Third-straight home game offers redemption


Matt Karatsu | Daily Trojan

Discussing Saturday’s matchup against Texas without invoking the legendary 2006 Rose Bowl proves to be an impossible task. FOX (the network airing the contest) released a stirring promo complete with images of Vince Young’s championship-winning touchdown and words about unfinished business between the two schools. In the lead-up to Saturday, The Los Angeles Times ran a three-part story about the lasting impacts of one of the greatest college football games ever played.

Despite the game’s billing as a rematch 10 years in the making, head coach Clay Helton refuses to delve too deep into the narrative.

“It was 12 years ago,” Helton said. “I think the reality is our players understand how important it is to our Trojan family. Being an old person like myself, I got to see the game, I know the importance of it. Our kids are seeing it as the next step. This is our season, this is our time, this is our opportunity to try to get to 1-0 this week and 3-0 on the season.”

This is not the same USC team that played in the 2006 National Championship, but if one squints hard enough, they look pretty similar. Over the Trojans’ first two games, running backs junior Ronald Jones II and true freshman Stephen Carr are reminding fans of the “thunder and lightning” days of LenDale White and Reggie Bush (who is who remains up for conversation). So far, they have combined to rush for 463 yards and seven touchdowns, each seeming to one-up the other with highlight run after highlight run.

Meanwhile, redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold plays a much different game than 2004 Heisman winner Matt Leinart did, but their successes mirror each other’s. In Leinart’s first year as the starter, he went 12-1 with a Rose Bowl victory over Michigan. Last year, Darnold led USC to a 9-1 record and an immaculate Rose Bowl win over Penn State.

After a less-than-stellar opening game against Western Michigan, he returned to his original form in last week’s Stanford win, earning Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors for his 316-yard, four-touchdown performance. The Trojans’ balanced attack gained 623 total yards against a usually stout Cardinal defense.

“We’ve worked so hard over this last year to really be the team that can run the ball when we must to win games,” Helton said. “They did a wonderful job of really establishing what our identity is, which is run the ball, stop the run and be explosive in the pass game.”

It was a long, winding road for the Trojans to get back to national prominence after the program came under crippling NCAA sanctions in 2010. Right now, Texas is in the midst of its own recovery. Currently on their second coach since Mack Brown stepped down in 2013, the Longhorns have not finished in the top 10 since 2009 (they carry a 57 percent winning percentage over that span).

New head coach Tom Herman brings plenty of excitement and offensive firepower to the struggling program, but rebuilding takes time. Texas lost to Maryland in Week 1, giving up 51 points in a shootout; USC may now resemble its mid-2000s counterpart, but Texas still has a long way to go.

Even though the Longhorns enter the Coliseum unranked and as 17-point underdogs, Helton knows better than to take them and Herman lightly. The Texas coach is no stranger to the art of the upset. While the head coach of Houston, he led the Cougars to shocking wins over No. 9 Florida State and No. 3 Oklahoma behind dynamic, high scoring offenses. This year, his team is averaging 48.5 points per game with plenty of playmakers at their disposal.

“[Herman] has a knack for attacking every inch of the field,” Helton said. “He has a great interior run game, he forces you to cover the interior, with how many perimeter throws he has. He’s not scared to throw the ball deep.”

The Longhorns currently have three capable quarterbacks that are all likely to play against USC. Sophomore Shane Buchele is more of a traditional pocket passer. He threw for 375 yards against Maryland, but a bruised shoulder kept him out of the San Jose State game. In his absence, freshman Sam Ehlinger stepped in and showed loads of potential throwing for 222 yards and rushing for 48 (his dual threat ability may remind Trojan fans of another Sam). They are joined by run-first option Jerrod Heard, who receives snaps out of the wildcat formation.

In defending the Longhorns’ spread attack, USC could be without junior outside linebacker Porter Gustin, who had surgery to repair a broken big toe on Wednesday. He was held out of practice on Thursday.

While the team may not view this game as the heated grudge match most USC fans see it as, Helton did underscore the importance of Saturday’s game.

“We talked about how much mental focus you have in a game like this,” Helton said. “You’re playing a very good team, and it’s an emotional game in a very live environment.”