USC Football: Trojans Vying for More Explosive Plays

Long-yardage or explosive plays defined USC football in its heyday of the 2000s, and generating more of them is of particular emphasis for the Trojans before they face Colorado Saturday at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

First-year USC head coach Steve Sarkisian—who contributed to some of those prolific USC offenses of the 2000s—said he defines explosive plays as rushes of 10-plus yards and passes of 15-plus yards. An ideal night, Sarkisian said, is one in which 20 percent of the Trojans' plays qualify as explosive.

USC was close in last Saturday's 28-26 win at Arizona. Sarkisian said on his conference call Sunday that a little more than 17 percent of plays went for big yardage.

Two were touchdown runs of 34 and 48 yards by running back Javorius “Buck” Allen, a welcome sight to Sarkisian.

“I love it,” Sarkisian said after USC’s practice Tuesday at Howard Jones Field. “I was a little surprised…early in the year that we weren’t getting the big plays out of him that I had [seen] on film from the second half of last season. But now, the last couple weeks what we’ve gotten out him is kind of what I was anticipating.”

Sarkisian said he projected Allen for 1,500 rushing yards—Allen came 205 closer to that benchmark at Arizona, giving him 781 at the season’s midway point. Sarkisian also said he anticipated Allen would “be in consideration for some really cool accolades at the end of the year.”

It’s not the end of the year, but Allen did add Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week as one accolade.

USC has its explosive playmaker in the run game, but the next step for the Trojans to truly open up the offense is for quarterback Cody Kessler to deliver more long-yardage passes.

“We have to keep pushing the envelope,” Sarkisian said. To that end, a portion of Tuesday’s practice was devoted to deep routes. “That’ll make us a better team. That’ll make us more difficult to defend.”

Kessler has effectively managed the Trojans offense, avoiding catastrophic errors and distributing the ball among a variety of receivers.

And indeed, the quarterback has a handful of explosive plays such as his 21-yard connection with wide receiver Nelson Agholor on a post route at Arizona.

But the next step the Kessler and the USC offense can take against Colorado is with long balls of 30, 40, 50 yards. The Trojans have nine such plays on the season, while the Buffaloes have surrendered 11.

USC has an opportunity to exploit matchups with a diverse and talented corps of wide receivers facing one of the youngest secondaries in the Pac-12.

“We’re trying to take advantage of every aspect of this team,” said George Farmer, one of the USC wide receivers who could see long-ball opportunities Saturday.

Farmer and Kessler have connected primarily on shorter routes this season, evident in the receiver’s 7.9-yard-per-reception average. However, his speed can pose problems for cornerbacks trying to cover him on the perimeter.

"I know I'm capable of doing that. I know where my game stands," Farmer said, adding that any one of the Trojans receiving corps is capable of providing those coveted explosive plays.

“When the opportunity is in the game, whoever is in I’m pretty sure that we can get the job done. I feel confident in all our receivers,” he said.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics via CFBstats.com.