USC Can Ill Afford Another Loss, and Oregon State Is Good Medicine

If USC played a 16-game league schedule, as they do in the National Football League, its supporters wouldn’t be concerned about the team’s 0-1 Pacific 10 record.

There would be plenty of time to catch up.

But the Trojans play only eight conference games, and it’s unlikely that they will return to the Rose Bowl if they lose another conference game.

Only three teams have won the championship with two losses since the conference was formed in 1916.

USC, 1-2 overall, doesn’t figure to lose today in a Homecoming game against Oregon State at the Coliseum.

The Beavers (2-2), with their new Air Express offense, lost their starting quarterback, Erik Wilhelm, in a 23-6 loss to Grambling last Saturday night. Wilhelm, a redshirt freshman, had season-ending knee surgery. His replacement, freshman Rich Gonzales from Diamond Bar High School, is even less experienced.

So that is reason enough for the Beavers to be the underdogs. Moreover, Oregon State has lost 14 straight games to USC and hasn’t beaten the Trojans at the Coliseum since 1960.

At this point, though, USC Coach Ted Tollner is more concerned about his own team than the caliber of an opponent. The Trojans, a consensus favorite to repeat as conference champions, have dug themselves a hole.

After opening with a 20-10 win over Illinois, USC has lost successive games to Baylor, 20-13, and Arizona State, 24-0.

The Trojans have moved the ball effectively at times but have scored only four touchdowns--none by rushing--in three games and are averaging 11 points a game.

What was expected to be the strength of the team, the running game, has faltered noticeably.

“Nobody can run the ball for 20 yards, and there have been a ton of opportunities,” Tollner said. “Our longest run is 21 yards by (fullback) Todd Steele and he’s had only seven carries. We’ve had a lot of 65-yard drives but no points.”

Tollner said that the offensive line has been creating enough holes, but that his tailbacks haven’t been doing enough on their own.

So, Tollner will juggle his tailback rotation for today’s game. Fred Crutcher, a senior, will start, as usual, with freshman Aaron Emanuel coming on in the first half. Steve Webster, a breakaway type, is listed as the No. 3 tailback, but he’s questionable with a sprained ankle.

Emanuel, 6-2 1/2 and 217 pounds, is the strongest of the lot, but Tollner is concerned that the tailbacks’s ability may be offset by his tendency to fumble.

“He carries the ball out in front of him like a loaf of bread, and Frank Falks (coach of the running backs) has been trying to break him of that habit since double-day practices. He does it properly in drills, but in full-force plays in a game he goes back to his instinct.”

Oregon State doesn’t spend much time with the running game in practice. OSU Coach Dave Kragthorpe, a former offensive coordinator at BYU, is trying to restore some respectability to the program with an all-out passing attack.

He has had the misfortune of losing his starting quarterback and he said that his staff had to force-feed the offense to Gonzales this week in practice. Wilhelm, also a rookie, got most of the snaps in practice previously.

The Beavers, however, have one of the nation’s best receivers in Reggie Bynum, an All-Coast selection. Bynum, a deep threat, has caught 35 passes for 453 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Kragthorpe inherited a program that hit rock bottom for five years under Joe Avezzano, whose teams won only 6 games, lost 47 and tied 2. The Beavers never won more than two games in a season during his tenure.

Kragthorpe started out 2-0, as OSU beat Idaho and California before losing to Fresno State and Grambling.

His passing offense has brought an element of excitement to Corvallis.

“I think the passing game is an equalizer when you’re outmanned,” Kragthorpe said. “BYU is a top-echelon team now, but it still would be in the middle of the Western Athletic Conference if it wasn’t for its passing offense.”

Trojan Notes Kickoff time for today’s game is 1:30 p.m., and a crowd of 50,000 is anticipated. The televised tape replay of the game is scheduled Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on Channel 2. . . . USC injury report: Inside linebacker Rex Moore, who has a hamstring injury, probably won’t play until the Stanford game Oct. 19. Paul Green, USC’s tight end in motion, is sidelined with a sprained ankle. Outside linebacker Greg Coauette, who has a sprained ankle, and offensive tackle Gaylord Kuamoo, who has a strained Achilles tendon, are probable. . . . Rich Gonzales led Diamond Bar to the Southern Section Southeastern Conference championship in football and the Southern Section 2-A baseball championship last season.

Ted Tollner said that a negative situation can become positive in a hurry. He cited Washington’s 0-2 start. The Huskies are 2-2 and 1-0 in the Pac-10 after beating UCLA last Saturday. “However, I don’t think we can lose another game and still win the conference,” Tollner said. USC has never won a conference championship after losing its conference opener. . . . The Trojans have scored only nine second-half points this season.

Tollner is concerned about placekicker Don Shafer, who missed two field goals against Arizona State. “His ball is hooking a bit and his confidence has been affected,” Tollner said. “But he’s still our kicker.” . . . Oregon State placekicker Jim Nielsen has made 9 of 10 field goals this season, one a 20-yard kick to beat Cal in the final seconds, 23-20. . . . USC quarterback Sean Salisbury needs to complete 16 passes to move up to No. 2 on the school’s all-time passing list. . . . Split end Hank Norman is 11 receptions away from replacing Randy Simmrin as the No. 2 all-time receiver. . . . USC will be idle next weekend.