Carroll amazed by Trojans’ defense

Pete Carroll expressed indifference to historical records Saturday, then moments later the USC coach reminisced about watching film of the University of Pacific’s 1949 team.

When Carroll played for the Tigers from 1971 to 1972, he pondered the possibilities of a team replicating the ’49 defense, which gave up only 13 points in eight games.

The Trojans’ 56-0 drubbing of Washington on Saturday at the Coliseum marked the first time in 26 years USC has posted three shutouts in a season.

And Carroll may have just answered his own question.

“This is the best run that we’ve had,” Carroll said. “I always wondered what it would be like to coach a team where you can go week in and week out and just keep giving up nothing.”

Well, almost. The Trojans have rendered opponents scoreless in three of their last four games, giving up 10 points last week to Arizona after blanking Arizona State and Washington State.

USC’s defense took Washington off the field as quickly as the Trojans’ offense put them back on, surpassing the Trojans’ 48-0 blowout in 1929 as the most lopsided of the series.

The Huskies mustered only 184 yards of offense, 35 in the first half.

The first time the Huskies avoided a three-and-out was at the 9:43 mark of the second quarter. But Washington didn’t move the chains. Huskies quarterback Ronnie Fouch threw a pass that was intercepted by USC linebacker Rey Maualuga. That’s what broke the streak, a two-and-out.

USC’s defensive dominance wasn’t surprising.

The Trojans began the game ranked first in the nation in total defense, scoring defense and pass-efficiency defense, while the Huskies had averaged 11 points a game since quarterback Jake Locker broke his thumb Sept. 27 against Stanford.

USC, with seven returning starters from a team that ranked second nationally in total defense (273.2 yards a game) and scoring defense (16) last season, has given up only seven touchdowns.

“We have to have a mind-set that nobody can stop us,” Maualuga said. “We have goals that we set: not giving up any points.”

Freshman linebacker Chris Galippo said that the upperclassmen constantly stress that goal. That’s why he felt the stakes were high when Washington advanced to the Trojans’ six early in the final quarter. The Trojans were leading, 49-0, with 12:32 remaining, but the backups didn’t want to disappoint the starters.

Galippo helped secure the shutout, intercepting a pass and returning it 50 yards to Washington’s 49 yard line.

“The closer they get, the more motivated you get to hold them out,” Galippo said.

“It’s something the backups have to take personal because the older guys work so hard to keep that shutout the whole game. When we get in there, it’s tough on them to see the scoreboard not the way they left it.”

Left on USC’s schedule is California (ranked 32nd in total offense before Saturday), Stanford (85th), Notre Dame (45th) and UCLA (102nd), and Maualuga is confident the Trojans’ defense will remain dominant.

“The best of our defense is yet to come,” he said.

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mark.medina@latimes.com