Roommates : Hope, Haynes Corner the Market on Trojans’ Three Interceptions

Nobody went home to apartment No. 1 at 2728 Ellendale St. in Los Angeles without at least one Rose Bowl interception to his name Tuesday night.

It’s always been a household with high standards. Apt. 1 used to be the home of USC All-America linebacker Jack Del Rio.

This year, the residents are Trojan cornerback Tommy Haynes and linebacker Neil Hope, seniors who accounted for all three of the interceptions against Ohio State quarterback Mike Tomczak in the Rose Bowl game.

“We talked about it before the game,” said Hope, recently voted USC’s most valuable player by his teammates. “I said, ‘This is the last time. We may never see each other again. This has to be good.’ ”

Hope thereby made one of the few 1985 Rose Bowl predictions that actually came true.

Among those witnessing the game, nobody was more relieved to see Hope’s first-quarter interception and Haynes’ two subsequent thefts than USC Coach Ted Tollner.

Tollner had launched a crusade in recent weeks to convince his players of the monumental importance of turnovers regarding the outcome of the 71st Rose Bowl.

Tollner emphasized that the Big Ten champion Buckeyes were virtual Scrooges in the turnover department, rarely committing as many as two a game. They had a season total of 18.

Meanwhile, USC’s offense had treated its opponents to nearly twice as many, 34 in 11 games.

But the Trojan offense got downright uncharitable at the Rose Bowl, and on defense, the residents of Apt. 1 really got into the take-away spirit.

The result: The Buckeyes had four turnovers to just one by the Trojans.

Hope got his interception midway through the first quarter on third and six for the Buckeyes at their own 46-yard line with the score 3-3.

Tomczak, the second-leading passer in Ohio State history, said he couldn’t remember throwing three interceptions in another game.

“I got flushed out of the pocket . . . and I tried to loft it over him (Hope) . . . but it kind of ended up like a volleyball pass,” he said sheepishly.

Tollner said the interception shattered Ohio State’s early momentum, and proved that his turnover theory was pivotal to success in the game.

“It was a big motivation,” he said. “It gave the guys the confidence that our game plan made sense.”

Hope, known more for his crushing tackles than his manual finesse, had his own problems handling his first college interception. In fact, after he caught it, he wound up fumbling it. But Trojan safety Tim McDonald recovered it.

The two-part play led to USC’s first touchdown, nine plays later.

It also ignited a little healthy roommate rivalry. The way Haynes understood it, he, as a pass defender, was supposed to handle the interceptions in Apt. 1.

Hope said: “When I came off the field, (Haynes) said, ‘I’m going to get me one. Just watch me!’ And sure enough, he did. There was no way I was going to get one without him getting one, too.”

Haynes got even in the interception derby with just 58 seconds left in the first half--enough time for a Trojan touchdown and a 17-3 lead.

“That guy exemplifies our team,” Tollner said of Haynes, a former Mt. San Antonio College and Covina High School player. “He’s hard-nosed and tough. He plays nasty, angry football.”

Apparently Haynes had not worked all the nasty anger out of his system with the first interception. Or perhaps he just wanted to go one up on his roommate. In any event, he intercepted another pass five plays into the fourth quarter.

Later, Hope ended the Buckeyes’ hopes by planting his 6-foot 2-inch, 225-pound frame in the path of Tomczak’s desperate pass on fourth and 14 at midfield with 47 seconds left.

Along with All-American linebacker Duane Bickett and free safety Jerome Tyler, Hope led the Trojans with nine tackles. Haynes had seven tackles. Haynes, who had just four lifetime interceptions going into the Rose Bowl, saw nothing unusual about getting two in one day.

“This is the way our defense always plays,” he said. “We had a couple losses and some people got off the bandwagon. . . . But I’m ready to play. It doesn’t take much. Just say there’s going to be a game Saturday, and I’ll be there--or even on a Tuesday.”