Trojans Finally See an Upside

It wasn’t that USC completed more passes or made more tackles in practice this week. The difference was more subtle.

The Trojans were joking and laughing, loose and upbeat. Instead of acting determined, as they had through much of a midseason losing streak, they were having fun.

“It’s a big week for us,” receiver Kareem Kelly said. “The confidence level is up.”

Winning can have that effect on a team, and USC Coach Paul Hackett welcomed the change wrought by last Saturday’s double-overtime victory at Arizona State.

“The whole mood at practice was different this week,” he said. “There was a little bit of a smile on everybody’s face. It’s nice to see us come out of a funk.”

Flush with a glass-is-half-full mentality, the Trojans believe they have what it takes to muster a stretch run, finish above .500 and attract a bowl invitation. This rosy scenario gets tested against Washington State at the Coliseum today.

The game matches teams at the bottom of the conference standings, the winner crawling out of the cellar.

Washington State, in a four-game losing streak, won’t have quarterback Jason Gesser, who suffered a broken leg against Oregon last week. Gesser was the focal point of the offense, passing for almost 220 yards a game.

The Cougars now pin their hopes on Matt Kegel, a 6-foot-5 redshirt freshman who is inexperienced but looked promising while playing in much of the Oregon game and nearly leading his team to an overtime victory.

“He’s a big powerful guy with a strong arm,” USC cornerback Kris Richard said. ‘He didn’t move around too much but he made the plays he had to make.”

The Cougars also feature three tall receivers--Milton Wynn, Marcus Williams and Nakoa McElrath--who have 13 touchdown catches. Don’t expect them to deviate too far from their customary, wide-open attack.

“It will change a little bit,” Washington State Coach Mike Price said. “Not in a conservative way by any means.”

So the Trojans face a challenge similar to those of earlier games against San Jose State and Oregon State, pitting their inconsistent defense against a spread formation.

USC will be without one of its best players, linebacker Markus Steele. Hackett has tried to be optimistic about his absence, gushing about the play of reserve Aaron Graham.

Still, it will be difficult to shut down one of the top passing offenses in the conference. Instead, the Trojans might need to outscore the Cougars.

All week long, Hackett and his players talked about the improvement of the offense, about falling into line with a conference that has gone wild with high-scoring games and overtimes.

Much of USC’s firepower has come from tailback Sultan McCullough, who has four consecutive 100-yard games.

“This guy can run the ball,” Hackett said. “He can run it inside, which he’s proven, and now he can go outside as well.”

But which Washington State defense will McCullough face: the one that ranks ninth in the conference, surrendering 165 yards a game, or the one that held Oregon to 94 yards rushing last week?

Similarly, the Cougar secondary has given up big plays through the air but features two defensive backs--Billy Newman and Marcus Trufant--who rank among the Pac-10’s interception leaders.

USC quarterback Carson Palmer knows about Newman--they played together at Santa Margarita High--and he knows his own 15 interceptions are the most of any quarterback in the conference.

Not even the newer, happier Trojans can put a positive spin on turnovers. Hackett continues to be amazed that his team, which led the nation in takeaways in 1999, has reversed field and given away so many fumbles and interceptions this season.

“It’s remarkable we’ve won any games,” he said.

But such concerns could not dampen the team’s mood this week. Players spoke of feeling relaxed and confident. Such intangibles cannot be measured by statistics or standings.

“Peoples’ attitudes are the thing,” Palmer said. “Everybody’s spirits are up.”

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TODAY

WASHINGTON ST. at USC

3:30 p.m.

Channel 9

GAMEDAY

Cougars’ Price worries about protection for his new quarterback. D8