Trojans wary of QB

LOS ANGELES – Southern California tailback LenDale White remembers Justin Holland from high school. The Colorado State quarterback made quite an impression.

“Justin Holland, he played in my conference – he threw for a million yards,” said White, who starred at Chatfield High in Littleton, Colo.

An exaggeration, obviously, but Holland figures to provide the USC secondary with all it can handle tonight when the top-ranked Trojans face the Rams.

USC (1-0) opened defense of its national championship Aug. 28, rallying for a 24-13 victory over Virginia Tech. The Trojans, who have won 10 straight, 21 of 22 and 15 in a row at the Los Angeles Coliseum, are heavily favored to extend those streaks in their first game against Colorado State (0-1).

Holland, a junior who backed up Bradlee Van Pelt the last two years, passed for 403 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams’ 27-24 season-opening loss to Colorado.

“Watching their film from the summer and spring, you couldn’t help but notice what a great player Van Pelt was,” USC coach Pete Carroll said. “We were kind of hoping the quarterback position would take a step backward, but then Holland comes out and just tears it up.”

If the Trojans had one vulnerability last season, it was pass defense. Their 13 opponents averaged 276.2 yards through the air.

White is looking forward to seeing some familiar faces on the Colorado State side.

“It’s where I’m from – it’s going to be one of the most fun games because I know so many of the kids,” he said. “I’m in Fort Collins a lot. They want to beat me, I want to beat them. I’m going to make sure that happens.”

White, who shares the tailback position with Reggie Bush, gained 78 yards on 15 carries against Virginia Tech.