Trojans Out to Avoid Upsetting Experience

The underdogs are the ones to watch out for. The little guys. Eric Denmon says he learned that lesson long ago.

“They know they have to play hard,” he said. “They’re not going to quit.”

So the USC center expects a tough game from San Jose State in the Coliseum today, even though the Spartans are picked to lose by more than three touchdowns, even though they haven’t had a winning season since George Bush--the other one--was president.

All week long, USC coaches and players have been asked, and have patiently answered, questions about how this game could be anything but a blowout. Coach Paul Hackett finally had to laugh: “That’s the problem with being a big favorite.”

The problem is, for right or wrong, the No. 9 Trojans are expected to win handily over schools of lesser football pedigree. Yet they barely defeated San Diego State last season. They had a close call against Nevada Las Vegas in 1997.

This time, Hackett makes a case for San Jose State being particularly dangerous. He tells doubters to look at videotape of the 49-13 loss to Nebraska, a game more competitive than the score suggests. Or watch the 40-27 upset at Stanford two weeks ago.

“Right now, this team is hot,” he said. “That concerns me.”

Most worrisome to him is a San Jose State offense that spreads the field with three or four receivers. USC shut down a similar Louisiana Tech attack last season but there were significant differences.

Now, the Trojans’ best cornerback, Kris Richard, might be hampered because of a sprained knee. And San Jose State has the added threat of Deonce Whitaker, the third-ranked rusher in the nation, who had success against Nebraska and Stanford.

“They have you so spread out, if you miss a tackle it’s a big play,” said Bill Young, the USC defensive coordinator. “Time and again you see that happen when they run.”

The Trojans have had two weeks to work on the tackling fundamentals they occasionally lacked against Colorado. When they switch to the nickel defense, adding an extra defensive back, they still have Zeke Moreno and Markus Steele, two of the nation’s best linebackers, on the field.

“The good speed at that position is incredible,” Whitaker said. “They’re running just as fast as the running backs.”

But there’s another reason coaches and players figure this game might be closer than predicted. As Carson Palmer said: “There are areas we need to get better at.”

Palmer and the USC offense missed on some cylinders against Penn State, then missed on scoring opportunities that could have blown open a close game against Colorado.

“We were moving the ball so well but we couldn’t put points on the board,” receiver Matt Nickels said. “That’s always frustrating.”

This week, the Trojans face a San Jose State defense that gives up more than 519 yards and 27 points a game. Most of that damage has been done on the ground, which bodes well for USC tailback Sultan McCullough.

McCullough is off to a good start, averaging 109 yards, and is eager for a breakout performance.

“With his speed to the outside, we have to make sure to turn him inside,” San Jose State Coach Dave Baldwin said. “If he gets to the sideline, it will be like the Nebraska running back did to us.”

The Nebraska running back, Dan Alexander, rushed for 208 yards and two touchdowns.

The Trojans hope to have similar success, and establish the passing game, to keep Whitaker off the field. Ball control is another element they want to improve on as they look toward a Pacific 10 Conference schedule filled with powerful offenses.

“This is about the development of our team early in our season,” Hackett said. “I just want to continue to improve because there’s a long season ahead of us.”

But he knows this argument may fall upon deaf ears. He knows the Trojans are expected to win big because they are ranked and because San Jose State will start a dozen or so Southern California players USC did not even recruit.

“At USC, you’re expected to win all your games,” he said. “Usually by 21 points.”

That’s the problem with being a big favorite.

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