'VOICE' RETURNS NAZEL'S HIGH-SPIRITED CONFIDENCE AGAIN WELCOME PRESENCE FOR USC.

Byline: Scott Wolf  Staff Writer

Omar Nazel leaped down the stairs in Heritage Hall on Tuesday after telling USC coaches that doctors cleared him to play in the Rose Bowl.

It's the first time in weeks the senior defensive end moved with some spring in his step and the surest sign he's back with the Trojans, after five weeks of self-imposed exile.

When Nazel underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb, the loudest, most demonstrative player on the team suddenly withdrew, skipping practices and rarely showing up for team meals.

``I felt disassociated from the team,'' Nazel said.

Few other players would be so easily missed because Nazel is a nonstop vocal presence in practice and games, the player who tries to keep everyone else motivated.

``He brings a voice,'' USC defensive-line coach Ed Orgeron said. ``It's good to just have him around in the meeting rooms. He's vocal and confident. He was severely missed.''

Although Nazel usually lifted other players' spirits, no one could provide solace for him after his season-ending injury against Washington State on Nov. 1. Unhappy with his situation, he disappeared.

``I was not necessarily depressed. But something was missing in myself. What was missing was football,'' Nazel said. ``It's not depression. It was more of a re-evaluation.

``It was extremely hard to sit on the sideline. I couldn't be an active member of the team.''

It also bothered Nazel that when he showed up around football practices, everyone inquired about his injury.

``People always had the same questions. It made it tougher when people asked why I couldn't play,'' Nazel said. ``Everything was about the injury. They would say, 'Are you coming back? We miss you?' ''

Adding to the complexity of his departure were the slightly controversial circumstances regarding his season-ending surgery.

Coaches wanted Nazel to wear a cast and play the rest of the season. Nazel worried if he waited, he wouldn't be able to recover in time to work out for NFL teams before the draft.

He underwent surgery Nov. 14 and was told he would miss the rest of the season.

``It wasn't my decision,'' Orgeron said. ``Apparently he felt the need to do that.''

It was Nazel's second operation of the season. He dislocated his thumb against Notre Dame on Oct. 18 and returned two weeks later against Washington State wearing a cast on his hand.

Ironically, he had his best game of the season with five tackles, a sack and deflected pass. But Nazel tore a ligament in his thumb during the game.

When USC played Arizona the next game without Nazel, the other members of the defensive line noticed things just weren't the same without their vocal leader.

``It definitely felt strange playing without him,'' defensive tackle Shaun Cody said. ``We were missing something. We weren't as emotional.''

Nazel's teammates didn't question his decision to have surgery. They remembered he played last season with a broken sternum and tried to continue this year with a dislocated thumb.

``He might have lost full use of his thumb,'' offensive lineman Winston Justice said.

But a few weeks after surgery, Nazel began having second thoughts about the operation. And privately, he worried he wouldn't play again if NFL teams failed to show interest. It didn't help he didn't get invited to any of the postseason all-star games.

``I wasn't whole,'' he said. ``What bothered me is I couldn't play football.''

Although doctors told him he would miss the rest of the season after the operation, Nazel vigorously lobbied the past two weeks to obtain medical clearance to play one more game for the Trojans. He finally got approved Tuesday and will play with a cast on his hand.

Doctors first were skeptical he could be cleared in time for the Rose Bowl, but once Nazel had the pin removed from his thumb and no further damage was detected, he was allowed to return. Nazel said he doesn't regret the way everything transpired, even though he went through some low moments wondering about his future.

``I really don't know what I would have done differently,'' he said. ``I'm just happy things are going the way they are going. Sometimes, you have setbacks in life. My feelings were adamant I had to come back. I'm not looking at the NFL. Just the Rose Bowl.''

Nazel returns to practice today, perhaps a little less vocal, at least until he gets into proper playing condition.

``I'm just trying to find a place on the team,'' Nazel said.

Scott Wolf, [phone]

scott.wolf(at)dailynews.com

COUNTDOWN TO THE ROSE BOWL

USC vs. MICHIGAN

Thursday, 1:30 p.m.

TV: Ch. 7

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Photo:

(color) Back from thumb surgery, USC senior defensive end Omar Nazel has been cleared to play in the Rose Bowl.