He Was a Tower of Power on USC’s Winning Drive : MVP: Ricky Ervins, who carried the football 30 times for 126 yards, says the Trojans wore down the Wolverines.

When USC needed a big play on the ground, they ran a simple off-tackle blast with tailback Ricky Ervins carrying the ball behind the blocking of fullback Leroy Holt.

In the Trojans’ playbook, the play is called “86,” which calls for quarterback Todd Marinovich to roll outside his strongside tackle and hand off to Ervins.

Nothing fancy, just power football. But against Michigan in Monday’s Rose Bowl game, it was a play that buried the Wolverines.

With a first down on Michigan’s 14-yard line with 1:21 remaining, the Trojans again called on Ervins.

It turned out to be the last time they would need the Rose Bowl game MVP. Behind Holt and pulling strongside guard Mark Tucker, Ervins powered into the Wolverines’ secondary and received a key block from Gary Wellman. He ran over Michigan All-American safety Tripp Welborne at the seven-yard line and high-stepped into the end zone, ending USC’s two-game losing streak in the Rose Bowl game.

“All game long, they couldn’t stop it,” Ervins said about the “86” play. “We just wore them down at the end.”

On the final drive, USC needed 11 plays to travel 75 yards, but after reaching Michigan’s 24-yard line, the Trojans were content to keep the ball on the ground to set up a game-winning field goal.

But in the huddle before Ervins’ touchdown, the Trojans were confident that they could score a touchdown.

“Todd came into the huddle and told us that we are going to score on this play,” Ervins said. “All I said was, ‘Oh really?’ ”

What made Marinovich so sure of his prediction was the Trojans’ previous blocking success with the play.

“It (the play) worked all day,” Marinovich said. “I told the line to stay on their blocks a little longer and he (Ervins) will score, just like he did.”

With All-Pacific 10 tight end Scott Galbraith helping senior tackle Bill Schultz on a double-team block of Michigan defensive tackle Sylvester Stanley, the Trojans were able to open a hole for Holt and Tucker to clear for Ervins.

“We were this close from breaking it every time we had ran it,” Galbraith said, holding his thumb and index finger an inch apart. “Their defensive line was big and strong, but I was surprised that they were so blockable.”

USC quarterback coach Ray Dorr, who did most of the play calling from the press box, said that Coach Larry Smith called for the winning play.

“Coach Smith said that he wanted to run the ball off-tackle to run off some of the clock,” Dorr said. “When I heard he had made the call, I said ‘Great.’ It wasn’t a hard call.”

USC did not use the play until its sixth game against California.

“The play has always worked for us,” Tucker said. “And today, we knew that Ricky was close to breaking it into the end zone every time we ran it.

“They never made any kind of adjustments and they never were able to stop it. When I pull around like that, it becomes like a sweep for me.”

Ervins, a junior, began the season as third-string tailback. On his first “86” carry, Ervins gained 12 yards. He carried 30 times for 126 yards.

“The offensive line was blocking great all game,” Ervins said, who used to work as a Rose Bowl parking attendant when he played at Pasadena Muir High. “Early in the game I was not hitting the right holes, but they where there. It was just up to me to make the runs.”

It was Ervins’ eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season and he finished with 1,395 yards, 12th in school history. He joins Charles White (1979 and 1980), Sam Cunningham (1973), O.J. Simpson (1968) and Erny Pinckett (1932) as Trojan running backs named Rose Bowl game MVP.