Hazelton, No. 1 Trojans Eye Pac-10 Action
Just how good is University of Southern California's 2008 football team?
One print journalist, appearing on television, insisted that -- after the No. 1 Trojans' 35-3 beating of No. 5 Ohio State this past weekend -- that USC could beat the Oakland Raiders.
And, if the game was in the L.A. Coliseum, the Trojans would have to spot the pro team double-digit points.
Vidal Hazelton is too smart to answer that question.
The one-time Moore Catholic star and Hargrave Military Academy grad just laughs at the notion of he and his college teammates taking down an NFL team.
But if there were a college team that could take down a pro franchise, the consensus is that it would be USC.
The junior cautions against that kind of thinking.
"We expect to go out and perform every Saturday and to win every Saturday. And with the talent on this team, we feel like we can win every game,"
said Hazelton. "But look what happened to us last year. We got caught looking ahead, I think, and let up on some games."
The disappointment of last season -- namely, a 24-23 loss to Stanford at home and a turnover-plagued but excusable 24-17 loss at Oregon -- has not been forgotten by Hazelton or his teammates.
And that was fuel for the fire against Ohio State.
"If you look at the Ohio State game, that's a real good team,"
he said. "We just were able to break them down on film and execute the way we needed to."
After catching five balls for 33 yards in a season-opening rout of Virginia, Hazelton didn't make a catch in the Ohio State game. He was recovering from a high ankle sprain and, robbed of his burst, he acted mostly as a blocker and a decoy.
"The week before in practice I injured it, but the coaches put me out there because they know I can block,"
said Hazelton. "I just wanted to contribute in any way I can. But at practice this week I got a chance to do everything and I feel great."
Next up on the list is 1-2 Oregon State. After losing to Stanford and No. 19 Penn State, the Beavers beat Hawaii. But the Trojans won't be looking past them.
"The Pac-10 teams are tough. When you play every year, they get film on you from years back and they learn what you like to do,"
he said.
Sounds like coach-speak, but, the junior says, that's what they need this year.
"The main goal is winning the national championship,"
he conceded. "But now it's one game at a time. We want to go out every game and play the best we can."
