USC Opens Pac-10 Chase at One of Favorite Tracks

When asked earlier in the week how today’s game against USC ranks among tough openers for his team, Stanford Coach Jack Elway answered dryly: “It’s the toughest opener this year.”

In his four years at Stanford, Elway’s teams have had to open on the road against Oklahoma, Texas and Washington.

“So this is kind of a breather in the fact that we’re opening at home,” he said, hastening to add, “Don’t take me seriously.”

It was gallows humor for Elway, who is well aware that the Cardinal seldom beats the Trojans, especially at Palo Alto.

Stanford hasn’t won at home against USC since 1970, the era of Jim Plunkett and the Thunder Chickens. In five of those eight games, the Trojans scored 30 or more points.

The Cardinal has fared slightly better at the Coliseum, last winning in 1975. Moreover, in 1979 Stanford tied USC, 21-21, the only blemish on the Trojans’ record in an undefeated season and one that deprived them of a national championship.

USC is expected to continue its domination of Stanford today in a game that will be televised by ABC at 12:30 p.m.

For one thing, USC has the advantage of already having played a game, a 34-7 blowout of Boston College Sept. 1.

And even though Stanford has 16 starting players back, it may be vulnerable in the secondary, as it was last year. The Cardinal finished 10th in pass defense in the Pacific 10, allowing an average of 255.1 yards a game.

Stanford has experienced cornerbacks in Alan Grant and Kevin Scott, but safeties Rob Englehardt and Rick Theder, son of former California coach, Roger Theder, are relatively inexperienced.

USC quarterback Rodney Peete took advantage of Stanford’s secondary last year at the Coliseum, throwing a school-record 5 touchdown passes while completing 17 of 20 for 273 yards. The Trojans led at halftime, 28-6, before the Cardinal rallied, only to lose eventually, 39-24.

Stanford had a 5-6 record in 1987, but USC Coach Larry Smith points out that the Cardinal won five of its last seven games. Even so, Stanford surged at the expense of the second division teams of the Pac-10.

Elway seems confident, though, that his team will be more competitive this season. He has a veteran offensive line, led by 282-pound center Andy Sinclair, an All-American prospect. The defense is experienced, with accomplished players such as linemen Lester Archambeau and Ray Huckestein and linebacker Rob Hinckley.

Grant, from St. Francis High School in La Canada, is a scoring threat on special teams, having led the nation in punt returns last year with a 16.5-yard average.

Quarterback Brian Johnson, a sophomore, started the last seven games in 1987 and performed capably. He doesn’t revive memories of Plunkett, or John Elway, but he completed 55.2% of his passes for 1,510 yards and 11 touchdowns while throwing 13 interceptions.

Like Peete, he’s also a talented baseball player as a left fielder on Stanford’s two-time National Collegiate Athletic Assn. championship team.

If he falters, Elway has a promising newcomer in redshirt freshman Jason Palumbis from Lake Oswego, Ore.

Charlie Young, who started three games last year, and Jon Volpe, who started six, are a quick, tailback-fullback tandem. They’ll try to offset the loss of multi-talented Brad Muster.

Stanford’s offense may be inhibited today, however, if wide receiver Ed McCaffrey and tight end Jim Price aren’t able to play extensively. McCaffrey, who caught 30 passes for 533 yards last year, and Price, who caught 15 for 235, are bothered by thigh and hamstring injuries, respectively.

Elway has a new wrinkle in his pass-oriented offense, the run-and-shoot. It’s a quick passing offensive scheme designed to create mismatches with the defense by overloading one side of the field with as many as four receivers.

“It’s a passing offense that takes you out of a sound, basic defense,” USC Coach Larry Smith said.

California experimented with the run-and-shoot several years ago and figuratively shot itself in the foot.

Trojan Notes

USC Coach Larry Smith said Friday that Aaron Emanuel will start at tailback today, teaming with fullback Leroy Holt. Emanuel scored two touchdowns in USC’s win over Boston College. Defensive tackle Tim Ryan, who didn’t play against B.C. because of an ankle injury, has regained his starting job. In another lineup change, inside linebacker Scott Ross will start in place of Delmar Chesley.

Today’s game is the earliest USC has ever opened conference play and the earliest USC and Stanford have ever played. . . . USC quarterback Rodney Peete wants to pick up against Stanford where he left off last spring, when he hit three home runs in a three-game baseball series. USC offensive coordinator Chuck Stobart on Peete’s agility: “He has feather feet.”

Buck Roggeman, Stanford’s reserve nose tackle, is the son of Tom Roggeman, USC’s inside linebacker coach. Stanford linebacker Barry McKeever, who missed part of last season while recovering from knee surgery, is the son of Mike McKeever, the late USC All-American guard. . . . Who’s Counting Department: USC claims to lead the all-time series with Stanford, 45-18-3. By Stanford’s count, however, USC leads, 44-21-3. The dispute rages over three rugby games played from 1911-1913 and an unofficial game, Stanford contends, in 1918. All agree, though, that USC is 14-1-1 in the last 16 meetings.