No Secondary Concerns

One glance at the wide receiver across the line and John Walker had a sneaking suspicion what might happen next.

Less than 60 seconds remained in the game, USC hanging on to a lead over Arizona State. Walker lined up at his cornerback spot and found himself matched against the Sun Devils’ best pass catcher, Derek Hagan.

“He was kind of avoiding eye contact,” Walker said. “You kind of knew it was coming to him.”

Walker also knew he had inside help, so he maintained outside position, dropped into coverage in the end zone and made a leaping interception to seal the top-ranked Trojans’ 38-28 victory over No. 14 Arizona State.

It was one of several big plays by a much-doubted secondary, a group thinned by injury and illness that nonetheless came away with four interceptions against Sam Keller, one of the better quarterbacks in the conference, if not the nation.

“It seemed like they were always in position to make the play,” said Keller, who completed 26 of 45 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns.

“When it was a bad throw,” he said, “they were just right there to get it.”

Keller had five interceptions in all, the first one by middle linebacker Oscar Lua in the right flat, a turnover that led to a field goal.

The defensive backs, yielding short passes, keeping receivers in front of them, got into the act in the second half.

The Trojans had just given up a costly fumble and Keller was rolling to his left, looking for Hagan. The quarterback pumped once, then tried to force a pass near the sideline.

Cornerback Justin Wyatt, hiding behind the receiver, darted into position.

It was a bright spot in a tough day of battling Hagan, the 12th-ranked receiver in the nation, who ended up with 10 catches for 162 yards.

USC secondary coach Greg Burns calls Wyatt a “scrappy guy. He’s always fighting.”

Wyatt said he drew inspiration from everyone doubting his unit and from what he perceived as negative comments by Keller during the week.

“That’s a little extra sauce on the burrito,” he said.

More to the point, the senior and his defensive backfield mates were motivated by Arizona State’s 21-3 halftime lead and a dire need to scramble back into the game.

Wyatt’s interception led to a touchdown, making the score 21-17. Then, at the end of the third quarter, Walker’s first interception, off a deflection by linebacker Thomas Williams, halted a Sun Devil drive at midfield.

“We should have won the game,” Hagan said. “But a few plays here and there turned the game around.”

The two biggest were yet to come.

After the Trojans scored to take a 31-28 lead in the fourth quarter, Keller threw a high pass over the middle. A leaping Hagan got his hands on the ball, then had it bounce away.

Freshman safety Kevin Ellison, who had dropped into zone coverage, left his area and raced toward the play in time to scoop up the rebound.

“I just saw the ball coming to me,” said Ellison, who sprained his knee while making the catch. “I’m not sure what happened.”

Burns said he had a pretty good idea.

“I’m going to use that example forever,” the assistant said. “That’s what happens when you run to the ball.”

Moments later, USC tailback LenDale White bolted 46 yards for a touchdown to give the Trojans a 10-point lead.

All they needed to wrap up the game was one more turnover -- Walker’s.

It was a big moment for a fifth-year senior thrust into the starting lineup only last week. He’d never intercepted a pass before Saturday.

“I just read the play,” he said. “Like playing catch when you’re young.”