USC finds its balance
One week it?s the running game pounding Nebraska for 313 yards, the next it?s the passing attack going for 302 yards against Washington State.
The No. 1 ranked Trojans (3-0, 1-0), 47-14 winners over the Cougars in their Pac-10 tournament opener, are everything they were advertised as in the preseason. In other words, a team that has it all.
As Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said at Pac-10 media day in July, ?They could be the greatest team in college football history.?
The USC Trojans, who have a 5 p.m. date Saturday at Washington, at least, appear to be the most complete team in the country this year.
They racked up 507 yards of total offense, while holding in check Washington State?s potent attack.
While John David Booty and fifth-year senior tight end Fred Davis, who caught a career-high nine passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns, garnered most of the accolades, the running backs contributed significantly, as well.
Chauncey Washington, getting his first start at tailback, carried 11 times for 84 yards and a TD. Dorsey High School product Stafon Johnson, a week after earning Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week honors for his 144-yard rushing effort against Nebraska, had a nine-carry, 48-yard effort highlighted by a spectacular 19-yard run. Touted freshman Joe McKnight added 48 yards and sixth-year senior Herschel Dennis had 14 on four carries. USC had nine different ball carriers.
Trojan coach Pete Carroll was pleased with the production of the running backs.
?It was great to see Chauncey get his first start and Stafon continues to make plays,? he said. ?Stafon had that one (19-yarder) amazing run. It?s great to see him develop. I was thrilled to get Joe McKnight in there. He responded. He?s an exhilarating, exciting player.
?We?re a lot better running the ball than last year even if it is a lot of the same guys. Chauncey?s tough to tackle and with Stafon, the first guy almost never gets him.?
All-American defensive end Lawrence Jackson, the Inglewood High grad, set the defensive tone for the night by sacking Alex Brink for an eight-yrd loss on the first play. Brink, who was averaging 315 yards and had thrown 10 TD passes in the first three games, was limited to 165 yards passing and intercepted once.
Of the sack, Carroll said, That was an explosive rush. He just blew right by the guy. We got good pressure all night.?
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