USC Presents Cal a Golden Opportunity

If the red lights weren’t blinking a warning this week in the Heritage Hall football offices, maybe somebody should check the bulbs.

California, unbeaten in four games and off to its best start in 49 years under new Coach Steve Mariucci, is USC’s opponent this afternoon in the Coliseum, where Cal hasn’t won since 1970.

But Cal has ample hope for a change of fortune today. The Golden Bears have already won more games than all of last season and appear to be on top of their game offensively.

Plus, USC (3-1) couldn’t make it through the week without more player suspensions, so the Trojans will be playing three new defensive starters.

Cal and Arizona State are the only Pacific 10 Conference teams averaging more than 200 yards a game both rushing and passing.

However, it’s also true that the Trojans rank first in Pac-10 defense, giving up 311.3 yards a game.

And any hope Cal partisans have of reversing recent history with the Trojans must be tempered by the realization that the Bears needed three overtimes last Saturday to beat Oregon State, 48-42. USC easily beat the Beavers, 46-17.

USC’s depth will be tested today.

The Trojans are missing four starters, three of them from the defense--tackle Darrell Russell, linebacker Sammy Knight and safety Brian Kelly. The fourth is wide receiver Larry Parker.

They admitted swapping their USC-issued football shoes for apparel at Nike Town Los Angeles in Beverly Hills. A clerk at the store, a former USC basketball manager, recognized the names on exchange slips and, not knowing the transactions were NCAA infractions, called an assistant USC athletic director and offered to help expedite such shoe swaps.

The four were summoned to Coach John Robinson’s office and USC suspended them for today’s game. It’s not expected that the NCAA will add to the one-game sit-downs.

The Trojans’ depth will be under close scrutiny today, not only because of the suspensions but also because of injuries to offensive lineman.

Freshman Brett Samperi gets his big chance, starting at left guard for another freshman, Faaesea Mailo, out for perhaps two games because of an injured shoulder socket.

Mailo himself was a backup, filling in for Chris Brymer, out because of a broken foot. And the Trojans lost their other starting guard, Phalen Pounds, to shoulder surgery before the season started.

Junior Cedric Jefferson fills in for Russell, Ryan Tyiska for Knight, Rashard Cook for Kelly and Billy Miller for Parker. Freshman R. Jay Soward is also expected to get considerable playing time at wide receiver.

Trojan Notes

USC and Cal have met every year since 1926. USC leads the series, 53-25-5, has won the last four and is 15-2-1 in the last 18 meetings. The series will continue uninterrupted until 2003, when the Pac-10 master schedule has the schools missing each other for two seasons. . . . Trojan wide receiver Chris Miller is the Pac-10 reception leader at 384 yards, or 96 yards a game. Brad Otton ranks sixth in quarterback efficiency with a 143.84 rating. The conference leader is Oregon State’s Rahim Muhammad at 172.03. USC is first in total defense, giving up 311.3 yards a game and in passing defense, 92.34 yards.

Steve Mariucci was USC’s special teams and wide receiver coach in 1986 and was Robinson’s “quality control” coach with the Rams in 1985. . . . Cal defensive end John McLaughlin is the brother of USC freshman receiver Kevin McLaughlin.