University Southern California Trojans
Linebacker Says Trojans Have Come Together
September 06, 2000 | Football
Sept. 6, 2000
LOS ANGELES - There's a new direction at Southern California these days, and linebacker Zeke Moreno believes it's because the Trojans are united as a team.
"We're playing for each other, the chemistry and the attitude are far different," Moreno said Tuesday. "We're coming together, it has to be (both) offense and defense."
Moreno doesn't believe that was the case most of last season, when the Trojans lost six of their first nine games before winning their final three.
"Just frustration between the offense and defense," said Moreno, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior from Chula Vista, Calif. "A lot of people can't take criticism. The bondage between the team, it wasn't complete. We started to come together at the end, and it carried through to the winter and spring."
Moreno stressed that senior leadership has been a major factor in improving the chemistry and attitude.
"We have a lot of seniors, a lot of key seniors," he said. "I think the younger guys are starting to follow the seniors. We put our foot down. We don't haze on this team, but we're going to put you in check.
"You can see the fear in the freshmen's eyes. You either follow along, or you're going to get lost. We realize there's a time to party, a time to get serious."
The 11th-ranked Trojans were certainly serious in a season-opening 29-5 victory over Penn State in the Kickoff Classic on Aug. 27 at East Rutherford, N.J., taking command early in a dominating performance.
"Look how many players we had around each tackle," Moreno said. "There weren't that many solo tackles. That bondage, we never really celebrated and congratulated each other for a job well done last year. We have that fire now."
And, Moreno promised, the Trojans (1-0) will have that fire in their remaining 11 regular-season games, starting Saturday when they face Colorado (0-1) at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
"We've got to play like we did against Penn State, don't make any mental errors," Moreno said. "We have the same goals - shut them out, cause three turnovers, less than 100 yards rushing, less than 150 passing."
That won't be easy, considering Colorado had 29 first downs and 532 yards in a 28-24 loss to Colorado State last weekend.
"They established a good running game, they gained over 500 yards, it's a challenge for us," Moreno said.
The Trojans are coming off a bye, and have another after the Colorado game. Then, starting Sept. 23, they play 10 games in as many weeks.
"Another bye, man," Moreno said. "I'll tell you, I don't know who made up the schedule. You practice all week, you want to play Saturday. I look forward to playing Colorado."
USC coach Paul Hackett can do without the byes, too.
"I just think when you're rolling ... a bye is bad," he said. "Byes aren't things we look forward to, I don't like byes.
"We've got to crank it up and go. I would have much rather played a game, we're an exciting team. The most exciting guy on Saturday is going to be me. We've got a lot of zip on this team."
The Trojans beat Penn State handily despite the fact that Carson Palmer passed for only 87 yards. Palmer played in his first game since last Sept. 25, when he broke his right collarbone against Oregon.
"I think the big question early in the (Colorado) game is going to be are they going to stop the run and force Carson to perform, or are they going to play normal defense, which is what Penn State played," Hackett said. "I don't think Carson will have that kind of a game too many times."
By JOHN NADEL
AP Sports Writer
