USC : On This Trojan Football Squad, the Names Have a Familiar Ring

If some of the names of USC’s football players seem familiar, it’s because of famous family ties.

For example, walk-on tailback Reggie Smith, from Montclair Prep, is the son of the former Dodger star of the same name.

Junior Thurman, USC’s starting free safety, is the brother of former Trojan All-American safety Dennis Thurman, who was recently released by the Dallas Cowboys and is now with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Curtis Hein, a freshman cornerback from Taft High, is the grandson of Mel Hein, who is a member of the NFL and College Football Hall of Fame. Curtis’ father, Mel Hein Jr., was a world-ranked pole vaulter at USC in the early ‘60s.

Louis Brock, a starting cornerback, is the son of Lou Brock, the former St. Louis Cardinal Hall of Fame outfielder and the all-time career leader in stolen bases.

John Jackson, a freshman flanker, is the son of of the former USC backfield coach of the same name, who is now an executive at the Forum.

Brad Leggett, a redshirt freshman offensive guard, can get some coaching tips from his father, Earl, who is an assistant coach with the Raiders after a career in the NFL as a defensive lineman.

Quarterback Rodney Peete is another coach’s son. His father, Willie Peete, is the backfield coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Placekicker Don Shafer fits the same mold. His father is Steve Shafer, defensive backfield coach for the Rams.

There is also senior wide receiver Lonnie White, whose brother, Timmy, played the same position for the Trojans in the early ‘80s.

USC also has the current brother combination of tight end Martin and linebacker Delmar Chesley. They’re the last of seven brothers to receive scholarships to a Division I university.

It isn’t news if a football player is timed in 4.7 seconds for a 40-yard dash. But it is if he happens to be an offensive lineman who stands 6 feet, 5 inches and weighs 270 pounds.

USC’s Dave Cadigan, a junior, has a goal to lower his 40 time by a tenth of a second each year. If he gets much faster, he’ll be challenging some backs.

Cadigan is a starting strongside tackle, teaming with All-American guard Jeff Bregel. Cadigan could be moved to weakside tackle to replace John Guerrero, who suffered a season-ending knee injury Thursday. If so, Mark Sager may replace Cadigan on the strong side. John Page, a 6-5, 275-pound junior, is filling in for Guerrero now.

USC Coach Ted Tollner says that five freshmen, defensive backs Cleveland Colter and Mark Carrier, defensive nose guard Tim Ryan, defensive tackle Don Gibson and offensive guard Mark Tucker, have a chance to make the two-deep roster this year.

Carrier, 6-2, 175, from Long Beach Poly High, has been used as the fifth, or nickel back with USC’s first-team defense.

USC’s first three home games, Illinois (Sept. 13), Washington (Sept. 27) and Oregon (Oct. 4) will begin at 4 p.m. because of television commitments.

There is also a possibility that USC’s Sept. 20 game with Baylor in Waco, Tex., originally scheduled at night, may be changed to an afternoon game that will be televised nationally by ABC.

As many as eight USC games could be televised either on network or cable stations this season.

Quiz: Only four USC jersey numbers have been retired. Can you name the players and the numbers they wore? Answer below.

For what it’s worth: USC has rebounded from seasons of four or more losses eight times to win in the Rose Bowl the following year. The Trojans finished 6-6 in 1985.

USC was projected for a 6-5 record this season on a CBS television show, “Countdown to Pasadena.”

It appears that former USC quarterback Sean Salisbury, a free agent, will make the final roster of the Seattle Seahawks. This was seemingly assured when another former USC quarterback, Paul McDonald, was recently cut by the team.

Tim McDonald, USC’s All-American safety, was close to Salisbury, literally, as they dressed next to each other--McDonald wearing No. 6 and Salisbury No. 7.

“I’m happy for him,” McDonald said. “Sean was too hard on himself at times. He was trying to carry the entire team on his shoulders, but he wouldn’t point a finger at someone else.”

Salisbury, a fifth year-senior, lost his starting job to Peete late last season.

Quiz answer: Charles White, 12; Mike Garrett, 20; O.J. Simpson, 32, and Marcus Allen, 33.