It Finally Happens for USC’s Walters : Trojans: Redshirt freshman rushes for 116 yards and scores two touchdowns as lineman Boselli returns.

As did many before him, Shawn Walters came to USC because of the long line of great tailbacks.

When preseason practice began, that is where he found himself--in a long line of tailbacks.

Walters was about fourth in line, not unusual for a redshirt freshman. But in a season marked by tailback injuries and by a prolific passing game that has left the runners in unusually low profile, Walters has risen from the depths of the depth chart.

He made his fifth start Saturday in USC’s 22-17 victory over Washington, and he broke through for USC’s first 100-yard rushing performance of the season, gaining 116 yards in 25 carries and scoring two touchdowns.

“Coach (Charles) White’s been telling us, ‘Keep running, keep running hard, it’s going to happen,’ ” Walters said. “It finally happened this game, and it was a big game.”

USC’s tailback troubles began when starter Dwight McFadden suffered a broken ankle in the season-opening loss to North Carolina. The passing combination of Rob Johnson to Johnnie Morton took over the offense.

“Yes, it’s been kind of in the shadows of the passing game, but why not, with Rob Johnson and and Johnnie Morton throwing and catching the ball like they have,” Walters said. “I’ll take my little 60 yards while they get their 400 yards any day, as long as we keep winning.”

On Saturday, he took 116 yards, scoring USC’s first touchdown on a two-yard pass from Johnson and its second on a seven-yard carry in the third quarter. He also had a 25-yard run, the longest by any back in a game that included some fine ones, Washington’s Napoleon Kaufman and Beno Bryant.

Walters also nearly made a costly mistake, fumbling in the third quarter as Washington tried to come back. The Huskies’ drive ended in a missed field-goal attempt, much to Walters’ relief.

“Made me feel a lot better,” he said. “I have a problem trying to get the extra yard. And when I do, I stick the ball out. That’s what I did there, and they popped the ball out. Coach (John) Robinson and Coach White came right to me and told me to forget it because we’re going to keep running the ball.”

What helped Walters? Probably the return of Tony Boselli, the 6-foot-8, 295-pound tackle who had sat out for five weeks because of a dislocated kneecap.

“Boselli’s a big part of our offensive line and he came in and gave us an emotional boost,” Walters said. “With him in there blocking, it just uplifted everyone.”

Said Robinson: “You have to understand this is the first time our offensive line has been together since the third game of the season.”

With Washington worrying mostly about Johnson and Morton, and with Boselli back, Walters found his holes.

“Shawn Walters has improved as he’s gotten the chance to play,” Robinson said. “Shawn has improved as the offensive line has come back. Shawn is a hard runner and a good runner and is learning. He’s just a freshman, but he’s a powerful runner and he’s beginning to understand his own skill. He knows that he’s a physical runner, not an elusive runner.”

Johnson sees improvement too.

“Probably the best thing is he’s improved his vision, and he bumps outside when he needs to. He’s a load to tackle.”

Excited as he was, Walters said he never loses sight of how far he has come--and could fall.

“A backup, that’s what I thought I was going to be for the season. I got my chance, so here I am,” Walters said.

“That’s the ideal, to be out here, run 100 yards for this team, then play UCLA for the Rose Bowl. What else can there be?”