Usc Shows Some New Tricks Different Defensive Looks, Physical Play Present Challenges For Cougars

USC emerged from its first football game of the 1997 season with a 14-7 loss to Florida State. Washington State emerged with wide eyes and gaping mouths.

“I was shocked when I saw the game on TV,” WSU coach Mike Price said. “Had we opened with USC, we wouldn’t have been prepared.”

The reason: USC’s game plan against Florida State was unlike anything the Trojans displayed in 1996.

The most dramatic changes were on defense.

USC abandoned its traditionally conservative approach in favor of a blitzing scheme with man-to-man coverage in the secondary.

“I don’t think Florida State was expecting that,” Price said. “We certainly weren’t.”

Could USC have made such drastic changes on a single-game basis, perhaps as a ploy to shock Florida State into an upset? Might the 23rd-ranked Trojans revert to their old form when the Cougars visit the Coliseum for today’s 3:30 p.m. Pacific-10 Conference matchup?

Price doesn’t think so.

“If they’re going to do it against Florida State, which is nationally known for their offense, I’m assuming they’re going to do it against little old (WSU),” said Price, who is 0-8 against USC. “If they don’t, then no big deal - we’ll be ready to go with the standard approach.”

The defense USC used against Florida State is not entirely unlike the chaotic scheme used by UCLA. One major difference is that the Trojans have better personnel to execute it, particularly in the secondary.

Instead of dropping back in their familiar zone, standout cornerbacks Brian Kelly and Daylon McCutcheon attacked Florida State’s receivers near the line of scrimmage.

“Last year, they didn’t even really bump,” WSU receiver Nian Taylor said. “This year, I’ve seen them come up and jam a guy. They’re way more physical than last year.”

The Cougars’ concerns extend beyond X’s and O’s.

Although they won their opener against UCLA two weeks ago, a third-quarter collapse allowed the Bruins to erase most of a 30-14 halftime deficit. Similar collapses have cost WSU repeatedly in the past.

As a remedy, Price intends to change his team’s halftime routine. Instead of spending the entire halftime in the locker room, the Cougars will return to the field in time to run through basic drills.

“It’s funny, you take like a half-an-hour before the game to do all these warmups and exotic calisthenics and clap your hands and all this kind of stuff, but at halftime you just go in and sit down for a half-an-hour and you run on the field and start playing again,” Price said.

“We’re going to go out a little early and we’re going to run through some plays on the field and we’re going to do some agility drills on defense.”

They said it

“I really don’t know how good Florida State is or how good they are. We might all be terrible, for that matter.” - WSU defensive coordinator Bill Doba, on trying to gauge the season-opening efforts of USC and WSU.

“The thing they do have is great speed at receiver in that (R. Jay) Soward kid, and that scares the heck out of me. I look for play-action pass and him on a post to try to hurt us deep for big plays.” - Doba.

“They could be good; they’re USC. But I don’t think they’re as good as they have been in the past.” - WSU defensive end Shane Doyle. “I’ve only played against him once and he picked me twice. He’s as good as his clippings.” - WSU quarterback Ryan Leaf, on USC’s McCutcheon. “I hate losing. If we do lose, we’d have to kill Washington State. Take it out on them.” - USC quarterback John Fox, speaking before the Trojans’ loss to Florida State.

Fox’s quote was given prominent play on the bulletin boards near WSU’s locker room. It was circled in black ink and highlighted in yellow.

Said WSU defensive end Dorian Boose: “I was really bothered about the quote. You know, a guy who’s only played maybe three downs of college ball in his life. … So I think everybody’s kind of excited about that.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo Graphic: Cougars at USC