Trojans Open Duck Season

Same stadium, one year later.

When USC’s players trudged off Autzen Stadium’s artificial turf after a 17-13 loss last season, tailback Chad Morton said the team felt sick over a defeat that knocked the Trojans back among the also-rans in the Pacific 10 Conference race.

This time, their minds are set on using Oregon as a stepladder to a spot among the leaders in the topsy-turvy Pac-10 as USC (2-0) and Oregon (2-1) open conference play tonight.

Memories of last year linger for USC.

There were the three missed field goals by former kicker Adam Abrams, and the one huge breakdown in an otherwise outstanding defensive performance, quarterback Akili Smith’s 62-yard option run for the winning touchdown.

Then there was the touchdown that never was, the scoring pass from Carson Palmer to Mike Bastianelli late in the fourth quarter that was nullified because of a delay penalty.

“I’ve watched it on film quite a few times now, and it hurts every time I see it, because that was a game-winning touchdown pass,” said Palmer, who never saw the clock as he rushed to get the play off after some confusion getting the play from the sidelines.

“That’s why we’re preparing so hard, because we’re not going to let that happen again.”

USC lost by four after Coach Paul Hackett elected to kick a field goal with 4:14 left and the Trojans never got the ball back.

Palmer doesn’t want Hackett to face a similar decision this time.

“Once we get down in that red zone, we’re going to put the ball in the end zone,” Palmer said. “That’s just the mentality we’re taking into this game.”

The 16th-ranked Trojans are taking less than a full roster into this game--probably one reason it is judged a tossup--with sure-handed receiver Windrell Hayes out because of a sprained ankle and their most effective goal-line runner, Malaefou MacKenzie, out because of a hamstring injury.

That leaves most eyes on R. Jay Soward, the game-breaking receiver who has yet to score a touchdown this season and has caught only five passes for 59 yards.

“I think it’s time for R. Jay to do what we all know he’s capable of doing,” Hackett said.

Soward looked more like his old self in practice this week and Hackett and Palmer both went out of their way to encourage him.

But with Hayes out, Soward is likely to get more of the double-coverage that has sometimes stymied him.

And the truth is, Soward’s big-play reputation and scintillating ability on kick returns have long overshadowed his many less-than-stellar receiving games: In nine of the 12 games he played last season, Soward caught four or fewer passes.

“He did a good job in practice this week,” Palmer said. “I hope he’s going to have a big game. He needs to have a big game.”

Palmer’s other prime target will be standout freshman Kareem Kelly--the Trojans’ leading receiver with 11 catches for 202 yards--as Kelly takes Hayes’ place, with freshmen Steve Stevenson, Marcell Allmond and junior Stanley Guyness trying to pick up the slack.

“I’ve got to throw to who’s open. It doesn’t matter if it’s a freshman or a senior,” Palmer said.

Oregon has a senior-laden team and eight senior starters on defense, among them linebacker Peter Sirmon, the 1997 Pac-10 leader in tackles who is back after sitting out most of last season because of a torn chest muscle.

The Duck offense has survived the departure of quarterback Smith, the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft, surprisingly well.

A.J. Feeley, his replacement, has completed 57% of his passes for almost 248 yards a game.

“A.J. is really somewhat of a veteran of the program, he’s just inexperienced on the field,” Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti said of the junior. “He’s a very poised young man, and is confident about what he can do. He’s not trying to be Akili Smith, he’s being A.J. Feeley.”

Tony Hartley and Marshaun Tucker are the top receivers, and tailback Reuben Droughns, whose 1998 season ended with a severe ankle injury against UCLA, has consecutive 100-yard rushing games.

“We need to understand that this is a very dangerous football team, in my opinion,” Hackett said. “I think this Oregon team is really outstanding and they have a chance to be one of the premier teams in the conference. We have our work cut out for us.”

It is a game that could be a defining one for USC’s season--especially with the Trojans playing three of their next four on the road.

“We have a sense of where we’re going, but I don’t think we’ve established our identity--who we are or what we’re doing, other than the fact that we play good defense,” Hackett said. “Offensively, we were disappointed with last week’s performance.”

The Trojans are still trying to figure out who they are after dominating Hawaii and struggling with San Diego State.

Oregon, after a 27-20 loss to now 19th-ranked Michigan State in its first game, is coming off blowouts of Texas El Paso and Nevada and doesn’t know much either.

But the Pac-10 is what matters now.

“This is big because this is where the competition is,” USC linebacker Markus Steele said. “We have a chance to go try to bust the conference wide open.”

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OWN WORLD: USC offensive line is an intense yet jocular subculture. A1

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REPORT, Page 8