USC Falls into Washington’s Trap, 16-13

Throughout their storied history, which includes national championships and Pac-10 titles, perhaps no victory was as great as today’s 16-13 win over USC.
It marked the Huskies’ return from the dead. Win-less all of last season, how could a downtrodden program like Washington nearly upset an SEC power, LSU, in their opener and then knock the No. 3 team in the nation off its pedestal?

The answer: Head coach Steve Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Nick Holt.

There can be no denying the fantastic job these two have done to turn around the Husky program. And they are doing it for the most part without their own recruits. Imagine what this team will be like in the next two years when they have a chance to work all of their recruits into the system.

Of course, it would be unfair not to mention Huskies quarterback Jake Locker and his contribution. Locker missed most of last season with a broken thumb, and if not for this the Huskies may not have gone win-less.

But this year, he is healthy and has bought into Sarkisian’s offensive scheme, which calls for him to stay in the pocket and rely on his arm more than his legs.

Although his numbers were not overpowering, 21-of-35 for 237 yards, he played mistake-free football, which is something that cannot be said for USC quarterback Aaron Corp.

While many will put the blame for the loss squarely on Corp’s shoulders, and perhaps rightly so, it was Nick Holt’s defensive scheme that confused the first-time starter and forced him to throw into coverage.

Corp, who was playing for the injured Matt Barkley, had a horrendous time trying to find an open receiver. When he did, it was usually for short yardage and, unlike the Trojans, the Husky defenders didn’t miss any open-field tackles.

But it wasn’t all Corp’s fault. Two costly fumbles stopped first-half drives deep in Husky territory. Meanwhile, 75 yards in penalties had the Trojans either starting deep in their own end on several occasions or finding themselves in long passing situations.

But perhaps even more important than Barkley’s injury was the sprained knee suffered by Taylor Mays in the Ohio State game. Drew McAllister did the best he could filling in for Mays, but Mays is the glue that holds that defensive secondary together. And today, Jake Locker tore that secondary apart especially in the final period when he led two field goal drives.

The last one was the game-winner with just three seconds left. And it was all Locker.

Facing a 3rd-and-15 with three minutes left, Locker threw a perfect strike to Jermaine Kearse for 21 yards. On the next series, Locker rolled out to convert a 3rd-and-4 at the USC 39 with a minute left.

Avoiding a rush, he hit Kearse again for 19 yards to the USC 16. A roughing-the-passer penalty put the Huskies at the eight-yard line with 33 seconds left. A running play ate up most of the clock and put the ball at the three-yard line.

Sarkisian called a timeout, and Erik Folk came in to hit the 22-yard field goal that ended the Trojans’ hopes for a national championship.
While the Trojans’ season is far from over, not only are their national championship aspirations gone, but their hopes for an eighth consecutive Top Ten season and an eighth consecutive Pac-10 title are now in serious jeopardy.