USC Releases Greatest-Hits Package

USC returned to prominence over the last four seasons with high-scoring offenses that were at the very least proficient but more often than not spectacular.

Lost in the pyrotechnics, however, was this simple fact:

The Trojans won two national championships with outstanding, sometimes suffocating, defenses.

In their Pacific 10 Conference opener Saturday night, the third-ranked Trojans showed that they might have what it takes to make a run at another Bowl Championship Series title game.

The defense almost completely shut down Arizona in a 20-3 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 58,801 at Arizona Stadium.

“We dominated the whole game,” middle linebacker Rey Maualuga said.

With 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart watching from the sideline, USC committed its first two turnovers of the season and struggled for most of the game on offense. But the Trojans improved to 3-0 overall and increased their conference winning streak to 24 games thanks to a defense that had also played well in victories over Arkansas and Nebraska.

“I love the fact that we’re playing defense like this,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “Three straight weeks of playing like crazy is really important.

“We’re going to really be able to count on these guys to be a big factor in this football team’s success.”

It figures to be a necessity until the offense finds a way to move the ball consistently and punch it into the end zone.

“The ball’s not getting down the field quite as fast as it has, obviously,” Carroll said.

Freshman tailback Emmanuel Moody emerged Saturday as a productive runner, but the Trojans missed several big-play opportunities and finished with 381 yards.

Quarterback John David Booty had played virtually error-free in the first two games, passing for six touchdowns without an interception. But he misfired on some throws and had several others dropped against Arizona, which held USC to its lowest point total since a 27-20 loss at Kansas State in 2002.

USC led, 3-0, at halftime on a 35-yard field goal by Mario Danelo before managing 17 points in the second half.

“It seems like the last couple of games we seem to shoot ourselves in the foot early on,” said Booty, who completed 24 of 39 passes for 179 yards with a touchdown and an interception. “The result is scores like this. ... We just have to work on coming out faster and trying to execute better early on.”

If the defense continues to play like it did Saturday night, it might not matter.

The Trojans sacked Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama five times and limited the Wildcats to 154 yards. Arizona converted only two of 12 third-down attempts.

A week after Arizona’s Chris Jennings rushed for 201 yards against Stephen F. Austin, USC stuffed the Wildcats, who finished with minus-16 yards rushing.

“I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t execute better on offense,” Arizona Coach Mike Stoops said. “I thought we had chances on offense to score, but we just couldn’t get deep into the red zone.”

Maualuga made sure of that, intercepting a pass in the second quarter and making five tackles, including two of the Trojans’ seven tackles for losses. Defensive end Lawrence Jackson blocked a field-goal attempt in the second quarter, and linebacker Dallas Sartz recovered a muffed punt in the fourth that set up USC’s final touchdown, a nine-yard jaunt by Moody.

“We know we’re good and we really play with an attitude,” said sophomore linebacker Brian Cushing, who finished with four tackles, including a sack.

Said Booty: “If they want to carry us, that’s fine with me.”

Moody showed that he was capable of carrying the load in the running game by rushing for 130 yards in 21 carries.

“It’s something we’ve been looking for,” Carroll said. “We kind of were hoping tonight would be a bit of a breakout game for him.”

Moody darted his way to a 40-yard gain in the third quarter that set up Booty’s three-yard touchdown pass to split end Dwayne Jarrett. His 30-yard run in the fourth quarter helped set up a 33-yard field goal by Danelo that put USC ahead 13-3.

“They saw what I can do,” Moody said. “They recruited me for this aspect.”

After playing sluggishly on offense in the first half, the Trojans started the third quarter with their best drive of the game.

Moody provided the spark when he took a handoff on second down at the Arizona 43, ran through the left side of the line and cut back through the secondary for a 40-yard gain, USC’s longest play of the season.

A few plays later, Booty put the Trojans ahead 10-0 with the touchdown pass to Jarrett.

Danelo missed a 26-yard field-goal attempt, but the Wildcats could not convert the opportunity into a touchdown and settled for Nick Folk’s 43-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.

Moody helped the Trojans answer, blowing past Wildcats defenders for a 30-yard gain that moved the ball to the Arizona 35. The Trojans stalled at the 16 and Danelo’s 33-yard field goal restored USC’s 10-point lead with 9:43 left.

Arizona blew its final chance to rally when Mike Thomas muffed a punt with just over three minutes left. Sartz recovered and Moody provided the finishing touch with his touchdown run.

“We just played three really good, solid football teams and we got three really nice wins,” Carroll said. “I’m really pleased with it. We don’t really care what the formula is.

“We want to play good football and make other people have to beat us, and so far that’s what we’re doing.”

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gary.klein@latimes.com

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KEYS TO THE GAME

Gary Klein’s keys to the game and how the Trojans measured up:

1. Forward march. USC rushed for 202 yards, freshman Emmanuel Moody supplying 130 and a touchdown in 21 carries. C.J. Gable finished with 34 yards in five carries, Chauncey Washington 33 in 10. Arizona’s Chris Jennings, who rushed for more than 200 yards last week against Stephen F. Austin, gained only 23 yards in nine carries.

2. Secondary is primary. USC’s defensive line took some of the pressure off Trojans cornerbacks and safeties by sacking Wildcats quarterback Willie Tuitama five times. Tuitama completed 14 of 23 for 170 yards with an interception. USC quarterback John David Booty was 24 of 39 for 179 yards with a touchdown pass.

3. Make no mistake. USC committed its first turnovers of the season as Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason intercepted a pass by Booty and Washington fumbled. But the Trojans also intercepted a pass, blocked a field-goal attempt and recovered a fumble.