"We'd always make jokes about it," she said of being known for her romantic ties to the Trojans' star quarterback.

Her relationship with the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner was all people wanted to talk about.

That didn't change when the couple broke up and Cameron found out she was pregnant. Shocking news for a 19-year-old raised in the Mormon faith, which emphasizes marriage and family. Yet Cameron always knew she would have the baby and raise it.

"It wasn't what I thought my life was ever going to be," said Cameron, now 21. "Growing up, I'm like, `I'm going to go to college, find my husband, we're going to get married, have kids.' I still want to do that, I'm just kind of flipping that around a little."

After sitting out last season to give birth to her son, Cameron is back in the starting lineup for USC (4-4).

Never far from the action is 14-month-old Cole Cameron Leinart, a towheaded boy who claps when he sees basketball on television. He's a constant companion to Cameron, even at practice, where she stops to change his diapers and her teammates keep an eye on him.

"I call him my little tank. He's a big kid. He's not sloppy fat, but he's thick," she said, smiling.

"He's the sweetest little boy ever. I know everyone thinks their kid is perfect, but he's just so happy. He makes everyone in the room smile."

Cameron and Leinart have patched things up since a child-support issue last summer became public after Leinart appeared at the ESPY Awards and talked about changing his son's diapers.

Cameron responded in a newspaper story, pointing out, "I'm doing all the work, but he gets all the credit for it."

The ex-couple settled their issues, and Cameron says, "We're close and cordial, and we're friends now."

Leinart's second season with the Arizona Cardinals ended early because of a broken collarbone. The team must win its final three games to make the playoffs. If it doesn't, Cameron figures Leinart will be able to spend more time with his son while she's busy with basketball.

Occasionally, Cameron and Leinart do something together with their son.

"I enjoy it because Cole is seeing that we do get along and although we're not together and won't be together, we're still friends and we're on the same page with Cole," she said.

Like his Heisman Trophy-winning father, Cole is a lefty.

"We always joke, `Oh, he's probably going to play the piano and dance," Cameron said. "He's obsessed with balls. I'm sure he'll play football, baseball and basketball. I'm pushing baseball. He's going to be a left-handed pitcher."

One of Cameron's USC teammates is married to New York Yankees pitcher Ian Kennedy, who has promised to tutor Cole on the mound.

Meanwhile, Mom and Dad are the athletes.

Leinart encouraged Cameron to resume her basketball career.

"She's talented in what she does," he said. "Obviously, things happened, but I encouraged her to go back to school and just have fun, enjoy herself and play the sport she loves and she's good at."

The 5-foot-10 junior guard has averaged 7.8 points through the team's first eight games. She is a career 53 percent 3-point shooter, and ranks sixth on the school's career list.

Cameron retained her full scholarship, and will complete her sociology degree in May. With an extra year of eligibility, she's considering earning a minor degree.

Life as a 21-year-old college student, athlete and single mom is "a lot harder, it's a lot more tiring and a lot more work, but it'll be so worth it in the long run," Cameron said. "I have motivation now. I'm doing this for Cole. I want to make him proud."

Cameron realizes she is more blessed than a lot of single mothers. Her parents, sister and two brothers provide an invaluable support system and built-in baby-sitting.

"There's single moms out there with like five kids that don't even have moms and dads and brothers and sisters around and I have all that," she said. "They keep me going."

She keeps an apartment near the USC campus, but most nights are spent at her family's home in Newbury Park, about 30 miles away. Her brothers willingly tote Cole along with them, and her parents bring the baby to Cameron's games.

"It's hard to juggle everything that she's juggling, but we're helping each other out tremendously and I'm just happy that she chose to go back," Leinart said.

But Cameron sees the toll that the constant handing off takes on Cole, who still doesn't sleep through the night.

"He's in so many different places where he doesn't know what's going on," she said. "He doesn't really have the ideal, like a mom and dad together. You want that for kids, a security thing is good for him."

Cameron says she "loves" being a single mom, but in the same breath adds, "I bet having a husband to do this with would be even more fun."

She doesn't hold herself up as a role model, but Cameron knows she has a message.

"Although it's kind of been hard that it's so public, I want girls to see that stuff happens. Sometimes you get pregnant," she said. "You can still do what you want to do, be a mom and be a great mom, and go to school and finish what you wanted to."