UCLA-USC Notes : Peete’s Roommate Says Quarterback Will Play

A mid-city apartment that is shared by USC’s Rodney Peete and Martin Chesley seemed like a hospital ward a few days ago.

Peete, the quarterback, was very ill, in the worst stage of the measles. Chesley, the tight end, had just returned from a hopsital, where he had undergone extensive surgery on his right knee.

“I was under medication and Rodney looked awful,” said Chesley, a senior, who has been hampered by injuries during his USC career.

Peete checked into St. Mary’s Hospital in Long Beach, but has since returned to the apartment and Chesley says that his roommate is looking a lot better now.

The main question, though, is whether he’s feeling well enough to play against UCLA today in the Rose Bowl showdown game.

“In my opinion, he’ll play,” Chesley said. “There’s too much on the line. He’s a tough guy. He’ll be out there, I think.”

Chesley said if he were the coach, he would provide the proper dramatic flair by having Peete make an entrance in the game today similar to the appearance of the New York Knicks’ Willis Reed against the Lakers in the 1970 National Basketball Assn. championship series.

“There was Reed coming out of the tunnel and getting the fans going as he limped up and down the court,” Chesley said. “They could start Pat O’Hara and then have Rodney coming out of the Rose Bowl tunnel to get the fans going.”

Chesley said that O’Hara, USC’s sophomore quarterback, has been extremely interested in Peete’s condition.

“He’s been calling here all the time,” Chesley said. “I think I got about 20 calls from him on our answering machine.”

Chesley added, however, that Peete wasn’t taking any calls.

“He’s just getting himself together,” the tight end said.

Chesley, whose brother, Delmar, is an active linebacker for the Trojans, had major back surgery in 1986. It appeared then that his careeer might be over, but he came back.

His season ended, though, against California Nov. 5. He caught a 23-yard pass from Peete and injured his knee on the play. Even though he rooms with Peete he doesn’t believe he’ll be the next victim of measles.

“I’ve had both kinds of measles,” he said. “Nevertheless, I’m going to get inoculated today.”

O’Hara has played in only parts of 3 games this season, but Tebb Kusserow, his former coach at Santa Monica High School, says that the quarterback has the poise to withstand the pressure of a big game.

“Pat has a very strong inner strength,” Kusserow said. “He’s a very tough individual, but it doesn’t manifest itself outwardly.

“I think he’ll step in and function well in regard to what they ask him to do. My feeling is that he will do nothing to lose the game for them.

“His style is different than Rodney’s. He’s not the mover that Rodney is. But Pat is an exceptional thrower.

“I don’t think he’ll be flustered by the pressure of the situation and the magnitude of the game. He’s extremely poised and has a tremendous amount of confidence in himself, but he’s very humble.”

Kusserow said that if Peete doesn’t play extensively, O’Hara is the ideal replacement because of his inner strength.

“Pat is in control of himself and I think the rest of the players will win the game,” Kusserow said. “The others might play above the level they think they’re capable of playing. If that’s true and Pat just functions well, USC may play a greater game than normally.”

USC free safety Mark Carrier intercepted 2 of UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman’s passes in last year’s game, returning one for a 72-yard touchdown that was nullified by a penalty.

Even so, Carrier said it’s hard to determine when Aikman will pass.

“UCLA keeps you off balance because they run and pass so well,” he said. “With Oregon State, you know they’re going to throw the ball. But with Aikman, you don’t what he’s going to do. He could be checking at the line on a run play. The worst thing you can do with him is guess.”

USC games have developed into a pattern this season. Since the Trojans lead the nation in rushing defense, allowing only 67.6 yards a game, opponents despair of running early and resort to passing.

“One of our defensive goals is no deep bombs, no big play,” Carrier said. “So we drop in our zones and come up and hit (the receiver) in the underneath patterns. (The short pass) isn’t really going to beat us too many times.”

Carrier has intercepted only 2 passes, but he’s not getting many opportunities because opponents don’t throw his way very often.