Hackett, USC on Hot Seat

Paul Hackett has officially been welcomed to the fraternity of USC football coaches.

He didn’t truly belong until this week, after the Trojans’ 21-point collapse against Cal ended in a 32-31 loss that produced the anger and second-guessing every Trojan coach has experienced.

“Nobody calls,” Hackett said. “People kind of avoid me. It’s like when Adam Abrams missed all those field goals: He had no friends until he overcame it.

“The only way to put it behind is go play another game.”

The Trojans’ chance to put aside the Cal game--though they cannot erase the memory of it--arrives tonight in chilly Martin Stadium against a reeling Washington State team that is 0-3 in the Pacific 10, a season after having played in the Rose Bowl game.

“We really need to win,” USC tailback Petros Papadakis said. “That loss was really sickening to a lot of us.”

Receiver Larry Parker has apologized for his costly penalty, Hackett has rehashed his decisions, and now it’s time to play again.

“We have a 24-hour rule--24 hours to celebrate a win or get over a loss,” linebacker Mark Cusano said. “A loss like that, it takes a little longer than 24 hours, but I think everybody is past it now and ready to go.”

Washington State (3-3, 0-3) is coming off a 10-point loss to Cal, a 32-point loss to UCLA and a 22-point loss to Oregon--a far cry from the team that made a run at Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Not only is quarterback Ryan Leaf gone, but so is most of Washington State’s stable of receivers.

“We’re kind of down to the Fab Zero,” Coach Mike Price joked, although Nian Taylor, who missed the last game because of a strained calf, is probable for tonight.

“We’ve been struggling,” Price said. “We’re young, have had tons of injuries--more in four games than in 12 last year. We have a lot of freshmen making freshman mistakes and new players making mistakes. We’re kind of messing up at quarterback a little bit, which we’re not used to happening here.”

Because of that, he will change starting quarterbacks today, going with sophomore Paul Mencke over junior Steve Birnbaum, the starter the first six games.

“Paul Mencke doesn’t have the experience Steve has, but is more athletic,” Price said. “Steve might throw a better-looking pass, but Mencke seems to make things happen--good and bad.”

USC (4-2, 2-1) is going with the quarterback tandem of starter Mike Van Raaphorst and reliever Carson Palmer, but the offense has problems no matter who is running it.

The Trojans rank next to last in the Pac-10 in total offense, last in passing yardage and time of possession, and have fewer first downs than any team that has played six games.

Nevertheless, USC scores almost 30 points a game--thanks to special teams and defense, which have accounted for seven touchdowns, and thanks to the big play--like a long touchdown pass to R. Jay Soward or a scamper by Papadakis or Chad Morton, who is expected to return today after missing two games because of a bruised back.

“We’re a big-play, hit-or-miss offense right now,” Hackett said. “We are somewhat disjointed in terms of how we do things.

“As far as the flow and consistency, [we haven’t had that]. We don’t expect we’ll be that [sort of offense] for a while. There’s too much newness. When you’re young at the line and also young at tight end and in the backfield and at quarterback, you don’t have that flow and continuity that you strive for.”

Playing error-free is impossible, but USC can certainly cut down on the barrage of mistakes in last week’s game. USC’s sports information office determined late this week that the blown lead was indeed the largest for the Trojans in a loss. Stanford matched Cal’s 21-point comeback in 1979, but that game ended in a 21-21 tie.

Since second-guessing himself immediately after the Cal game, Hackett stood by his decisions this week, saying he wouldn’t change them in the same situation--unless he knew how the game was going to fall apart.

On the field goal from the one-yard line in the final seconds of the first half:

“There were 13 seconds and only one timeout. If I had anything to do differently, I would have three timeouts.

“The best thing to do is give the ball to your best guy and run your best play, which we did. . . . I knew if we didn’t get in, we’d have to kick a field goal. I was not going to put three points at risk by calling another play. I don’t think you have two plays there.

“To me, having a two-touchdown lead [24-10 after the field goal] is the key.”

And on the safety, when Hackett called a pass, hoping for the element of surprise, and Palmer was sacked in the end zone to cut USC’s lead to 31-12.

“Even if we get a safety, that’s still three touchdowns,” Hackett said. “That’s why I made the call.

“Those are the things that are going through your mind when you are making those decisions, but you don’t have the benefit of saying, ‘But yeah, pretty soon things are going to unravel.’ ”

And tonight?

“If we get a 31-10 lead, we will run the ball every snap.”

TONIGHT

USC at Washington St.

7:15 p.m.

Fox Sp. West