Leinart and Attitude

Instead of assuming command of the Trojans offense, Leinart spent the spring and summer of 2002 fighting Matt Cassel for the backup spot.  He opened the season at number two on the depth chart, but as Palmer put together a Heisman-winning season, the redshirt freshman struggled to stay motivated.  "He was pouting," his father said.  "He had a bad attitude."  Leinart agreed.  "It was tough to just really keep battling for a backup position," he said a few years later.  "You have to really stay on top of your game and stay mentally involved.  You can't get down on yourself, and when you do get an opportunity, you have to make the best of it.  I struggled to do that."  Even worse, the coaches now doubted his physical skills.  They did not see his arm strength progressing as they thought it should have.  Carroll, in particular was concerned about how he was delivering the ball.

Soon, Cassel was getting more snaps in practice, and the best Leinart could manage was mop-up duty in a few games.  Two snaps against Colorado.  A few series at Oregon.  A single play against UCLA.  Not a single pass thrown.  At the Orange Bowl with the victory over Iowa assured, it was Cassel who came in for the final moments.  When the game ended, the question of Palmer's successor- already on everyone's mind- was up in the air.  Sarkisian, stepping aside from postgame celebrations on the field said flatly, "Tomorrow we'll start focussing on what we've got and figure out how to handle it."

During that off-season, Leinart was less than convinced about his chances.  He showed up at Rollinson's office one day.  The Mater Dei coach had watched the young man's confidence wilt over the previous two seasons and, like the Trojans coaches, had been waiting for him to step up.  "Here," he said, handing Leinart a videocassette.  "Put on the De La Salle tape.  Where's that guy?"

. . .

And then there was Leinart.  Shaggy hair and a wide smile.  A blonde surfer-model for a girlfriend.  And that questionable arm.

Taking Rollinson's words to heart, Leinart became a fixture in the weight room.  "He made up his mind, 'OK, I'm going to work out and get in the best shape of my life.  I'm going to give it everything I've got.  Let's see what happens,'"  his father said.  Now 6'5" and 215 pounds, he was also determined to change his attitude.  There would be no more pouting like the year before.

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