USC’s Holt Goes the Distance : Trojans: Fullback sees opening, races 55 yards for longest touchdown run of his career.

USC fullback Leroy Holt took a handoff from quarterback Todd Marinovich, squirted through a huge hole between left guard and left tackle and sprinted 55 yards down the middle of the field for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Trojans’ game against California Saturday.

“I was surprised to see that the hole was so wide open,” Holt said. “I thought there might have been a penalty or they might have stopped the play or something. I looked back when I got in the end zone and it was a touchdown and I was overjoyed.”

Exhausted after the longest touchdown run of his career, Holt collapsed in the end zone, where he was mobbed by his teammates. The Trojans had reason to congratulate Holt because it was also the longest run by a USC fullback since Zeph Lee’s 69-yard run against Oregon State in 1982.

Holt’s touchdown helped the Trojans break open the game, and they went on to defeat the Golden Bears, 31-15, before 52,000 at Memorial Stadium.

Holt had the best game of his career, rushing for 160 yards in 21 carries. It was the most productive effort by a USC fullback since Lynn Cain rushed for 133 yards in a 1978 game against Washington. C.R. Roberts holds the school record for most yards by a fullback, gaining 251 yards against Texas in 1956.

Primarily a blocker, Holt was surprised that he had so many carries.

“When you think of SC you think of tailbacks, you never think about a fullback running the ball,” Holt said. “I was surprised to get the ball as many times as I did today. But any time that they give me the ball I’m going to try to take advantage of it.

“People laughed at me when I signed with SC because I was a veer-option back at Banning High and I ran the ball a lot. I didn’t care what I had to do. If I had to block 25 times I’d do it. But Coach (Larry) Smith saw that I could run the ball and they got a little confidence in me.”

Smith said: “You have to be thankful that he scored or we might still be out there. I think that was the longest game in captivity. He’s an excellent runner.”

Cal Coach Bruce Snyder said his team did an awful job of tackling Holt.

“As far as Leroy Holt was concerned, we just couldn’t tackle the guy,” Snyder said. “That was our fault. We missed tackles all day long and when we did get a piece of him, we still couldn’t bring him down.”

Holt credited his offensive line for his performance.

“The offensive line did a great job,” Holt said. “I didn’t do any running, they just did all the blocking. I think any back could have did what I did if they had holes like that.

“The offensive line blew those guys out. I don’t think they were prepared for us to run inside so much. We wore them down so badly that they couldn’t handle the inside rushing game.”

Holt blocked well too.

Holt made a crushing block on two defenders to spring tailback Ricky Ervins for a 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

When Holt came to USC he selected Sam Cunningham’s number (39) because he expected to be used as a blocking fullback. But he has developed into an extraordinary runner as well. Holt might be the Trojans’ best running fullback since Marcus Allen or Cain.

“He’s the best fullback in the country,” Ervins said of Holt. “He’s a pass receiver, a blocking back and running back. I don’t think that he gets as much recognition as he should. But after this game I think people will realize that he’s the best fullback in the country.”

USC flanker John Jackson said most of Holt’s contributions are unrecognized.

“Leroy plays his role so well that a lot of the things he does go unnoticed because nobody ever notices a blocker,” Jackson said. “But when you turn on the film the next day and you see Leroy blocking, the team really appreciates it and realizes how valuable he is.”

Holt is also a good leader.

Voted the team’s most inspirational player for the last two years, Holt gives a pep talk to his teammates before every game. Holt got so excited before last year’s game against Arizona State that he threw a chair that hit linebacker Delmar Chesley.

“It was the hardest hit I took that game,” Chesley said. “Leroy’s an inspirational guy for the team. Some of the younger guys are a little nervous before the game, but Leroy gets everyone fired up, from Coach Smith on down to the managers.”

Holt has taken troubled tailback Aaron Emanuel under his wing. They’re best friends.

“Whenever I’m down he comes to me and brings me up and I do the same with him,” Emanuel said. “We’ll always be there for each other no matter what. We made that agreement when we were freshman and we’re still tight.”

Emanuel said Holt told him before the game that he was going to have a long touchdown run.

But Emanuel, sidelined with a shoulder separation, missed the run.

“To be honest with you man, I was up getting a hot dog and when I came down somebody said ‘Leroy Holt just went for 55 yards.’ I almost dropped everything caused I missed my boy’s touchdown.

“I’ll have to watch it on film or on TV. I would have loved to have been there to see it first hand.”