KEEPING TABS

Like many a youngster growing up in Southern California, J. J. Lasley wanted to be a USC running back. At Crespi High he was recruited by the Trojans but instead chose Stanford, citing the school’s educational opportunities.

Saturday, Lasley scored the Cardinal’s only offensive touchdown in a 23-9 upset of USC.

“(The victory) means a lot to me because (USC) was the other school I could have gone to,” Lasley said. “They are like a personal rival to me. I’m just happy to play at that level of competition and play well enough to beat those guys.”

Lasley’s touchdown came on a 38-yard first-quarter pass from Steve Stenstrom.

That was not the only time Lasley got open during the week. He also posed nude for a photo in the Stanford Daily campus newspaper, positioning his helmet strategically.

“They run a feature on a player every week, and the week before, they had a photo of (linebacker) Ron George hanging from the goal posts,” Lasley said. “I thought that was corny. When I found out they wanted to take a picture of me, I didn’t want to be in a Heisman stance or a three-point stance. I wanted to do something different.”

Lasley said not too many people took offense to his pose but that “it was a bigger thing than I had planned.”

Statwatch: California’s Russell White, Lasley’s running mate at Crespi, figures to reach a milestone Saturday against Arizona State. White is 41 yards shy of becoming the third player in Pacific 10 Conference history to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in each of three seasons.

The others were San Fernando High backs who played at USC: White’s uncle, Charles White (1977-79), and Anthony Davis (1972-74).

Big Games: Although Ontiwaun Carter helped Arizona upset then-top-ranked Washington last Saturday, that game does not quite compare to the one coming up Saturday at the Coliseum against No. 18 USC.

“Everyone has that one special game, but this will be the big one for me,” the former Kennedy High standout said. “Playing at the Coliseum is a big dream come true. I love it.”

To Carter and his teammates, the 16-3 victory over Washington was no surprise. Carter gained 26 yards in 13 carries in a game dominated by defense.

“Everybody called it an upset, but deep down in our hearts it wasn’t an upset,” he said. “It was hard for the public to see we were a good team.”

The Wildcats (6-2-1, 4-1-1) are now getting national recognition and have risen to ninth in the rankings, their highest position since September, 1983, when they attained third place. Victories over USC and Arizona State and a Washington loss to either Oregon State or Washington State would send Arizona to its first Rose Bowl game.

Change of pace: Shane Graham has had to cope with new experiences in his freshman season at Northwestern, from devoting “a good seven hours a day” to the sport to playing in the snow.

But Graham, who played at Thousand Oaks High, says “it’s been going pretty good.”

“Everybody is bigger and faster, but I’m getting good grades from the coaches, which is encouraging,” Graham said. “It’s been very exciting. They live and breathe football, especially in Chicago with the (NFL) Bears, and it’s starting to carry over to Northwestern.”

Graham, who moved up to second-string tight end late in October, has two catches for 30 yards. He also is being used on the kickoff-return, punt and field-goal teams.

Graham first noticed the differences between high school and college football when training camp for freshmen began in early August.

“For the first month and a half, it was just football,” Graham said. “We didn’t start school until after the (Sept. 19) Stanford game. It was 24 hours a day of football. That is a taste of what it is like in the pros, and that is very exciting. You don’t have to worry about school or anything, just playing football.”

Graham attends classes until noon, then reports to Dyche Stadium at 1 p.m. for weight training, team meetings, practice and training table, which concludes about 8 p.m.

Another new but not nearly as pleasant experience came last Saturday, when it snowed during Northwestern’s 40-7 loss to Big Ten Conference-leading Michigan at Evanston, Ill.

“(Playing in snow) was pretty neat at first, but catching footballs in the cold was no fun,” said Graham, who did not make a reception against the Wolverines, dropping the only pass that came his way.