It’s Not Easy to Come to Defense of UCLA, USC

About the only good news from this football season for USC and UCLA fans is that they won’t have to worry about Y2K problems associated with traveling, because neither team is going anywhere around Jan. 1.

The only other comfort I can offer USC fans is that there are more question marks surrounding the Bruins today than the Trojans.

The Trojans at least know that their quarterback of the future is sophomore Carson Palmer. The Bruins can’t be certain that theirs is redshirt freshman Cory Paus.

Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but it became popular when he was named the starter ahead of Drew Bennett to compare Paus to Cade McNown, who also became the starter during his freshman season.

That might have been overestimating Paus or underestimating McNown.

It’s much too early in Paus’ career to declare that he won’t be the next great Bruin quarterback. But it’s not too early to question it.

My guess is that if freshman J.P. Losman of Venice High had remained at UCLA, instead of transferring to Tulane, Bruin Coach Bob Toledo would be preparing him to become the starter, much as Trojan Coach Paul Hackett prepared Palmer last season.

Don’t infer from this that Paus is the reason that the Bruins are 3-5 and needing wins in their last three games to become bowl eligible.

Although there has been much talk about the improvement of the Bruins’ defense, they are eighth in the Pacific 10 in points allowed, ninth against the pass and 10th against the rush.

Toledo said last season that his goal was to build the UCLA program to the point where it is considered a national championship contender every year. This season has been a setback, but at least he doesn’t have to answer those aggravating weekly questions about the BCS rankings.

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I would report to you the comments I’m hearing around town about Toledo’s coaching, if I were hearing any.

If USC had lost to Oregon State, 55-7, as the Bruins did Saturday, Hackett would have to go underground like Salman Rushdie.

But Toledo apparently is drawing on good will built during the Bruins’ 20-game winning streak and appearances in consecutive Jan. 1 bowl games. Also, Bruin fans know that basketball season starts in two weeks. They save their coaching expertise for Steve Lavin.

For Trojan fans, life ends on Jan. 1. Or, this year, perhaps on the day after Thanksgiving, when USC plays its final regular-season game against Louisiana Tech.

Of course, Nov. 26 is not the date the Trojans have circled. That’s Nov. 20, when they play UCLA at the Coliseum.

On the possibility of Palmer’s returning from his broken collarbone before the season ends, Hackett said Tuesday, “His whole wardrobe now is baby blue, and he’s focused on that thing.”

That thing is an eight-game losing streak to the Bruins. Ending that is the goal of all USC players, Hackett said, but it’s not the only one. With victories in three of their last four games, the 3-4 Trojans could be invited to a bowl.

Yet, Hackett made it clear that he’s already looking forward to next season.

“Anybody who thinks we’re not going to come back as a contender next year and the year after that is nuts,” he said.

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There is little question that the Trojans will have top-10 talent next season if Palmer is sound, tailback of the future Sultan McCullough learns the offense, the offensive line matures and the key defensive players return.

The question, from what I am hearing around town, is whether the Trojans have the coaching.

No one disputes that Hackett has one of the smartest offensive minds around, but doubts persist about whether he is in over his head as a head coach.

Hackett acknowledged Tuesday that he has made mistakes in the conversion from pro to college football and from offensive coordinator to head coach.

He said that he has micro-managed the offense at the expense of the defense and special teams. Concentrating on the running game after the Trojans’ humiliating minus-23 yards rushing against Arizona, Hackett made adjustments enabling tailback Chad Morton to gain 85 yards against Notre Dame and 151 against Stanford. But the Trojans broke down elsewhere.

“I have to be the steadying influence in all three areas,” he said, which means he must continue increasing offensive coordinator Hue Jackson’s play-calling duties.

It was as close as Hackett has come to a mea culpa and an indication that he’s learning how to be a head coach. My feeling is that he will become a very good one before his five-year contract at USC expires, if he can keep the job that long.

Randy Harvey can be reached at his e-mail address: randy.harvey@latimes.com.