanese people. Oh, I had a couple of doors slammed in my face, but for the most part it was a pleasant experience."
OT-OG Faaesea Mailo, on the difficulty when taking his USC team portrait: "The team dress jacket they had just wouldn't fit. My arms were too big and every time I tried to put the jacket on, the arms would start to rip. If you look at the team photos, you'll see I'm the only one with a windbreaker on."
TB Chad Morton, on playing tailback versus defensive back: "When I first came to USC and they made me a defensive back, it was something I'd never done before. I was getting beat in practice a lot. Sometimes I'd look at the running backs and get jealous."
QB Carson Palmer, on USC's playbook: "I haven't seen the whole thing. I think it's as big as the Bible. There's a ton of stuff you have to know. It's not just plays. It has what everyone's responsibilities are on every play and it goes over certain situations. From week to week, it changes. Coach Hackett is the only person who knows 100 percent of the playbook. I'm sure he has the entire thing in a glass cage in his house somewhere. There's no such thing as an easy playbook. But his is unique."
CB Antuan Simmons, on playing pass defense: "I'd rather they throw my way. I like to compete. They're making my highlight film is the way I like to look at it."
WR R. Jay Soward, on his big-play potential: "I just like to get the ball, period. Every time I get the ball in my hands, I want to make something happen. I want people to leave the game and be like, ?Ooh, did you see what he did?' Or say, ?Wow! He did that for his team.' I just like to have the ball in my hands and just go down the field and have fun."
WR R. Jay Soward, on his penchant for talking: "I remember when (Arizona State's) Coach Snyder came over to my house to recruit my older brother, Marcus. I was like 11 or 13 years old and I was running around the house in my pajamas. He asked me if I was going to be a football player like my brother. I told him I was going to be better than my brother. I was doing my Keyshawn thing."
WR R. Jay Soward, on being compared to Keyshawn Johnson: "You have to be real good when you run your mouth like that. Yeah, I run my mouth, but I don't think like Keyshawn does. That's a big step. I'm not there yet."
"THE WORLD ACCORDING TO PETROS"
Reflections from TB Petros Papadakis
On himself: "I'm a walking contradiction. I'm the only person in the world who can sit on the fence and watch himself go by. I've always kind of been a little bit eccentric in certain situations."
On his running style: "I'm a powerful runner with some speed. I try to hit the hole going full speed. I just try to get at least 4 or 5 yards a carry. Basically, it's just more comfortable for me to run into people. It hurts, but I just try to get a couple yards, and that's what's gotten me to where I am right now. I was never a very fancy runner. I don't have moves like Chad Morton. I can't do that kind of stuff. I would if I could. The truth is, I'm not cat-like, I can't reverse my field, do a flip and score. I run straight ahead and over people. But I am pretty fast. Teams kind of misjudge my speed. No one has seen me go anywhere in about five years. I don't look particularly fast when I go one yard. I'm not the most instinctive runner. I have to think to do certain things. If I let myself go, I'll run right up (offensive guard) Travis Claridge's back and he'll beat me up after practice. And that's not good!"
On being a football player: "No one thinks I play football. I'm not that big and I'm not that muscular. One of my professors came up to me and said, 'I hear you play football.' And then he said, 'Are you a walk-on or a kicker?' I've always been a little eccentric. I reveled in obscurity for three years in high school, then I ran for 2,000 yards as a senior and everyone started to like me. It happened so fast. Nothing had changed in my mind. I was still a confused high school student. All of a sudden, I was getting scholarship offers and everyone liked me again. I was cool and popular. It was so weird. I'm not impressed with myself at all. I'm shocked that I'm here at USC, playing tailback. I never liked working out.
I still have to force myself to get up in the morning. I don't like the weight room and I don't even like running, even though I'm a running back. I'm not Mr. Football. I don't breathe pigskin and I don't have laces in the back of my head, but I play for a reason. I value my relationship with my teammates and I do things for them because they do things for me. I always thought that if I ever played college football, the world was going to smile upon me. Like I'd be walking out of my house in the morning and the sun would be singing a song and smiling and the picket fences would come alive and be holding hands. That's just not the way it is. Nobody really cares. Which is cool. I like that better."
On his popularity with the media: "I just feel like the media is starved for somebody to say something different than, 'We really have to play hard this week.' That's all good stuff, but I deal with that in meetings every day. I deal with that for six hours with coaches."
On his father, former Trojan linebacker John: "My dad is still bigger than life. Dinner at my house is like holding court, or being in Parliament, or something. But it's cool. It really is. My dad's into philosophy. He says, 'Become a philosopher, like the Greeks. Be a man.' My father, he thinks he's Achilles or Agamemnon. He used to come home from the restaurant at 3 in the morning and gather (brother) Taso and me together and say, ?You're a Papadakis, everybody loves you, you're a Greek!' If you listen to him, you'd think I'm up for the Heisman. If I ran 30 yards backwards and got tackled for a safety, he'd say, 'It's not your fault. You did everything right.'"
On his family's restaurant, Papadakis Taverna: "The restaurant is like a living thing. It's like it's alive, or animated. It's like we all pump life into it. It's an exciting place to go. It's not exactly the kind of place where you'd have a quiet conversation. We just beat out Chucky Cheese as Gourmet Magazine's Most Fun restaurant! My father's kind of a psycho, so it's really loud. There's a lot of dancing. Greeks sing a lot and they break things, but I don't dance and sing and I haven't broken anything in a long time."
On the craziest thing he's done: "I used to run naked in the summer when we used to condition on Fridays. I did. At Howard Jones Field. For the last run, I used to strip naked!"
RETURNING STARTERS (16)
OFFENSE (9) TB Chad Morton WR R. Jay Soward QB Carson Palmer OG-OT Travis Claridge OT Brent McCaffrey TE Antoine Harris OG Jason Grain OT Matt Welch C Matt McShaneDEFENSE (6) S David Gibson DT Ennis Davis CB Antuan Simmons LB-DE Sultan Abdul-Malik LB Zeke Moreno DT Aaron Williams
KICKERS (1) P Mike MacGillivray
OTHERS RETURNING WITH CAREER STARTS QB Mike Van Raaphorst (10) DE-DT Shamsud-Din Abdul-Shaheed (7) TB Petros Papadakis (4) S Ifeanyi Ohalete (4) C Eric Denmon (3) OT-OG Faaesea Mailo (3) TB Malaefou MacKenzie (2) DE-LB Lonnie Ford (2) FB Brennan Ochs (1) TB Frank Strong (1) OG Donta Kendrick (1) DT-DE Ryan Nielsen (1)
