Hackett: Heat on Both Teams

The pressure is on, but on which team?

UCLA Coach Bob Toledo’s spin is that there is “more pressure on them than on us.”

“They have to beat the [eight-game] streak,” Toledo said. “We’re just going to try to have fun, play well and defend the streak.”

USC Coach Paul Hackett wasn’t buying it.

“So they don’t mind being 4-7?” Hackett said. “That’s a bunch of BS.”

Told that Toledo was talking about the dynamics of the streak, Hackett backed off, but only a little.

“I would wonder if he polled the seniors to see if they felt the same way,” he said. “I know for our seniors, this is a huge game. Pressure? UCLA-USC is always pressure.

“I think if you say there’s not pressure on you, you’re probably kidding yourself. I think it’s a pressure game because most of the kids grew up in this city.

“Do you want to be the team that didn’t keep the streak going? Do you want to be the team that breaks the streak?

“Yeah, maybe there is more pressure on the team that hasn’t broken the streak, but I feel there’s always pressure in every game. I think this one’s a big game, and how we deal with that will have a lot to do with the outcome of the game.”

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USC safety David Gibson thinks people probably make too much of sideline demeanor.

“People see Toledo on the sideline, an emotional guy, jumping up and down,” Gibson said.

“Hackett, people don’t know what’s in his head when they see those tinted glasses. People don’t know, so they start creating things.

“That’s just personality. I don’t think either one is better than the other.”

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Receiver R. Jay Soward, bothered by a sore hamstring, didn’t practice Tuesday but Hackett said he should be “full speed” Saturday. . . . Former USC football players are invited to the Trojan Football Alumni Club’s 44th annual pre-UCLA banquet Thursday. Details: (310) 831-1255.