USC Looks to Peete for More Offense

In an effort to revive a sluggish offense, USC Coach Ted Tollner said Tuesday that Rodney Peete, a redshirt freshman, is likely to start at quarterback Saturday against Washington in Seattle.

Tollner said that he’ll decide on the starting assignment later in the week, adding that Peete and veteran quarterback Sean Salisbury will share playing time.

Salisbury, a fifth-year senior, has been USC’s starting quarterback since the start of the season. He is the school’s all-time passing leader in completions and yardage, but the Trojans are struggling with a 4-4 record.

USC’s offense has been particularly ineffective, having failed to score touchdowns in losses to Arizona State, Notre Dame and California. Salisbury can’t be held accountable for USC’s running game, which has been slowed to a walk recently, but many coaches say it is the quarterback’s responsibility to get a team into the end zone, one way or another.

Peete has played in only four games this season, all mop-up situations or lost causes. He has completed 11 of 19 passes for 122 yards and 2 touchdowns. He is faster and more mobile than Salisbury and has the ability to stretch defenses by rolling out or scrambling.

“He is obviously a guy who has excellent foot speed, so he can make things happen,” Tollner said. “And he obviously lacks experience. The only way to find out about a quarterback is to put him in a game when it is on the line.

“What degree we’ll play them both, I don’t know. When the team is struggling offensively, the worst thing that can happen is to have it misconstrued that because we didn’t win, it’s one man’s fault.

“That isn’t accurate or fair. But sometimes it’s misinterpreted that way. What we are trying to do is find a way to win now. It has nothing to do with the future. We think by having both of them available that maybe it will give us something we’ve been lacking.”

Tollner said it will be a difficult situation for Peete, considering that the Trojans have lost four of the last five games to the Huskies in Seattle and that the weather is likely to be cold.

Peete, though, a multisports high school star in Tucson and Kansas City, Kan., is regarded as one of the best athletes on the team.

A decision is expected early next month on any possible penalties the Pacific 10 might assess USC for illegally recruiting Dan Quinn, a freshman linebacker from San Dieguito High in Encinitas, who is now attending Notre Dame.

Tollner said he feels encouraged about the eventual outcome but wouldn’t go into detail.

The conference compliance committee has made recommendations to the Pac-10 Council, which will pass them on, with modifications, to the conference’s presidents and chancellors.

It has been learned that the council recommends depriving USC of four to six football scholarships spread out over two years, and a one-year probationary period.

No major penalties, such as a television or bowl ban, have been recommended. Of course, the presidents and chancellors have the option of imposing more severe penalties.

These are trying times for Tollner. His team is virtually out of the Rose Bowl race and there is the prospect of a losing season in the three remaining games with Washington, UCLA and Oregon.

Asked if he believes his job is in jeopardy if USC doesn’t have a winning season, Tollner said:

“I don’t know about that stuff. Those kinds of decisions aren’t mine. My job is to coach the football team and win as many games as we can win. We think our program is doing the right things, but the bottom line is win-loss and that’s every year. Don’t tell me what you did last year, I only want to know what you did this year. We’re a .500 team and we’re disappointed.”

Tollner said that the USC administration has been supportive of him.

“Everything I feel from them is support,” he said. “Everything we need to be successful, we are given. That’s all a head football coach can ask for.”

Trojan Notes Ted Tollner said that flanker Gene Arrington faces possible knee surgery and is lost for the season. Arrington replaced Randy Tanner, who is also out for the season after injuring his knee against Notre Dame Oct. 26. Al Washington has been filling in as the starting flanker. Tollner said there is also a possibility that freshman tailback Aaron Emanuel may be lost for the rest of the season with a severely sprained ankle. . . . Tollner says he’s not getting many long runs out of his tailbacks. Fullback Kennedy Pola has the longest run, 37 yards. . . . Tollner said that Joe Cormier, previously used mainly as the tight end in motion, will get more playing time as the regular tight end. . . . Washington, 5-4 overall, and USC have had similar seasons. The Huskies are struggling offensively. They got only only 18 yards rushing in a 36-7 loss to Arizona State last Saturday. . . . Washington is 5-0 when 242-pound fullback Rick Fenney has been able to play and 0-4 without him. Fenney, who has been bothered by a hamstring injury, is expected to play against USC. “Fenney is a powerful, inside runner with pretty good speed,” Tollner said. Although both teams are virtually out of the Rose Bowl race, Tollner said that pride, respect and a possible winning season will be on the line for both teams. . . . USC has committed 14 turnovers in its four losses and only three in its four wins. . . . USC safety Tim McDonald blocked a 30-yard field-goal attempt by California and has blocked four kicks in his USC career.