Moreno Does His Best Claiborne Impression

Zeke Moreno doesn’t wear Chris Claiborne’s number, but he plays Claiborne’s old position, middle linebacker.

On Saturday, with Claiborne on the USC sidelines because he had a day off from his job with the Detroit Lions, Moreno played it about as well as Claiborne ever did.

Thirteen tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery and an interception.

And, by the way, two touchdowns.

The first came on a 17-yard fumble return after Moreno plucked Oregon State quarterback Jonathan Smith’s fumble out of mid-air.

“Ennis Davis got through and blindsided the quarterback and the ball just popped up,” Moreno said.

The second came on a 71-yard interception return.

“I was just in the right place at the right time,” Moreno said. “The ball was right in front of my face and I just put my hands up and it stuck to my gloves.”

Claiborne was waiting to congratulate him.

“Chris is a great friend, and when I saw him after that, we just cracked up,” Moreno said. “He just laughed. We both laughed.”

New linebacker Markus Steele, who wears the No. 55 Claiborne wore last season when he won the Butkus Award, has gotten much of the early attention this season.

But Moreno has been strikingly good too, though never more so than Saturday in the Trojans’ victory over Oregon State.

Not to dismiss last week, when Oregon officials credited him with 15 tackles but USC coaches counted an astounding 20 on film.

“Last week he was phenomenal. This week he was spectacular,” Coach Paul Hackett said. “It’s a delight to stand on the sidelines and watch him play.”

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The crowd of 43,795 was the smallest for a USC home game since 1987 against Washington State, when 24,834 showed up in a steady rain.

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Faaesea Mailo, who doubles as a 320-pound fullback in goal-line situations, started at left guard because Donta Kendrick was sidelined because of a sore ankle.

Playing offensive line is Mailo’s No. 1 job, and fullback is secondary, though he still played the position in the goal-line offense Saturday.

He is a hit as a blocking fullback, but so far, there are no plans for him to carry the ball, a la William “Refrigerator” Perry.

“Everyone on the team says, ‘Yeah, give Faaesea the ball,’ ” Mailo said with a laugh. “I don’t know, until that day, I’m going to continue to block. Run that guy over at full speed.”

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Cornerback Kris Richard, who was tied for second in the nation in interceptions before the game with three, picked off another pass and has four in four games. . . . Quarterback Mike Van Raaphorst, making his first start since last season, completed 17 of 31 passes for 197 yards, and scrambled for a first down with a 19-yard run in the first half, the longest run of his career. . . . Steele suffered what appeared to be a bruised hip but is expected to be fine. . . . Hackett said he is hopeful receiver Windrell Hayes will return against Arizona on Saturday after missing two games because of a sprained ankle. . . . Kori Dickerson started ahead of Lonnie Ford at defensive end. . . . Matt McShane started at center and played the entire game because Eric Denmon was sidelined because of a nagging knee injury.