USC's Leinart still weighing options

LOS ANGELES -- With his self-imposed Thursday deadline approaching, Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart still doesn't know whether he will return to Southern California or go to the NFL.

"I have no idea. I'm just in a loop with all this," the junior quarterback said Tuesday. "I don't know what to do.

"There have been certain times of the day when I think, 'Yeah.' Then my feelings will change and an hour later, I'll hear something or talk to someone and think, 'Aw, maybe not.' It's always back and forth."

Chuckling, he added, "I really have to get on the ball. I'm trying to delay everything but I realize I don't have much time."

Leinart is one of three USC players facing the same decision. Linebacker Lofa Tatupu and punter Tom Malone, both juniors, also plan to announce Thursday whether they'll leave school. The NFL's deadline to declare for the draft is Saturday.

Leinart has been bombarded with both information and opinions.

"It almost seems like an easy decision to people outside of USC, 'Why stay when you can be a top pick?' But it's really a lot harder than it seems to make the decision. There are so many pros and cons to both decisions," said Leinart, who started classes on Monday and could complete requirements for his sociology degree this semester.

"Whatever I do, I'm going to be happy with my decision and move on from there. I look at it as a win-win situation."

Leinart passed for 3,322 yards and 33 touchdowns as a junior this season, capping it in grand fashion with an Orange Bowl record five touchdown passes in the Trojans' 55-19 victory over Oklahoma.

Logic seemingly would dictate that he passes up his final college season to become a high first-round draft pick and multimillionaire. To Leinart, however, there are other considerations, such as winning an unprecedented third consecutive national championship.

"Sometimes my heart's like, come back. This is just so great here, and a chance to do something no team has ever done before," he said.

Even if Leinart leaves, the Trojans will have most starters returning. Former Louisiana prep standout John David Booty, a third-year sophomore next fall, would be the leading candidate to succeed Leinart. Booty is considered a better prospect than Leinart was when he took over for 2002 Heisman winner Carson Palmer.

On a picturesque day on the USC campus, sunny and crystal-clear with young people in backpacks scurrying about or chatting with friends, Leinart sounded as if he's not eager to give up the college experience to enter the working world -- even for a fortune.

"It is a business and I don't know if I'm ready for that," he said. "I may be, but it's really a cutthroat business in the league. I don't even know, but just from hearing, it involves money a lot and it's a business.

"College, it's fun. We get stipend checks, that's our money, live with our friends, just hang out and have fun. College is the best time of your life, and I think the situation I'm in, it really couldn't get any better being here."

He wishes he didn't have to make what he called "one of the biggest decisions of my life" so quickly because of the NFL's Jan. 15 deadline.

"It's really unfair, especially us playing in a game that's on Jan. 4," Leinart said. "You have only 10 days to decide and gather all the information you have to gather. I think the NFL doesn't really like people leaving early. They want you to be as ready as possible when you leave.

"It does kind of seem like it's in their favor, that they're pressuring us to make a decision as early as possible."

Among the factors weighing on his decision, he said, is whether he would be one of the top picks, and whether he feels like he's physically and mentally ready to go to the pros.

Asked what he'll be doing before his announcement, he shook his head and said, "A lot of praying. I'm going to go with what my gut tells me and what I feel at the time. Who knows, I might be one way when I'm going in to announce, and when I'm up there, I'll change."