Lines Losing Luster WSU, Usc Units Have Failed To Shine This Year

Coming into the season, Washington State’s defensive line was considered a team strength. One of the best d-lines in college football, some even said.

Through one game, a 37-34 victory over UCLA, the Cougars have the last-ranked rushing defense in the Pacific-10 Conference. On paper, the self-proclaimed Legion of Doom looks more like the Legion of Room.

Coming into the season, USC’s offensive line was likewise considered a team strength. All five starters were returning, plus 1995 starter Phalen Pounds, who had been sidelined by injury.

Through one game, a 14-7 loss to Florida State, USC has the last-ranked rushing offense in the Pac-10. Alas, Student Body Left has been replaced by Student Body Stuffed. What’s going on here? If nothing else, doesn’t something have to give when the Cougars and Trojans tee it up Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles?

WSU defensive coordinator Bill Doba called the respective rushing rankings misleading, and he’s probably right. Extenuating circumstances abound.

In WSU’s season-opener against UCLA, for instance, the Cougars surrendered a 92-yard run on the game’s second play. From that point, the Bruins averaged a modest 3.7 yards per carry. And when the game came down to one pivotal play, a fourth-and-goal from WSU’s 1-yard-line, the Bruins couldn’t gain an inch.

“But the one 92-yard run shoots the stats all to heck, for the year just about,” Doba lamented.

In USC’s season-opener against Florida State, the Trojans’ brutish o-line was clearly unequipped to handle Florida State’s abundance of team speed. USC managed an embarrassing 25 yards rushing, but it wasn’t the first time a talented offensive line found itself overmatched against the Seminoles.

“USC’s got a real good offensive line, the same line that kicked the heck out of us last year,” Doba said, recalling the Trojans’ 29-24 victory in Pullman.

If WSU’s run-stopping problems can be dismissed as an aberration and we’ll know more Saturday USC’s running problems may have deeper roots.

“You can say, hey, Florida State’s good, or you didn’t get the job done,” USC coach John Robinson said. “Our approach to this is that we have to get the job done against whoever it is we’re playing.

“We cannot allow our players to find a way to fail. We have to get better.”

The Trojans averaged only 114 yards rushing per game in 1996, but tailback Delon Washington was running behind an offensive line that was young and raw. Now that the line finally has adequate experience, it lacks a proven tight end - in April, senior John Allred was drafted by the Chicago Bears.

As a result, new USC offensive coordinator Hue Jackson is unable to use the multiple-tight end sets California sometimes used during his one year there.

“They don’t have an experienced tight end, and I think that hurts the running game,” Doba said.

The Trojans also are breaking in a new quarterback. The offense, running game included, will take time to develop as sophomore John Fox becomes more comfortable.

“Their offense is different from last year,” WSU coach Mike Price said. “That probably has something to do with the quarterback. You go from Brad Otton, an experienced veteran that played in the Rose Bowl, to a sophomore.”

Fox was hardly spectacular in his debut, averaging a grim 4.9 yards per pass attempt, but he would undoubtedly benefit from a productive running game.

“That’s one of the things we simply have to get better at,” Robinson said. “There isn’t any tricky way to do it. It’s just running and blocking and, of course, having a good runner.”

WSU notes

Chris Jackson will probably start ahead of Nian Taylor at split end, Price said. Taylor caught five passes for 200 yards against UCLA, but left the game with a sprained ankle.

Jackson caught one pass - for 78 yards and a touchdown.

“Nian could probably go in the game as early as the second play,” Price said. “It’s kind of a performance-related promotion for Chris. He’s just really, really playing well, and Nian has missed some practices. They’re both playing well and they’ll both play a lot.”

Taylor is expected to be near full strength by kickoff. He was held out of Wednesday’s practice, but returned for Thursday’s non-contact drill.

Defensive end Dorian Boose was kicked in the shin last week and was held out of practice briefly, but he will start.

Backup defensive Eboni Wilson, who is attempting to play despite having a torn anterior-cruciate knee ligament, suffered an ankle injury late last week and has been held out of practice. He probably won’t play.

, DataTimes