Fate forced Leinart’s hand

LOS ANGELES – Matt Leinart was quite a baseball prospect growing up, showing so much promise as a left-handed pitcher that scouts took notice before high school.

“I threw heat, man,” he recalled with a smile. “That’s really what I wanted to do. And then, I blew my shoulder out, right after football season my freshman year.”

Leinart would never pitch again, instead changing his focus to football.

Good move.

Since succeeding Carson Palmer as Southern California’s starting quarterback 15 months ago, Leinart has been stellar, guiding the top-ranked Trojans to a 25-1 record.

Leinart finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting as a sophomore last season, and he’s among the leading contenders for this year’s award, to be presented Saturday night in New York. The finalists will be announced today.

It all began for Leinart with that shoulder injury.

“It’s crazy how everything fell into place,” Leinart said.

Leinart’s shoulder was damaged to the point that he needed reconstructive surgery. That wasn’t the worst of it. Leinart’s doctor recommended that as a precaution he not play competitive sports as a sophomore at Mater Dei High in suburban Santa Ana.

“It was pretty tough on him,” said Leinart’s father, Bob.

That’s an understatement.

“I was really depressed,” Leinart said. “Sports was my whole life. (But) it definitely made me a better person, going through that so young. But it sure was hard.”

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Leinart went on to become a star at Mater Dei, but he had to wait his turn at USC. He almost got passed over, barely winning the starting quarterback job in a tight battle with three others in the spring of 2003.

Leinart hadn’t thrown a pass at USC when he took his first snap at Auburn the following fall, and he had to fill the shoes of the Heisman Trophy-winning Palmer.

No problem. Leinart passed for 3,556 yards and 38 touchdowns with only nine interceptions in leading the Trojans to a 12-1 record and the Associated Press national championship.

Some said the presence of Mike Williams and Keary Colbert, two of the country’s top wide receivers, had a lot to do with Leinart’s success.

Maybe so, but it was more of the same this year while breaking in new starting receivers. Leinart has passed for 2,990 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions in leading No. 1 USC (12-0) to the Bowl Championship Series title game in the Orange Bowl, where the Trojans will face No. 2 Oklahoma.

“Matt’s made a huge progression since he’s been here,” USC tight end Alex Holmes said. “Since he started playing, he’s been spectacular.”

Offensive coordinator Norm Chow said Leinart is as good as any quarterback he’s coached – and that’s great company. Along with Palmer, Chow has tutored Philip Rivers at North Carolina State, and Steve Young, Ty Detmer and Jim McMahon, at BYU.

Leinart became a Heisman candidate not long after the 21-year-old junior led the Trojans to their co-national title last season. Then it got a big boost on Nov. 27, when he passed for a career-high 400 yards and a school record-tying five touchdowns in a 41-10 victory over Notre Dame.

He may have come back to a crowded pack last week, though. He was an efficient 24 of 34 for 242 yards with one interception in USC’s 29-24 win over UCLA. He didn’t throw a touchdown pass for the first time as a starter.

Meanwhile, Leinart’s backfield-mate Reggie Bush ran for 204 yards and two TDs against the Bruins to bolster his Heisman resume.

The mild-mannered Leinart has taken all the hype and attention in stride.

“He is very laid back,” his father said. “Nothing bothers him. He doesn’t mind pressure. That’s how he is, all the time. Except on the field. He’s intense, but still calm. Where that comes from, I’m not sure. Don’t ask me. It cracks me up.”

Leinart said playing baseball before large crowds as early as age 11 helped mold him.

“That’s one of the reasons I’m known as a cool, poised quarterback,” he said. “It’s just my personality. I just go with the flow, don’t stress out about little things. I’m not going to get caught up in all the pressure, all the hype. It can all be taken away from you at any time.”

Leinart’s steady leadership and calm demeanor in many ways have defined the Trojans during their 21-game winning streak.

“As a parent, the best thing about Matt is he’s a great kid,” the elder Leinart said. “He’s grounded, he’s not cocky. The spotlight hasn’t changed him at all.”