What Air Raid? Managing backs lead the way: Takeaways from USC's acquire more than Fresno Point out

Travis Dye won a Rose Bowl. He won two Pac-12 championships. He played for a 3rd meeting crown past year.

But this USC crew can top rated all all those Oregon exploits, the running back mentioned.

Dye, a transfer from Oregon, doubled-down Saturday night time on his declare that this group is “the very best group I have at any time been on.” After the Trojans conquer Fresno Point out 45-17 at the Coliseum, Dye stated he’s “never played on a crew like this ahead of.” When questioned what made the Trojans’ selection of huge-name transfers tossed jointly by a new coaching workers distinct, he pointed to the group’s selflessness.

“If we get the ball, it’s risky,” Dye said. “And so just learning how to share the prosperity, finding out how to be selfless, that’s a huge component of it.”

Below are much more takeaways from Saturday’s sport:

Jogging backs have the load

USC running back Austin Jones breaks absent for a 44-lawn attain in opposition to Fresno State Saturday at the Coliseum.

(Luis Sinco / VFAB)

The Trojans are off to a blistering begin with 178 factors scored in the course of three online games, the most for a USC team in the very first 3 online games of a year due to the fact 2005. Most came through the air versus Rice and Stanford, but the running game led the Trojans into the conclusion zone Saturday.

Austin Jones and Dye had 110 and 102 speeding yards, respectively, and each individual scored a rushing landing. Dye also added 36 receiving yards on a few catches.

Even though Riley’s offenses at Oklahoma have been renowned for outstanding quarterbacks and gifted receivers, the coach stressed to the transfer operating backs how large their function would be at USC.

“He said, you know, the way you win game titles is with a sturdy run match,” Jones mentioned. “We’re not just going to go out here and be just a just one-dimensional offense. As you can see tonight, we set that on screen.”

USC stayed balanced with 233 dashing yards on 38 carries and 284 passing yards on 37 makes an attempt.

The Trojans used their grinding run recreation to set with each other methodical drives of 12, 12 and 15 performs to open the game. Every single a person ended in a landing. Relying much more on its explosive passing attack in the very first two video games, USC had only two drives of much more than 9 plays towards Rice and Stanford.

“We’ve gotta be ready to win in diverse ways,” Riley claimed. “Whether we’re participating in quick with explosive plays or it slows down with a whole lot of plays, you’ve gotta be ready to execute.”

Get a QB who can do the two

USC quarterback Caleb Williams scores a touchdown in opposition to Fresno Condition in the Coliseum Saturday evening.

(Luis Sinco / VFAB)

Caleb Williams may possibly have had the worst passing sport of his young USC career — a relatively mundane 25-of-37 passing for 284 yards and two touchdowns — but additional the first dashing touchdowns of his USC occupation and completed with two scores on the ground. He scored on an 8-yard keeper in the very first quarter and a 1-garden quarterback sneak through which he lined up beneath middle.

The quarterback proved his twin-danger capability with wise carries during vital times, converting two fourth downs with his legs. He rushed for five yards on fourth-and-two in the to start with quarter and 11 yards on fourth-and-a single in the 2nd. The Trojans ended up a few-for-3 on fourth-down conversions Saturday.

“I try not to use my legs, but that is an ability that I have,” Williams mentioned. “I want to stand back there, I want to produce. I want to be, as we usually say, the finest mail person, the greatest delivery guy back again there in the planet and I just experienced alternatives.”

Williams had 79 carries for 442 speeding yards and six touchdowns at Oklahoma last period, but Saturday’s rushing totals obtained weighed down by a few sacks for a reduction of 29 yards, which depend from dashing yards in higher education as opposed to NFL, which deducts missing sack yardage from the passing yard whole. Williams concluded with just a single internet rushing property on 12 carries with 284 passing yards and two touchdowns on 25-of-37 passing.

Solomon Byrd rises

USC defensive conclusion Solomon Byrd (51) celebrates immediately after recovering a fumble by Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener. Byrd sacked Haener and forced the turnover in the third quarter in the Coliseum Saturday.

(Luis Sinco / VFAB)

Two weeks in the past, Solomon Byrd performed 5 snaps versus Rice. The previous starter at Wyoming was languishing with the third-stringers at USC.

After Saturday’s get, he acquired the sport ball.

Byrd forced and recovered a fumble on a strip sack of Fresno Point out quarterback Jake Haener that helped USC flip momentum in its favor all through the third quarter. Byrd experienced 4 tackles, which includes two for decline, against Fresno Condition, in addition to forcing USC’s 10th takeaway of the season.

“That’s what we’re trying to develop — a dude who, in the 1st game of the year, requires five reps and is a three, receives an opportunity, retains performing, and now, search at him,” Riley said. “Now, he’s a starter.”

The 6-foot-4 Palmdale native experienced 87 tackles and 10 sacks in three seasons at Wyoming. He produced 7 starts off, which includes six very last season, in advance of transferring to USC. He stated earning the adjustment from starter to backup’s backup was difficult, but the point he could increase so immediately at USC reveals the team’s depth below Riley.