Trojans prevail with superior talent
Several times during USC’s dismantling of Nebraska, it might have seemed that the Trojans used smoke and mirrors in their attack.
But it wasn’t Hollywood magic that propelled the top-ranked Trojans past Nebraska before a stunned crowd at Memorial Stadium.
It was the athleticism and instincts of outstanding athletes that allowed USC to avoid certain disaster time and time again and turn the plays into big gains.
Time and time again, Stafon Johnson, Stanley Havili and C.J. Gable sidestepped Huskers when it appeared they would be wrapped up for little or no gain.
It was most apparent after the Huskers took a 10-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
Vincent Joseph took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 18 yards before he was hit and the ball popped out. But teammate Malcolm Smith scooped up the ball and raced 31 yards to the Nebraska 45-yard line. Five plays later, USC took the lead for good.
Joseph was taken from the field on a stretcher after a lengthy delay. He was taken to a local hospital with a bruised larynx.
And because the running game was so successful, quarterback John David Booty had plenty of time to find receivers when the Trojans took to the air.
Never was that more evident than when Booty rolled out on a bootleg and had two open receivers from which to choose. He fired to tight end Anthony McCoy for a third-quarter score.
That touchdown was the first of two set up by interceptions. Terrell Thomas returned his 19 yards to set up the bootleg pass and Kyle Moore returned his interception 24 yards to the NU 1-yard line. It took the Trojans three tries before Chauncey Washington scored for a 35-10 lead.
But for most of the game, the USC offense just pounded away. On the go-ahead drive in the second quarter, Gable ripped off runs of 14 and 11 yards before Johnson bulled his way up the middle for 16 and then 2 yards. Havili finished off the drive with a 2-yard blast up the middle.
After the Trojan defense forced a three-and-out, the USC offense picked up where it left off. Johnson ran for 14 yards on two carries and after Booty mixed in a pass, Johnson rambled 32 yards. Booty sandwiched two passes around another run by Johnson and then handed off to the sophomore again and this time he raced 7 yards, bursting through virtually untouched.
The first two plays of the game might have given fans the indication USC would rely on only big plays. Havili raced 50 yards, the longest run in his short career for the Trojans, and then Gable clipped off the longest run of his career, a 40-yard romp, setting up Havili’s 5-yard scoring pass from Booty.
Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
But it wasn’t Hollywood magic that propelled the top-ranked Trojans past Nebraska before a stunned crowd at Memorial Stadium.
It was the athleticism and instincts of outstanding athletes that allowed USC to avoid certain disaster time and time again and turn the plays into big gains.
Time and time again, Stafon Johnson, Stanley Havili and C.J. Gable sidestepped Huskers when it appeared they would be wrapped up for little or no gain.
It was most apparent after the Huskers took a 10-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
Vincent Joseph took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 18 yards before he was hit and the ball popped out. But teammate Malcolm Smith scooped up the ball and raced 31 yards to the Nebraska 45-yard line. Five plays later, USC took the lead for good.
Joseph was taken from the field on a stretcher after a lengthy delay. He was taken to a local hospital with a bruised larynx.
And because the running game was so successful, quarterback John David Booty had plenty of time to find receivers when the Trojans took to the air.
Never was that more evident than when Booty rolled out on a bootleg and had two open receivers from which to choose. He fired to tight end Anthony McCoy for a third-quarter score.
That touchdown was the first of two set up by interceptions. Terrell Thomas returned his 19 yards to set up the bootleg pass and Kyle Moore returned his interception 24 yards to the NU 1-yard line. It took the Trojans three tries before Chauncey Washington scored for a 35-10 lead.
But for most of the game, the USC offense just pounded away. On the go-ahead drive in the second quarter, Gable ripped off runs of 14 and 11 yards before Johnson bulled his way up the middle for 16 and then 2 yards. Havili finished off the drive with a 2-yard blast up the middle.
After the Trojan defense forced a three-and-out, the USC offense picked up where it left off. Johnson ran for 14 yards on two carries and after Booty mixed in a pass, Johnson rambled 32 yards. Booty sandwiched two passes around another run by Johnson and then handed off to the sophomore again and this time he raced 7 yards, bursting through virtually untouched.
The first two plays of the game might have given fans the indication USC would rely on only big plays. Havili raced 50 yards, the longest run in his short career for the Trojans, and then Gable clipped off the longest run of his career, a 40-yard romp, setting up Havili’s 5-yard scoring pass from Booty.
Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
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