Steele Keeps Alive The Tradition Of No. 55
September 27, 1999 | Football
Sept. 27, 1999
When Chris Claiborne took his considerable talents to the NFL last winter, many pundits predicted that the 1999 USC defense would not be able to replace him. Last year?s Butkus Award winner was a playmaker, an eraser on the field, they said. How would the Trojans replace his six interceptions and the athleticism that he brought, they wondered.
Well, the more things change at USC, the more things stay the same. A new number 55 is out there making plays, wreaking havoc and giving opponents fits. His name is Markus Steele.
"What I showed these first three games is how I play," said Steele, a junior who played at Long Beach City College last year. "I try to always be around the ball.
"My mentality is to get to every play. You never know when the ball will pop out."
Steele has been a ball-hawk in his first three games. Besides being second on the team in tackles with 29, he also has two sacks, four tackles for loss, one interception, three pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries (including one which he returned 46 yards for a touchdown against Hawaii).
Not bad for the native of Bedford, Ohio, who was ignored by the Big Ten coming out of high school. Looking for a fresh start, Steele made his way to Long Beach City College.
"I heard that Long Beach had a good academic reputation as well as a great football team, so I decided to give it a shot on the West Coast," said Steele.
After playing both offense and defense in high school, Steele concentrated on the linebacker position at Long Beach and showed right away that he belonged there. By the end of his sophomore year, he was considered by many recruiting analysts to be the best junior-college linebacker in the country. Of course, he caught the attention of USC.
"(Secondary coach) Dennis Thuman and (offensive coordinator) Hue Jackson recruited me," said Steele. "They told me what USC was all about. I always had been hip to the tradition here. I talked to guys like Chris Claiborne and (former Trojan cornerback, now with the Cleveland Browns) Daylon McCutcheon beforehand and they told me what to expect."
When USC coaches offered him the number 55 jersey previously worn by such Trojan defensive standouts as Claiborne, Willie McGinest and Junior Seau, Steele couldn't refuse.
"It's quite an honor to wear that number after all the great players who have worn it, " said Steele.
Paul Hackett is convinced that his new linebacker is a special player.
"The speed and range that he has really jumps out at you," said Hackett. "Clearly, he has been a wonderful addition to our defense."
"I pattern my style after (NFL star) Derrick Brooks," said Steele. "We both are a little smaller but are very fast. He has a complete game and that's what I try to have as well."
On the football field, Steele's motor is alway running, but in his spare time, he slows down by going bowling (he has a high score of 212) or watching movies.
"My favorite movie is 'Payback' with Mel Gibson," said Steele.
No doubt, his spectacular play is "payback" for all the schools that spurned him out of high school.
"Ohio State called my high school coach recently," said Steele, who prepped at St. Peter's Chanel High in Bedford. "They asked him how they let me get away."
At this rate, many more schools will be asking themselves that same question. Steele's career is on an upward slope that he hopes can eventually catapult him to the NFL.
"I think I'd like to play for a team like the Carolina Panthers, " said Steele, who is a business management major at USC. "I like the warm weather and it's a place I've never been to before."
To get there, though, he knows that he has to help USC win games.
"My goal for this team is to win a national championship," said Steele. "We have a great defense and an emerging offense. If we play up to our capabilities, we can do that."
Steele's prime role in what has been an outstanding Trojan defense so far this year has moved him into the spotlight faster than he ever expected. Even in training camp, his arrival was breathlessly anticipated by reporters and fans. Many just couldn't wait to see what all the fuss was about. As it turns out, they weren't disappointed. Steel takes it all in stride.
"I came to USC because I wanted to be seen around the world, " said Steele. "When you go here, people notice you. It's been a great experience so far."
If you want to notice Markus Steele, just watch where the football goes when USC is on defense. That's where he'll be.
