University Southern California Trojans
Football Squad Gearing Up For Season-Opener
August 24, 2000 | Football
Aug. 24, 2000
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Two teams that would like to end their seasons by meeting again in the Rose Bowl open 2000 in the Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium, as No. 22 Penn State takes on No. 15 Southern California on Sunday.
After a 6-6 finish in 1999, USC is looking to contend for the Pac-10 title and in the process earn its first trip to Pasadena since 1996. The reason for the Trojans' optimism is a healthy Carson Palmer.
Palmer earned the starting quarterback job as a freshman in 1998 and led USC to an 8-5 mark. He got the Trojans off to a 2-0 start last year by completing 73.6 percent of his passes, but broke his collarbone against Oregon in the third game of the season.
Palmer was lost for the year, and the Trojans went 4-6 the rest of the way.
Palmer, a sophomore who redshirted after the injury, is slowly starting to get his feel for football back.
"I'm a little nervous because I haven't been in a game," he said. "I'm starting to feel more confident with the more reps I get and scrimmage opportunities I get. I learned a lot last year having to go through meetings and stay on the sidelines."
Senior middle linebacker Zeke Moreno, who made 108 tackles in 1999, is one of 10 returning defensive starters and will lead a Trojan defense that scored 10 touchdowns last season and led the nation with 39 takeaways.
Penn State head coach Joe Paterno needs seven victories to break Bear Bryant's Division I-A record of 323. Paterno, who has 30 bowl appearances in 34 seasons on the Nittany Lions' sideline, could have a tough time breaking Bryant's record this year, however.
Penn State lost All-Americans LaVar Arrington, Courtney Brown and Brandon Short from a defense that powered the Nittany Lions to a 10-3 mark and a 24-0 Alamo Bowl victory over Texas A&M in 1999.
Paterno also learned earlier this month that he will be without starting safety Shawn Mayer, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during practice.
"The thing that I am most concerned about is the fact that we have very, very little experience in a lot of key positions," Paterno said.
Penn State leads the all-time series with USC 4-3. The teams last met in the 1996 Kickoff Classic, with Penn State winning 24-7.
