USC, UCLA in Vulnerable Spots : Pac-10 Powers of ‘80s Lose Star Quarterbacks to NFL

USC and UCLA have been the teams of the ‘80s in the Pacific-10 Conference. But as the decade draws to a close, the competition is gaining ground.

USC has split four Rose Bowl games this decade, while UCLA is 3-0. The only other Pac-10 teams to play in Pasadena during that time are Washington and Arizona State.

Last year, USC won its first 10 games before losing its regular-season finale to Notre Dame and falling to Michigan in the Rose Bowl. UCLA also finished 10-2 and won an NCAA-record seventh straight bowl game, beating Arkansas 17-3 in the Cotton Bowl.

But both Pac-10 powers could be vulnerable this season because their star quarterbacks have gone to the NFL. UCLA’s Troy Aikman signed a rich contract with the Dallas Cowboys, and USC’s Rodney Peete was drafted by the Detroit Lions.

Despite the loss of the multi-talented Peete, USC Coach Larry Smith does not plan to change his offense much this season. With talented tailback Aaron Emanuel and fullback LeRoy Holt, the Trojans once again stress the running game.

“We have a chance to have our best running game since I came here,” Smith said. “We have our top five rushers from last year back.”

The starting quarterback figures to be either Pat O’Hara, a fourth-year junior who completed five of seven passes last season, or redshirt freshman Todd Marinovich.

O’Hara came out of spring practice as the first-stringer.

“I feel good about our quarterback position,” Smith said. “I’m really not that worried about it right now. My main concern is not the quarterbacks, but to make sure we get the whole team playing team football.”

With Aikman gone, Jimmy Bonds and Bret Johnson are battling for the starting quarterback job at UCLA.

“We have always needed two quarterbacks and have always used two quarterbacks,” Bruins Coach Terry Donahue said. “I think both of them are good players and both are capable of playing.”

Johnson is a redshirt freshman while Bonds is a third-year sophomore who completed four of seven passes for 42 yards in limited duty last season.

“I think what we’ll do differently, particularly early, is try to be a better running team and not put as much pressure on the quarterback to do things that Troy did,” Donahue said.

Tailbacks Brian Brown, Shawn Wills and Kevin Williams will run behind an experienced offensive line. Wills ran for 622 yards as a freshman last season, while Brown gained 410 yards. Williams, one of the most highly recruited prep players a year ago, wound up redshirting because of hamstring problems.

Like UCLA and USC, Washington State must adjust to the loss of its star quarterback. Timm Rosenbach, who led the nation in passing and guided the Cougars to a 9-3 record last season, skipped his senior year to enter the NFL.

Washington State also has a new coach, Mike Price from Weber State. Price replaces Dennis Erickson, who went to Miami after Jimmy Johnson left to become the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

Oregon could challenge if junior quarterback Bill Musgrave remains healthy. The Ducks started 6-1 last year, but Musgrave suffered a broken collarbone and they lost their last five.

Washington finished 6-5 last season and missed a bowl game for the first time in 10 seasons. Senior quarterback Cary Conklin returns for Coach Don James, who’s entering his 15th season coaching at Seattle.

Other returning Pac-10 quarterbacks include Troy Taylor at California, Jason Palumbis at Stanford, Paul Justin at Arizona State and Ronald Veal at Arizona.