Feeling the pressure, USC applies some on Arizona State
USC’s defense ran off the field, toward defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, who clapped and patted boisterous players on the helmet.
The Trojans had forced another punt late in the first half against Arizona State. It had done so by applying pressure.
Entering Saturday’s game, USC ranked 99th in the nation in sacks, with just five in four games. USC knew its lack of a pass rush was an issue. Was there anything it could do to reverse the trend?
“Yeah,” linebacker Cameron Smith said after practice this week. “Blitz more. That’s in the game plan.”
USC unleashed linebackers and safeties often against Arizona State. Early on, quarterback Manny Wilkins wriggled free. Then, near the end of the first quarter, on a six-man blitz, safety Chris Hawkins burst through a gap and brought Wilkins down.
It was USC’s first sack in about 128 minutes of game time, dating back to USC’s game against Utah State.
The Trojans finished with three sacks for the game.
“I like the pressure that we’re bringing right now,” Coach Clay Helton said at halftime.
By the third sack, USC’s harassment of Wilkins had taken a toll. He hurt his knee on the play, and limped to the locker room for testing.
Happy 600th
In the 93 years since the Coliseum opened, in 1923, it has seen comebacks, like USC and Anthony Davis in 1974 beating Notre Dame, 55-24.
It has seen triumphs, like USC’s win over No. 1 UCLA in 1967, capped by O.J. Simpson’s famous 64-yard game-winning run.
It has seen history, like when Jackie Robinson and UCLA battled USC to a 0-0 tie in 1939.
And it has seen celebrations, like Ed Orgeron’s 20-17 win over Stanford in 2013 when the fans rushed the field, and USC’s players carried their coach off on their shoulders.
In other words, it has hosted a lot of USC games. Saturday was its 600th.
USC improved to 431-136-27 at the Coliseum. (Officially, six wins were vacated for NCAA violations.)
Earning a J.D.
Asked about running back Justin Davis’ workload this week, Helton turned almost wistful. He sighed.
“I’d love for Justin to get somewhere between 20, 25 touches a game,” Helton said. “That would be the ideal situation.”
Davis broke loose early in USC’s last game against Utah, rushing for more than 100 yards in the first half. But he didn’t receive a single rush in the fourth quarter.
Against Arizona State Davis rushed 14 times for 123 yards and a touchdown, and caught two passes for another 38 yards. He was on pace for Helton’s ideal carries total until he was pulled in the fourth quarter, this time for more positive reasons.
Low attendance
By game time, swaths of empty seats remained in the Coliseum. Fans continued to flow in, but at a trickle. The attendance was generously announced at 71,214.
Olympians
USC honored its most recent Olympians during a halftime ceremony, when the USC Trojan Marching Band played NBC’s Olympic theme song.
Before the game, sprinter Allyson Felix, who won two gold medals and one silver medal in Rio de Janeiro, led USC out of the tunnel.
USC sent 44 athletes to Rio, and they combined to win nine gold medals, five silver medals and seven bronze medals.
Quick hits
Right tackle Zach Banner (sprained ankle) dressed but did not start. Jordan Simmons got the start, and Chuma Edoga rotated series. ... Cornerback Jack Jones (ankle sprain) played. … Kicker Matt Boermeester’s 49-yard field goal in the second quarter was a career long.
Follow Zach Helfand on Twitter @zhelfand
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