Some Trickery Brings a Treat

Norm Chow said the play is not all that original, that many teams have something similar in their playbooks.

“We didn’t create it,” Chow, USC’s offensive coordinator, said Friday. “But I don’t think it can be executed any better than that.”

The touchdown pass that All-American receiver Mike Williams threw to quarterback Matt Leinart off a reverse in USC’s Rose Bowl victory over Michigan was a signature moment for the Trojans. The 15-yard play all but clinched the Trojans’ 28-14 victory and a probable share of their first national championship since 1978.

Chow said he used the play in 2000 when he was offensive coordinator at North Carolina State.

“We were playing North Carolina and the score was 0-0,” Chow said. “It was a third-down call and we got it done.”

USC had used the left-handed Williams as a passer a couple of times this season, though his target was usually flanker Keary Colbert or another receiver.

Chow installed the reverse-pass to Leinart during preparation for the Rose Bowl, and the Trojans executed it with mixed results during practice. Trojan defenders made it tough for the offense by anticipating the trickery.

Unsuspecting Michigan, however, was caught completely off guard as USC took advantage of an almost perfect set of circumstances.

“Mike’s left-handed, so we wanted to make sure we were on the left hash mark,” Chow said.

That’s exactly where the Trojans found themselves when fullback Brandon Hancock knocked a fumbled ball out of bounds after a short pass reception, giving the Trojans a second-and-goal from the 15 with just under four minutes left in the third quarter.

“The idea was to try and get them in man coverage,” Chow said, “because there’s never anyone assigned to covering the quarterback.”

Chow, in the coaches’ booth in the press box, asked Coach Pete Carroll if he thought the time was right for the play known as “trips right, 18 toss, reverse quarterback throwback.”

“In that situation, you don’t have time for a lot of dialogue, you have to make the call,” Chow said. “Pete said to go for it.”

Leinart pitched the ball to tailback Hershel Dennis, who headed toward the right sideline. Dennis pitched the ball to Williams, who passed, without delay, toward the left sideline.

“That’s what he’s supposed to do, because if it’s going to happen, it has to happen now,” Chow said. “If you give the defense time, they are going to react.

“I saw the ball coming out of Mike’s hand and it looked like it was shot out of a cannon. I thought it was going to be an incomplete pass. But it worked out.”