USC Cleans Up Leinart’s ‘Mess’

Matt Leinart was not surprised that he got emotional about his final appearance at the Coliseum on Saturday, but he did not expect to be thrown off his game.

Leinart was the last of 19 seniors introduced before top-ranked USC played 11th-ranked UCLA. He began to cry as thunderous cheers rained down from the sellout crowd as he made his way through a human tunnel of family members and former USC players.

“He was so emotional, teary and crying,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “He was a mess.... He was trying to maximize the moment, and he did.”

Unfortunately for Leinart, the emotion and timing of the introduction prevented the Heisman Trophy winner from warming up.

Leinart missed on his first five passes and struggled throughout the first half.

“I think he had about 50 quarterback coaches,” said Steve Sarkisian, assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach. “Everybody was trying to come up to him, whether it was to tell him a joke or calm him down.”

Leinart said running back Reggie Bush was particularly encouraging.

“He kept going, ‘You’re the best quarterback in America. You’ll be fine,’ ” Leinart said.

Leinart settled down in the second half and finished 21 of 40 for 233 yards and three touchdowns.

USC was at UCLA’s eight-yard line with 12:21 left when the Trojans called timeout and removed Leinart from the game.

He walked to the sideline amid thunderous cheers from the crowd and hugs from teammates.

“It was an unbelievable experience,” he said. “Something I’ll always remember.”

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The shoulder injury that tailback LenDale White suffered last Sunday in practice did not slow him down against UCLA.

White rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns in 14 carries and caught two passes for 35 yards, including one for an eight-yard touchdown.

“Maybe [today] I’ll feel some pain but right now it feels good,” he said.

White has rushed for 49 touchdowns and scored 54 overall in his career. He broke Charles White’s career record of 53 touchdowns and tied the Heisman Trophy winner’s record of 49 rushing touchdowns.

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It was an offensive lineman’s dream, a game plan that called for USC to emphasize the ground game early and often. The Trojans ran on 10 of their first 12 plays to begin a day in which they would rush for 430 yards.

“We love running,” All-American lineman Taitusi Lutui said. “That’s where our work is ... kind of knock them down.”

UCLA defenders knew they had been beaten soundly.

Said Bruin linebacker Spencer Havner: “We couldn’t make the stops when we were supposed to, or when we had to.”

UCLA safety Dennis Keyes on the Bruins’ defensive problems against Bush, who rushed for 260 yards: “He was everything I expected. He has great speed and he ran with power and balance. He hurt us throughout the game, especially with big runs.”

UCLA safety Jarrad Page on Bush: “We had them with a third down and long deep in their territory and he busts a 65-yard run on us. That said it all.”

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With 14 completions, UCLA quarterback Drew Olson broke the school season record with 232, breaking Troy Aikman’s mark of 228 set in 1988.

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UCLA center Mike McCloskey sat out his fourth game in a row because of a shoulder sprain but said that he could return for the Bruins’ bowl game later this month. Freshman defensive tackle Chase Moline suffered an ankle injury in the second half and did not return. Moline’s X-rays were negative.

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In the waning moments of the rout, there was another concern for UCLA: getting the mascots and cheerleaders off the field before the celebration began.

As the cheerleaders gathered their gear and put on their sweats, Joe and Josephine Bruin pulled their luggage and a young assistant urged them toward the tunnel.

“I don’t want to leave you alone,” she told Josephine.

Times staff writers David Wharton, Lonnie White and Robyn Norwood contributed to this report.