SC NOTEBOOK: HEALTHIER STEELE IS PICKING UP THE PACE SLOW START AND SHOULDER SURGERY ARE NOW BEHIND TROJANS' LINEBACKER.

Byline: Scott Wolf  Staff Writer

USC linebacker Markus Steele has been billed as a Butkus Award candidate, but it took three games finally to play like one.

Steele, who like teammate Zeke Moreno is being pushed for the award that goes to the nation's top linebacker, admittedly didn't have the greatest start to the season.

``If I'm hurting the team, players tell me to pick it up,'' Steele said. ``They told me to pick it up against Penn State and I made some mental mistakes in the first couple games. I figure if I make a mistake, that's called for because it hurts the team.''

Steele had just 12 tackles and two sacks in USC's first two contests. But he rebounded with a game-high 12 tackles, including four for loss, against San Jose State.

``I really don't pay attention to whether I had a breakout game, I just care about winning,'' Steele said. ``A lot of people may make up hype about the Butkus Award, but I just want to go out and play.''

Steele's start also seems quieter because he hasn't made any highlight- reel plays yet after debuting last year with a 46-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown against Hawaii, and an interception and fumble recovery against San Diego State. But he's happier this season because he's healthy for the first time after undergoing shoulder surgery last winter.

``A lot of it last year was plays where I caught people's eyes with,'' Steele said. ``This year, instead of eye-popping plays, I get to play every play. I finally have two good shoulders.''

--Bring on the noise: It seemed too good to be true, at least for USC's players, that there would be no loudspeakers blaring simulated crowd noise during practice this week as preparation for the trip to Oregon State.

``You don't have a headache when you're leaving practice,'' quarterback Carson Palmer said.

But no sooner had Palmer spoken than USC coach Paul Hackett announced he would bring out the speakers for today's practice.

``We'll get a little volume out here. I hear they are going to have a noisy crowd,'' Hackett said. ``They're going to be better off if we're (hearing) it than if we just talk about it.''

But do the speakers actually work? ``Probably not,'' Palmer said.

--Slippery when wet: With the latest weather forecast for Corvallis calling for scattered showers and temperatures in the high 60s, Hackett decided to used wet footballs for a portion of practice.

--Injury report: Defensive tackle Bernard Riley (ankle) and defensive end Lonnie Ford (ankle) will make the trip and play. Offensive guard Trevor Roberts (sprained foot), who said Tuesday he could play, will also make the trip.

Free safety Ife Ohalete left practice early Wednesday with the flu.

--Going deep: Palmer said he hopes USC will revive its deep-passing game, which has largely been absent to this point.

``We really haven't attacked people with fade routes and deep balls,'' Palmer said.