LINCOLN, Neb. - It was a rushing attack that would make former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne proud.
But it wasn't his Cornhuskers dominating the line of the scrimmage and rushing for 313 yards. It was the top-ranked Trojans instead.
Tailback U was back and USC made a point that it could be here to stay.
But there was no student body left or student body right like the Trojans ran in their heyday. Almost all of the runs came right up the middle through the heart of the Nebraska defense.
USC didn't have to throw a pass all night. If it weren't for John David Booty's Heisman campaign, maybe the Trojans wouldn't have.
It was clear from the start of the game that USC could win simply by running the ball. The Trojans gained 90 yards on the first two rushes of the game, 54 yards more than the Cornhuskers ran for all night.
With holes the size of the nearby corn fields, the running backs saw nothing but open spaces.
"It was a great sight," running back Stafon Johnson said. "My eyes opened up real big like a kid in a candy store. You always want to get to the safeties."
Johnson continued his transformation from being in the doghouse to becoming the top dog. He ran for a career-high 144 yards on just 11 carries and made 20-yard runs look easy.
But he's still not ready to call himself the feature back.
"I am still a role player," Johnson said. "Whenever they call my name, I have to be ready at all times. I really don't care as long as we get a victory."
It's night and day from the attitude Johnson had last year as a freshman when he didn't work hard every day. But he finally began to get things together before the Rose Bowl last year and came into fall camp with a chance to make a statement.
"We brought him back as a freshman in a sense," Carroll said. "And that opportunity was all the difference in the world for that guy. What you saw today is what we've seen all camp long."
Johnson now leads the Trojans with 208 yards rushing and three touchdowns. But like Johnson said he's not the only running back on the team.
Three Trojans averaged more than 10 yards per rush and USC averaged 8.2 yards per rush as a team. It was the best rushing average by an opponent Nebraska had ever given up in its history. The vaunted black shirt defense was reduced to rubble.
The Trojans continued to rotate Johnson and starter C.J. Gable to much success. Johnson averaged 13 yards per carry and Gable averaged 17 yards per carry. Carroll called those "crazy numbers."
Chauncey Washington played in his first game this season since injuring his shoulder in fall camp and rushed for two touchdowns, which prompted Carroll to call him "officially back."
Fullback Stanley Havili had a touchdown rush and a touchdown catch and Allen Bradford also added a rushing touchdown.
"It was great fun to watch those guys," Carroll said. "Stafon is really something. He gets out there and they don't tackle him. He makes guys miss and bounces off guys and makes his own yards."
But Johnson said he couldn't do it without his offensive line.
"You have to give credit to the offensive line," Johnson said. "(It's) the best line in the country."
Carroll said the team celebrated the rushing performance in the locker room after the game.
It was the team's best rushing performance since 2005 when the Trojans ran for 403 yards against UCLA.
"We were hootin' and hollerin' in the locker room about the o-line and the 300 yards rushing," Carroll said.
The offensive line did its job even with true freshman Kris O'Dowd starting at center in a harsh environment at Memorial Stadium.
The line used hand signals to combat the crowd noise and wasn't forced into any false starts.
And while O'Dowd said the running backs did a great job Saturday, he feels they can do even more and haven't quite reached their potential.
"We have unbelievable running backs here at this school," O'Dowd said, "and they haven't even broken the barrier of their talent yet."
Now that's a scary thought.
- To comment on this article, visit www.dailytrojan.com or e-mail Rhett at rhettbollinger@gmail.com.
