Tuesday, August 8, 2000
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By Ed Graney Special to ESPN.com
By Ed Graney
It doesn't take long to get there. Nine pages, is all. The snapshots
change. The pose doesn't.
It's a constant reminder of how things used to be with USC football.
This year's team media guide is more an encyclopedia of the letter T, 370
pages of cardinal and gold tradition. And the pictures of four Heisman
Trophy
winners, of Allen and White and Simpson and Garrett cradling their bronzed
statues like they once did a ball crossing the goal line, arrive early for
your viewing pleasure.
"We somehow forgot about that kind of excellence," said third-year
coach
Paul Hackett. "We somehow got away from doing the things that made USC
great.
"We want to get back to that mentality, to having a physical, pounding
running game with a featured tailback."
It could mean the difference between first and second place, between the
Orange and Rose and Holiday bowl games, between playing for a national
championship and sitting home on New Year's day.
The Trojans are loaded defensively and have a healthy Carson Palmer at
quarterback, none of which will matter if someone from a mix of sophomore
Sultan McCullough, junior Malaefou MacKenzie and senior Petros Papadakis
doesn't make the running game more threat than token.
How ironic, in a time when the Pac-10 is coming off its worst season in
17
years, when the league's national perception ranks lower than Darva
Conger's,
the conference looks to its most storied program for guidance out of this
seemingly endless tunnel.
"I, for one, am glad we don't have to play USC," said Washington coach
Rick
Neuheisel, whose team is favored to contend with the Trojans for a title.
"I
don't see any weaknesses. I really don't. And I also think it's good for the
league to have a program like USC back challenging for the top spot again.
We
need that as a conference."
The mediocrity of going 1-4 in bowls last season, of having your champion
(Stanford) lose to Texas 69-17 and San Jose State 44-39, of last producing a
consensus national champion (yes, it was USC) in 1972, has Pac-10 officials
searching from Los Angeles to Seattle to Eugene for any glimmer of hope.
The brightest one seems to be Hackett's side.
There are obvious holes (some much larger than others) in all 10 teams,
but
USC appears most capable of disguising its into a break-out season.
Of being more like the USC of past than present.
"I've never been this excited about a season," said senior linebacker
Zeke
Moreno. "I came here because of what USC stood for in college football.
Finally, I think this is the year everyone sees what that is again."
It better include a running game.
Here's a closer look at the Pac-10:
ARIZONA
1999 record: 6-6, 3-5 Pac-10
Coach: Dick Tomey, 14th season, 90-58-4
Starters returning: 7 offense; 4 defense
Outlook: Arizona over the years has developed a tradition of playing
excellent defense. "That tradition took a vacation last year," Tomey said.
"We
were overrated. It was the worst job of coaching we've ever done here. We
slipped in our discipline and approach." The task is to regroup after a
season
that began with a No. 3 national ranking, but plummeted with an embarrassing
41-7 loss to Penn State. Tomey insists the lost defense will find its way
home, led by veterans Joe Tafoya (6-4, 255 senior end) and Keoni Fraser
(6-1,
282 junior tackle). The two-quarterback system of recent times is gone with
Keith Smith's departure, handing complete control to athletic senior Ortege
Jenkins. He will stand behind a veteran line (four of five starters return)
but no longer has the luxury of handing off to Trung Canidate or tossing
middle screens to Dennis Northcutt. Their replacements (Leon Callen at
running
back, Bobby Wade at receiver) are promising, but the key is Jenkins (3,777
career passing yards, 33 TDs) making correct decisions. Two years ago, the
Wildcats went 12-1 and threw 12 interceptions. Last season, they were 6-6
and
threw 13 picks. Translation: Consistency must come in the red zone.
Keep an eye on: Wade. He is equally as dangerous at cornerback and
receiver. The sophomore (5-11, 180) isn't as explosive as Northcutt yet, but
his spring game numbers (three receptions for 41 yards, interception,
83-yard
fumble return for TD) scream of big-time ability. He will also return kicks.
It's a good season if: The Wildcats finish among the league's top five or
six teams and earn a bowl berth. Jenkins is as exciting a player as the
conference has, but the odds of Arizona improving enough defensively to
challenge for anything more than six wins aren't good. And even six might be
a
stretch.
ARIZONA STATE
1999 record: 6-6, 5-3 Pac-10
Coach: Bruce Snyder, ninth season, 52-39
Starters returning: 7 offense; 5 defense
Outlook: Talent has never been an issue with Ryan Kealy, who has
completed
56 percent of his career passes. Nor is toughness a concern, witnessed by
his
returning from five knee surgeries since stepping on campus. But the senior
quarterback has struggled to control himself off the field and because of it
enters camp suspended indefinitely after an arrest on driving under the
influence. "It's a very emotional issue," Snyder said. "We have to do
what's
best for the young man now." On the field, it means (for now) making
redshirt
freshman Jeff Krohn the starter. His learning curve is benefited by one of
the
nation's best tight ends in junior Todd Heap (67 career receptions, 1,041
yards, seven TDs). "A special player," Snyder said. "One of a kind." The
running back spot vacated by J.R. Redmond is filled by senior Delvon Flowers
(5-11, 185), who can be as electric as Redmond on the field and doesn't
carry
as much baggage off it. The offensive line, an athletic bunch, returns.
Strength defensively will come from the linebackers and safeties, positions
that need to produce while an inexperienced front and two new cornerbacks
mature.
Keep an eye on: Senior linebacker Adam Archuleta (6-0, 213). He is a
former
walk-on who Snyder says "came from nothing to be a great player." Snyder
compares Archuleta most to former ASU star linebacker Pat Tillman. The
defense
has a chance to be very good late in the season, but only if Archuleta is
the
major building block.
It's a good season if: The quarterback situation sorts itself out early
and
ASU challenges for seven wins. The non-conference games (at San Diego State,
Colorado State, Utah State) are tricky but winnable, and ASU gets USC and
Washington at home. This isn't a championship team, but could be a
third-place
one with the proper breaks.
CAL
1999 record: 4-7, 3-5 Pac-10
Coach: Tom Holmoe, fourth season, 12-21
Starters returning: 8 offense; 4 defense
Outlook: Holmoe in 1999: "I like this team. I expect us to be in a bowl
game." Holmoe in 2000: "I like our chances. I know I said that last year,
but
I expect us to be in a bowl game this season." Did someone find an offense
hidden in a Berkeley coffee house and not tell everyone else? You can take
that cliche about defense winning championships and toss it off the Golden
Gate Bridge. Cal has been more stingy than most conference teams the last
two
years in terms of allowing yards and points. It has earned the Bears just
nine
wins. The trend will continue if sophomore quarterback Kyle Boller -- "The
toughest kid I've ever seen," Holmoe said -- doesn't take the next step in
his
development. His shaky freshman numbers: 100-of-259, 1,303 yards, nine
touchdowns, 15 interceptions. The same goes for sophomore running back Joe
Igber, although he impressed with 694 yards before being slowed by a
shoulder
injury. Few make life more miserable for opposing quarterbacks than
all-conference defensive end Andre Carter (6-4, 260) and sophomore tackle
Daniel Nwangwu (6-4, 295). Three new linebackers and a re-built secondary
could cause for a defensive slip.
Keep an eye on: Holmoe. He is 7-17 in conference and word from the Bay
Area
is that he won't survive another losing season. Holmoe's reaction: "This is
the team I coach and I don't worry about anything else. I don't look to next
year. It wouldn't be fair to the kids. I'm not going to prepare any
different
than in past seasons." Uh-oh.
It's a good season if: Boller proves he learned from first-year mistakes,
continues to improve and Cal remains competitive in most league games. You
won't find a more pleasant chap than Holmoe in college football, but it's
not
about being a nice guy. It's about moving the ball and scoring points. Five
wins is probably more prayer than reality.
OREGON
1999 record: 9-3, 6-2 Pac-10
Coach: Mike Bellotti, sixth season, 38-20
Starters returning: 5 offense; 4 defense
Outlook: There are more questions here than on any contending roster, but
Bellotti always seems to position his team for a high finish. The obvious
answer this time might be handing the ball to transfer Maurice Morris early
and often. He was the nation's best JUCO running back a season ago and
two-time All-American while setting career records for yards (3,708),
carries
(593) and all-purpose yards (4,487). There is precedent here -- Saladin
McCullough and Reuben Droughns also had successful Oregon careers after
arriving from junior college. Who did Oregon beat for Morris? U-S-C. The
quarterback duel between junior Joey Harrington and senior A.J. Feeley could
last into the season, but whoever wins it will be throwing to an unproven
group of receivers. The offensive line is without a senior and no depth
after
the first string. It is a defense that feasts off creating opportunity,
having
totaled 31 takeaways last year. There is some question about Oregon's
strength
up front, although end Saul Patu has all-conference ability. So too does
senior linebacker Matt Smith (6-4, 250). "We've done a pretty good job of
overachieving in the minds of others," Bellotti said. "Hopefully, we can
do it
again."
Keep an eye on: Feeley. He enters camp No. 2 based on how well Harrington
played at the end of last season, but improved in the off-season and took
advantage of honing his skills as a counselor at the prestigious Elite 11
camp. Feeley, you might remember, ranked in the top 10 nationally in pass
efficiency after eight games last year.
It's a good season if: Oregon puts a scare into the top few teams and
goes
to its sixth bowl in seven years. The Ducks begin play riding a six-game win
streak and a 14-game home winning streak. Its last three games are at
Washington State, against Cal and at Oregon State. It's not out of the
question that when January arrives, Bellotti's team is last year's Stanford.
OREGON STATE
1999 record: 7-5, 4-4 Pac-10
Coach: Dennis Erickson, second season, 7-5
Starters returning: 6 offense; 7 defense
Outlook: Twenty-eight years of non-winning seasons and 34 without a bowl
appearance ended in `99, when this program's bar was raised considerably
under
Erickson. The goal now: Never again accept such a miserable drought.
Off-season controversy found the Beavers when five players were arrested and
charged with assault, but Erickson still boasts about improved team
chemistry.
"The players now know we can be successful because they have proof," he
said.
Ken Simonton as a junior stands only 40 yards from being OSU's all-time
leading rusher and will end the season one of just six Pac-10 backs ever to
gain 4,000. Holes, however, might be harder to come by. Senior guard Keith
DiDomenico, a two-year starter with NFL ability, quit the team citing a lack
of desire. Junior quarterback Jonathan Smith (4,480 career yards, 21 TDs, 12
interceptions) will also feel the sting of DiDomenico's absence, and could
see
his numbers drop until consistency is found at receiver. OSU defensively the
next several years will be more and more like Erickson's teams at Miami,
which
means speed over strength. The secondary (all four starters return) is
solid,
but the front will struggle against physical teams. Senior Tevita Moala gets
the first chance at replacing middle linebacker Jonathan Jackson and his
team-leading 87 tackles.
Keep an eye on: True freshmen wide receivers Ron Monteilh and George
Gillett. It is a position, despite the team throwing for over 3,000 yards
last
year, that produced far too many drops and mental breakdowns. Also, the
team's
leading receiver (senior Robert Prescott) is one of the players suspended
for
allegedly beating a fellow student. Monteilh and Gillett arrive in Corvallis
with an opportunity to contribute immediately.
It's a good season if: "We win more than we lose and get back to a bowl
game," Erickson said. "If you continue to do that, you can eventually
raise
the bar again." OSU won't surprise the league's better teams this year, but
three non-conference wins are possible (Eastern Washington, at New Mexico,
San
Diego State) and three more in league gets another post-season game.
STANFORD
1999 record: 8-4, 7-1 Pac-10
Coach: Tyrone Willingham, sixth season, 30-27-1
Starters returning: 7 offense; 5 defense
Outlook: Predictions of doom seem to ignite this team's fire, proven by
last year's improbable Rose Bowl appearance in a season that included the
blowout loss to Texas and a second straight defeat to San Jose State. Now,
being picked to finish seventh or eighth in league, the Cardinal again
thinks
it can prove skeptics wrong. Randy Fasani is the key, taking over at
quarterback now that Joe Borchard has chosen pro baseball as his immediate
future. Awaiting his turn is redshirt freshman Chris Lewis, one of the
nation's top quarterback recruits two years ago. Stanford can't replace
All-American wideout/returner Troy Walters, but it does feature senior
DeRonnie Pitts, the league's top returning receiver. Kerry Carter is a
powerful running back who gained valuable experience as a true freshman.
Kwame
Harris (6-7, 320), considered the Pac-10's top recruit, could start at
offensive tackle as a true freshman. Willie Howard (6-4, 290) is the
league's
best defensive lineman, but the senior needs help from an inexperienced
secondary. Last season, opponents completed 54 percent of their pass
attempts,
averaging 15 yards per completion.
Keep an eye on: Fasani. Texas comes to Palo Alto this time and it's the
season's third game instead of its opener. Fasani needs to settle into his
position the first two weeks against Washington State and San Jose State,
establishing himself as a leader before the Longhorns visit. His size (6-4,
235) and athleticism mean nothing if he doesn't make correct decisions.
It's a good season if: The Cardinal makes its fourth bowl under
Willingham.
This team is a bigger mystery than the high television ratings of "Big
Brother."
The schedule says five wins might be asking too much, but didn't we hear a
similar song last year? Nothing should surprise you about Stanford.
UCLA
1999 record: 4-7, 2-6 Pac-10
Coach: Bob Toledo, 5th season, 29-17
Starters returning: 6 offense; 7 defense
Outlook: Geoff Schaadt is the head trainer, a man UCLA hopes doesn't work
as hard this year. The Bruins started 45 different players last season due
mostly to injury. Prior to that, the most starters ever during a Toledo-run
season was 31. A return to winning ways will depend largely on whoever
emerges
at quarterback playing well. Sophomores Ryan McCann and Cory Paus are the
candidates, with the former entering camp No. 1. The offensive line returns
--
"I'm not so sure if that's good or bad," Toledo said -- to open holes for
a
super player in junior running back DeShaun Foster. The high ankle sprain
that
limited him last year is now healed. Returning also is junior wide
receiver/kick returner Freddie Mitchell and his 42 career catches. Defense,
even when UCLA had 10-2 seasons in 1997 and `98, has remained a crutch. But
the Bruins have found consistency in coordinator Bob Field, and Toledo is
giddy about this side of the ball. The front has a future NFL pick in senior
end Kenyon Coleman (6-6, 278) and two-year starter in tackle Ken Kocher
(6-4,
311). The linebackers, led by junior Robert Thomas in the middle, all
return.
Keep an eye on: The secondary. Sophomore cornerback Ricky Manning (who
gained freshman All-American status) is the only returning starter and
likely
won't see many balls thrown his way early. The Bruins need physical safeties
to support the run and someone other than Manning (perhaps senior Jason
Bell)
to prove they can cover.
It's a good season if: UCLA toughens itself in non-conference (Alabama,
Fresno State, Michigan) and earns a post-season berth. The Bruins are slowly
slipping into the middle of league standings, but still have enough
individual
talent to pull off seven wins and make one of the better mid-tier bowl
games.
USC
1999 record: 6-6, 3-5 Pac-10
Coach: Paul Hackett, third season, 14-11
Starters returning: 6 offense; 8 defense
Outlook: Opportunity is knocking and Hackett believes his group of
seniors
will open the door to embrace it. "They want to make a statement," he
said.
"They want to make a difference." There is no better defense in the
conference
and few nationally than the one led by linebackers Zeke Moreno (6-3, 240)
and
Markus Steele (6-3, 215) and tackle Enis Davis (6-4, 300). Speed defines the
group, which could potentially be bullied up front by the likes of Penn
State
and Notre Dame. But if this is indeed a team of champions, several must step
up offensively. Sophomore quarterback Carson Palmer has the tools of a pro,
but he also missed most of last season with a broken collarbone. He must
remain healthy and prove potential is reality. "Carson has been teasing us
for
two years now," Hackett said. "He now has a new understanding and
appreciation
for being healthy and working hard. He needs to step up." Wide receiver,
even
with R. Jay Soward departed, is safe with sophomore burner Kareem Kelly. USC
is trying to return to a time when its offensive line dominated all-comers.
It's off to a decent start. Four starters return this season and the Trojans
signed 25 linemen the past two years.
Keep an eye on: Junior cornerback Chris Cash. He was the nation's best
JUCO
corner last year and his importance sky-rocketed once it became apparent
senior Antuan Simmons (who had surgery in May to remove an abdominal tumor)
wouldn't play. The 5-11, 170-pound Cash needs to hold his own among so many
talented defenders.
It's a good season if: USC wins the conference and returns to the Rose
Bowl
for the first time in five years. Hackett overhauled his staff in search of
correct chemistry, knowing the pressure to produce sits squarely on his
shoulders. The Sun or Aloha Bowls won't do for bitter and hungry alums. If
USC
spends Christmas in a place like El Paso or Hawaii, Hackett might as well
not
board the flight home.
WASHINGTON
1999 record: 7-5, 6-2 Pac-10
Coach: Rick Neuheisel, second season, 7-5
Starters returning: 6 offense; 7 defense
Outlook: Neuheisel is well aware how the past four preseason favorites to
win the conference fared: "Terrible," he said. Three of them couldn't even
muster winning records. And yet Neuheisel's second team in the Pacific
Northwest seems to have everything needed for a title, beginning with an
emotional and multi-talented quarterback in senior Marques Tuiasosopo.
Problems arise when he tries too hard to make the big play, something he
promises will change this year by throwing the ball away or even taking a
few
more sacks. A few receivers must emerge to dissuade opponents from eight-man
fronts intent on slowing Tuiasosopo's scrambles or the shifty moves of
sophomore running back Paul Arnold. Ja'Warren Hooker might have been that
receiver, but the junior qualified for the 2000 Olympics. An NFL career
awaits
senior tackle Chad Ward (6-5, 330). The defense spent far too much time on
the
field last season, thanks in part to Washington's 27 turnovers. One starter
(tackle Larry Tripplett) returns up front and there is hardly the dominating
personnel of past Husky defenses. Linebackers and cornerbacks figure to be
under constant pressure until the line develops.
Keep an eye on: Free safety Hakim Akbar. He was slowed by nagging
injuries
last year and still managed second-team all-conference. As the front seven
is
rebuilt, the junior Akbar (6-1, 195) can lessen pressure on many with
another
big season. He has 128 career tackles and added 15 pounds in the off-season.
It's a good season if: The Huskies finish no worse than second. A healthy
Tuiasosopo means Washington is in every game, needing only a handful of
youngsters to come through for a huge season. A gut-check stretch (Miami, at
Colorado, at Oregon) arrives early. Survive it unscathed and a Husky team
that
doesn't play USC could be smelling like a Rose.
WASHINGTON STATE
1999 record: 3-9, 1-7 Pac-10
Coach: Mike Price, 12th season, 59-66
Starters returning: 6 offense; 5 defense
Outlook: Price jokes that he is the only man in history to turn WSU's
program around twice, first from bad to good and then vise versa. "Now,
I'll
try and do it a third time and get us back to being pretty good," he said.
Memo to the Cougars faithful: Don't hold your breath. You might explode. WSU
suffered through academic and health woes last season. Those concerns are
now
solved, but there still isn't enough depth or ability on either side to
contend. The secondary has talent, led by all-conference safety Lamont
Thompson, but five of the front seven are new faces. Jason Gesser is a
sophomore quarterback who's 29-0 as a starter. Problem is, 28 of those wins
came in high school. He is not fast. He is not big. Said Price: "He's a
rambler and a gambler." The off-season questions about sophomore running
back
Deon Burnett's work ethic have apparently been answered and he will stand
behind what Price says could be his best line ever ... two years from now.
How
bad is it? You know things are shaky when the head coach spends as much time
on media day talking about his kicking game than anything else. Ouch.
Keep an eye on: Junior strong safety Billy Newman. He is another member
of
WSU's strongest area, a secondary that could rank among the league's best.
Newman (105 tackles, two sacks last season) prepped at Santa Margarita High
in
Orange County, Calif., where his jersey was retired. USC quarterback Carson
Palmer attended the same school. His jersey was never bestowed such an
honor.
It's a good season if: The Cougars better last year's win total. There
are
winnable non-league games against Idaho and Boise State, but finding two
more
victories might be harder than locating consecutive days of no drizzle in
Pullman. Wow, was Ryan Leaf really that good?
