University Southern California Trojans
Trojan Talk: News From Inside Heritage Hall
February 1998
From the Director
Shortly after he started work as our new football coach, Paul Hackett met with the players for the first time. He gave them notebooks and pencils.
"Keep these with you all the time," he said. "You won't remember everything we tell you unless you write it down. To play football well, you have to be a good student."
If our players pay attention-and I think they will-they will learn a lot in the next few months, because our new coach is a great teacher.
In his insistence on the importance of every detail, Paul reminds me of my old coach, John McKay, who was a great teacher, too.
"There's nothing mysterious about developing a good football team," McKay said once, "because coaching is nothing more than teaching. A man can be a great athlete, but if he doesn't learn the right techniques, he won't fulfill his potential."
I think Paul Hackett and his staff will teach our players those techniques-whether it's blocking, tackling, passing, catching or kicking.
Another quality I admire in Paul is the sense of urgency he imparts to his players, which is so important to a football team. Paul believes that you treat every play in the game like it's the only play. He won't tolerate anyone who "takes a play off." He will demand excellence, which is the first step toward getting excellence.
As all of you get to know Paul Hackett, either in person or through the news media, I think you will feel that air of urgency, too. Being around him is exciting.
I'm already looking forward to spring practice.
- Mike Garrett
Hackett Plunges Into Recruiting, Starts Building His Coaching Staff
Three days after the Kansas City Chiefs-his former employer-lost to the Denver Broncos in an NFL Divisional Playoff Game, new football coach Paul Hackett was hard at work at USC.
With February 4, the first signing day for football, less than a month away, Hackett's first priority was recruiting, and he immediately started meeting with top high school players.
Even before he arrived, however, Hackett (named USC coach Dec. 17) began the process of hiring assistants so he could send them on the recruiting trail, too. By presstime, he had retained or hired a total of seven coaches and planned to hire two more.
From John Robinson's staff, Hackett kept offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, wide receiver coach Mike Wilson and cornerback coach Dennis Thurman. In addition, he hired Ed Orgeron from Syracuse, Larry Petroff from Ohio State, Shawn Slocum from Texas A&M and Bill Young, most recently at Oklahoma.
Jackson will serve as offensive coordinator while Young will be defensive coordinator. The rest of the defensive staff will include Orgeron (defensive line), Slocum (linebackers) and Thurman (secondary). Slocum will also be special teams coordinator and Petroff will be recruiting coordinator. Specific offensive coaching positions will be announced after the final two offensive coaches are hired.
Young, 51, has 12 years of experience as a defensive coordinator, including eight at Ohio State (1988-95), where he also coached defensive tackles. Three of his last five units led the Big Ten in scoring defense. In 1996-97, he was defensive coordinator and defensive tackles coach at Oklahoma. In his other college jobs, Young coached at Oklahoma State (1976-78), Iowa State (1979) and Tulsa (1980-84), serving as defensive coordinator his last two years there.
The 36-year-old Orgeron's career has included four years as defensive line coach at Miami (1989-92), years in which the Hurricanes won two national championships and he coached eight All-Americans. He also served as a graduate assistant at Miami in 1988. After leaving Miami, Orgeron spent a year as linebackers coach at Nicholls State (1994) and three years as defensive line coach at Syracuse (1995-97).
Petroff, 47, was Ohio State's recruiting coordinator in 1993 and the Buckeyes' director of football operations from 1994-97. He also served as recruiting coordinator at Pittsburgh (1990-92, when Hackett was head coach there), Illinois (1987), Northwestern (1988) and Purdue (1989).
Slocum, 32, spent the last seven years (1991-97) as an assistant at Texas A&M, coaching tight ends for three years and outside linebackers the last four. He also coached special teams the last six seasons. At Texas A&M he worked under his father, head coach R.C. Slocum. He also worked with the defense as a graduate assistant at Pittsburgh in 1990 when Hackett was head coach there.
What They're Saying About Paul Hackett
Paul Hackett has a long history of success in college and professional football. Here are comments from just a few of the players and coaches who have worked with him over the years:
Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh: "If there was to be a change at USC, I can't think of a better hire than this one. This is a very, very bright, if not brilliant, football coach. He's the best young mind I've ever worked with. He understands offenses in a way few do.
"As bright a star as Paul has been, he would not have been as good a head coach for USC right now had he not been through the wars and paid the price [in his last three jobs] at Dallas, the University of Pittsburgh and Kansas City. That seasoning was critical. Paul is just a great choice for USC."
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Marty Schottenheimer: "You talk about a guy who's committed to his job, who's committed to putting in the time to be successful and make things run smoothly-that's what Paul Hackett is all about. He came in here, and I had to look at myself and say, 'Are you working hard enough?'"
Chiefs quarterback Rich Gannon: "His attention to detail is unbelievable. Some offensive coordinators care about the passing game or the running game and don't have much idea what's going on in other parts of the offense. But Paul is totally aware of blocking schemes, footwork, the run, the pass, the whole deal. It's a pleasure watching him work."
Former 49ers and Chiefs quarterback Joe Montana: "The thing that Paul spends a lot of time on is detail, probably more so than anybody I have been associated with. It's constant, constant. Everything you do is scrutinized, from little handoff drills to footwork in passing. He drills and drills and tests and really prepares you well."
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Tom Tumulty, who played for Hackett at Pittsburgh: "The guy has a genius mind for offense, but I knew him and loved him as a head coach. If I had the chance to tell the parents of USC players what they're getting, it's a guy who will make sure their sons leave with a degree, a guy who will really take care of them. They said he couldn't recruit at Pitt, but there are five or six guys just from my class in the NFL right now."
49ers offensive line coach Bobb McKittrick, who served as an assistant with Hackett: "Paul will take a college quarterback, work with him a couple of years, and he will be an NFL quarterback-guaranteed."
Buffalo Bills quarterback Alex Van Pelt, who played for Hackett at Pittsburgh: "I know one thing already: USC is going to have a great offense. My success is all because of Paul Hackett. I think he's the guru of footwork, something that's very important in the offense he runs because of its timing and rhythm.
"He's very much the teacher, and, working with him for four years, we giggled at the end because he would be teaching the same simple play as if he had never gone over it before. But that's how much emphasis he places on fundamentals."
Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis, also a 49ers assistant with Hackett: "He's very thorough, very organized, quite a perfectionist. He demands everything from his players. He's a tireless worker, loves the game and works his rear off.. He doesn't have many hobbies-football's his world."
Former USC and NFL quarterback Paul McDonald: "Hiring Paul is a huge coup for USC. He understands USC. He puts a tremendous amount of pressure on himself to win every time out, and that's what he's going to demand from the USC team. I think one thing he can do at USC is instill in the players the way it used to be."
Renovation of Women's Locker Room Begins as Campaign Raises $55,000
The campaign to improve the women's locker room has been a big success. By presstime, the Athletic Department had raised $55,000 and had begun construction in the area that houses five women's teams-basketball, rowing, soccer, track and volleyball.
"There's clearly a big improvement already," said assistant athletic director Cameron Smith, director of the campaign. "It's not a dungeon anymore.
"Our remaining goal is to raise another $10,000 to make sure we can complete all of the work we have planned."
When the renovation is complete, the department will have installed new lockers, cabinets, countertops, carpets and furniture, upgraded the bathrooms, improved the lighting, painted the walls and added displays that will highlight USC's great heritage in women's sports.
Supporters who are still interested in donating to the locker room campaign should contact Smith at (213) 740-4155. For convenience donations can be made by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card).
USC/Norris Bob Chandler Courage Awards Presented at Home Football Games
Four doctor-researchers, two former patients and two donors were honored during USC home football games last season by the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital and the Bob Chandler Foundation.
The eight recipients of the USC/Norris-Bob Chandler Courage Award were honored-two each week-at the Florida State, Oregon, Stanford and UCLA games.
The awards honor USC/Norris doctors who demonstrate marked dedication to cancer research, former patients at the hospital who have displayed strength and courage, and people who fund cancer research at the hospital. Chandler, a former star USC and NFL wide receiver, died of cancer at the USC/Norris in January, 1995.
The eight awards were presented by Marilyn Chandler, Bob Chandler's widow and Executive Director of the Bob Chandler Foundation, and Dr. Peter Jones, Director of the USC/Norris. Marilyn Chandler also tossed the coin before the Stanford game, and Dr. Jones tossed the coin before the Oregon game.
Those honored included:
Florida State-Dr. Donald G. Skinner, Chairman of the Department of Urology at the USC School of Medicine and Chief of Surgery at the USC/Norris, and cancer survivor Thomas N. Fuelling.
Oregon-Dr. Alexandra Levine, Chief of the Division of Hematology at the USC School of Medicine and Medical Director of the USC/Norris, and her patient, Bob Ogle.
Stanford-Dr. Donald Feinstein, USC/Norris hematologist, Chief of Medicine at USC University Hospital and Chief of Medicine, USC/Norris Emeritus; and Ronald H. Bloom, who endows a cancer research program at the USC/Norris.
UCLA-Dr. Christy Russell, oncologist and Director of the Breast Center at the USC/Norris, and Kip Sturgeon, Executive Director, United Cancer Research Society. The UCRS has pledged and given nearly $2 million to cancer research at the USC/Norris.
With the start of a new year, the USC/Norris and the Bob Chandler Foundation are already making plans to honor other special individuals during 1998 USC home football games.
NCAA Runner-Up Water Polo Team Returns 14 of Top 16 Players
In a rebuilding season, USC's men's water polo team nearly won its first national championship last fall. As the old saying goes, wait till next year.
The Trojans will return 14 of their top 16 players, plus nine redshirt freshmen and driver Stever O'Rourke, who would have been a starter, but missed the year after suffering a broken arm when he was hit by a car.
The young Trojans, who went 21-7 for the season under the direction of co-head coaches John Williams and Jovan Vavic, surprised everyone by advancing to the NCAA Championship Game, before losing to Pepperdine 8-7 in overtime. It was the fourth time in five years USC had reached the final game.
While he's excited about next season, Williams is a realist.
"This '97 team was special," said Williams, "but next year we have to protect ourselves against falling into the trap of assuming we're going to be good. It's always difficult to recapture that special feeling.
"The two guys we lost (drivers Simun Cimerman and Mateo Juric) were great players, and the entire team has to fill in to help replace them. Our guys have to realize what it took to get to the championship game. To duplicate that, we have to have an even greater effort."
The Trojans reached the four-team NCAA Tournament by sweeping all three games in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament, despite entering it as the No. 4 seed. In order, USC defeated No. 5 seed UCLA, 8-7, No. 1 seed Pepperdine, 10-9, and No. 3 seed Stanford, 5-4, to claim the conference title for the second consecutive year.
In the NCAA semifinal in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USC defeated East Coast-champion Queens College, 14-6, before losing the rematch to Pepperdine for the national title.
For the season, junior driver Marko Pintaric led the Trojans in scoring with 63 points, while Cimerman had 42, sophomore 2-meter man James Castle had 40 and Juric had 38. Sophomore goalie Richard McEvoy made 173 saves. Cimerman earned first-team All-American honors, while Juric and Pintaric (second team) and Castle and McEvoy (third team) also received All-American honors.
The Trojans were 4-0 in matches against UCLA this season.
Young Women's Volleyball Team Excited About Future After Advancing to Sweet 16
The women's volleyball team is on a roll-and the best may be yet to come. In the last seven years, the Women of Troy, coached by Lisa Love, have won 20 or more matches six times-including this past fall when they went 23-6, reached the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament and wound up ranked ninth in the country.
"We just need to iron out the kinks and we're a great team," junior outside hitter Jennifer Kessy said after USC was eliminated by Nebraska in a tough, five-game match (13-15, 15-12, 16-14, 7-15, 12-15) in the Pacific Region semifinals. "And we'll be even better next year."
Indeed, USC returns 14 of 15 players-including eight freshmen-from this year's team, which tied for second in the Pac-10 with a 13-5 record, won both matches with UCLA and won first- and second-round NCAA matches against Morgan State and San Diego, before falling to Nebraska. It was USC's first sweep of the Bruins since 1982. Love was named Co-Pac-10 Coach of the Year (with Stanford's Don Shaw).
"Despite its youth, this team exceeded all of our expectations," Love said. "Now there's a sense that our 1998 season could be special."
Junior middle blocker Jasmina Marinkovic earned first-team All American, first-team All-District VIII and first-team All-Pac-10 honors, while Kessy was first-team All-District VIII and first-team All-Pac-10. Outside hitter Antoinette Polk was chosen Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.
Junior middle blocker Alaina Kipps, a first-year starter, set a USC season record with 151 block assists and also earned several academic honors. With her 4.0 grade-point average in psycho-biology, Kipps was a second-team Academic All-American selection and also earned first-team All-District VIII and first-team All-Pac-10 academic honors.
Women's Soccer Team Has Best Season Ever
In two seasons as coach of the women's soccer team, Jim Millinder has twice broken the USC record for victories.
His 1997 team reeled off a 16-3-1 record, went 7-2 in the Pac-10 to finish second, and wound up ranked 23rd in the country. The season had a frustrating ending, however, because the Women of Troy were not selected for the NCAA Tournament, even though they had a better winning percentage than 19 of the 32 tournament teams.
USC could be even better next fall, with nine of 11 starters coming back-and that doesn't even count Isabelle Harvey, the 1996 Pac-10 scoring champ as a freshman, who redshirted this season after knee surgery.
On the way to that 16-3-1 record, the Women of Troy set new school records for goals (61), assists (56) and points (178, first in the Pac-10), and tied another school record with six shutouts.
Sophomore midfielder Kim Clark set or tied five school records herself, including single-season and career marks for assists with 17 (first in the Pac-10) and 21, respectively. Junior forward/midfielder Courtney Barham led the team with 14 goals and now has a school-record 30 in her career. Clark added 13 goals, while freshman forward Megan Orach and sophomore forward Kaylee Whitfield each had eight. Senior Laura Badagliacco (10-1-1 record) and junior Karin Puccinelli (6-2) shared goalkeeping duties.
After the season, Millinder was honored as West Region Coach of the Year, while Clark earned third-team All-American, first-team All-West Region and first-team All-Pac-10 honors. Barham was also a first-team All-Pac-10 selection, while junior midfielder Carol Hatcher was a first-team Academic All-Pac-10 selection.
Krayzelburg Wins Twice at World Championships
Senior Lenny Krayzelburg of USC has become the first American swimmer to win both backstroke events in World Championship history.
Krayzelburg, who is ranked No. 1 in the world in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke, swam 55.0 and 1:58.84 as he won gold medals in both events in January's World Championships in Perth, Australia.
"This was my goal coming into this meet," Krayzelburg said. "I'm very happy."
Born in the U.S.S.R., Krayzelburg immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1989 and became a U.S. citizen in 1995.
"Growing up in Russia, everyone wanted to be in the U.S., and everyone looked up to the U.S.," Krayzelburg said. "So hearing the national anthem, while representing the United States and standing on top of the world, was a very special moment for me."
Future University Events
Events listed are open to all friends of USC Athletics. For more information, please call the development office at (213) 740-4155.
APRIL18 Swim With Mike McDonald's Swim Stadium, All Day 18 Men's/Women's Swimming Awards Reception Heritage Hall, University Campus 27 Paul Hackett Hawaiian Airlines Golf Classic MountainGate Country Club MAY 8 Commencement University Campus
Trojan Talk
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