Chow is impressed, but Kiffin wants more

USC looked the part.

After playing for little more than pride during Lane Kiffin’s first two seasons, the top-ranked Trojans could barely wait to show fans and the rest of the nation that they were worthy of the preseason hype.

Receiver Marqise Lee exceeded his billing.

Quarterback Matt Barkley lived up to his, and the defense appeared at time to be channeling opportunistic Trojans units of the past.

USC’s 49-10 victory over Hawaii on Saturday was the first step in what the Trojans hope will end with a shot to play for a national championship.

Kiffin had talked this week of the need to have a Showtime element to satisfy Los Angeles sports fans.

Barkley didn’t mince words when asked if the Trojans’ performance sent a message to those waiting to see if USC was as good as advertised.

“It better,” he said.

The Trojans spoiled Norm Chow’s return to the Coliseum and his first game as a head coach.

Hawaii’s coach directed USC’s offense from 2001 to 2004 and helped the Trojans win two national titles with offenses that featured dynamic quarterbacks and outstanding receivers and running backs.

On Saturday, he saw a similar unit from across the field.

After shaking hands with Kiffin, Chow headed to the Coliseum tunnel and was asked if he was impressed with the Trojans.

“Did you see the same game I saw?” he said, chuckling. “Yeah, they were impressive.”

Not that Kiffin thought so.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” he said.

Lee expressed similar feelings after his scintillating performance, saying he had too many drops.

Kiffin has said the sophomore has the potential to become the greatest receiver in Trojans history. That’s on a list that includes Lynn Swann and Keyshawn Johnson.

But he might be up for it.

The first time Lee touched the ball, he caught a short pass, turned a defender with a quick move and then dashed up the sideline for a 75-yard touchdown.

“Our coach always emphasizes making one move and going up — and I actually did what he said,” Lee said.

On his first touch of the second half, Lee returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

He finished with 10 receptions for 197 yards — and 297 multipurpose yards — putting him squarely in early Heisman Trophy discussion that has been dominated by the celebrated teammate throwing him passes.

Barkley, who put off turning pro and returned for a final shot at a national championship, looked seasoned and directed the Trojans with nary a mistake.

He passed for 372 yards and four touchdowns — two to receiver Robert Woods — without an interception. And he was not sacked.

By the start of the second half, USC led, 35-0 and much of the crowd was gone, apparently satisfied that the Trojans were as good as advertised.

They had seen the debut of tailback Silas Redd, the Penn State workhorse who transferred to USC in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sexual-abuse scandal.

Redd ran with authority and showed he can be an effective receiver. He overcame a fumble after a 41-yard pass play and rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown.

But those fans who left early missed the debut of quarterback Max Wittek — and perhaps a glimpse of the future — when Kiffin pulled Barkley with just over nine minutes left.

Middle linebacker Hayes Pullard led a Trojans defense that bent some early in the second half but otherwise shut down the Warriors.

Late in the first quarter, cornerback Nickell Robey tipped a pass thrown by Hawaii quarterback Sean Schroeder and Pullard picked off the pass. He returned it 27 yards for a touchdown that gave the Trojans a 20-0 lead.

USC’s young defensive line, regarded as the Trojans’ biggest question mark, also played well.

Junior end Morgan Breslin disrupted the Warriors, tackle George Uko forced a fumble and freshman tackle Christian Heyward recovered one. Freshman Greg Townsend Jr. had a sack.

“We performed at a pretty good level but I expected them to play well,” defensive line coach Ed Orgeron said. “We’re going to get tested. We didn’t get tested today.”

gary.klein@latimes.com

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