USC Is Feeling the Pressure on Turnovers

As USC players and coaches walk today from the locker room in Heritage Hall to practice at Howard Jones Field, one subject will dominate their thoughts:

Turnovers.

“Turnover Wednesdays,” have been a staple for the Trojans since Pete Carroll took over the program before the 2001 season. The focus on getting the ball -- and taking care of it -- has spurred the Trojans to unparalleled success.

But while undefeated USC appears on track for a possible third consecutive Bowl Championship Series title-game appearance, the Trojans haven’t been playing to the script.

With the exception of a game-ending interception at Washington State, they have not caused a turnover or recorded a sack in two games.

“We’ve never had a dry spell like that,” said linebacker Oscar Lua, a fifth-year senior.

Not coincidentally, USC’s last two games were nail-biting, six-point victories that were not decided until the final seconds.

Freshman safety Taylor Mays picked off a desperation pass at Washington State and USC escaped with a victory at the Coliseum when Washington failed to snap the ball after the clock started with two seconds left.

“It’s been a little bit of a drought, but I’m not worried about it,” Carroll said. “The main thing is we haven’t been turning the ball over at an alarming rate. If we had been, we’d have lost.”

Fans may lament the loss of instant offense from the likes of Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White, but a bigger factor in the Trojans’ struggles of late is the lack of turnovers and the scoring they used to generate.

USC has finished no lower than fifth nationally in turnover margin in each of the last five seasons and was first or second in each of the last three. Along the way, they compiled a 54-10 record, made four straight appearances in BCS bowl games and won two national championships.

However, after its performance against the Washington schools, USC began the week ranked a woeful-for-the-Trojans 25th in turnover margin.

USC has lost two fumbles and three of its passes have been intercepted. The Trojans have recovered four fumbles and intercepted five passes for a plus-4 margin.

Not only that, but USC isn’t scoring as much after stealing the ball. In 13 games last season, the Trojans forced 38 turnovers and scored after 26 of them. In five games this season, USC has scored seven times after turnovers.

“We have to find out ways to pressure the quarterback and find out ways to get the ball knocked around or it’s going to be hard to separate from teams,” Carroll said. “It’s so obvious. Look at the Arkansas game and look at the rest of ‘em.”

USC’s season-opening 50-14 victory at Arkansas was built on turnovers -- and scoring after them. The Razorbacks fumbled twice and three of their passes were intercepted, with the Trojans capitalizing by scoring after each in their most impressive victory of the season.

USC recovered a fumble against Nebraska. The Trojans intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble against Arizona. But Washington State and Washington avoided costly miscues and each was positioned for an upset.

“We just have not been real effective with any consistent kind of pressure at all the last couple of weeks,” Carroll said.

USC, which adopted a hybrid 3-4 scheme on defense this season, has registered only seven sacks -- five against Arizona -- and no player has more than one. Defensive end Lawrence Jackson, who had 10 last season, has none.

“People in the Pac-10, especially, have done their homework,” junior nose tackle Sedrick Ellis said. “They know what we do and they’ve spent years trying to figure out a way to beat it.”

Washington State had quarterback Alex Brink mainly use a three-step drop that allowed him to release the ball before the Trojans could get deep into the backfield. Washington quarterback Isaiah Stanback worked mainly out of the shotgun formation and took advantage of his scrambling ability.

“If the quarterback is dropping back and getting the ball off, Michael Johnson could not get back there with his world-record speed,” Jackson said, referring to the Olympic gold medalist. “We have to put the quarterback in tough situations and make him go through all of his progressions.

“If he has a guy that he wants to throw to and he gets it to him, everything is on rhythm and we can’t get any sacks.”

Despite the absence of turnovers or sacks, USC avoided defeats by limiting its own mistakes on offense. Washington State intercepted a pass on the final play of the first half and Washington also picked off a pass. But the Trojans did not lose a fumble in either game.

USC’s defense, however, could use some help from an offense that has failed to score from long or even medium range. The Trojans’ two longest touchdown plays of the season both came Saturday against Washington. The longest was on a trick play, a 20-yard pass after a fake field goal. The other was on a 17-yard pass from John David Booty to Patrick Turner.

“Last year’s offense could strike you dead in a second,” Lua said. “This year’s offense eats the clock. We went from high octane, with Reggie and Matt and their big-play mentality, to some young guys that are going to be really good and are working hard to get there.”

So is a defense that has missed some opportunities at interceptions and fumble recoveries.

Arizona State, this week’s opponent, might be just what the Trojans need. The Sun Devils are at minus-4 in turnover margin after losing six fumbles and throwing nine interceptions.

Secondary coach Rocky Seto echoed the statements of his players when he said, “It’s been kind of dry. Hopefully, we’re due for a big downpour.”

*

gary.klein@latimes.com

*

Begin text of infobox

Forcing the issue

Turnovers have been key to USC’s recent success:

Turnovers caused by and sacks credited to USC defense through five games:

*--* Year Int. Fumbles Sacks 2006 5 4 7 2005 10 2 16 2004 10 7 21 2003 9 8 21

*--*

Previous season totals:

*--* Year Int. Fumbles Sacks 2005 22 16 32 2004 22 16 59 2003 22 20 55

*--*

National ranking for turnover margin:

*--* Year Margin Ranking 2005 +1.62 2nd 2004 +1.46 1st 2003 +1.54 2nd 2002 +1.38 5th 2001 +1.27 5th

*--*