Booty says UCLA wasn’t in his head

John David Booty is accustomed to the scrutiny, figuring it comes with the territory of playing quarterback at USC.

“You win and have a great game -- you’re the guy that did it,� Booty said Thursday after the eighth-ranked Trojans practiced for the final time before Saturday’s showdown with UCLA. “And then you lose, you’re the guy that lost it.�

Some fans still blame Booty for the Trojans’ 13-9 loss to UCLA last season. Bruins linebacker Eric McNeal tipped and then intercepted a Booty pass in the fourth quarter, clinching a victory that ended USC’s bid for a berth in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

“I’m fine with people blaming me or whatever it is, so I try to not pay attention to any of it,� Booty said. “When it’s good or when it’s bad I want to be even-keeled all the time.�

Last year, UCLA threw USC off its game with a defensive scheme that flummoxed the Trojans and resulted in constant pressure on Booty, who was sacked twice and held without a touchdown pass for the only time in his two seasons as a starter.

After the game, UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said, “As far as I was concerned, it was me against Booty. If I could get into his head, we could win.�

Said cornerback Rodney Van: “Late in the game, Booty was shell-shocked, you could see it; when he was supposed to be looking for receivers, he was trying to figure out where the rush was coming from. A quarterback of his stature shouldn’t be so shaken, but he was shaken.�

On Thursday, Booty said the Bruins did not get into his head.

“It’s easy when you win the game, you can say things like that,� he said.

After passing for 375 yards and four touchdowns against Arizona State, Booty is looking forward to facing the Bruins in his final regular-season game.

Two years ago, quarterback Matt Leinart was overcome with emotion of playing for the final time at the Coliseum, forcing the Trojans to rush the ball seven consecutive times to start the game.

Will Booty be similarly overcome?

“After the game is when I’d like to look back and maybe be a little emotional, but going in I really want to be in tune to what I have to get done and what this team has to accomplish,� he said. “I’ll worry about the whole emotional stuff afterward, but I’ve never been in that situation so we’ll have to wait to see on Saturday.�

Coach Pete Carroll said this week’s practices were sharper than those that preceded last year’s game against the Bruins.

“I didn’t feel as good about our preparation last time around,� he said. “I don’t know why, but the last game sometimes can be different. This one doesn’t feel like that. It feels like we’ve built up for a championship game.

“I think the fact that both teams are in it and all that has a lot do with that. It’s different in that regard. It truly is a championship for us and for them also.�

With USC negotiating to move its home games to the Rose Bowl, Carroll was asked if he had given any thought to this possibly being USC’s final game at the Coliseum.

“That’s our battle cry,� Carroll joked. “We’re going to the locker room for the last time ever and we’re going to be so fired up because of that.�

Carroll paused and added, “Great timing.�

Offensive linemen Chilo Rachal and Drew Radovich, both of whom had been experiencing flu symptoms, will start Saturday. . . . Defensive tackle Fili Moala practiced for the first time since suffering a concussion against Arizona State and will start pending his condition the next two days, Carroll said. . . . Linebacker Keith Rivers was held out for much of practice because of ankle soreness but will start, Carroll said. . . . Running back C.J. Gable, who is redshirting after having season-ending abdominal surgery, attended practice and said he would be ready for spring practice.

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