FOXBORO - The spirit of Pete Carroll was alive and well Saturday at Gillette Stadium.

Rookie linebacker Oscar Lua is a product of the University of Southern California juggernaut that the former coach of the Patriots has created, and it's clear that a little of Carroll's ebullient personality has rubbed off on him. Gregarious and comfortable in an interview situation, Lua was a breath of fresh air in a locker room where state secrets are guarded more aggressively than in the Pentagon.

That will change, of course. Until the usual occupants of the Patriots' locker room return to their jobs on a daily basis next month, the expanse is currently populated only by wide-eyed newcomers who, regardless of whether they played at Southern Cal or Central Connecticut, are awe-struck by their surroundings and unschooled in the proper protocols.

Even Lua, who played in Carroll's pro-style program, knows that what like was like as a Trojan is no preparation for what his life will be like as a Patriot.

"I think it gives you a better grasp of the situation," Lua said of his time in Carroll's program, "but nothing can really prepare you as much as actually being here. Nothing prepares you for actually becoming an NFL player, and now that I'm here, I can see that all my experience in college and my years before that really don't mean much, because it's here and now. "I've got to be able to perform here, for Coach Belichick and the coaching staff here," he said.

Lua, the first of two seventh-round draft selections (211th overall), was the only true linebacker selected by the Patriots last month, although the intention is to convert Southern Methodist defensive end Justin Rogers to linebacker beginning with this weekend's rookie minicamp.

Lua is a little undersized at 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, but he comes with a decent pedigree, experience in a 3-4 defensive alignment and the attitude to improve.

"We started running that defense because we had so many linebackers last season, and I think it did prepare me a little bit," he said. "It's a similar scheme, but everything's different here. I'm starting from scratch … it's a great opportunity here with this team and I've got to learn it all all over again and give it all I've got.

"I really hope to learn the system, become familiar with it and give it the effort I did in the previous situation I had. I really expect to learn from this situation and I hope to capitalize upon it," he said.

Asked what current NFL linebacker might serve as a reasonable comparison for his own style of play, Lua was both humble and realistic.

"I am Oscar Lua-like," he said, smiling. "At this point in time, I can't say I'm like any of these guys. I can't even compare myself to any of these guys to this point. They've been in the NFL for years, and I can only hope to stay here just this one year.

"I've got to worry about today and worry about tomorrow," he added. "I'm surrounded by a bunch of great linebackers that I have to compete against, and coming from USC, that's always been our motto, to compete."

The rookie minicamp, as Patriots' coach Bill Belichick said, is not really about competition. Because there are so few players, it's more a case of individual and small-group instruction, and an exercise in introducing the rookies to the differences of playing at the next level.

"At this point, it's the first day and everybody's just scratching the surface," Lua said. "I don't think that me coming from USC has anything to do with coming to the Patriots. We're completely different programs and Coach Belichick is a completely different coach. It's like starting from scratch again. "You want to show the coaches that you're a coachable person, that you understand the system and am going to try to adapt to it as much as you can and learn as much as you can," he said. "I'll soak these guys up like a sponge, and hopefully I'll be able to get to the level that they've attained."

He already has a pretty good idea of what it takes to get to the pros from the example set by a former USC teammate, King Philip Regional High School product Lofa Tatupu.

"He knows what to expect in certain situations," Lua said of the Pro Bowl inside linebacker of the Seattle Seahawks. "If anything, that's what I tried to learn from him and tailored after him a little bit. He's an extremely smart football player, aggressive when he comes to the point and he reacts very fast.

"He's just a natural linebacker," he added. "It's hard to emulate when someone is just an instinctive linebacker instead of a textbook linebacker. Lofa's not that. He's just a straight football player."

Lua is also hopeful that he'll be able to learn from another former Southern Cal great. Junior Seau's name is still atop a locker in Foxboro even though he's an unrestricted free agent, and the rookie is hopeful that the future Hall-of-Famer will be back for one more go-round with the Patriots so he can pick his brain.

"I love Junior Seau," Lua said. "I've always been a big fan of him and he's a great guy to look up to. But my game and his game are entirely different right now. I'm starting at the bottom and he's already an established, future Hall of Fame linebacker.

"I just want to compete for a job, making sure I can get on the field," he said. "And hopefully, I can learn from the best."

MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com