Trojans Share the Ball and Fun

It was the kind of question a coach gets asked when his top-ranked team is rolling through the early season.

Someone wanted to know how Pete Carroll dealt with the pressure of spreading the ball among a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, a Heisman finalist at tailback and a handful of other talented veterans on his offense.

Carroll shrugged.

“I don’t understand why people think that is a bad thing,” he said earlier this week. “It’s awesome.”

This week at least, it wasn’t much of a problem.

The Trojans’ 70-17 victory over unranked Arkansas on Saturday night was notable not only for the number of touchdowns they scored but also for the number of players who got in on the action.

Between three quarterbacks and both tailbacks, various receivers and even a fullback, there was plenty to go around.

After losing several defensive stars from last season, USC came into the fall ranked No. 1 if only because so many starters returned on offense.

Reggie Bush, a Heisman finalist in 2004, got things started against Arkansas with a 76-yard touchdown run on USC’s opening possession. Then quarterback Matt Leinart, who won the Heisman last December, got his turn.

As Carroll pointed out: “Matt is the lucky one, he gets to sit in the middle of this thing.”

That translated into a pair of touchdown passes to Bush and sophomore receiver Dwayne Jarrett, followed by a uncharacteristic 17-yard scramble, Leinart twisting into the end zone to make the score 28-7 before the first quarter ended.

But when it comes to sharing the ball, the first USC player that comes to mind these days has been tailback LenDale White.

The team’s leading rusher the past two seasons, White was all but forgotten in the opener against Hawaii, getting the bulk of his carries long after the game was decided.

White was visibly upset afterward, but again, Carroll put a positive spin on the matter.

“I hope our guys are frustrated ... I hope they want the ball more,” he said. “I hope they are chomping at the bit.”

Against Arkansas, White got his first carry early in the second quarter, drawing a cheer from the crowd as he bulled for 10 yards.

Over the next dozen plays, White rushed three more times for 21 yards and caught a 19-yard pass before stretching the ball over the goal line for a three-yard touchdown run.

If nothing else, it seems the Trojans have taken advantage of their first two games against overmatched teams by giving future opponents a jumble of film to watch.

It has been difficult to single out one or two featured players. As Carroll said: “Sometimes we don’t know either.”

After a 42-10 first half against Arkansas, the only offensive leader who hadn’t made a big play was tight end Dominique Byrd. So, on the first three plays of the second half, Byrd caught passes of 11 and 16 yards. Receiver Steve Smith then broke open for a 58-yard reception and White came back in for a short scoring run.

For good measure, the Trojans threw to David Kirtman a few minutes later and the fullback went 21 yards, flipping into the end zone. Then freshman receiver Patrick Turner caught his first touchdown pass from reserve quarterback John David Booty. Finally, fourth-string quarterback Michael McDonald got in on the action with a scoring pass.

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Time and a quarter

Arkansas won the first-quarter time of possession battle, but ...

FIRST QUARTER SCORE

USC 28, Arkansas 7

FIRST QUARTER TIME OF POSSESSION

Arkansas 13:28, USC 1:32

FIRST QUARTER SCORING

2:34 into quarter

USC -- Bush 76-yard touchdown run (Danelo kick). USC, 7-0

3:54 into quarter

ARKANSAS -- Monk 12-yard touchdown pass from Johnson (Balseiro kick). Score tied, 7-7

4:07 into quarter

USC -- Bush 29-yard touchdown pass from Leinart (Danelo kick). USC, 14-7

5:54 into quarter

USC -- Jarrett 24-yard touchdown pass from Leinart (Danelo kick). USC, 21-7

10:16 into quarter

USC -- Leinart 17-yard touchdown run (Danelo kick). USC, 28-7