LOS ANGELES — USC has a bunch of young, talented, running backs. Three true freshmen carried the ball for the Trojans in the opening rout of Arkansas State.
Their time will come.
For now, it’s senior Tre Madden’s time.
He has put in his time with the Trojans, missing the 2012 season with a knee injury and sidelined for all of the 2014 season because of a turf toe problem. In between, he looked good in 2013, starting the season with three consecutive 100-yard efforts — and four such outings in the first five games — before a hamstring injury slowed him the rest of the way.
In 2013, he finished with 703 yards on 138 carries.
When Buck Allen left early for the NFL after last season, the door was back open for Madden to be a starter, if he could get healthy.
“I want to make an impact,” he recently told the L.A. Times. “I want to get through the season, be healthy, and make a statement in every game. And have my name remembered at ‘SC.”
The opener was a good starter. He carried 12 times for 106 yards, including a career-long 65-yard touchdown run. He also scored a touchdown on a reception.
“It felt awesome to be out here and touch the end zone twice and help the team win the game,” he said after the 55-6 win over Arkansas State. “Overall, I felt I had a pretty good game and got to show a little burst.”
At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, Madden is more of a power back, and we’ll see as the season moves along if he can be a workhorse for the Trojans, even if they have a deep stable. Next up is Idaho, so Madden won’t have to do too much there, but then comes a tricky pair of contests to open conference play — vs. Stanford and at Arizona State before the end of the month.
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH
–WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, a sophomore, is off to a flying start. He caught a 61-yard touchdown pass early in the Arkansas State game to start USC’s scoring for the season, taking a pass over the middle and outracing the defense to the end zone. Smith-Schuster, who should be one of the most dynamic players in the Pac-12 this season, finished with four catches for 89 yards.
–LB Cam Smith became the first true freshman to start at inside linebacker for USC since Riki Gray (Ellison) in 1978. Smith was in for 42 snaps and he tied for the team lead with seven tackles. He also knocked down a pass from Arkansas State quarterback Fredi Knighten in the first quarter, but did drop a potential interception. “Running out of the tunnel, I felt a little bit (of nerves), but after the first play, I felt pretty good,” he said. “On the field, I felt good. I was reacting instead of thinking.”
–TE Taylor McNamara, a graduate transfer from Oklahoma, will help a thin group of tight ends for USC. He caught a 2-yard touchdown pass in his Trojans debut vs. Arkansas State. Freshman Tyler Petite is the only other tight end who caught a pass in the opener (and he had just one).
SERIES HISTORY: USC leads Idaho 8-0, outscoring the Vandals 253-30, although it should be noted that seven of those games were played in the 1920s. The most recent game was played in 2007. USC is paying Idaho $1.1 million to play the game, according to the L.A. Daily News.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “What I’ve been preaching to these guys is, ‘Don’t save yourself. Give us amazing effort for one, two, three, four plays, whatever you got, and then we can sub you.’” — Coach Steve Sarkisian on the team’s improved depth after NCAA scholarship sanctions. USC has 81 players on scholarship, four short of the limit.