University Southern California Trojans
Trojans Visit Hawaii In Season Opener
September 01, 1999 | Football
Sept. 1, 1999
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Paul Hackett, who led Southern Cal to an 8-5 record and trip to the Sun Bowl as a first-year coach last season, is highly respected by some of football's most prominent figures.
Now, with a full season at USC under his belt and 16 starters returning, Hackett seems primed to prove those people right. His mission starts Saturday when the 21st-ranked Trojans open their season at Hawaii.
Despite possessing an experienced group, Hackett and his team will have to adjust their defensive game plan with the departure of star linebacker Chris Claiborne.
Claiborne, the 1998 Butkus Award winner and Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, left following his junior year after making a school-record 120 tackles and team-high six interceptions. He was a first-round pick by the Detroit Lions.
"With the shift of our team's experience from defense to offense, I anticipate we'll struggle a bit early in the season," Hackett said. "But by mid-season, I feel we'll be a contender."
The offense will be anchored by a pair of seniors in wide receiver R. Jay Soward, who had 44 catches and six touchdown catches a year ago, and tailback Chad Morton, a converted cornerback who rushed for 985 yards and six TDs.
"There's nobody more explosive or exciting than R. Jay," Hackett said. "We have to find more ways to get him the football this year.
"Chad is one of the premier backs in the country. His performance has been remarkable considering he's only been a running back here for two years."
Getting the ball to both players will be sophomore Carson Palmer, who passed for at least 200 yards in four of his five starts last season.
For the Rainbows, 1998 was a year to forget. Coach Fred vonAppen failed to get the team into the win column (0-12, 0-8 WAC) and promptly lost his job. June Jones, who played at Hawaii in the '70s and coached both Atlanta and San Diego in the NFL, will replace him.
"We're going to throw the ball on offense and play an aggressive-style defense," Jones said. "We're going to practice harder and play harder than our opponents and let the chips fall where they will."
The offense will be spearheaded by senior quarterback Dan Robinson, who threw for 2,155 yards and 11 TDs last year. After that, however, the unit is thin on talent.
One player to watch may be junior college transfer Attrice Brooks, who, at 6-foot-5, has drawn comparisons to the Minnesota Vikings' Randy Moss in terms of combining height and athleticism.
Jones' staff includes ex-Seahawks defensive coordinator Greg McMackin and defensive line coach Vantz Singletary, the nephew of Chicago Bear great Mike Singletary. They'll be working with a defense paced by senior lineman Tony Tuioti and fourth-year linebacker Matt Paul.
