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Next Man Up
The injury report was staggering all week, and the Trojans got no relief Saturday as RT Kevin Graf, S Su'a Cravens and TE Shane Sullivan were all knocked out in the first half. Despite missing several top line talents, the backups stepped up. "It's kind of the mindset that we have," said interim head coach Ed Orgeron who set the tone all week. "Whatever happens, we're going to fix it. We're going to move forward. They have a Trojan helmet; they are going to play like Trojans." In for OLB Morgan Breslin, J.R. Tavai led the team with 11 tackles and 2 sacks. Without Marqise Lee, wideouts De'Von Flournoy and Darreus Rogers combined for 107 receiving yards. Down four tight ends, the fifth man on the depth chart, walk-on Chris Willson, made his first career catch.The Microcosm
If any player embodies the collective heart and courage displayed by the Trojans today, it is junior safety Dion Bailey. He was too banged up to start the game, but when he saw Su'a Cravens go down right before the half, Bailey realized that there was really no one to fill the spot, so he suited up. "That's just family," CB Josh Shaw said about Bailey. "Once he's seen that Su'a went down...he told coach that he was ready to step up. He wanted to go to war with us." Orgeron recognizes that moments like that are how teams are built. "It just goes to show you the commitment that these guys have for each other," Coach O said. "He saw that we needed him, and he went out and played. It was awesome."
Points Off Turnovers
With Josh Shaw back at cornerback, the USC secondary locked down the Utah passing game holding them to just 130 yards through the air. Even more, the three interceptions plus a fumble spurred the offense to 16 of its 19 points. "We all took it personal, especially back there on the back end," Shaw said about the recent struggles in the secondary. "We said, 'No more of that stuff.' At some point, it has to become personal. We had to create turnovers. We are low on numbers on offense, so we knew we had to win on defense." Sophomore CB Kevon Seymour blanketed Dres Anderson, the Utes top target, to the tune of 2 catches for 21 yards.
Next Generation
Moving Shaw back to corner created a void at safety. Getting his first real game opportunity on defense, true freshman Leon McQuay filled the gap and then some. Playing alongside classmate Su'a Cravens, who had a pick and a 54-yard return, McQuay snagged his first interception as a Trojan. "That guy is a great player. Every single day, all he does is give it his all," said the veteran Shaw about his young teammate. "For the next three or four years, the Trojan Nation should be very excited about the play of Leon McQuay and Su'a Cravens." Shaw described McQuay's athletic ability as "freakish" saying, "He's just got it. That's all I can say."
Rush to the Top
Coming into the game, Utah led the Pac-12 in sacks by just one over the Trojans. Orgeron put that stat out there like a carrot on a stick for his hungry bunch. "We had emphasis all week that we wanted to get back to our old selves, just dominant football up front," said defensive captain Hayes Pullard. The Trojans picked up 6 sacks to Utah's 5, so they are now tied at the top. "I thought they played excellent," said Orgeron, who credits new defensive line coach Pete Jenkins. Leonard Williams played another outstanding game with 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Making It Work
The offense was certainly not pretty, but it was never going to be with so many missing pieces. Most importantly, they committed zero turnovers as Cody Kessler was a clean 21/32 for 230 yards and a TD. "I am so proud of our guys," said Kessler. "Under the circumstances that we had, for us to pull out a win and keep working is awesome." The offensive version of Dion Bailey was WR Nelson Agholor (pictured by John McGillen) who did not practice all week, but decided to push through the pain on game day. He led the team with 6 catches for 97 yards and scored the game's only touchdown.
Extra Point...
Kick in the Butt
Junior kicker Andre Heidari won the week's kicking competition by the thinnest of margins. If he had missed a couple today, Alex Wood was coming in, according to Orgeron. With "just a little kick in the pants," Orgeron's words, Heidari responded making 4/5 field goals accounting for 12 of the 19 points. "Obviously, the kicking of Andre Heidari was crucial in the game," said Coach O.
Here are all the USC highlights from a dominant defensive display...
