Trojans Face Huskies in a Seesaw Season

It has come to that time when the season will tip one way or the other, and USC and Washington know it.

Exactly which way it will go could be decided today at the Coliseum when the Trojans try to shake the effects of their loss to Oregon, the season’s second aching disappointment, while the Huskies try to turn a three-game winning streak into four.

It isn’t the usual scenario for these teams--today will mark the first time since 1987 they’ve met when neither was ranked--but it’s plenty important just the same.

Such USC leaders as receiver Billy Miller and linebacker Chris Claiborne worked to strengthen the team’s will to win this week, and the offense held a players-only meeting Sunday, the day after a four-point loss to Oregon in a game the Trojans could have won.

“We sat and talked about a lot of things, just the players, things we needed to get off our chests,” Miller said. “It’s so there’s no bickering behind people’s backs, get it out in the open. We want to get things together and finish off right.”

To do that, the Trojans (5-3, 3-2 in the Pacific 10 Conference) will have to get past the Huskies, a team with a three-game unbeaten streak against USC--and a team that shut out the Trojans last season in Seattle.

But this is hardly the same Husky team.

Washington (5-2, 3-1) isn’t nearly as strong defensively and had to win some close games to get where it is--surviving an Oregon State upset bid last week by stopping a two-point conversion attempt on the final play at Husky Stadium. (USC beat Oregon State, 40-20, in a game the Trojans broke open late.)

“I’m just glad we’re not going to Seattle,” USC Coach Paul Hackett said. “We’re playing in the Coliseum, and that makes me feel a little better. We’ve got a tough game ahead of us.”

USC has a couple of concerns.

There’s the quarterback duo of Brock Huard, the strong-armed left-handed junior who returned last week after sitting out two games because of a shoulder injury, and sophomore Marques Tuiasosopo--surprisingly, the Huskies’ leading rusher.

That says something about the dearth of running backs at Washington, but plenty about Tuiasosopo, a two-way threat who has completed 51% of his passes and rushed for 277 yards--an average of 8.7 yards a carry including yardage lost on sacks. His six rushing touchdowns this season are more than any quarterback in Washington history except Mark Brunell, now of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who set the school record with 10 in 1990.

Both quarterbacks will play and even figure to be in the game at the same time occasionally. The whole operation is something USC’s coaches are trying hard to anticipate.

Couple the flexibility at quarterback with the one-back offense Washington went to this season without a proven runner, and it’s a wide-open attack.

It’s USC’s own offense that is always the biggest concern, and against Washington the Trojans face the best pass rush in the Pac-10.

The Huskies lead the conference with 43 sacks and had 13 twice, against Utah State and California.

“They’re a good team. They bring people from all angles,” USC offensive lineman Travis Claridge said. “The quarterback, he’s got to get rid of the ball. We don’t always have the people to pick everyone up, so sometimes he has to get rid of it.”

Hackett says he’s still set with Mike Van Raaphorst as the starter, and Van Raaphorst is celebrating an anniversary of sorts. He made his debut as starter last season at Washington in a 27-0 loss marked by some key dropped passes early.

“Last year, we went up there to a really tough place to play and had our opportunities, we just didn’t execute,” said Van Raaphorst, who says it’s “fun” to face Washington’s pressure.

“You know if you can hold in there long enough you can make a play. If you don’t . . .”

Hackett’s enthusiasm for freshman quarterback Carson Palmer’s mobility in the pocket--and for the final 81-yard drive that could have resulted in the tying touchdown against Oregon--probably will mean plenty of time for him.

Palmer says he’s ready, and he knows the key to beating the pass rush is to quickly find the receivers left uncovered--and not think about the punishment.

“You don’t really realize how hard you’re being hit. You’re thinking about too many things,” he said.

One big advantage for USC and a fleet of standout receivers led by R. Jay Soward and Miller is Washington’s vulnerable secondary.

Freshman safety Hakim Akbar and redshirt freshman cornerback Omare Lowe are expected to start today after Oregon State backup quarterback Jonathan Smith lit up the Huskies for 469 yards last week.

But last week is last week, as USC knows.

“That’s history,” Hackett said. “We now have two losses in conference and both have been painful and close. We now have our backs against the wall against a very good Husky team.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

TODAY

USC

vs.

Washington

* TIME: 12:30 p.m.

* WHERE: Coliseum

* TV: Channel 7

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