Trojans Just Looking for Forward Progress

The marching orders handed to USC’s new tailback combo are simple.

“Keep your pads forward,” Chad Pierson says. “Keep down low.”

With a backfield depleted by injury, the Trojans have turned to a one-two punch befitting a heavyweight prize fight. Pierson, listed at 245 pounds but noticeably larger after weeks on the sideline, backs up the equally squat and strong Sunny Byrd.

Both are converted fullbacks, both straight-ahead runners.

“They definitely don’t want me dancing in the backfield,” Byrd says. “They could put someone else in there if they wanted that.”

The twosome made its debut at Notre Dame last Saturday, when Byrd carried 22 times for 62 yards and Pierson, starting slowly after joining the lineup for the first time this season, caught a 54-yard touchdown pass. They resume today in a Pacific 10 Conference game against Arizona.

Their emergence was prompted by injuries. Sultan McCullough, the starter, has made little progress in daily treatments for an abdominal strain and Darryl Poston, a speedy reserve, sprained his knee against the Irish. Another backup, Chris Howard, missed practice this week with schoolwork and, according to Coach Pete Carroll, will be used only in emergency situations.

To make matters worse, fullback Charlie Landrigan is hobbled by a sore ankle, which means Pierson might see double duty.

The reconfigured backfield rules out some specialty plays requiring outside speed, but both backs have shown an ability to catch the ball and the core of the game plan remains intact. “We’re just going to move the pile and try to make our yards,” Carroll said.

Simplicity his been a catch phrase for the USC offense this week. The Trojans figure less is more against Arizona’s flex defense, which has given them fits in the past.

“They move around a lot to [disrupt] the offensive line calls,” quarterback Carson Palmer said. “They try to confuse you.”

Offensive coordinator Norm Chow knows about the flex--during his years at BYU, he faced it annually against Hawaii. Chow has simplified the blocking schemes for his linemen and backs, hoping to cut down on blown assignments and botched plays.

As for the tailback situation, he said the spread attack doesn’t require a breakaway threat. Second down and six or seven works fine to keep the defense guessing between run and pass. If anything, Arizona appears vulnerable through the air. The Wildcats were stung by two long touchdown passes in a 31-28 loss to No. 13 Washington last week.

“Carson Palmer is someone who has shown that he will line up and throw the ball,” Arizona Coach John Mackovic said. “We have to be ready for that kind of onslaught if they decide to come out and throw 50 times.”

Mackovic answers with an offense featuring one of the Pac-10’s top running backs. Clarence Farmer has put up big numbers against Washington and Oregon in recent weeks. Last fall, he broke an 80-yard touchdown run against the Trojans at the Coliseum.

“He’s explosive,” Carroll said. “He’s got hurdles in him and cutbacks. Doesn’t go down easily.”

The Wildcats are also a threat to pass--especially to junior Bobby Wade--but they come into this game with two quarterbacks, Jason Johnson and John Rattay, who suffered concussions last week. Though both are said to be available, much of the offensive load figures to rest upon Farmer.

And the Trojans might need two backs to keep pace.

Byrd has been an overnight sensation since replacing the injured McCullough and helping USC pound out a fourth-quarter drive against Arizona State two weeks ago. Suddenly, reporters are waiting to talk to the redshirt junior every day after practice.

“I try to keep it out of my mind,” he said.

Pierson is a little better known, having shown up on the radar with a big game last season, also against Arizona State, but he dropped out of sight after injuring his back while lifting weights last winter. Carroll said he should be ready for an increased workload today.

Given the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two backs, the game plan calls for no bouncing outside, nothing fancy. In practice this week, Byrd was chastised for putting a spin move on a tackler. The coaches have made their expectations clear.

“They haven’t said anything about long runs,” Pierson said. “They just want four yards.”

*

USC at ARIZONA

Today, 3:30 p.m., Channel 9