Trojans Seek Some Bounce in This Step

Exactly what sort of season USC can expect now, post-Palmer, may come into focus today.

Talk of the Rose Bowl slipped away, along with the Trojans’ ranking, after last week’s triple-overtime loss to Oregon in a game plagued by penalties, injuries and missed kicks.

But today’s game against Oregon State at the Coliseum can either revive the Trojans’ confidence, despite the loss of quarterback Carson Palmer to a broken collarbone, or start the speculation on how low the season might go.

“In football, you can’t wait to get back out there because that’s the only way that bad taste goes away--by winning,” Coach Paul Hackett said.

“We bounced back great last year. This team has always had great resiliency.”

It would be best to bounce back fast.

Oregon State hasn’t beaten USC since 1967, but the Beavers are off to their best start since that same season at 3-0 under new Coach Dennis Erickson, with victories over Nevada, Fresno State and Georgia Southern.

“Obviously, nothing against our opponents, but we haven’t played anybody close to the caliber of a USC or anyone else in the Pac-10,” Erickson said. “I’m happy with the three wins. That’s important to us. But we’ll find out a lot more about our team and where we are in the Pac-10 after we play USC.”

History and the betting line say USC should handle Oregon State again, but it’s worth remembering that the Beavers beat Oregon in overtime last season, and took UCLA to the final minute.

Things don’t get easier any time soon for the Trojans--2-1 overall and 0-1 in the Pac-10--with games at Arizona and Notre Dame next before they return home to play Stanford, the early leader in the Pac-10.

“The next three weeks are brutal,” Hackett said.

For all that, there was a positive aura at practice this week.

“Everybody’s doing good and pumped up to go play this game,” linebacker Markus Steele said. “We know we’re at home. It won’t be loud like Oregon. The fans will be behind us.”

One reason the Trojans don’t seem so devastated is the way backup quarterback Mike Van Raaphorst played after Palmer went out, passing for a career-high 227 yards.

Now he’s the starter, with another former starter, John Fox, as his backup.

“Mike hasn’t skipped a beat,” Fox said. “He prepared himself for this kind of situation, and he knows what it’s like to start.”

The Trojans had three punts and a fumble on their first four possessions after Van Raaphorst took over, but he drove them to two fourth-quarter touchdowns. A third was called back because of holding, then in overtime, missed field goals ultimately cost the game.

“Mike stepped up,” offensive lineman Travis Claridge said. “Now we’ve got to step up as a line and protect him.”

USC’s offensive worries extend beyond how consistent Van Raaphorst will be and whether the line can cut down on false starts and holding penalties.

Another concern is a running game that has been held to fewer than 100 yards each of the last two weeks as opponents stack their defenses.

“I think the running game will iron itself out,” Van Raaphorst said. “This team has so much talent. We’ve got a lot of good guys to throw to, especially when we get Windrell [Hayes] back.”

The Beavers’ running game is a major concern for USC too.

Ken Simonton, a back about the size of USC’s Chad Morton, leads the nation in rushing at nearly 186 yards a game.

“The thing that Kenny does well, particularly in our scheme offensively, which is a one-back, is that he’s got very good vision and really quick feet and can make cuts,” Erickson said. “For his size, he’s fairly strong and can break some tackles.”

The Trojans’ work is cut out for them, but the task suits them. They have given up only 68 yards rushing a game so far.

“They lead the conference in total yards, and we’re No. 1 against the run. That’s a good matchup,” Steele said.

It appears USC has the same game plan against Simonton as it did against Oregon’s Reuben Droughns, who left the game because of a rib injury in the first half.

“That’s our main thing--finish off the running back, make sure he doesn’t finish the game,” Steele said. “We want to take him out of the game, physically and mentally.”

With an unbeaten record going into the Pac-10 season, Simonton is simply glad to be in thick of things.

“That’s the beauty of the Pac-10--things like Stanford going and thumping Arizona,” Simonton said. “We know everybody can be beat. The big challenge is coming out and staying focused. We know the sky’s the limit.”