USC tackles a tackling problem before facing Stanford’s potent rushing game

Underneath the Coliseum, linebacker Cameron Smith watched his USC teammates flail against Western Michigan via a television in the locker room and tried not to stew.

“There’s no reason to get negative,” he said. “It just ruins the whole mood.”

It was probably difficult. As Smith, the captain of the defense, the commander of USC’s linebackers, served a one-half suspension for a targeting penalty, his teammates were having trouble with one of the most fundamental parts of football.

They couldn’t tackle.

At halftime, Smith said: “I went out there and was positive, called some guys out, held them accountable. And we got better as a team.”

USC has a week to clean up the slew of missed tackles before facing a Stanford team known for punishing them. The Cardinal averaged just shy of eight yards per carry in its opening game against Rice, eighth best among all teams’ openers.

Stanford lost All-American running back Christian McCaffrey but reloaded with Bryce Love, who rushed for 180 yards on just 13 carries against Rice. He averaged seven yards per carry a season ago as McCaffrey’s backup.

Stanford has defeated USC in three straight games, and USC Coach Clay Helton said the matchup has “been one of the games you always circle because you know you’re in for a war, and it’s going to be a physical battle.”

The game will also be a referendum on Helton’s training camp philosophy. Helton has opted for fewer full-contact practices than is standard in his first two seasons in an effort to keep his team healthy. In his first two training camps, he has been successful in that goal.

But some defensive players said the lack of full-tackle practices affected tackling.

Helton believes “we’ve provided a lot of physicality through camp.”

“It’s a fine line between the physical aspect of the game and being smart to be able to make sure your players are healthy,” he said.

But Helton rested the first-team defense often. In USC’s second scrimmage, the starting defense didn’t play at all, even though the offense played for one drive. Helton said he’d seen enough from the defense.

USC played a cleaner half when Smith returned. Western Michigan’s rushing average declined by 1.6 yards from the first half to the second.

Safety Chris Hawkins said backup linebacker Jordan Iosefa played well in Smith’s absence, but “that leadership role was vacant in the middle,” he said. “I had to help get down there and make some calls.”

USC’s defenders vowed to clean up the mistakes. Helton said USC’s tackling was poor in open space and that there was too much arm tackling.

“It was a huge wake-up call,” linebacker Uchenna Nwosu said.

Carr’s in gear

Stephen Carr made a jump cut against Western Michigan that was nearly unfair to the defender. The move transported Carr about three yards to his left. The defender, once right in front of Carr and in position to make the tackle, didn’t even graze him.

Carr then accelerated between and past two defenders for a 52-yard touchdown.

Carr’s debut could not have gone much better. The freshman rushed seven times for 69 yards and two touchdowns and also caught three passes for 23 yards.

He has created a good problem for USC: How does offensive coordinator Tee Martin get enough touches for both Ronald Jones II, who rushed for 159 yards and three scores, and Carr?

“Sometimes there’s not enough balls to go around,” Helton said, laughing.

Helton said USC has an offensive package, called Mustang, that uses both backs at the same time.

“I anticipate that being done at some point in time,” Helton said.

Quick hits

USC’s special teams were not very special against Western Michigan, especially on kickoffs. USC gave up a kickoff return touchdown. Mike Brown sent the opening kickoff out of bounds. Safety Ykili Ross committed a personal foul after another kickoff. And USC earned a rare delay of game on a fourth-quarter kickoff. Helton said it was “one of the main areas we need to clean up.”

zach.helfand@latimes.com

Follow Zach Helfand on Twitter @zhelfand