When asked when he knew the Trojans had control of the game defensively, Trojan safety Taylor Mays replied, "Right after the first series, Weis didn't try to do anything." Maybe that was because Weis knew his Notre Dame team couldn't do anything.
In a game that represented a last gasp of pride, the Irish collapsed under their own ineptitude, while the Trojans searched for and found an offensive identity in South Bend this past Saturday.
Let's go to the grades:
Offense:
QB - Mark Sanchez looked much better in his second start, with solid reads and no turnovers. The inexperience showed in a few of his plays (throwing behind receivers and wreckless care of the ball) that better teams would capitalize on. But the end result was 21 - 38, 235 yards with 4TDs. We'll take that all day. Grade: B+
RBs/FBs - No one cracked 100 yards, but Chauncey Washington, Joe McKnight and the return of Stafon Johnson highlighted a strong running game . . . piling up 230 yards on the ground. McKnight busted a 50 yard TD behind great OLine blocking, and Allen Bradford made an excellent catch and run play to score a TD. FB Havili was effective in short yardage running plays and catching the ball. The only downer was a fumble by veteran Herschel Dennis.
Grade: B+
WRs/TE - TE Fred "The Truth" Davis continues to be the primetime playmaker in the passing game. The one-handed, twisting TD catch was spectacular. PTurner and DAusberry were solid, and VHazelton's 50 yard score was proof positive that he's a playmaker in waiting, although though ND's DBs looked like high schoolers chasing after him. Grade: B
OLine - Terrific game for the OLine, as the reserves Butch Lewis and Tiny Malu really stepped up. They blocked well enough to garner about 230 yards on the ground, and kept the pressure off of rookie QB Mark Sanchez for the majority of the game. Grade: B+
Defense:
DLine - This sounds like a broken record, but the DLine unit is balling. (3) sacks by DLinemen and limiting ND to just 45 yards rushing (only 80 yards when you exclude the loss yardage due to sacks), is a good day's work. Sed "The Beast" Ellis terrorized the ND backfield for 1.5 sacks, and DE Kyle Moore tied for the lead in team tackles with (6). Grade: A minus
LBs - Solid effort here. Good to see LB Luther Brown run the field and make (6) tackles, while BCushing looked pretty mobile in his first game back from injury. Even Mad Dog Mualuga shook a hip pointer to make two sacks, and Kaluka Maiava chipped in with five tackles. Grade: B
DBs - This unit wasn't challenged much in the passing game, but got an All American performance from safety Kevin Ellison - who had five tackles, and INT and (2) pass breakups. CB Cary Harris also forced a fumble. Grade: B
Special Teams - A solid game of kicking, coverage and returns. No major mistakes by the return guys, and DBuehler hit his only attempt of the game - a 30 yarder at the end of the first half. Grade: B
Coaching - ND is a super weak team, but the Trojan offense did look like they established once and for all what they do well . . . run the ball. After three frustrating possessions to start the game, SC hit the running game hard and worked short and intermediate passes off the play action. That's the formula for success with this 2007 Trojan offense. The defense had no trouble with the country's worst offensive team. A scheme was hardly necessary against a team that basically mailed it in early. Grade: B+
Game Balls:
Offensive: QB Mark Sanchez
Defensive: Safety Kevin Ellison
Special Teams: Kicker David Buehler
Prediction Winner: Two in a row for Payback (by one point over Big Rob)
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