No Noise Is Good News for Trojans

It has been only three weeks, but it seems like forever to USC.

After two draining victories on the road, the top-ranked Trojan football team returns to the comfort of the Coliseum today for a Pacific 10 Conference game against struggling Arizona.

USC players are looking forward to bathing in cheers from what is expected to be a near-sellout crowd rather than the noise and verbal abuse that rained upon them at Oregon and Arizona State. The din unnerved the Trojans and resulted in two penalty-filled first halves that necessitated second-half comebacks for victories.

“It’s great to be home,” middle linebacker Oscar Lua said.

It figures to be a short respite for unbeaten USC, which demolished Arkansas on Sept. 17 in its only other home game.

The Trojans, who have won 26 consecutive games and 22 straight at the Coliseum, play at Notre Dame and Washington the next two weeks.

So heavily favored USC hopes to make the most of today’s matchup against a 1-3 Arizona team that was shut out by California in its Pacific 10 Conference opener last week.

USC Coach Pete Carroll and his players repeated the “you can’t look past any team” mantra throughout the week. Carroll took it to the nth-degree when he said the Wildcats “worked Cal over pretty well” in a 28-0 defeat.

But several USC players acknowledged that Arizona’s problems were likely to continue in a stadium where USC has not lost in more than four years.

“We hope they find their rhythm later on in the season, but it won’t be this week,” Lua said.

USC is ranked first in the nation in total offense and second in scoring. But Carroll says there is still work to be done, describing today’s matchup as “a game we need in order to get back on track and balance our attack.”

Last week, Arizona State knocked Trojan quarterback Matt Leinart out of the game for a few plays with a late hit that resulted in a concussion. When Leinart returned, the Trojans continued to throw the ball ineffectively and fell behind, 21-3, by halftime.

USC shifted to the running game in the second half. Aided by a defense that intercepted four passes in the final two quarters, the Trojans came back to win, 38-28, behind its offensive line and running backs Reggie Bush and LenDale White, who combined for 355 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

The performance vaulted USC to third nationally in rushing, with an average of 280 yards a game. Arizona ranks 103rd among 117 Division I-A teams in rushing defense, giving up 200 yards a game.

Don’t expect the Trojans to get one-dimensional, however.

“The blueprint is to be 50-50,” offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said. “Be explosive in the passing game and be able to pound the rock. Once you get off of that and you start to become a team that’s one-sided, you’re going to be vulnerable.”

Arizona, under second-year Coach Mike Stoops, is hoping to repeat its feat of 1981, when the Wildcats upset top-ranked USC, 13-10, at the Coliseum.

This year, Arizona lost to Utah in its opener then beat Northern Arizona. The Wildcats then lost to Purdue and Cal, both of which were ranked No. 12.

“It’s been a tough stretch,” said Stoops, who has a 4-11 record. “We’re just trying to get some things executed.”

Arizona’s defeat by Cal last week was its second consecutive shutout loss against the Golden Bears.

“Building a program, sometimes you take some steps backward,” said Stoops, the younger brother of Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops. “I think we took a step backward the other night.”

Now comes USC, which is averaging 619.5 yards and 54 points a game.

“Those are pretty alarming numbers for any college team -- just to be able to do that on the scout team is pretty good,” Stoops said. “They’re playing some quality teams and really made them look bad.”

Last year, Arizona was ahead of USC, 3-0, at the end of the first quarter at the Coliseum, but the Trojans had an 11-point lead by halftime and routed the Wildcats, 49-9.

USC rolled up a season-high 585 yards in that game, 34 yards less than the Trojans are averaging this season.

Leinart, who sat out on Monday but practiced the rest of the week, said he felt fine and was looking forward to playing again with a clear head.

Carroll is hoping the Trojans can clear up the problems that resulted in 11 penalties for 86 yards against Oregon and 12 penalties for 85 yards against Arizona State.

USC also gave up an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown against Arizona State.

“We still have issues until we fix it,” Carroll said.