COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY BOWL REPORT : FREEDOM : Utah a Typical WAC Team

Utah, USC’s opponent Thursday night in the Freedom Bowl at Anaheim Stadium, averaged 30.8 points per game and finished sixth in the Western Athletic Conference in scoring.

Fresno State averaged 39.7 points to lead the conference. BYU averaged 35.5.

Utah quarterback Mike McCoy, who passed for 3,860 yards, led the WAC in total offense with 330.8 yards per game.

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Don Lindsey, USC’s defensive coordinator, likens Utah’s high-powered passing game to those at Washington State and Oregon, both beaten by USC this season.

“They remind me a lot of those two teams, but Utah runs the ball better,” he said. “What they do is they spread you out all over the place with their pass game, then they send that big, fast back up the middle.”

Jamal Anderson, a 245-pound fullback, led Utah with 958 yards rushing.

“He’s a good back,” Lindsey said. “He doesn’t run like he’s running on railroad tracks, he has good moves, he’s fast and he ricochets off people.”

USC’s defense is three backs short. Irwin Lincoln was suspended pending the outcome of an incident in West Hollywood in which he was charged with brandishing a handgun, Jason Oliver broke a leg in the Washington game and Jason Sehorn might not be able to play because of a shoulder injury.

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Keyshawn Johnson, a possible successor to senior Johnnie Morton, has signed a letter of intent to attend USC.

Johnson, 6 feet 4 and 195 pounds, was an all-state receiver at West Los Angeles College this season, catching 55 passes in nine games for 1,245 yards and 12 touchdowns. USC had two junior wide receivers this season, Ken Grace and Ed Hervey.

“Johnson is a great player and he’ll be a split end for us,” said Mike Sanford, who coaches USC’s wide receivers.