University Southern California Trojans
2000 NFL Draft Bios and Stats
February 13, 2000 | Football
Feb. 13, 2000
1999 USC FOOTBALL SENIORS BIOGRAPHIES
Frank Carter
Travis Claridge
Tanqueray Clark
John Fox
David Gibson
Jason Grain
Windrell Hayes
Jabari Jackson
Donta Kendrick
Todd Keneley
Matt McShane
Chad Morton
R. Jay Soward
Pat Swanson
Aaron Williams
Quincy Woods
29 - FRANK CARTER
Safety
6-0, 190, Sr.*/Sr.
1999: Carter was one of USC's top special teams players as a senior in 1999. He also was a reserve strong safety as a senior in 1999. Overall while appearing in all 12 games in 1999, he made 10 tackles (including 2 against Hawaii). He was named USC's Special Teams Player of the Year.
1998: Carter was a reserve safety and key special teams player as a junior in 1998. Overall in 1998 while appearing in 12 games, he made 4 tackles. A one-time walk-on, he earned a scholarship prior to the start of the 1998 season. He missed the Arizona State game because of a knee sprain suffered in practice that week.
1997: Carter posted 4 tackles, all on special teams, as a sophomore walk-on reserve safety in 1997. He had 2 stops against UNLV.
1996: As a redshirt freshman walk-on reserve safety in 1996, Carter saw action on special teams, but did not make a tackle. He tore ligaments in his left knee at Washington State and missed USC's last 4 games after having surgery.
1995: Carter redshirted as a walk-on safety in 1995, his first year at USC.
HIGH SCHOOL: Carter was a defensive back at Bishop Montgomery High in Torrance (Calif.). He started as a 1994 senior, but missed most of his 1993 junior season with a broken ankle (he also played on the varsity as a 1992 sophomore). He also played soccer (he was the team MVP) and was on the track team (pole vault, hurdles, sprints) there. Current Trojans Henry Wallace and Eric Torres also prepped at Bishop Montgomery.
PERSONAL: He's a computer engineering/computer science major at USC with a B average (3.19 GPA). He made the 1999 Pac-10 All-Academic first team. His sports hero is Jim Thorpe.
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| 1997 (So.) | 4 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 4 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 10 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAREER | 18 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH FRANK CARTER
1999
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Hawaii | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| California | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| UCLA | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| La. Tech | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 10 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
1998
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| California | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wash. State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 4 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
1997
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| UNLV | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 4 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
71 - TRAVIS CLARIDGE
Offensive Tackle/Offensive Guard
6-6, 310, Sr./Sr.
CAREER: Claridge started all 48 games of his USC career. He is the first USC offensive lineman to do that since Jeff Bregel (1983-86) and the first ever to do so without redshirting.
1999: The big, strong, tough and aggressive Claridge started for his fourth year as a senior in 1999, this season at right offensive tackle after starting the previous 3 seasons at right guard. He won the 1999 Pac-10 Morris Trophy (given to the league's top offensive lineman, as selected by the league's defensive linemen). He was a 1999 All-Pac-10 first team pick (for the second year in a row). A pre-season All-American, he was named to the 1999 CBS SportsLine All-American second team, AP All-American third team and The Sporting News All-American third team. He was USC's Offensive Lineman of the Year. He was an East-West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl participant.
1998: Claridge proved to be one of college football's finest linemen as a junior in 1998 while starting for his third season at right offensive guard. He made the 1998 Football News All-American honorable mention and All-Pac-10 first teams, as well as USC's Offensive Lineman of the Year.
1997: Claridge started for his second season at right offensive guard as a sophomore in 1997. After the 1997 season, he had arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right shoulder and bone chips in his right ankle.
1996: Claridge, who started all of 1996 at right offensive guard as a first-year freshman, proved as good as advertised. He was named a 1996 Freshman All-American first teamer by The Sporting News. He became the first true freshman to start a season opener on the offensive line for USC since 1979 Lombardi Award winner Brad Budde did so at guard against Missouri in 1976. (Clay Hattabaugh was the last Trojan first-year freshman to start any game on the offensive line when he did so at Arizona in 1991 in the season's 10th contest. The last Trojan true freshman to start a season opener at any position was outside linebacker Willie McGinest versus Syracuse in the 1990 Kickoff Classic against Syracuse.) After the 1996 season, he had arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left shoulder.
HIGH SCHOOL: He was named a 1995 Parade All-American, USA Today All-USA first team, Super Prep All-American, Bluechip All-American (and Elite 22), Schutt Sports All-American, Student Sports Hot 100, Bluechip Best of the West, Super Prep All-Farwest, Bluechip All-Western, Student Sports All-West Coast, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West first team, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Tacoma News Tribune Northwest Nuggets, Gatorade Washington MVP, Prep Illustrated Washington MVP, All-State AAA, Columbian News Dream Team and All-Greater St. Helen League Offensive Lineman MVP as a senior two-way tackle at Fort Vancouver High in Vancouver (Wash.). Parade, USA Today and Bluechip picked him as the nation's No. 1-rated prep offensive lineman. He had 125 knockdown blocks on offense and 97 solo tackles with 23 sacks on defense in 1995.
As a 1994 junior, he averaged 15 knockdown blocks a game and made All-State AAA and Columbian News Dream Team.
As a sophomore in 1993, he made the Columbian News Dream Team and All-Greater St. Helen League. In his career, he posted 405 knockdown blocks, 142 solo tackles and 36 sacks.
PERSONAL: He's a history major at USC. His nickname is "Trapper." He was born in Detroit, Mich., and also lived in El Toro, Calif. As a youngster, he worked out with some athletic trainers, including former Trojan and NFL lineman Marv Marinovich (1959, 1961-62), the father of ex-USC and NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich (1989-90). His brother, Ryan, is a freshman on UNLV's football team.
WHAT OTHERS SAY...
Former USC offensive line coach Steve Greatwood: "In the past, he was more demonstrative out there. He would get on guys, yell. I asked him to channel that energy into a positive vein. He accepted that. He has been the rock of the offensive line."
Former USC quarterback Brad Otton: "People worried about the right side of our line at first (in 1996) with him there. But that became the strength of our line. He took a lot of pride in putting people on their backs. He got very offended when people hit me and were on top of me. He took it personally."
Former USC offensive guard Chris Brymer: "Travis is going to be a great player. He's already impressive."
Earl Gustkey, Los Angeles Times: "Is Travis Claridge too good to be true? Has there ever been an 18-year-old offensive lineman this good? What's he going to be like in 1999, when he's a senior?...At a time in football when some players have more earrings than battle scars, Claridge's is the profile of the old-fashioned football player. He looks as if he has jumped off a page in Street & Smith's 1956 college football preview."
Thom Simmons, USC Report: "When you see him up close and in living color, you have to ask yourself how anything besides a redwood tree could be that big at 18...He is 6-6, 300 pounds of pure determination."
Steve Guiremand, Long Beach Press-Telegram: "Claridge is 6-foot-6, 300 well-chistled pounds and has a face that brings back memories of late pro wrestling star Dick the Bruiser."
Steve Bisheff, Orange County Register: "He has a face that looks like it belongs in one of those 1955 Street & Smith football annuals. An attitude that could be best described as 'early Dick Butkus.' Travis Claridge is not lean, but he is certainly mean."
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
23 - TANQUERAY CLARK
Cornerback
6-0, 185, Sr.*/Sr.
1999: Clark appeared in 4 games (Hawaii, San Diego State, Oregon State and Louisiana Tech) as a reserve cornerback and special teams player as a senior in 1999. He even started the San Diego State contest. Overall in 1999, he made 2 tackles and broke up a pass. He missed the Oregon game with a pulled hamstring.
1998: Clark, who entered USC in the spring of 1998 after transferring from West Los Angeles Community College, was a reserve cornerback and special teams player as a junior in 1998. Overall while appearing in 9 games in 1998, he made 9 tackles (including 3 at Washington State and 2 against TCU in the Sun Bowl) and intercepted a pass (at Washington State, which he returned 16 yards). He missed USC's first 4 games of 1998 while nursing a groin injury suffered in fall drills.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: He was a 1997 All-Western State Conference first teamer as a sophomore cornerback at West Los Angeles (Calif.) Community College. In 1997, he had 80 tackles and 1 interception. West Los Angeles went 8-3 in 1997, finishing No. 14 in the final J.C. Athletic Bureau state poll and No. 27 in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll.
He attended West Los Angeles in 1996, but did not play football that season.
He started as a freshman at Pasadena (Calif.) City College in 1995, getting 60 tackles and 14 deflections.
HIGH SCHOOL: Clark prepped at Fairfax High in Los Angeles, winning All-Coastal Conference first team honors as a senior in 1994. He returned 10 punts for 500-plus yards in 1994. His coach at Fairfax was Terrel Ray, who lettered at cornerback at USC in 1968.
Clark also ran track at Fairfax, with bests of 10.73 in the 100 meters, 21.2 in the 200 meters and 47.3 in the 400 meters.
PERSONAL: He's a history major at USC.
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR | INT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 9 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 2 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAREER | 11 | 0/0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH TANQUERAY CLARK
1999
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Hawaii | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| La. Tech | 0 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 2 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
1998
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Wash. State | 3 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
| Oregon | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| UCLA | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| TCU (Sun) | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 9 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
* - Starter
4 -JOHN FOX
Quarterback/Linebacker
6-4, 220, Sr.*/Sr.
CAREER: He is 10th on Troy's all-time passing ladder (220 completions) and 20th on the career total offense list (2,798 yards). He started 13 games in his career.
1999: Fox's 1999 senior season turned into a magical one, as he started USC's last 4 games (Arizona State, Washington State, UCLA and Louisiana Tech) at quarterback. He was moved to linebacker-the third position of his USC career-prior to 1999 spring drills 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 (in fact, in the Hawaii opener, he did all those things, even calling defensive signals at linebacker near the end of the game and then when USC gained possession of the ball, he shed his gloves and took a few snaps at quarterback!). But when quarterback Carson Palmer was suffered a season-ending injury at Oregon, Fox became USC's backup quarterback (behind Mike Van Raaphorst) while still holding on all placekicks. He played 1 snap against Oregon State when Van Raaphorst had the wind knocked out of him. Fox relieved Van Raaphorst early in the second half at California and finished the game, hitting 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. He then started the next week 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. 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) to help USC snap a 5-game losing streak in 1999. Against UCLA, he was 17-of-34 for 216 yards and 2 TDs (and, for the second week in a row, didn't throw an interception) while helping the Trojans snap an 8-game losing streak to the Bruins. He was 11-of-20 for 137 yards with a TD (a 53-yarder) and an interception against Louisiana Tech, and after the game, he proposed to his girlfriend, Nicole Barros, on the field (it was shown on the Coliseum scoreboard).
Overall in 1999, he was 67-of-125 (53.6%) for 844 yards and 4 TDs with 2 interceptions. He also ran for 42 yards on 13 carries for a 3.2 average (the most rushing yards by a Trojan quarterback since Reggie Perry had 254 yards in 1991) and made 2 tackles (both against Hawaii). He was named USC's Most Inspirational Player and received USC's John Wayne Memorial Scholarship (for the player with aspirations to continue in higher education).
1998: In fall practice as a junior in 1998, Fox--who started at quarterback in 1997--asked to be moved to tight end (he played sparingly there as the third-stringer). Then, prior to the California game, he asked to be moved back to quarterback, but he did not see any action there as the No. 3 signalcaller. He also saw some action on special teams.
1997: Despite having taken only 10 snaps and thrown only 2 passes (with no completions) in his career prior to 1997, Fox turned in steady performances while exhibiting poise and a strong arm as USC's starter in 9 games (the first 7 and the last 2, all but Washington and Stanford) in 1997 as a sophomore. Overall while appearing in all 11 games in 1997, he completed 153-of-280 passes (54.6%) for 1940 yards and 12 TDs with 8 interceptions. His 153 completions ranked him 12th on USC's season passing list. He had a streak of 90 pass attempts without an interception between the first and fourth games of the season. He also had 44 carries for -28 yards (-0.6 avg.) with a TD. He did all this playing on a sprained ankle and strained Achilles tendon that nagged him all season.
In the Florida State opener, he hit 18-of-32 passes for 159 yards with an interception, including going 15-of-21 for 129 yards in the second half, and scored USC's only points on a 2-yard scramble in the second quarter. He went 23-of-42 for 229 yards against Washington State. He threw the first TD passes of his career (a 33-yarder and 65-yarder) as he went 15-of-28 for a then-career-best 250 yards at California. He was 23-of-32 (tying his career-high for completions) for a career-best 355 yards (the ninth most yards in USC history and the most since Brad Otton threw for 391 against Northwestern in the 1996 Rose Bowl) and 2 TDs with 2 interceptions versus UNLV, but was particularly effective in USC's fourth-quarter comeback as he hit all 6 of his attempts in the final period for 159 yards and the 2 scores. He had an off day at Arizona State, hitting just 8-of-23 passes for 70 yards (he started off completing just 1 of his first 10 throws) before being replaced late in the third quarter. He bounced back with an efficient outing at Notre Dame, hitting 11-of-21 passes for 115 yards, including an 8-yard TD toss, despite being hobbled with a sprain of his good ankle that sidelined him part of the second half (he also ran for 28 yards on 4 carries, including a 23-yard scramble for USC's longest run of the year to that point). Against Oregon, he went 16-of-28 for 175 yards and 1 TD, but had an interception returned for a score. After starting USC's first 7 games, he didn't start at Washington, but played most of the second half and hit 4-of-7 passes for 37 yards. He played the fourth quarter against Stanford in relief of an injured Van Raaphorst and was 3-of-5 for 64 yards with a TD. He started at Oregon State, completing 18-of-28 passes for 228 yards and 2 TDs, and UCLA, hitting 14-of-34 passes for 258 yards and 2 scores, including an 80-yarder on USC's first play (but had 2 fourth-quarter interceptions).
1996: As a redshirt freshman reserve quarterback in 1996, Fox appeared briefly in 1 game (playing most of the fourth quarter against Oregon State, where he was 0-of-2 passing, with an interception).
1995: Fox redshirted as a freshman quarterback in 1995, his first year at USC.
HIGH SCHOOL: He was selected to the 1994 Super Prep All-American, Blue Chip All-American, USA Today All-USA honorable mention, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West first team, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Super Prep All-Farwest, Long Beach Press-Telegram All-State first team, Student Sports All-State second team, Riverside Press-Enterprise All-Riverside County first team and All-CIF Division IV first team as a senior at Centennial High in Corona (Calif.) He hit 128-of-220 passes (58.2%) for 1,754 yards, 17 TDs and just 3 interceptions in 1994 (he also ran 60 times for 305 yards, a 5.1 avg., and 3 scores).
As a 1993 junior, he threw for 1,425 yards with 5 TDs and ran for 312 yards and 7 scores. A 3-year starter, he threw for 3,446 yards and 24 TDs in his career.
PERSONAL: He's a general studies major at USC. He enjoys water and snow skiing. His sports hero is Joe Montana.
| Year | PA | PC | PI | PCT | YDS | TD | LG | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 2 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 280 | 153 | 8 | .546 | 1940 | 12 | 80 | 44 | -28 | -0.6 | 1 | 23 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 125 | 67 | 2 | .536 | 844 | 4 | 72 | 13 | 42 | 3.2 | 0 | 37 |
| CAREER | 407 | 220 | 11 | .541 | 2784 | 16 | 80 | 57 | 14 | 0.2 | 1 | 37 |
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| 1997 (So.) | 1 | -13 | -13.0 | 0 | -13 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAREER | 1 | -13 | -13.0 | 0 | -13 | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH JOHN FOX
1999
| Year | PA | PC | PI | PCT | YDS | TD | LG |
| California | 25 | 12 | 0 | .480 | 226 | 1 | 72 |
| Arizona State* | 24 | 15 | 1 | .625 | 148 | 0 | 56 |
| Wash. State* | 22 | 12 | 0 | .545 | 117 | 0 | 42 |
| UCLA* | 34 | 17 | 0 | .500 | 216 | 2 | 34 |
| La. Tech* | 20 | 11 | 1 | .550 | 137 | 1 | 53 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 125 | 67 | 2 | .536 | 844 | 4 | 72 |
1997
| Year | PA | PC | PI | PCT | YDS | TD | LG |
| Florida State* | 32 | 18 | 1 | .563 | 159 | 0 | 27 |
| Wash. St.* | 42 | 23 | 0 | .548 | 229 | 0 | 41 |
| California* | 28 | 15 | 0 | .536 | 250 | 2 | 65 |
| UNLV* | 32 | 23 | 2 | .719 | 355 | 2 | 78 |
| Arizona State* | 23 | 8 | 1 | .348 | 70 | 1 | 21 |
| Notre Dame* | 21 | 11 | 0 | .524 | 115 | 1 | 31 |
| Oregon* | 28 | 16 | 1 | .571 | 175 | 1 | 24 |
| Washington | 7 | 4 | 0 | .571 | 37 | 0 | 12 |
| Stanford | 5 | 3 | 0 | .600 | 64 | 1 | 30 |
| Oregon State* | 28 | 18 | 1 | .643 | 228 | 2 | 45 |
| UCLA* | 34 | 14 | 2 | .412 | 258 | 2 | 80 |
| 1997 (So.) | 280 | 153 | 8 | .546 | 1940 | 12 | 80 |
1996
| Year | PA | PC | PI | PCT | YDS | TD | LG |
| Oregon State | 2 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 2 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* - Starter
22 - DAVID GIBSON
Safety
6-2, 215, Sr./Sr.
1999: The hard-hitting and experienced Gibson--who usually was found wherever the ball was--was moved back to his natural position of strong safety (from linebacker) prior to 1999 spring practice and started all 12 games there as a 1999 senior. Overall in 1999, he made 81 tackles (fourth on USC), including 3 for losses of 5 yards), 3 interceptions, 9 deflections, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery. He was named to the 1999 All-Pac-10 first team and was a USC captain. He was an East-West Shrine Game participant.
In the Hawaii opener, he posted 3 tackles, recovered 2 fumbles (the first led to a TD) and broke up a pass, then made 2 stops against San Diego State. He had 11 tackles at Oregon, then 7 each against Oregon State and Arizona. At Notre Dame, he made 9 stops (1 for a loss) and intercepted a pass. Against Stanford, he had 7 tackles (1 for a loss) with a deflection, then had another 7 stops (tied for the team lead) at California. He had a game-best 15 tackles (1 for a loss) with a forced fumble against Arizona State. He made 2 tackle at Washington State. He had 6 tackles against UCLA along with 2 interceptions (the first came at the USC 2-yard line in the first quarter and the second came with 3 minutes to play to virtually seal the victory) and 3 deflections (he was named USC's Player of the Game versus UCLA). Against Louisiana Tech, he made 5 tackles and broke up 3 passes.
1998: Gibson started at weakside linebacker as a junior in 1998 and made a dramatic impact. Overall while appearing in all 13 games in 1998, he made 85 tackles (third on USC), including 7 for losses of 25 yards (with 3 sacks for minus 19 yards), forced 3 fumbles and recovered 3 other fumbles, broke up 5 passes and had an interception. He started 12 games (all but Notre Dame). He was a 1998 All-Pac-10 honorable mention pick. He was moved from strong safety in 1998 fall drills.
In the Purdue opener, he had 7 tackles and recovered a fourth quarter fumble that led to a Trojan touchdown. He had a huge game against San Diego State, with 8 tackles (all solo), including 3 sacks, plus 3 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery, and was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week. Against Oregon State, he had 8 tackles and recovered his third fumble in as many games, then had 8 stops (1 for a loss) at Florida State. He returned a fourth-quarter interception 16 yards for a TD against Arizona State (he also had 7 tackles and 3 pass breakups). He had a game?high 12 stops against California, added 3 stops at Washington State, 9 at Oregon, 6 with a deflection against Washington and 8 at Stanford. He had 4 tackles at UCLA before being sidelined with a bruised thigh, which limited his action against Notre Dame to special teams (he notched 1 tackle). He made 5 tackles against TCU in the Sun Bowl before being sidelined with a concussion.
1997: Gibson was among USC's most pleasant surprises as just a sophomore in 1997 while starting 6 games at the rover linebacker spot (a combination linebacker and strong safety). He started the opener against Florida State (getting 2 tackles), then was benched and served as the backup to Antuan Simmons the next 5 contests (he played sparingly against Washington State and California, and didn't even record a tackle in those contests). But Gibson rejoined the starting lineup for the last 5 games based on his strong play off the bench and Simmons' move to strong safety. Overall while appearing in all 11 games in 1997, he made 66 tackles, including a team-best 20 for losses (tied for third in the Pac-10) of 75 yards (with 6 sacks for minus 36 yards), plus a Pac-10-leading 5 forced fumbles (2 each versus Oregon and Stanford, and 1 at Washington, 1 against Stanford set up a USC TD) along with 3 deflections. He led USC in tackles in 3 games (Notre Dame, Oregon and Oregon State). He was a 1997 All-Pac-10 honorable mention selection.
He had 9 tackles at Arizona State (1 for a loss), then had game-highs of 13 (with 3 for losses) at Notre Dame (he played most of that Irish contest because of injuries in the secondary) and 9 against Oregon in his first game back as a starter (he added 3 sacks for minus 23 yards and forced 2 fumbles). He added 8 tackles (3 for losses, including 2 sacks), plus a forced fumble, at Washington, 7 stops (4 for losses, with a sack), 2 forced fumbles and 2 deflections against Stanford, a team-best 7 tackles (1 for a loss) and a deflection at Oregon State, and then 8 tackles (4 for losses) against UCLA. Gibson was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week for his outing against Oregon.
1996: As a first-year freshman, Gibson appeared in all 12 games in 1996 as a reserve safety and on special teams. Overall in 1996, he had 9 tackles (including 2 each against Penn State, Illinois and Washington).
HIGH SCHOOL: He was named to the 1995 Bluechip Best of the West, Super Prep All-Farwest, Bluechip All-Western, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West honorable mention, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, All-CIF Division I, Los Angeles Times All-Orange County second team, and Orange County Register All-Orange County second team as a senior at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana (Calif.). He made 89 tackles with 1 interception in 1995 and had 72 tackles with 2 interceptions as a 1994 junior (Mater Dei was ranked the nation's No. 1 team). Current Trojan Lenny Vandermade also attended Mater Dei.
He also was on Mater Dei's track and baseball teams.
PERSONAL: He's a political science major at USC. He likes to play golf in his spare time.
WHAT OTHERS SAY...
Former USC Butkus Award-winning linebacker Chris Claiborne: "You expect him to make plays. He has a lot of speed and he's very tenacious. He needs to be on the field all the time."
USC linebackers coach Shawn Slocum: "David Gibson makes plays, no matter what position he's at."
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR | INT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 9 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 66 | 20/75 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 85 | 7/25 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 1 | 16 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 81 | 3/5 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0.3 | 0 | 1 |
| CAREER | 241 | 30/105 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 4.3 | 1 | 16 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH DAVID GIBSON
1999
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Hawaii* | 3 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
| San Diego St.* | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon* | 11 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon State* | 7 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
| Arizona* | 7 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame* | 9 | 1/3 | 1 | 0 |
| Stanford* | 7 | 1/1 | 1 | 0 |
| California* | 7 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona State* | 15 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wash. State* | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| UCLA* | 6 | 0/0 | 3 | 0 |
| La. Tech* | 5 | 0/0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 81 | 3/5 | 10 | 2 |
1998
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Purdue* | 7 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 |
| San Diego St.* | 8 | 3/19 | 0 | 1 |
| Oregon State* | 8 | 1/1 | 1 | 1 |
| Florida State* | 8 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona State* | 7 | 0/0 | 3 | 0 |
| California* | 12 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wash. State* | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon* | 9 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington* | 6 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
| Stanford* | 8 | 1/3 | 0 | 0 |
| UCLA* | 4 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| TCU (Sun)* | 5 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 86 | 7/25 | 5 | 3 |
1997
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Florida State* | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNLV | 3 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona State | 9 | 1/6 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | 13 | 3/7 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon* | 9 | 3/23 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington* | 8 | 3/14 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford* | 7 | 4/15 | 2 | 0 |
| Oregon State* | 7 | 1/1 | 1 | 0 |
| UCLA* | 8 | 4/8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 66 | 20/75 | 3 | 0 |
1996
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Penn State | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Illinois | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Houston | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 9 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
* - Starter
79 - JASON GRAIN
Offensive Guard
6-5, 310, Sr.*/Sr.
1999: Grain started USC's first 5 games of 1999 (Hawaii, San Diego State, Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona) at right offensive guard as a senior before spraining right knee ligaments at Arizona and being sidelined for the rest of the season.
1998: Grain started 11 games on the offensive line as a junior in 1998, 9 times at left guard and twice at center (Oregon State and Florida State when regulars Matt McShane and Eric Denmon were injured). Overall, he appeared in all 13 games in 1998 (he came off the bench at guard at Oregon and versus TCU in the Sun Bowl).
1997: Grain served as the backup to Chris Brymer at left offensive guard as a sophomore in 1997. He appeared in 10 games (all but the Florida State opener) in 1997, primarily on special teams.
1996: Grain, a reserve offensive guard and center as a redshirt freshman in 1996, saw action only in 1 game in 1996 (at guard late in the Oregon State contest). He was moved from center to offensive guard in 1996 spring practice.
1995: Grain redshirted as a freshman center in 1995, his first year at USC.
HIGH SCHOOL: He made 1994 Super Prep All-Farwest, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, All-CIF Division VII first team, Los Angeles Times All-Orange County first team, Orange County Register All-Orange County second team and All-Freeway League first team as a senior at Sonora High in La Habra (Calif.). He allowed just 1 sack in 10 games on offense in 1994 and posted 55 tackles (6 for losses) on defense. As a 1993 junior, he made All-Freeway League. In track, he was the Freeway League shot put champion in 1994.
PERSONAL: He's a history major at USC. His uncle, Jimmy Dubose, was a running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1976-78).
86 - WINDRELL HAYES
Wide Receiver
6-0, 205, Sr.*/Sr.
CAREER: As a Division I-A pass catcher at San Jose State and USC, Hayes has 176 career receptions for 2,443 yards (13.9 avg) with 15 TDs in his 4-year career. With 79 career grabs at USC, he is tied for 18th on Troy's all-time pass catching ladder.
1999: The veteran Hayes, known for his precise routes and good hands, started at split end as a senior in 1999. He sprained his right ankle against San Diego State and missed the next 2 games (Oregon and Oregon State), then didn't start (but played) the following contests at Arizona. Overall in 1999 while appearing in 10 games, he caught a team-high 55 passes for 720 yards (13.1 avg.) with 4 TDs. His 55 catches was 10th on USC's season reception list. He was third in the Pac-10 in receptions (5.5). He was a Blue-Gray Game participant.
In the opener at Hawaii, he had a game-high 6 catches for 80 yards (including a 32-yarder for USC's first TD of 1999. He made a 15-yard reception early in the San Diego State game before being sidelined with the ankle sprain. At Arizona, he returned from a 2?game layoff because of the ankle injury and had a personal?high 115 receiving yards on a game?best 9 catches (equaling his career high in receptions) with an 18-yard TD. He caught 8 passes for a game-high 107 yards with a 23-yard TD at Notre Dame, added 6 receptions for 79 yards with an 8-yard TD against Stanford, had 8 grabs for 88 yards at California and then 5 for 96 yards (with a 56-yarder to set up a field goal) against Arizona State. He then led USC in catches versus Washington State (4 for 24 yards) and UCLA (5 for 92 yards) before finishing his career with 3 catches for 24 yards against Louisiana Tech.
1998: USC bolstered its 1998 receiving corps with the signing of transfer Hayes, who was San Jose State's leading receiver in 1995 and 1996 and ranks in the Spartans' receiving career Top 10. He served as an often-used backup wide receiver as a junior in 1998. Overall while appearing in 12 games (all but the Sun Bowl against TCU) in 1998, he had 24 receptions for 340 yards (14.2 avg.) and 2 TDs.
He had 2 catches each against Purdue (19 yards), San Diego State (33 yards) and Arizona State (28 yards), then had his first TD catch as a Trojan (13 yards) in the California game. He added a 17-yard catch at Washington State, 2 grabs for 34 yards at Oregon and 2 for 70 yards versus Washington. He grabbed 2 aerials for 20 yards, including an 8-yard TD, at Stanford, then caught a game?topping 9 passes (most by a USC receiver in 1998) for 95 yards at UCLA. He grabbed an 11-yard pass against Notre Dame, but sprained a ligament in his right foot on the play and was sidelined (the injury kept him out of the Sun Bowl against TCU).
JUNIOR COLLEGE: He attended San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton (Calif.) in 1997, but did not play football.
SAN JOSE STATE: He spent the 1995 and 1996 seasons as a starting wide receiver at San Jose State, leading the Spartans in receiving both seasons. As a sophomore in 1996, he earned All-Western Athletic Conference Pacific Division second team honors while catching 58 passes for 848 yards (14.6 avg.) and 4 TDs. He was sixth in the WAC in receptions (4.8) and 10th in receiving yards (70.7).
In 1995 as a freshman, he had 39 receptions for 535 yards (13.7 avg.) and 5 TDs. In San Jose State's game against USC that season, he grabbed 4 passes for 40 yards. He is in San Jose State's career Top 10 in receiving with 97 receptions for 1,383 yards (14.3 avg.) and 9 TDs.
HIGH SCHOOL: He was named a 1994 Blue Chip All-American, USA Today All-USA honorable mention, Super Prep All-Farwest, Tacoma Morning News Tribune Western 100, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West second team and Cal-Hi All-State second team pick as a senior at Franklin High in Stockton. In 1994, he had 62 catches for 1,054 yards (17.0 avg.) and 15 TDs (plus 3 more TDs on end-around runs) on offense and 7 interceptions on defense, plus 29 kickoff returns for 892 yards (30.8 avg.) and 9 TDs.
He attended St. Mary's High in Stockton as a freshman, sophomore and junior, recording 89 receptions for 1,881 yards (21.1 avg.) with 25 TDs in his career at St. Mary's. He also ran track in high school. Current USC players Armand Holland and Frank Strong also prepped at Franklin (Strong also attended St. Mary's).
PERSONAL: He's a sociology major at USC. His nickname is "Scissors," because of his ability to make sharp cuts on his routes. Hayes' brother, Ashanti, was a defensive back at Washington State in 1994 and 1995.
WHAT OTHERS SAY...
USC wide receiver R. Jay Soward: "He has the best cuts in college football."
Franklin High coach Tom Verner: "Windrell is the complete package. He runs the best routes of any receiver I've seen. He is a great blocker. He is a strong receiver and he knows how to deliver a blow. He has such a wonderful football mind. He really understands everything you are trying to do."
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 24 | 340 | 14.2 | 2 | 56 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 55 | 720 | 13.1 | 4 | 56 |
| CAREER | 79 | 1060 | 13.4 | 6 | 56 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH WINDRELL HAYES
1999
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Hawaii* | 6 | 80 | 13.3 | 1 | 32 |
| San Diego St.* | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 |
| Arizona | 9 | 115 | 12.8 | 1 | 25 |
| Notre Dame* | 8 | 107 | 13.4 | 1 | 23 |
| Stanford* | 6 | 79 | 13.2 | 1 | 25 |
| California* | 8 | 88 | 11.0 | 0 | 25 |
| Arizona State* | 5 | 96 | 19.2 | 0 | 56 |
| Wash. State* | 4 | 24 | 6.0 | 0 | 11 |
| UCLA* | 5 | 92 | 18.4 | 0 | 34 |
| La. Tech* | 3 | 24 | 8.0 | 0 | 11 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 55 | 720 | 13.1 | 4 | 56 |
1998
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Purdue | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 0 | 10 |
| San Diego St. | 2 | 33 | 16.5 | 0 | 21 |
| Arizona State | 2 | 28 | 14.0 | 0 | 19 |
| California | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 1 | 13 |
| Wash. State | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 0 | 17 |
| Oregon | 2 | 34 | 17.0 | 0 | 21 |
| Washington | 2 | 70 | 35.0 | 0 | 56 |
| Stanford | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 1 | 12 |
| UCLA | 9 | 95 | 10.6 | 0 | 23 |
| Notre Dame | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 24 | 340 | 14.2 | 2 | 56 |
* - Starter
27 - JABARI JACKSON
Tailback
6-2, 220, Sr.*/Sr.
1999: Jackson was a backup tailback who played often in passing situations and on special teams as a senior in 1999. Overall while appearing in all 12 games in 1999, he rushed for 63 yards on 21 carries (3.0 avg.) with a TD and caught 11 passes for 77 yards (7.0 avg.). He also returned a kickoff for 8 yards (against Arizona State) made 3 tackles. He ran for a career-best 31 yards on 6 carries at Hawaii and had 13 yards (with a 1-yard TD) against Louisiana Tech. He caught 3 passes against both San Diego State (28 yards) and Oregon (9 yards) and 2 passes versus UCLA (20 yards) and Oregon State (13 yards). He made 2 tackles against Arizona State.
1998: Jackson was a reserve tailback and key special teams player as a junior in 1998. Overall while appearing in all 13 games in 1998, he ran for 25 yards on 13 carries (1.9 avg.). He rushed for 18 yards on 10 carries at Washington State.
1997: Jackson redshirted as a junior tailback in 1997 after transferring to USC in the spring of 1997 from City College of San Francisco, where he was the state's top rusher and scorer.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: Jackson won 1996 J.C. Grid-Wire All-American first team, J.C. Athletic Bureau All-American first team, Super Prep JUCO 100, and J.C. Athletic Bureau All-State Region II Offensive MVP honors as a sophomore running back at City College of San Francisco (Calif.). In 1996, he ran for 1,622 yards and 17 TDs on 254 carries (6.4 avg.), and also caught 26 passes for 358 yards (13.8 avg.) with 5 TDs. He led the state junior college ranks in rushing (162.2) and scoring (13.2), and was fourth in all-purpose running (198.0). His team went 10-1 and was ranked third in the state.
As a 1995 freshman, he had 866 rushing yards and 14 TDs on 161 carries (5.4 avg.), averaging 108.3 yards per game on the ground. He was tied for second in the state in scoring (12.0, with 16 TDs).
HIGH SCHOOL: Jackson prepped at Riordan High in San Francisco, where he earned San Francisco Examiner All-San Francisco-Metro Area honorable mention notice as a 1994 senior. He also was on the basketball and track teams at Riordan.
PERSONAL: He's a sociology major at USC. His real first name is Kamau, which is an African word meaning "silent warrior." Jabari (actually his middle name) means "brave warrior." His sports hero is NFL star Jerry Rice.
| Year | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 13 | 25 | 1.9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 21 | 63 | 3.0 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 77 | 11.0 | 0 | 17 |
| CAREER | 34 | 88 | 2.6 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 77 | 11.0 | 0 | 17 |
| Year | KOR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 1* | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAREER | 2* | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
* - Includes running 14 yards after
recovering a fumbled USC kickoff return
GAME-BY-GAME WITH JABARI JACKSON
1999
| Year | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Hawaii | 6 | 31 | 5.2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| San Diego St. | 3 | 4 | 1.3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 0 | 13 |
| Oregon | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 5 |
| Oregon State | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | 7 |
| Arizona | 2 | -3 | -0.7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 |
| California | 2 | 3 | 0.7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| UCLA | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | 17 |
| La. Tech | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.)... | 21 | 63 | 3.0 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 77 | 11.0 | 0 | 17 |
1998
| Year | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Florida State | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | 0 | 4 |
| Wash. State | 10 | 18 | 1.8 | 0 | 6 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 13 | 25 | 1.9 | 0 | 6 |
70 - DONTA KENDRICK
Offensive Guard
6-3, 290, Sr.*/Sr.
1999: Kendrick started 7 games (Hawaii, San Diego State, Oregon, California, Arizona State, Washington State and UCLA) at left offensive guard as a senior in 1999 (he also played in the Notre Dame game, but did not start). He sprained his left ankle at Oregon and was sidelined against Oregon State and Arizona, then re-sprained it at Notre Dame and missed the Stanford game. He sat out the Louisiana Tech game with a sprained back.
1998: Kendrick, who entered USC in the spring of 1998 after transferring from Sacramento City College, was the backup to Jason Grain at left offensive guard as a junior in 1998. Overall, he appeared in 9 games (all but Arizona State, UCLA, Notre Dame and TCU in the Sun Bowl) in 1998 and even started at Oregon. He missed the last half of 1998 spring practice because he fractured his left ring finger and had surgery.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: His 1997 honors included J.C. Grid-Wire All-American first team, J.C. Athletic Bureau All-American first team, Super Prep JUCO 100, Prep Star Top 100, J.C. Athletic Bureau All-State Region I first team and J.C. Grid-Wire Scholar-Athlete All-American honorable mention as a sophomore at Sacramento (Calif.) City College. Sacramento went 7-4 in 1997, finishing No. 17 in the final J.C. Athletic Bureau state poll and No. 30 in the J.C. Grid-Wire national poll.
As a 1996 redshirt freshman, he was named J.C. Grid-Wire All-American honorable mention and J.C. Athletic Bureau All-State Region I first team. Sacramento went 10-1 in 1996 and was ranked No. 4 in the final J.C. Athletic Bureau state poll. He never allowed a sack in his 2-year junior college career (Sacramento had more than 700 pass attempts during that span). He broke his foot in 1995 (his first year at Sacramento) and redshirted that season. He volunteered with local churches and charities while at Sacramento.
HIGH SCHOOL: He prepped at Armijo High in Fairfield (Calif.), where he earned All-Montebello Empire League first team honors as a 1994 senior tight end and linebacker. In 1994, he caught 12 passes for 360 yards (30.0 avg.). He was the All-League Defensive MVP as a 1993 junior. He started for 3 years at Armijo. He also played basketball at Armijo.
PERSONAL: He's a history major at USC.
WHAT OTHERS SAY...
Sacramento College head coach Dave Griffin: "I don't know how many times I watched him hit someone only to see them fly out of the picture. Donta is an excellent athlete with great power. You just don't see people his size run the way he does. I believe he will play in the NFL very soon."
72 - TODD KENELEY
Defensive Tackle
6-0, 260, Sr.*/Sr.
1999: Keneley, who earned a scholarship in 1999 as a senior, was a reserve defensive tackle who appeared in 2 games in 1999 (Hawaii and Louisiana Tech). His only tackle of 1999 was an 8-yard sack at Hawaii. He won USC's Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award (for overall academic achievement).
1998: Keneley did not see any action in 1998 as a junior reserve walk-on defensive tackle.
1997: Keneley redshirted as a junior walk-on defensive tackle in 1997, his first year at USC.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: Keneley spent the 1995 and 1996 seasons playing football at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo (Calif.).
HIGH SCHOOL: He prepped at Mission Viejo (Calif.) High, where he was named to the Orange County Register All-Orange County first team, Los Angeles Times All-Orange County second team and All-South Coast League first team as a senior in 1994. He made 90 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception and 3 forced fumbles in 1994.
As a 1993 junior, he made the All-South Coast League first team.
PERSONAL: He's a communication major at USC with an A- average (a team-best 3.74 GPA). His brother, Matt, lettered 4 years (1993-96) as a defensive tackle at USC.
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 1 | 1/8 | 0 | 0 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH TODD KENELEY
1999
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Hawaii | 1 | 1/8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 1 | 1/8 | 0 | 0 |
61 - MATT McSHANE
Center
6-5, 300, Sr.*/Sr.
1999: McShane backed up Eric Denmon at center as a senior in 1999, appearing in 11 games (all but San Diego State). He even started 3 games (Oregon State, Arizona and Louisiana Tech) when Denmon was injured.
1998: McShane started 8 games (San Diego State, Arizona State, California, Washington State, Stanford, UCLA, Notre Dame and TCU in the Sun Bowl) at center as a junior in 1998 and was the often-used backup to Eric Denmon the rest of the season. He missed the Oregon State game with a sprained knee (the injury also hampered him against Florida State).
1997: As a sophomore, McShane was moved from offensive guard to center in 1997 spring practice and was the backup to Jonathan Himebauch there in 1997. He saw brief action against Stanford and Oregon State.
1996: As a redshirt freshman reserve offensive guard, McShane appeared briefly in 1 game (Oregon State) in 1996.
1995: McShane redshirted in 1995 as a freshman offensive guard. He enrolled at USC in the spring of 1995 after sitting out the sport in 1994 following a fine prep career.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: McShane attended Merritt Community College in Oakland (Calif.) as a part-time student in the fall of 1994, but did not play football.
HIGH SCHOOL: McShane was named to the 1993 Super Prep All-Farwest, Cal-Hi Sports All-State second team, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West second team and San Francisco Examiner All-San Francisco-Metro first team as a senior at St. Mary's High in Berkeley (Calif.).
As a 1992 junior, he made Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass, All-Metro and All-League. He also played basketball and track at St. Mary's. He was the school's student body president.
PERSONAL: He's a business administration major at USC. He likes to play the saxophone.
7 - CHAD MORTON
Tailback
5-8, 185, Sr.*/Sr.
CAREER: One of USC's most exciting and versatile players (he played on offense at tailback and wide receiver, on defense at free safety and cornerback and on special teams in his Trojan career) whose older brother was one of the Trojans' all-time great receivers, Morton gained 2,511 career rushing yards (eighth on USC's career rushing list) for a 4.9 average per carry--including 100-yard outings 12 times--on 517 carries with 24 scores in just 29 games as a tailback at USC. He was tied for 14th on USC's career punt return list (390 yards on 48 runbacks for an 8.1 average), was 17th on USC's career kickoff return list (457 yards on 21 runbacks for a 21.8 average) and 24th on USC's all-time total offense chart (2,511 yards on 517 plays). He made a number of long runs in his career, including a 73-yard TD run against Oregon State in 1996, a 69-yard run against Stanford and a 49-yard TD run against UCLA in 1997, and a 98-yard scoring kickoff return against Purdue, a 42-yard run against Oregon State, a 70-yard TD on a swing pass at Oregon, a 50-yard run versus Washington and a 44-yard run at Stanford in 1998. He started 7 games in the secondary in his career (4 at free safety in 1997) and made 50 tackles and 2 interceptions. He also sprinted for the USC track team for 3 years.
1999: Morton, a lightning-quick jitterbug type of runner, started for his second season at tailback as a senior in 1999 and had a big year on the field and in the classroom. Overall while starting all 12 games in 1999, he rushed for a team-best 1,141 yards on 262 carries (4.4 avg.) with 15 TDs. He was fourth in the Pac-10 in scoring (7.5) and fifth in rushing (95.1). He had a quartet of 100-yard rushing games. His 1,141 yards was the 21st time a Trojan cracked the 1,000-yard season rushing barrier, ranked 18th on the USC single season rushing list (29th on the all-time Pac-10 list) and was the most by a Trojan since Mazio Royster's 1,168 in 1990. His 15 rushing TDs were the most by a Trojan since Marcus Allen had 22 in his 1981 Heisman Trophy season (tied for 12th on the Pac-10 season list) and his 262 carries were the most by a Trojan since Ricky Ervins' 269 in 1989. He also caught 17 passes (fourth on USC) for 79 yards (4.6 avg.), led USC in kickoff returns with 19 runbacks for 341 yards (17.9 avg.) and was second on USC in punt returns with 7 for 52 yards (7.4 avg.). He also made 1 tackle. He was a 1999 All-Pac-10 honorable mention selection and was USC's MVP. For the second year in a row, he was a USC captain, the first time that happened at Troy since Dan Caley in 1902 and 1903 (and only the fourth time in history). He was an East-West Shrine Game participant.
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. He 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, he 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 for the season, he also returned 2 punts for 14 yards and a kickoff for 32 yards. He ran for a game-high 84 yards on 18 carries against Louisiana Tech and scored 3 TDs (the third time he did so in 1999), plus he returned a kickoff 23 yards.
1998: Morton started 8 games at tailback as a junior in 1998. He fell just 15 yards short of hitting the 1,000-yard rushing barrier despite missing 2 games with an injury. He ranked second in the Pac-10 in rushing (96.7). Overall in 1998, he ran for 985 yards on 199 carries (4.9 avg.) with 6 TDs and also caught 18 passes for 136 yards (7.6 avg) and 1 TD. His 985 rushing yards put him 21st on USC's season chart. He also returned 2 kickoffs for a 58.0 average (including 1 for a TD) and 4 punts for a 5.3 average. He ran for 100-plus yards in 6 games in 1998. He was a 1998 All-Pac-10 honorable mention pick. He was 1 of 4 USC captains in 1998.
He had a dramatic impact in the Purdue opener, taking his first kickoff return--on USC's first play of 1998--back 98 yards for a score and also running for a 13-yard fourth quarter TD to ice the victory (he ran for 53 yards on 15 carries overall and had 188 yards of total offense). He posted his third career 100-yard game as he ran for 110 yards (with a 12-yard TD) on a then-career-high 23 carries against San Diego State (he also caught 3 passes for 24 yards and had a 2-yard punt return). Against Oregon State, he had his fourth career 100-yard outing (and second in a row in 1998 and second in his career against the Beavers) as he rushed for a game-best 123 yards (with a 12-yard TD) on 23 carries (tying a then-career high in attempts), despite missing most of the week's practice with a strained back. He ran for 64 yards on 15 carries at Florida State, including a spectacular 7-yard TD run where he reversed his field. After sitting out the Arizona State and California games with a bruised back suffered on that Florida State scoring run, he came off the bench at Washington State to run for 68 yards on 16 carries, including a 6-yard TD (he also caught a 5-yard pass). At Oregon, he had his fifth career 100-yard game (104 yards on 20 carries) and also caught 3 passes for 79 yards, including a 70-yard TD on a swing pass. He rushed for 110 yards (his sixth career 100-yard game and fourth of 1998) on 13 carries with a 10-yard TD versus Washington and also caught 3 passes for 16 yards. Despite nursing a sprained ankle, he ran for a game-high 87 yards on 17 carries off the bench at Stanford. He ran for a game?best 120 yards on 19 carries (his seventh career 100?yard outing and fifth of 1998) and also grabbed 4 passes for 9 yards at UCLA. Against Notre Dame, he ran for a game?best and season?high 128 yards on a career?high 27 carries (100 of those yards came after halftime) to post his sixth 100?yard game of 1998 (the eighth of his career). Against TCU in the Sun Bowl, he was limited to 18 yards on 11 carries, plus he caught a 5-yard pass.
1997: Morton starred on defense (free safety and cornerback), offense (tailback and wide receiver) and special teams (punt returner) as a sophomore in 1997. He was moved from cornerback to free safety and started 4 mid-season games (California, UNLV, Arizona State, Notre Dame) there in 1997 (he backed up Darnell Lacy in USC's first 2 games, then was Rashard Cook's backup against Oregon and Washington). He was then moved to tailback for the Stanford game and saw action there in the last 3 games. He also was USC's top punt returner, with an 8.0 average on 21 runbacks. Overall while appearing in all 11 games in 1997, he made 25 tackles, with a 6-yard sack (at California), intercepted 2 passes (against Florida State and UNLV) which he returned 32 yards (16.0 avg.), recovered 2 fumbles (against Florida State and California), forced a fumble (at California, which he recovered) and broke up 5 passes on defense, and rushed for 214 yards (third on USC) on 30 carries (7.1 avg.) with 1 TD and caught 1 pass for 17 yards (at Oregon State) on offense. He was bothered the second half of the season with nagging hip, hamstring and ankle injuries. He won USC's Bob Chandler Award (top underclassman athlete/student/leader).
Against Florida State, he intercepted a pass in the end zone (which he returned 29 yards), recovered a fumble and ran back 3 punts for 27 yards. He had 1 tackle and returned 5 punts for 43 yards (with a 21-yarder) against Washington State. At California, he made 6 tackles (including a sack), forced a fumble which he then recovered, broke up 2 passes, and returned 4 punts for 38 yards. He had 6 tackles versus UNLV, as well as breaking up 2 passes and intercepting an aerial. At Arizona State, he posted 10 tackles and returned 4 punts for 25 yards. He played sparingly at Notre Dame after bruising his hip, but did manage to make a tackle and return 2 punts for 13 yards, and then played in a limited role versus Oregon. At Washington, he again played sparingly (he saw some time at cornerback), but did take a few snaps as a wide receiver (he didn't catch a pass, though). He was a backup tailback against Stanford and made the most of it, gaining 109 yards (his second career 100-yard outing) on just 7 carries, including going 69 yards to set up a TD the first time he touched the ball (a slight hamstring strain sidelined him midway through the third quarter), and he also played briefly at cornerback (getting 1 tackle). At Oregon State, he led USC in rushing off the bench with 41 yards on 13 carries, plus had a 17-yard catch and returned a punt 5 yards, before a mild ankle sprain sidelined him in the fourth quarter. He came off the bench against UCLA and rushed for 64 yards on 10 carries, including a 49-yard TD burst to give USC its only lead of the contest.
1996: Morton was the Trojans' jack-of-all-trades as a redshirt freshman in 1996. He started at cornerback in 3 late-season games (Washington State, Stanford and UCLA) and was a backup to Ken Haslip there the rest of the season, as well as being a key special teams performer. He had 6 tackles at Washington State and 4 versus Washington.
But, to make up for the temporary loss of running backs Delon Washington and Shawn Walters in the early going, Morton was a 3-way player in 3 of USC's first 4 contests. At Illinois, he made 3 tackles as a backup cornerback, he rushed for 28 yards (with a 2-yard TD) on 9 carries as the third-string tailback, and he played on various special teams (he recovered an Illini fumble on a kickoff which led to a USC TD and he returned a punt 11 yards). Against Oregon State, he played exclusively on offense as he ran for a game-high 143 yards on 13 carries (both career bests), including a 73-yard zigzagging TD dash that broke the game open. At Houston, Morton had 4 carries for 0 yards, 2 catches for 24 yards and a 7-yard punt return. He didn't play offense against California, Arizona, Arizona State, Washington State, Washington, Stanford or UCLA. He sprained his back at UCLA and missed the Notre Dame game.
Overall in 1996, he made 23 tackles (2 for losses), 1 deflection and 1 fumble recovery on defense, plus had 26 carries for 171 yards (6.6 avg.) and 2 TDs rushing, and 2 catches for 24 yards (12.0 avg.) receiving, and a team-high 16 punt returns for a team-best 149 yards (9.3 avg.). He was fifth in the Pac-10 in punt returns (9.3).
He was moved to running back (from cornerback) prior to 1996 spring practice, but was shifted back to cornerback at the start of 1996 fall practice. He was slowed in 1996 spring drills because of a sprained knee.
1995: Morton redshirted as a freshman cornerback in 1995, his first year at USC.
TRACK: He sprinted for the USC track team in the springs of 1999, 1998 and 1996. In 1999, he posted a 10.74 time to place second in a heat in the 100 meters at the Trojan Invitational, and also had wind-aided times of 10.77 for fourth at the Long Beach Track and Field Classic and 10.93 at the Benny Brown Invitational (he also ran legs on some 400-meter relay teams). In 1998, he won a heat of the 100-meter dash at the Trojan Invitational in 10.81 and was second in the 100 in the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Quad meet in 10.6 (he also ran on some 400-meter relay squads). In 1996, he won the 100 in 11.06 in a heat of USC's Five-Way meet (he also ran the third leg on USC's victorious 400 relay squad in that meet) before a knee sprain ended his track season.
HIGH SCHOOL: He played football for 3 years at South Torrance (Calif.) High, although he missed all but the first quarter of the season opener as a 1994 senior running back after breaking his collarbone. He started at wide receiver as a 1993 junior and was a part-time starting running back as a sophomore in 1992.
He also sprinted for 3 years for South Torrance's track team, with career bests of 10.48 in the 100 meters (he finished seventh in the 1995 state 100) and 21.3 in the 200.
PERSONAL: A fine student with a B+ average (3.43 GPA) as a sociology major, 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 also was a 1999 GTE Academic All-American second team choice, a 2-time (1998-99) GTE-Academic All-District VIII first team selection and a 4-time (1996-99) Pac-10 All-Academic first teamer. He received a Senior Recognition Award from USC in 1999 (based on leadership, service and academics). He is the younger brother of ex-USC All-American and current Detroit Lion wide receiver Johnnie Morton (an NFL first rounder). Another older brother, Eric, was a wide receiver at Dartmouth. Two older half-brothers also starred as athletes: Michael was a running back at UNLV and then with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1982-84) and Stanley played pro baseball.
WHAT OTHERS SAY...
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."
Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti: "Chad Morton is one of the fastest players on the field and he obviously adds a speed dimension when he plays."
Former Oregon State head coach Mike Riley: "He is explosive and fast. Even though he's little, he's hard to get down."
USC offensive coordinator Hue Jackson: "He's like the Energizer Bunny out there. He's gotten stronger and added more girth. 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 meant as much to our offense in 1998 as (ex-USC Butkus Award winning linebacker) Chris Claiborne meant to our defense. He's gifted. 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."
Robyn Norwood, Los Angeles Times: "Chad Morton is small, a little bit fragile...and very, very fast."
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."
| Year | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 26 | 171 | 6.6 | 2 | 73 | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 0 | 19 |
| 1997 (So.) | 30 | 214 | 7.1 | 1 | 69 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 0 | 17 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 199 | 985 | 4.9 | 6 | 50 | 18 | 136 | 7.6 | 1 | 70 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 262 | 1141 | 4.4 | 15 | 32 | 17 | 79 | 4.6 | 0 | 15 |
| CAREER | 517 | 2511 | 4.9 | 24 | 73 | 38 | 256 | 6.7 | 1 | 70 |
| Year | PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | KOR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 16 | 149 | 9.3 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 21 | 168 | 8.0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 4 | 21 | 5.3 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 116 | 58.0 | 1 | 98 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 7 | 52 | 4.7 | 0 | 22 | 19 | 341 | 17.9 | 0 | 32 |
| CAREER | 48 | 390 | 8.1 | 0 | 31 | 21 | 457 | 21.8 | 1 | 98 |
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR | INT | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 23 | 2/4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 25 | 1/6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 32 | 16.0 | 0 | 29 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAREER | 50 | 3/10 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 32 | 16.0 | 0 | 29 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH CHAD MORTON
1999
| Year | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Hawaii* | 19 | 95 | 5.0 | 1 | 17 | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 0 | 7 |
| San Diego St.* | 30 | 91 | 3.0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 | 5 |
| Oregon* | 18 | 34 | 1.9 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 0 | 15 |
| Oregon State* | 27 | 153 | 5.7 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 |
| Arizona* | 14 | 28 | 2.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame* | 21 | 85 | 4.0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford* | 22 | 151 | 6.9 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 0 | 13 |
| California* | 12 | 84 | 7.0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 | 12 |
| Arizona State* | 16 | 76 | 4.8 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0.7 | 0 | 4 |
| Wash. State* | 29 | 117 | 4.0 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 |
| UCLA* | 36 | 143 | 4.0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| La. Tech* | 18 | 84 | 4.7 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 262 | 1141 | 4.4 | 15 | 32 | 17 | 79 | 4.6 | 0 | 15 |
| Year | PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | KOR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Hawaii* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| San Diego St.* | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 39 | 19.5 | 0 | 27 |
| Oregon* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 0 | 20 |
| Oregon State* | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 0 | 14 |
| Arizona* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 62 | 15.5 | 0 | 21 |
| Notre Dame* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 42 | 21.0 | 0 | 29 |
| California* | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 0 | 22 | 4 | 67 | 16.8 | 0 | 29 |
| Arizona State* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 0 | 23 |
| Wash. State* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| UCLA* | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 32 | 32.0 | 0 | 32 |
| La. Tech* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 0 | 23 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 7 | 52 | 4.7 | 0 | 22 | 19 | 341 | 17.9 | 0 | 32 |
1998
| Year | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Purdue* | 15 | 53 | 3.5 | 1 | 13 | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | 0 | -3 |
| San Diego St.* | 23 | 110 | 4.8 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 24 | 8.0 | 0 | 11 |
| Oregon State | 23 | 123 | 5.3 | 1 | 42 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Florida State* | 15 | 64 | 4.3 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wash. State | 16 | 68 | 4.3 | 1 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
| Oregon* | 20 | 104 | 5.2 | 0 | 30 | 3 | 79 | 26.3 | 1 | 70 |
| Washington* | 13 | 110 | 8.5 | 1 | 50 | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 0 | 8 |
| Stanford | 17 | 87 | 5.1 | 0 | 44 | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | 0 | -3 |
| UCLA* | 19 | 120 | 6.3 | 0 | 27 | 4 | 9 | 2.3 | 0 | 6 |
| Notre Dame* | 27 | 128 | 4.7 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| TCU (Sun)* | 11 | 18 | 1.6 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 199 | 985 | 4.9 | 6 | 50 | 18 | 136 | 7.6 | 1 | 70 |
| Year | PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | KOR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Purdue* | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 116 | 58.0 | 1 | 98 |
| San Diego St.* | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 4 | 21 | 5.3 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 116 | 58.0 | 1 | 98 |
1997
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR | PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Florida State | 0 | 0/0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 27 | 9.0 | 0 | 15 |
| Wash. St. | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 43 | 8.6 | 0 | 21 |
| California* | 6 | 1/6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 38 | 9.5 | 0 | 21 |
| UNLV* | 6 | 0/0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 |
| Arizona State* | 10 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 6.3 | 0 | 20 |
| Notre Dame* | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | 10 |
| Washington | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Stanford | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon State | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1997 (So.) | 25 | 1/6 | 5 | 2 | 21 | 168 | 8.0 | 0 | 21 |
| Year | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Stanford | 7 | 109 | 15.6 | 0 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon State | 13 | 41 | 3.2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 0 | 17 |
| UCLA | 10 | 64 | 6.4 | 1 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 30 | 214 | 7.1 | 1 | 69 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 0 | 17 |
1996
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR | PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Penn State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 |
| Illinois | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 |
| Oregon State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Houston | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 |
| California | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 0 | 4 |
| Arizona | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
| Arizona State | 2 | 2/4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 69 | 13.8 | 0 | 31 |
| Wash. State* | 6 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 | 5 |
| Washington | 4 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford* | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 |
| UCLA* | 1 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 23 | 2/4 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 149 | 9.3 | 0 | 31 |
| Year | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Illinois | 9 | 28 | 3.1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon State | 13 | 143 | 11.0 | 1 | 73 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Houston | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 0 | 19 |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 26 | 171 | 6.6 | 2 | 73 | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 0 | 19 |
* - Starter
CHAD MORTON'S CAREER LONG PLAYS (40-PLUS YARDS)
| YARDS | PLAY | OPPONENT | YEAR |
| 98 (TD) | KOR | Purdue | 1998 |
| 73 (TD) | Run | Oregon State | 1996 |
| 70 (TD) | Rec. | Oregon | 1998 |
| 69 | Run | Stanford | 1997 |
| 50 | Run | Washington | 1998 |
| 49 (TD) | Run | UCLA | 1997 |
| 44 | Run | Stanford | 1998 |
| 42 | Run | Oregon State | 1998 |
18 - R. JAY SOWARD
Wide Receiver
5-11, 175, Sr./Sr.
CAREER: In his career, Soward scored a touchdown every 8.6 times he touched the ball (32 TDs on 274 plays) and those scores averaged 48.6 yards (1,555 yards). He had 25 plays of 40 yards or more (including 19 of 50-plus yards and 6 for 80-plus yards). Fifteen of his receptions were for 40-plus yards. He scored a TD 4 different ways: 23 on receptions, 3 on kickoff returns, 3 on reverses and 3 on punt returns. He had 8 games with 100-plus receiving yards and 5 games catching at least 2 TDs. He also had 6 outings with 200-plus all-purpose yards. He ranked second on USC's all-time kickoff return chart (1,414 yards) and fourth on its career pass catching list (161 grabs, tied for 115th on the all-time Pac-10 list) and 18th on the career punt return ladded (356 yards).
1999: The hyperactive and talkative Soward--one of college football's most exciting and explosive players--started for his third season at wide receiver (flanker) as a senior in 1999 and also was a premier kickoff and punt return specialist. Overall in 1999, he caught 51 passes (third on USC) for 655 yards (12.8 avg.) with 4 TDs, carried the ball 9 times on reverses for 89 yards (9.9 avg.), led USC in punt returns with 18 for 218 yards (12.1 avg.) with a TD and had 11 kickoff returns for 236 yards (21.5 avg.). He also made a tackle. He was 22nd nationally in punt returns (12.1 avg, second in the Pac-10). His 51 catches in 1999 was 13th on USC's season reception list. He was fifth in the Pac-10 in receptions (4.6). He started 9 games (all but the California, UCLA and Louisiana Tech contests) and appeared in 11 games (he missed the California contest with a strained left hamstring suffered versus Stanford). He was a pre-season All-American. He was invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.
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 (the most catches by anyone in the Pac-10 in 1999), 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 (the longest in the Pac-10 in 1999) to open the game's scoring (he returned 3 punts overall for 92 yards, plus had a 14-yard kickoff return) and earn 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. He had 3 receptions for 74 yards against Louisiana Tech, including a 53-yarder to open the game's scoring, and also gained 47 yards on 2 reverses and returned 2 punts for 14 yards (he sat out the second half while sick).
1998: Soward started at wide receiver for his second year as a junior in 1998 and also was a dangerous returner. Overall in 1998 while starting 11 games (he was suspended for the Purdue opener because of a team rules violation that occurred in the spring of 1998 and he saw limited action off the bench at UCLA because he was nursing an ankle sprain), he caught 44 passes for a team-high 679 yards (15.4 avg.) with 6 TDs, plus had 12 carries for 150 yards (12.5 avg.) with 1 TD. He also returned a team-leading 16 kickoffs for a 21.5 average and 7 punts for a 28.9 average, including 2 scoring punt runbacks (1 shy of the USC and Pac-10 season records). He also made a tackle. His 44 receptions tied him for 17th on USC's season pass catching list. He twice had 100-plus receiving games (California and Notre Dame) and twice caught at least 2 TD passes (San Diego State and Arizona State). He also had 3 games with 200-plus all-purpose yards (256 versus San Diego State, 226 versus Arizona State and 229 versus California). He made the 1998 All-Pac-10 second team and was 1 of 14 semifinalists for the Mosi Tatupu Special Teams Award. He was held out of the last half of 1998 spring practice to concentrate on his academics.
His 1998 debut was spectacular, as he scored 3 touchdowns and accumulated 256 all-purpose yards against San Diego State on just 9 plays (averaging 28.4 yards per play): he caught 4 passes for 94 yards (including TDs of 53 and 8 yards, he outleaped an Aztec defender on the 53-yarder, then broke free into the end zone), returned a punt 74 yards for another score (the first scoring punt runback of his career), had 69 rushing yards on 3 carries (including a 42-yarder on a lateral) and added a 19-yard kickoff return (he had a 34-yard scoring TD catch nullified by a penalty). Against Oregon State, he caught a game-best 7 passes for 82 yards, plus returned 2 kickoffs for 54 yards, and had a punt and a rush for 4 yards each for a total of 144 all-purpose yards on 11 plays. He was held in check at Florida State, running a reverse 20 yards, returning a kickoff 25 yards and catching a 5-yard pass. He had 226 all-purpose yards against Arizona State, including 91 yards with 2 TDs on 4 catches, 110 yards on 4 kickoff returns (a 62-yarder to open the second half set up his first TD catch on the next play), 2 punt returns for 20 yards and 2 rushes for 5 yards. He scored on 2 long plays against California, a 77?yard bomb and then an amazing 80?yard punt return (his second of the season), and had 229 all?purpose yards (105 on 4 catches, 22 on 2 kickoff returns, 22 on 2 rushes and the 80?yard punt runback). He scored twice at Washington State (on a 26-yard reverse and a 13-yard catch) despite getting just 87 all-purpose yards (including 45 yards on 3 catches). He was throttled at Oregon, catching just 3 passes for 9 yards and returning a kickoff 10 yards, and versus Washington, with just a 16-yard catch and 8-yard punt return. After returning the opening kickoff 36 yards at Stanford, he caught a 22-yard pass on the game's third play but sprained his ankle and was sidelined the rest of the day. He didn't practice the 2 weeks leading up to the UCLA game because of a severe ankle sprain and saw limited action against the Bruins, catching 3 passes for 22 yards. He had game highs in catches and receiving yards (7 for 124 yards) against Notre Dame, and also returned a punt 16 yards and ran 3 yards on a reverse. In the Sun Bowl against TCU, he caught a game-high 6 passes for 64 yards, plus returned 3 kickoffs for 52 yards and ran a reverse for 1 yard.
1997: As a starting wide receiver and return specialist in 1997, Soward again made quite an impact as a sophomore. Overall while starting all 11 games in 1997, he had 48 receptions (second on USC) for 831 yards (17.3 avg.) and 8 TDs. His 48 catches in 1997 tied him for 14th on USC's season pass catching list. He had 3 games with 100-plus receiving yards (California, UNLV and UCLA). He also returned 15 kickoffs for a 26.3 average (to rank 13th in the nation and third in the Pac-10) with 1 TD and 5 punts for a 7.4 average. And he carried the ball 6 times on reverses for 101 yards (16.8 avg.) with 2 TDs. He led USC in 9 statistical categories: receiving yards (831), receiving average (17.3), receiving touchdowns (8), total TDs (11), rushing average (16.8), kickoff returns (15), kickoff return yardage (394), kickoff return average (26.3) and kickoff return TDs (1). He averaged 1 touchdown every 6.7 times he touched the ball in 1997 (11 TDs on 74 plays) and the distance of his TDs averaged 45.5 yards (500 yards). He made the 1997 All-Pac-10 second team as an all-purpose player. He missed the last half of 1997 spring practice because of a dislocated finger on his left hand.
In the 1997 opener against Florida State, he caught 4 passes for 48 yards. Then against Washington State, he returned the second half kickoff 95 yards for a TD (the third of his career--halfway to Trojan Anthony Davis' NCAA career mark of 6--and his second versus the Cougars), plus he also caught 4 passes for 37 yards, returned 2 punts for 7 yards and ran 8 yards on a reverse. He caught 2 spectacular TD passes at California (a 33-yarder as he spun out of the grasp of a defender and raced down the sideline and a 65-yard bomb over 2 defenders, he almost had a third TD catch, as he was stopped on the 1-yard line after a 25-yard grab), on the day, he caught a then-career-best 7 passes for 148 yards (both game highs) and returned 2 kickoffs for 29 yards. He caught a pair of fourth-quarter TDs (44 and 78 yards)--the second which proved to be the decisive points--against UNLV and finished with 5 grabs for a game-best 167 yards (he also returned a kickoff 15 yards). He was limited to just 2 catches for 19 yards and a 21-yard kickoff return at Arizona State. He grabbed an 8-yard TD pass at Notre Dame and overall had 3 catches for 46 yards, plus returned a kickoff 14 yards and ran a reverse 17 yards. He scored a 13-yard TD on a run off a reverse against Oregon and also caught 3 passes for 35 yards and returned both a kickoff (16 yards) and punt (8 yards). He was held without a catch at Washington, but returned a pair of kickoffs for 53 yards (including a 37-yarder) before suffering a mild concussion early in the second half and being sidelined. He bounced back in a big way against Stanford, catching a career-best 8 passes for 81 yards, including a 30-yard TD, and ran twice on reverses (once for a 23-yard TD and the other went 39 yards to set up a score), he also returned a kickoff 38 yards. At Oregon State, he caught 4 passes for 69 yards--including a 31-yard TD--returned 2 punts for 22 yards and had 1 carry for 1 yard. He equalled his career high with 8 catches for 181 yards against UCLA, including an 80-yard TD on USC's first offensive play (it was the longest Trojan reception of 1997), and returned 2 kickoffs for 54 yards. For the second year in a row, he was named USC's Player of the Game versus UCLA.
1996: As a wide receiver and kickoff returner, Soward turned out to be USC's big-play threat in 1996 as just a first-year freshman. He averaged a TD every 4.7 times he touched the ball in 1996 (7 TDs on 33 plays) and his TDs went an average of 66 yards each (463 yards). He was a 1996 All-Pac-10 honorable mention pick.
As an often-used backup wide receiver (he even started at Washington State) who appeared in all 12 games, he made 18 receptions for 507 yards (team-best 28.2 avg.) with 5 TDs in 1996. He entered the USC and Pac-10 record books on the receiving end of the longest offensive play (pass or run) in Trojan history and the longest pass completion in Pac-10 history when he caught a 97-yard TD bomb from Matt Koffler at Illinois. He had a then-personal-best 4 catches at Stanford for a game-high 77 yards, including a near-unbelievable 33-yard TD where he reached behind him to snag the ball and then zigzagged through the Cardinal defense. At UCLA the next game, he had a huge day as he caught 6 passes for 260 yards and 3 TDs (78, 60 and 19 yards). The yardage at UCLA was NCAA freshman (since broken), USC and UCLA opponent single game records, while the TDs tied the USC game mark. He was named USC's Player of the Game versus UCLA. He added 3 catches for 25 yards against Notre Dame.
He was also a dangerous kickoff returner, averaging 31.4 yards with 2 TDs on 14 runbacks (for 440 yards)--all team highs--in 1996 (his 31.4 average would have ranked second in the U.S. and tops in the Pac-10, but at 1.1 returns per game, he was just shy of the necessary 1.2 needed to qualify). He came up big at Arizona State, returning a fourth-quarter kickoff 98 yards for a TD (USC's first scoring kickoff return since Curtis Conway went 95 yards at ASU in 1992 and its longest since Anthony Davis went 102 yards versus Notre Dame in 1974). In the next game, at Washington State, he ran another kickoff back for a 78-yard TD (the first scoring kickoff return versus WSU in 4 years and the first time that a Trojan had more than 1 kickoff return for a TD in a season since Davis had 3 in 1974). That WSU outing helped him win Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He also had a 56-yard non-scoring runback at Houston and a 49-yarder versus Notre Dame. He also had 1 punt return for minus 1 yard.
HIGH SCHOOL: He made the 1995 Super Prep All-American, Bluechip All-American, Super Prep All-Farwest, Bluechip All-Western, Student Sports All-West Coast, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Cal-Hi Sports All-State, All-CIF Southern Section, All-CIF Division I, Los Angeles Times All-Inland Empire first team (as a wide receiver) and second team (as a defensive back), Daily Bulletin All-Inland Valley, San Bernardino Sun All-San Bernardino County and All-Citrus Belt League as a senior at Fontana (Calif.) High. He had 32 receptions for 712 yards (22.3 avg.) with 10 TDs in 1995, plus 28 carries for 277 yards (9.9 avg.) with 2 TDs. On defense, he made 35 tackles, 8 deflections, 4 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery in 1995. Fontana was 11-1 in 1995.
As a junior in 1994 at Eisenhower High in Rialto (Calif.), he was named to the Cal-Hi Sports All-State Junior, All-CIF Division I, Daily Bulletin All-Inland Valley, San Bernardino Sun All-San Bernardino County and All-Citrus Belt League squads while grabbing 20 passes (10 for TDs).
He made won All-Citrus Belt League honors as a 1993 sophomore at Eisenhower, which went 14-0, won the CIF Division I title (Soward scored 2 TDs in the game) and was ranked No. 2 nationally (No. 1 in California).
He also played basketball (winning All-Citrus Belt League notice) and was a sprinter on the track team as a prepster (he was a finalist in the state 100 and 400 meters, with bests of 10.34 in the 100 meters, 21.7 in the 200 meters, and 49.5 in the 400 meters).
PERSONAL: He's a history major at USC. His real first name is Rodney. His brother, Marcus, was a defensive back at Arizona State (1992-95). His father, Rodney Sr., played high school football with ex-USC All-American and NFL All-Pro safety Ronnie Lott, and he also ran track. Soward's sports hero is ex-USC All-American and NFL No. 1 draft pick wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson.
WHAT OTHERS SAY...
UCLA head coach Bob Toledo: "I know he's still young, but I hope that guy turns pro. He's that good."
Former Notre Dame 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."
Washington State head coach Mike Price: "Soward is a super 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."
Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder: "He really captured our attention. What a big playmaker he is. He is so fast and has quick feet."
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."
Scott Wolf, Los Angeles Daily News: "Soward is a high-energy combination, a player who can move his tongue and legs just as fast as the loquacious Johnson."
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."
Scott M. Reid, Orange County Register: "Soward already has torn such a path through the Pac-10 that he has established himself as simply the most dangerous and exciting player in the conference...He is a lethal package of raw, explosive speed, hyperactive energy and pure joy, a combination that when turned loose borders on chaos as his legs--and mouth--run wild through opposing secondaries."
Broderick Turner, San Gabriel Valley News: "Motormouth. Yes, R. Jay Soward owns up to that. The mouth that roars. OK, he admits that's him, too. On and off the field, during practice and in games, at film sessions and just jiving with friends, Soward will talk and talk and talk...He has exploded on the college football landscape in dynamic fashion...Soward is the real deal. His feet are as fast as his mouth." Cindy Rhodes, Riverside Press-Enterprise: "Soward is the Trojans' talented and talkative wide receiver...a big-play receiver with breakaway speed who is even more dangerous when he returns kicks. And if it is humanly possible, Soward's tongue is faster than his feet."
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 offensive coordinator Hue Jackson: "He's a terrific kid, great to be around, so much enthusiasm. He brings a lot to our offense, not only with the way he plays, but with his personal charisma. He might come off as being cocky, but it's a good cocky. It's enthusiasm. Obviously, he's blessed with some God-given abilities not many people have. He's special."
Former USC wide receivers coach Mike Sanford: "He's a play-maker. He has the hands to go with his great speed and cutting ability. I kind of compare him to (ex-USC All-American wide receiver and NFL first round pick) Curtis Conway. He'll make a lot of big plays here before he's done."
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."
USC quarterback-linebacker John Fox: "With R. Jay, it's just throw him the ball and watch him go."
Former USC defensive tackle and NFL first round pick Darrell Russell: "R. Jay's a talkative person, but he's a hungry person. He has the attitude everyone needs. He's always hyper and ready to play. I think he's going to be a serious leader on this team."
Former USC cornerback Brian Kelly: "He'll run by you in a flash. With the talent he has, he's dangerous...He's already starting to get the attention Keyshawn Johnson and Curtis Conway got...I like his talking because I know he is not trying to do anything but have fun. That's just his nature. He's just hyper...We'll have a walk-through and he's loud. He's just an energetic guy. If he was throwing newspapers on the doorstep every day, he'd be loud at that, too. He's just hyper, all day long...If he was just talking and not really doing anything, we'd probably tell him to be quiet. But he's playing great, so we just let him talk."
Former USC safety Darnell Lacy: "He's never at a loss for words, that's for sure. But if he wasn't like that, he wouldn't be R. Jay. And everybody loves him for that...You learn to never get into it with him. After a while, you just give in. He'll always out-talk me. But if I can cover him in practice, I know there aren't too many people I can't cover."
His father, Rodney: "He doesn't mean to offend anyone with his talking. He just talks, not to be offensive but to be confident. I was a talker when I played. That's how he grew up...Even as a little kid, he was confident. When he talks, that's confidence, not boasting or bragging...My son is almost a clone of me. Him talking and stuff, I have to admit, he comes by it honestly...Sometimes I tell my wife, 'I don't understand him,' and she says, 'He's just like you.'...I get a lot of flak at work because I say the same things he does...Sports gave R. Jay structure. They occupied his time and his mind. It taught him the basic concepts of life. To have responsibility and work with others. To do your part for the team...R. Jay always knew that my expectations of him were to hold up his end on the field, to function at your position. When it's time to play ball, we take it serious. He's a product of a football fanatical family. I'd bring home tapes of Gale Sayers, O.J. Simpson, whoever. If we weren't watching football, we were playing it...R. Jay was a little hard on himself (when he was suspended for the 1998 opener). I know that he felt that what he did was against everything I stood for: responsibility, commitment and taking care of business. But I understand that even as a man, you make mistakes."
His mother, Vangie: "He's a motivator. He's very loud, he talks a lot and can get people's attention. I told him he needed to take a more vocal role on the team. He's a very positive person. You can feel it when he talks."
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | KOR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 18 | 507 | 28.2 | 5 | 97 | 14 | 440 | 31.4 | 2 | 98 |
| 1997 (So.) | 48 | 831 | 17.3 | 8 | 80 | 15 | 394 | 26.3 | 1 | 95 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 44 | 679 | 15.4 | 6 | 77 | 16 | 344 | 21.5 | 0 | 62 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 51 | 655 | 12.8 | 4 | 64 | 11 | 236 | 21.5 | 0 | 36 |
| CAREER | 161 | 2672 | 16.6 | 23 | 97 | 56 | 1414 | 25.3 | 3 | 98 |
| Year | PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 5 | 37 | 7.4 | 0 | 17 | 6 | 101 | 16.8 | 2 | 39 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 7 | 202 | 28.9 | 2 | 80 | 12 | 150 | 12.5 | 1 | 42 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 18 | 218 | 12.1 | 1 | 85 | 9 | 89 | 9.0 | 0 | 31 |
| CAREER | 31 | 356 | 11.5 | 3 | 85 | 27 | 340 | 12.6 | 3 | 42 |
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAREER | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH R. JAY SOWARD
1999
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | KOR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Hawaii* | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 |
| San Diego St.* | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon* | 12 | 148 | 12.3 | 1 | 24 | 3 | 81 | 27.0 | 0 | 29 |
| Oregon State* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 |
| Arizona* | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 31 | 31.0 | 0 | 31 |
| Notre Dame* | 10 | 101 | 10.1 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 54 | 27.0 | 0 | 36 |
| Stanford* | 5 | 92 | 18.4 | 1 | 64 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 |
| Arizona State* | 7 | 58 | 8.3 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 0 | 22 |
| Wash. State* | 3 | 59 | 19.7 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 |
| UCLA | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| La. Tech | 3 | 74 | 24.7 | 1 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 51 | 655 | 12.8 | 4 | 64 | 11 | 236 | 21.5 | 0 | 36 |
| Year | PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Hawaii* | 3 | 30 | 10.0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 0 | 20 |
| San Diego St.* 2 | 44 | 22.0 | 0 | 38 | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 0 | -1 | |
| Oregon* | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 0 | 2 |
| Oregon State* | 3 | 92 | 30.7 | 1 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame* | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 0 | 15 |
| Stanford* | 1 | -4 | -4.0 | 0 | -4 | 1 | -3 | -3.0 | 0 | -3 |
| Arizona State* | 2 | -1 | -0.5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wash. State* | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| UCLA | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| La. Tech | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 0 | 31 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 18 | 218 | 12.1 | 1 | 85 | 9 | 89 | 9.0 | 0 | 31 |
1998
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | KOR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| San Diego St.* | 4 | 94 | 23.5 | 2 | 53 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 0 | 19 |
| Oregon State* | 7 | 82 | 11.7 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 54 | 27.0 | 0 | 37 |
| Florida State* | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 | 0 | 25 |
| Arizona State* | 4 | 91 | 22.8 | 2 | 26 | 4 | 110 | 27.5 | 0 | 62 |
| California* | 4 | 105 | 26.3 | 1 | 77 | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 |
| Wash. State* | 3 | 45 | 15.0 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 |
| Oregon* | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 |
| Washington* | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford* | 1 | 22 | 22.0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 36 | 36.0 | 0 | 36 |
| UCLA | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame* | 7 | 124 | 17.7 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| TCU (Sun)* | 6 | 64 | 10.7 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 52 | 17.3 | 0 | 20 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 44 | 679 | 15.4 | 6 | 77 | 16 | 344 | 21.5 | 0 | 62 |
| Year | PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| San Diego St.* | 1 | 74 | 74.0 | 1 | 74 | 3 | 69 | 23.0 | 0 | 42 |
| Oregon State* | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Florida State* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 0 | 20 |
| Arizona State* | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 0 | 3 |
| California* | 1 | 80 | 80.0 | 1 | 80 | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 21 |
| Wash. State* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 | 1 | 26 |
| Washingon* | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame* | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 |
| TCU (Sun)* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 7 | 202 | 28.9 | 2 | 80 | 12 | 150 | 12.5 | 1 | 42 |
1997
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | KOR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Florida State* | 4 | 48 | 12.0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 0 | 18 |
| Wash. St.* | 4 | 37 | 9.3 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 136 | 45.3 | 1 | 95 |
| California* | 7 | 148 | 21.1 | 2 | 65 | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 0 | 21 |
| UNLV* | 5 | 167 | 33.4 | 2 | 78 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 |
| Arizona State* | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 0 | 21 |
| Notre Dame* | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 1 | 31 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 |
| Oregon* | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 |
| Washington* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 53 | 52.5 | 0 | 37 |
| Stanford* | 8 | 81 | 10.1 | 1 | 39 | 1 | 38 | 38.0 | 0 | 38 |
| Oregon State* | 4 | 69 | 17.3 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| UCLA* | 8 | 181 | 22.6 | 1 | 80 | 2 | 54 | 17.0 | 0 | 27 |
| 1997 (So.) | 48 | 831 | 17.3 | 8 | 80 | 15 | 394 | 26.3 | 1 | 95 |
| Year | PR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Wash. St.* | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 |
| Notre Dame* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 0 | 17 |
| Oregon* | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 1 | 13 |
| Stanford* | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 62 | 31.0 | 1 | 39 |
| Oregon State* | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1997 (So.) | 5 | 37 | 7.4 | 0 | 17 | 6 | 101 | 16.8 | 2 | 39 |
1996
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | KOR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Illinois | 1 | 97 | 97.0 | 1 | 97 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon State | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 33 | 16.5 | 0 | 21 |
| Houston | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 56 | 56.0 | 0 | 56 |
| California | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 | 0 | 24 |
| Arizona State | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 118 | 59.0 | 1 | 98 |
| Wash. State* | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 92 | 30.7 | 1 | 78 |
| Stanford | 4 | 77 | 19.3 | 1 | 33 | 3 | 61 | 20.3 | 0 | 24 |
| UCLA | 6 | 260 | 43.3 | 3 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 56 | 28.0 | 0 | 49 |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 18 | 507 | 28.2 | 5 | 97 | 14 | 440 | 31.4 | 2 | 98 |
* - Starter
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. | Louisiana Tech | 1999 |
| 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 |
84 - PAT SWANSON
Tight End/Snapper
6-4, 235, Sr./Sr.
1999: Swanson was USC's snapper on all punts and placekicks for his third consecutive year as a senior in 1999 and also was a backup tight end behind Antoine Harris. Overall in 1999 while appearing in all 12 games, he made 5 cathces for 75 yards (15.0 avg.) and had 3 tackles. He had 2 catches for 37 yards at Oregon (including a 32-yarder) and caught a 26-yard pass at California.
1998: Swanson was USC's snapper on all punts and placekicks for his second year in a row as a junior in 1998 and he did so without a miscue. He also was a reserve tight end. Overall in 1998 while appearing in all 13 games, he made 3 tackles and recovered a fumble (against Oregon State, leading to a field goal in the third quarter which put USC ahead for good).
1997: After transferring from Fullerton College, Swanson was USC's snapper on all punts and placekicks as a sophomore in 1997 and he performed without a flaw. He made 1 tackle (at Arizona State). He was also available as a tight end, but did not see action there.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: He caught 6 passes for 140 yards (23.3 avg.) and 2 TDs as a part-time starting freshman tight end in 1996 at Fullerton (Calif.) College. He also was the long snapper.
HIGH SCHOOL: He earned 1995 Los Angeles Times All-Orange County second team, Orange County Register All-Orange County second team and All-Sunset League first team honors as a senior at Esperanza High in Anaheim (Calif.). He caught 43 passes for 763 yards (17.7 avg.) and 10 TDs as a tight end in 1995 and also did the long snapping.
As a 1994 junior, he started at linebacker until dislocating his shoulder in midseason and being sidelined. Current Trojan Nate Steinbacher also attended Esperanza.
He also was on Esperanza's track team, earning 1996 All-State, Los Angeles Times All-Orange County, Orange County Register All-Orange County and All-Sunset League acclaim as a 110-meter high hurdler (with a best of 13.9). He also ran the 300-meter intermediate hurdles (with a best of 38.45) and competed in the decathlon (winning the 1996 U.S. Visa Gold championship).
PERSONAL: He's a business administration major at USC with a B- average (2.73 GPA). He likes to hunt and fish in his spare time. His father, Mike, was a middle linebacker, center and long snapper for UCLA in the mid-1960s.
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| 1997 (So.) | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0/0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 5 | 75 | 15.0 | 0 | 32 | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| CAREER | 5 | 75 | 15.0 | 0 | 32 | 4 | 0/0 | 1 | 1 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH PAT SWANSON
1999
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| San Diego St. | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon | 2 | 37 | 18.5 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| California | 1 | 26 | 26.0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wash. State | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| La. Tech | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.)... | 5 | 75 | 15.0 | 0 | 32 | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
1998
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Oregon State | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| California | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wash. State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (So.) | 3 | 0/0 | 1 | 1 |
1997
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Arizona State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (Fr.)... | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
57 - AARON WILLIAMS
Defensive Tackle
6-3, 280, Sr.*/Sr.
1999: Williams backed up Ryan Nielsen at a defensive tackle spot as a senior in 1999. He started for Nielsen against Stanford. Overall in 1999 while appearing in 10 games (all but the Oregon State and Washington State contests), he made 26 tackles, including 3 sacks for minus 11 yards, 4 deflections and 1 forced fumble (at Notre Dame). He had 7 tackles at Oregon, 5 at California, and 3 each at Hawaii (with 2 deflections) and Notre Dame (with a forced fumble). He was slowed in the pre-season by a right ankle sprain, missed the Oregon State game with a strained right Achilles and missed the Washington State game with a neck sprain suffered against Arizona State.
1998: Williams started 5 late-season games (California, Washington State, Oregon, UCLA and Notre Dame) at defensive tackle as a junior in 1998 and was a key backup the rest of the time. Overall in 1998 while appearing in 11 games, he made 44 tackles, including 9 for losses of 11 yards (with a 1-yard sack), plus had a team-high 4 fumble recoveries (with a TD), 2 forced fumbles and 1 deflection. He got his big chance when starter Marc Matock broke his ankle against Arizona State and he played well while filling in. He had a big impact at Stanford (he was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week) as he recovered 2 fumbles (returning 1 for an 18-yard TD and forcing the other). He then posted a game-best 11 tackles (2 for losses) at UCLA. Earlier, he had 6 stops against Arizona State, California and Oregon. He missed the Washington game with a neck sprain, he was limited against Notre Dame after spraining his ankle in the game and he did not play against TCU in the Sun Bowl because of that injury. He won USC's Bob Chandler Award (for the underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character).
1997: Williams backed up George Perry at a defensive end spot and also was available to play defensive tackle as a sophomore in 1997. Overall while appearing in all 11 games in 1997, he made 15 tackles, including 3 for losses of 8 yards, and had 1 deflection. He had 4 tackles (2 for losses) against UCLA, 3 stops at Washington and 2 at Oregon State. He missed part of 1997 spring practice because of a hip strain.
1996: As a redshirt freshman in 1996, Williams was effective as an often-used backup defensive end. He even started at Washington State for an injured Cedric Jefferson. He missed USC's first 2 games (Penn State and Illinois) after spraining his left ankle in pre-season practice and he did not play at Houston. Overall in 1996 while appearing in 9 games, he had 19 tackles, including 5 for losses of minus 23 yards (with 4 sacks for minus 22 yards), and recovered a fumble (against Washington). He had 6 stops (2 for losses) at Arizona State and 4 versus Oregon State. He was moved to defensive end (from linebacker) prior to the start of 1996 spring practice.
1995: Williams redshirted as a freshman linebacker in 1995, his first year at USC.
HIGH SCHOOL: His 1994 honors included Super Prep All-American, College Sports All-American, Super Prep All-Farwest, Blue Chip All-Western, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West second team, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Student Sports All-State second team, Long Beach Press-Telegram All-State, All-CIF Southern Section first team, All-CIF Division II first team, Los Angeles Times All-South Bay first team, South Bay Daily Breeze All-Area first team, and All-Bay League Defensive MVP as a senior at Leuzinger High in Lawndale (Calif.). He averaged 10 tackles a game on defense in 1994 (he had 8 sacks) and ran for 1,029 yards with 16 TDs as a fullback. Leuzinger went 9-2-1 in 1994.
As a 1993 junior, he made the Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass, All-CIF Division III, Los Angeles Times All-South Bay, and South Bay Daily Breeze All-Area first teams, and was the All-Bay League Defensive MVP while making 88 tackles (8 stops per game) and 1 interception on defense and catching 14 passes for 380 yards (27.1 avg.) and 3 TDs as a tight end.
He averaged 4 tackles and had 15 catches as a 1992 sophomore while earning 1992 All-Bay League second team honors. He was a 3-year starter. He also played on the basketball and track (with a best of 171-2 in the discus throw and 55-0 in the shot put) teams at Leuzinger.
PERSONAL: He's an economics major at USC. In the spring of 1997, he was selected to participate in the NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference in Florida, where 300-plus student-athletes gathered to discuss solutions to critical issues facing the nation's student-athletes. He likes to write poetry. His sports hero is Junior Seau.
WHAT OTHERS SAY...
USC offensive tackle Brent McCaffrey: "Aaron's perfect for the style of defense we have. It's tough to play against him in practice. He's awesome. He gives me fits every day in practice. He does a great job attacking because he's so aggressive. He reads offensive linemen so well. Other guys see him give 110 percent all the time. It makes you pick up your own level of play."
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 19 | 5/23 | 0 | 1 |
| 1997 (So.) | 15 | 3/8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 44 | 9/11 | 1 | 4* |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 26 | 3/11 | 4 | 0 |
| CAREER | 104 | 20/53 | 6 | 5* |
* - Includes 1 for a touchdown
GAME-BY-GAME WITH AARON WILLIAMS
1999
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Hawaii | 3 | 0/0 | 2 | 0 |
| San Diego St. | 0 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
| Oregon | 7 | 1/6 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford* | 2 | 1/0 | 0 | 0 |
| California | 5 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| UCLA | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| La. Tech | 2 | 1/5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 (Sr.) | 26 | 3/11 | 4 | 0 |
1998
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Purdue | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| San Diego St. | 1 | 1/1 | 0 | 1 |
| Florida State | 3 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona State* | 6 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 |
| California* | 6 | 1/1 | 1 | 0 |
| Oregon* | 6 | 2/4 | 0 | 1 |
| Stanford | 2 | 1/1 | 0 | 2 |
| UCLA* | 11 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame* | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 (Jr.) | 44 | 9/11 | 1 | 4 |
1997
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Florida State | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wash. St. | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNLV | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Notre Dame | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon | 1 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford | 1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oregon State | 2 | 0/0 | 1 | 0 |
| UCLA | 4 | 2/6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 15 | 3/8 | 1 | 0 |
1996
| Year | TAC | LS/YDS | DFL | FR |
| Oregon State | 4 | 1/4 | 0 | 0 |
| California | 2 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona | 2 | 1/10 | 0 | 0 |
| Arizona State | 6 | 2/2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wash. State* | 2 | 1/1 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 |
| UCLA | 3 | 1/6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 19 | 5/23 | 0 | 1 |
* - Starter
9 - QUINCY WOODS
Wide Receiver/Quarterback
6-1, 180, Sr.*/Sr.
1999: Woods, a one-time quarterback, was not with the Trojans as a senior in 1999, but did take classes at USC. He missed the last half of 1999 spring practice because of academic issues.
1998: Woods, who was moved from quarterback in 1998 fall practice, was a reserve wide receiver as a junior in 1998. He saw limited action in 2 games in 1998 (Arizona State and UCLA), but did not catch a pass. He missed the Washington State and Oregon games with a sprained knee. After the end of the regular season, he had surgery on his right knee to remove bone chips (he did not make the Sun Bowl trip while recuperating).
1997: Woods was a reserve quarterback as a sophomore in 1997. He also saw some action early in the season as a wide receiver (but didn't catch a pass). Overall while appearing in 5 games (Arizona State, Washington, Stanford and Oregon State) in 1997, he completed 4-of-9 passes (44.4%) for 22 yards with 1 interception. He also gained 24 yards running on 5 quarterback keepers (4.8 avg.).
1996: Woods appeared in 2 games as a redshirt freshman reserve in 1996. He was in for a series at the end of the Illinois game and led USC to a TD (he completed his only pass attempt, a 24-yarder) and for a series in the second quarter against Notre Dame when Brad Otton was injured (he was 0-of-2 passing).
1995: Woods redshirted as a freshman quarterback in 1995, his first year at USC.
HIGH SCHOOL: He was a 1994 Parade All-American, Super Prep All-American, Blue Chip All-American, College Sports All-American, Schutt Scholastic Coach All-American, USA Today All-USA honorable mention, Dallas Morning News National Top 100, Super Prep All-Midwest, Blue Chip All-Midwest, Detroit Free Press Best of the Midwest, Gatorade Circle of Champions Illinois MVP, Chicago Tribune All-State first team, and Chicago Area MVP as a senior at Rich East High in Park Forest (Ill.). He passed for 2,240 yards and 22 TDs with just 8 interceptions in 1994 while rushing for 700-plus yards and 7 scores.
As a 1993 junior, he threw for 2,395 yards and ran for 788 yards while scoring 13 TDs. He was a 3-year starter.
PERSONAL: He's a sociology major at USC. His brother, Pee Wee, was a cornerback at Oklahoma. His sports hero is Deion Sanders.
| Year | PA | PC | PI | PCT | YDS | TD | LG | TCB | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 3 | 1 | 0 | .333 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 (So.) | 9 | 4 | 1 | .444 | 22 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 24 | 4.8 | 0 | 14 |
| CAREER | 12 | 5 | 1 | .417 | 46 | 0 | 24 | 5 | 24 | 4.8 | 0 | 14 |
GAME-BY-GAME WITH QUINCY WOODS
1997
| Year | PA | PC | PI | PCT | YDS | TD | LG |
| Arizona State | 3 | 1 | 0 | .333 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Washington | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Stanford | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Oregon State | 3 | 1 | 0 | .333 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1997 (So.) | 9 | 4 | 1 | .444 | 22 | 0 | 10 |
1996
| Year | PA | PC | PI | PCT | YDS | TD | LG |
| Illinois | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 24 | 0 | 24 |
| Notre Dame | 2 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 (Fr.) | 3 | 1 | 0 | .333 | 24 | 0 | 24 |
