USC stable full of tailbacks
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By CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
This goes beyond the typical by-committee description.
What Southern California’s top-ranked football team has with its stable of tailbacks is gravel-pit depth.
Looking at the Trojans’ depth chart, which includes six Parade All-Americans, it’s easy to see why their coaches would have a tough time choosing.
“You can give the ball to any one of us and we’re going to do something with it. That’s how stacked we are,” said C.J. Gable, who last season became the first true freshman tailback to start a season opener at USC. “If one of us goes down, it’s not like ‘Oh, we’ve got them now.’ We’ve got another running back as good as me, or as good as Stefon (Johnson), or whoever.”
And the Trojans like to use as many of them as possible.
Two weeks ago, during the first half of a bare-bones 38-10 season-opening victory against Idaho, USC put the ball in the hands of a running back for all but five plays.
Gable started things off with a slashing 33-yard run on the first play from scrimmage, then came out and watched Johnson catch two passes and cap the drive with his first touchdown.
By the finish — even with 2006 rushing leader Chauncey Washington sitting out because of a shoulder injury, and ballyhooed true freshman Joe McKnight being eased into the rotation — the USC tailbacks had generated 219 yards rushing, 264 yards of offense and scored four of the five touchdowns.
Who could blame Emmanuel Moody, another Parade All-American, for transferring to Florida last month?
“We know that we’re not able to get that 20 carries a game, so whenever we do get a chance to get the ball we try to make the best out of that,” Johnson said. “It’s all a competitive thing. That’s who we are.”
While Gable made a big splash last season, starting five games and gaining 434 yards, Johnson barely made a ripple. He saw action in just three games, and had three carries.
Against Idaho, the 6-foot, 210-pounder from Bellflower, Calif., got four times that number and finished with 64 yards. Gable, a 6-1, 195-pounder from Sylmar, Calif., picked up another 68 on just eight rushes, and also caught his first touchdown pass.
“Honestly, I feel privileged (to be in the mix), not only for the players here, but for the players that have played in the past,” Johnson said. “It’s a great opportunity.”
McKnight is touted as the gem of the freshmen class, but the other two tailbacks in it — Broderick Green and Marc Tyler — also were Parade All-Americans.
Green, though, is currently out with a stress fracture in a foot, and Tyler, who went through just one preseason workout, is trying to come back from a broken leg.
The Trojans do expect to have Washington available for their game at Nebraska this Saturday. Washington, by the way, had 52 yards and a TD in last year’s 28-10 win against the Huskers, and it would make sense that his return will make Pete Carroll’s challenge in keeping his ball carriers happy trickier.
Then again, Carroll can point to two years ago, when Reggie Bush was on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy and LenDale White was capping off a career in which he ran for 52 touchdowns.
“If you think about it, I only had three carries last year, so I’m happy, regardless,” said a chuckling Johnson, a speedster who remembers running at a Junior Olympics National track and field meet in Lincoln.
Added Gable, “Everybody wants to be ‘that guy,’ but if you’re coming here you’re going to rotate, because everybody’s got different talents. It’s hard, but we deal with it. We still get in, and we’re winning. It’s not like we’re getting mad about it. We’re all doing what we’re supposed to do.”
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com.
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