Defensive Line Draws a Strong Comparison

Earlier this month, USC unveiled a statue outside Heritage Hall depicting the Wild Bunch, the 1969 defensive line that many consider the best in school history.

If the Trojans’ current defensive linemen continue to play the way they did Saturday in a 22-0 victory over Oregon State, the school might someday build a statue in their honor.

The aggressive play of ends Omar Nazel and Kenechi Udeze and tackles Mike Patterson and Shaun Cody was rock solid at every level. They combined for seven tackles for loss, including four sacks; two pass deflections; a forced fumble and two recovered fumbles; and helped limit Oregon State to 51 yards rushing in a surprisingly one-sided Pacific 10 opener.

Suddenly, middle linebacker Mike Pollard’s remark a few weeks ago that USC has “the best D-line in the country” doesn’t sound so outlandish.

Oregon State was averaging a Pac-10-leading 499.75 yards and 47.5 points per game but was limited to 131 yards and eight first downs. The Beavers didn’t play much of a schedule before going belly-up at the Coliseum, but the previous week they laid a 59-19 pounding on a Fresno State team that lost on a late field goal to Wisconsin, which is 5-0.

“The [defensive] front made it an easy game for us,” said USC Coach Pete Carroll, who called the line’s performance its best since a 27-0 victory over UCLA on Nov. 17.

Ed Orgeron, USC’s defensive line coach, said the key Saturday was putting pressure on Oregon State quarterback Derek Anderson, who was battered and sore after the game. “When they couldn’t run, we could tee off on the passer,” Orgeron said. “They were double-teaming Cody, so other guys had one-on-one blocks and took over the game.”

Free safety DeShaun Hill agreed, saying the Trojans noticed from watching film that Anderson had all day to throw in runaway victories over Eastern Kentucky, Temple, Nevada Las Vegas and Fresno State. “He had a lot of time back there to pick [those teams] apart,” Hill said. “Our defensive line was getting in there. That was the difference.”

Udeze, a sophomore from Los Angeles Verbum Dei High, said he was oblivious to the gaudy numbers Oregon State had put up before playing USC. “I didn’t even know they average so many points,” he said. “We just went out and gave it our all. We’re pretty happy with the turnout.”

With Udeze and Nazel swooping in from the outside, and Patterson, Cody and reserve tackle Bernard Riley burrowing through the middle, the Trojans seemingly had all the angles covered against a dammed-up Beaver offense.

“You never really know, but honestly we started feeling at halftime, ‘We can really get these guys,’ ” Udeze said.

Now the trick is maintaining that effort through the rest of USC’s Pac-10 schedule. Udeze doesn’t think that will be a problem. The No. 18-ranked Trojans play at No. 17 Washington State Saturday.

Explaining the defensive line’s success, Udeze said: “We have a real good nucleus. We’re always together. We always go 100% at practice. We all have the same goal in mind--to be the best.”

Call them the Riled Bunch.

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With USC’s offense slow to get going Saturday, the Trojans turned to kicker Ryan Killeen for their early points. He didn’t disappoint.

In his first game kicking field goals for USC, Killeen made 43- and 42-yarders on his first two attempts in the second quarter for a 6-0 lead and added a 32-yarder in the fourth quarter. A 40-yard attempt in the second quarter bounced off the crossbar after being partially blocked.

“It was the best feeling in the world,” Killeen said of his first field goal. “I was excited, and it built my confidence.”

Killeen, a sophomore, was recruited out of Mount San Antonio College for kickoffs. But after David Davis struggled to make field goals and extra points, Killeen took his spot. Killeen realizes the job security of any kicker is tenuous.

“I’m feeling confident, but the saying here is, ‘Special teams [are] etched in sand,’ ” he said. “Anything can change on any day. I just have to keep getting the job done.”

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Washington State quarterback Jason Gesser, who wore a specially designed piece of hard plastic to protect a dislocated rib in the Cougars’ 48-38 victory over California on Saturday, will be ready to play against USC, Coach Mike Price said. “He felt OK,” Price said. “He’s not any worse off.” Gesser was injured the previous week against Montana State. He showed no ill effects against Cal, passing for 431 yards and four touchdowns.... Quarterback Carson Palmer had 229 yards of total offense to move past Rodney Peete and become USC’s career leader with 8,725 yards.... Hill, the Trojans’ starting free safety, is scheduled to have an MRI exam today on the shoulder he injured against Oregon State, Carroll said.... Left tackle Jacob Rogers suffered a mild right knee sprain and is probable for the Washington State game, Carroll said.