Worry Is First Downs, Not Gimmicks

USC is well aware of UCLA’s big bag of tricks, but it isn’t the gimmick plays that concern Coach John Robinson most.

“It’s dangerous, but it’s the first downs they make in between the wacky stuff,” Robinson said. “The first downs, the long runs and the long passes, that’s what you have to prepare for.

“You do have to look out for [trick plays]. That’s the benefit of an offense that can make first downs: You can take risks. You can take risks on first or second down, knowing you can make a first down on third down.”

Trojan defensive coordinator Keith Burns is emphasizing to his players the situations where trick plays might be more likely--after a timeout, at the beginning of a quarter or right after a turnover, for example.

“Last year, they ran two and we stopped them,” Burns said. “The year before, they ran two, and they hit one for a touchdown.”

All of it amounts to a defense’s headache, and an offense’s dream.

“If I was an offensive player, I’d love being part of what they do,” Burns said.

*

The defenses present an interesting picture.

USC is holding opponents to 20.2 points a game--which would be more than 21 points under UCLA’s scoring average.

UCLA’s opponents, meanwhile, have scored an average of 20 points--about a point under USC’s scoring average.

*

Backup quarterback Quincy Woods missed practice because of a cold.