Junior cornerback Alterraun Verner has got math on his mind.
And it’s got nothing to do with down and distance.
For possibly the first time ever, the Bruins’ showdown with USC will fall directly before final exams begin ““ something Verner, a math major, is not ecstatic about.
“It’s rough,” Verner said. “It’s tough to put 100 percent concentration on this game.”
The Bruins will have to do their best juggling imitation this week while attempting to balance academics and preparing for the biggest game of the year. It’s not an enviable position for Verner, who has earned a spot on the Director’s Honor Roll for three consecutive quarters. This quarter he’s enrolled in an arts class and two math classes, one of which is an upper-division class.
“I have kind of a big load this year,” he said. “I got to get some studies done because (finals) are going to be here right after the game.”
Balancing football and classes is nothing new to Verner. He earned his second first-team All-Academic Pac-10 selection this past week and is the only math major to be named to either team.
But Verner, the Bruins’ top cover man, readily admits this week is not conducive to hitting the books.
“I’ve still got homework due this week, so I have no choice but to study,” he said. “But I’m going to put a lot more time into studying (USC’s) offense, finding habits and little tendencies.”
With a USC attack that puts up more than 38 points per game, defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker has enough to worry about without getting involved in the academic side of things.
“When they’re here (at practice), it’s football,” Walker said. “When they’re away from here, these are smart guys ““ they got to do what they have to do. They’re smart enough to know how to separate the two.”
The big question then remains, if the Bruins pull off another monumental upset a la 2006, will they be partying Saturday night or hitting the library?
“Probably got to mix in a little of both,” Verner said. “We’ll see. When the time comes, I’ll be happy to make that decision.”
For redshirt senior Brigham Harwell, who has already finished his graduation requirements, it’s a non-issue.
“I will be partying,” Harwell said. “I’ll be partying in Westwood like two years ago.”
HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR TROJANS?: After a mutual agreement between coach Rick Neuheisel and USC coach Pete Carroll, both teams will be wearing their home jerseys Saturday. The visiting team would have been penalized one timeout per half for not wearing road jerseys, but the NCAA changed its rules on Tuesday, reducing the penalty to only one first half timeout.
Next season the Bruins will wear their blue jerseys at the Coliseum instead of their usual road white.
“That’s the way this game should be played,” Neuheisel said. “Two very proud programs playing in their home jerseys and the City of Los Angeles getting to celebrate it.”
As part of the agreement between coaches, Neuheisel will use a timeout in the first half to make up for USC’s penalty.