COLUMN: Defense bails out USC in win over SJSU as offense underwhelms

It was that fear in the back of the mind of USC fans entering this season opener.

That the Trojans wouldn't take advantage of opportunities to separate from spunky San Jose State early, would let the game get close after halftime and then ...

Luckily for No. 15-ranked USC, that's as far as that scenario went.

After San Jose State drew to within 6 points midway through the third quarter, the Trojans' slumping offense eventually managed a long drive that stalled in the red zone (again) but added at least a field goal early in the fourth quarter. And then the defense punctuated what had been an overall impressive performance from the unit, as nickel Greg Johnson read quarterback Nick Starkel's eyes all the way, perfectly undercutting the route for an interception and 37-yard touchdown return.

That boosted USC's lead to 16 points, the fans in the Coliseum exhaled a collective sigh of relief and the Trojans pulled away from there for a 30-7 win Saturday.

"Honestly, it felt like a dream, man," Johnson would say afterward. "Something I always dreamed of being from L.A. and playing in the Coliseum in front of all these amazing fans. For me to do that, it was just great."

That’s an understandable perspective for a fifth-year senior who just had the biggest moment of his USC football career. For the Trojans offense, though, it might be more aptly called an answered prayer because there’s no telling how different the narrative would be right now without that pick-6.

RELATED: Watch postgame video interviews with USC coaches and players

Meanwhile, head coach Clay Helton spun the positives afterward, as is his way and certainly his right after a 23-point win. He did acknowledge the Trojans needed to be better in the red zone and not settle for field goals.

"To be here in the Coliseum with these fans, with our students back and our fans back I don't think I could be any more happy right now than coming out 30-7 versus a good San Jose State team and being able to learn and coach off this tape," Helton said.

Some of his offensive players, however, were a little more blunt in their assessment.

"It's exciting to get that boost from the defense, knowing that you can count on them to get a stop and even a pick-6," quarterback Kedon Slovis said. "I was kind of telling the guys 'They bailed us out, but we still have to score.' They really did bail us out at that point of the game -- that was a huge turning point for us. But again, we have to be better and take some pressure off them in the future."

USC (1-0) scored 17 points in the fourth quarter -- seven coming as a result of Johnson's interception return -- to put some late shine on what was for a large chunk of the game a lusterless offensive performance for an expected Pac-12 contender at home against a Mountain West opponent (even a solid one like San Jose State that finished nationally ranked last year).

"We've got a lot to improve on, like finding the end zone. We left 12 points on the line," center Brett Neilon said, also not glossing over the realities of the afternoon.

After scoring on their first two drives -- a 27-yard Parker Lewis field goal and a 29-yard touchdown pass from Slovis to Tahj Washington that was set up by outside linebacker Drake Jackson's interception and return to the SJSU 30-yard line -- the Trojans mustered just one field goal over their next seven drives and two and a half quarters.

Tight end Erik Krommenhoek fumbled after a short reception, the Trojans predictably came up short on a third-and-5 when they curiously opted to throw a fade route to a well-covered 5-foot-8 K.D. Nixon, they followed with an old-fashioned three-and-out and then one of those red zone fails the coaches mentioned.

A 27-yard Vavae Malepeai run had taken USC down to the SJSU 9, but he then got stuffed for a loss of 1, rushed for a short gain and Slovis had a pass to Drake London broken up in the end zone on third down.

The final drive of the first half was nondescript, resulting in a punt.

Then things got interesting — but not in a good way initially for the Trojans.

USC received the opening kickoff of the second half, but it went three-and-out and San Jose State followed with its 11-play, 74-yard touchdown drive capped by a 2-yard run from Tyler Nevens to make it a 13-7 game.

USC answered uninspiringly with four plays and a quick punt, but the Trojans defense delivered a much-needed three-and-out to thwart the underdogs' momentum.

Finally, the Trojans started rolling, going 12 plays for 62 yards all the way down to the 17 before stalling yet again. Viliami Fehoko blew past redshirt freshman right tackle Jonah Monheim for an easy 8-yard sack of Slovis on first down and the Trojans again couldn't recover, settling for a 30-yard Lewis field goal to make it 16-7.

If not for Johnson and the defense taking control, well …

But three plays later, Tuli Tuipulotu got pressure on Starkel who threw to a receiver out ahead to his right not knowing that Johnson had read the play from the start and was already basically on his way to the end zone before even securing the interception.

"Coach called a great call and I was just dropping in my zone and I just read the quarterback's eyes and I noticed that they ran that play earlier in the game and I just made the most of my opportunity," Johnson said.

Said Malepeai: "Greg brought juice to the whole team. They always say the most excited team wins and when he did that I don't think there was a man on the bench."

The pressure dissipated from there and USC tacked on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Slovis to Krommenhoek late to pull away.

The Trojans just pushed across the 400-yard mark late in that final quarter, finishing with 416, but this was not the first impression fans were hoping for from the offense overall.

"I think we did some good things. We've got to finish better in the red zone. I think if we do that I'll feel a lot better about it," offensive coordinator Graham Harrell said. "But there's things we did well and things we have do better -- we'll figure that out."

There were. USC rushed for 160 yards with Keaontay Ingram averaging 5.7 yards per carry (15 carries for 86 yards) and Malepeai averaging 4.6 (14 for 65). That was a point of emphasis all offseason, and there were encouraging signs there.

"That's going to be important for us -- we've got to run the football and I thought at times we did a really nice job of that today," Harrell said. "There were other times where I thought there were big runs to be had and we were just one or two blocks away, and if we had those we probably go for over 200 today and that would have been huge for us. But we've got a good running back room. ... They're going to continue to be a big part of what we do."

Slovis and Harrell rattled off the negative plays in the red zone they felt undercut the potential of the day. The negative Malepeai run on first down the one time, the sack on first down the other time, and another instance where Neilon thought USC had gotten San Jose State to jump offsides so he snapped it, but the Trojans didn't receive the call and the play was doomed.

"Obviously, it's something we want to build on. Not our best day. Had some good things, but again we've just got to finish more drives. If we come out of the red zone two or three more times with touchdowns everyone's pretty happy. But we didn't and that's something we've got to improve on in the future," Slovis said. "But other than that, there's a lot of good things that we can point at."

Slovis finished 24 of 36 for 256 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. He was sacked twice, pressured a number of other times (including some hard hits after he released the ball) and in general it seemed like USC's wide receivers struggled to get open and give him easy targets. He certainly wasn’t the issue Saturday.

Drake London was the exception. The junior standout finished with a career-high 12 catches for 137 yards and further emphasized how important he’s going to be to this offense, as aside from Washington (4 catches for 56 yards) nobody else managed more than 26 receiving yards (and that was Krommenhoek, thanks to the late TD).

Sure, it was just the first game, but if not for a terrific defensive performance -- San Jose State rushed for only 68 yards and Starkel was intercepted twice -- those offensive concerns might have been the lede to this story rather than the counterpoint.

Without such a statement from the Trojans defense, those worst fears for this season-opening matchup would have been very much in play.

As it is, the Trojans can, as Helton said, go back and have some things to coach off of this week.

Interestingly, defensive coordinator Todd Orlando declined to speak to reporters afterward and discuss his unit's strong opening performance. Cornerbacks coach Donte Williams talked, though, and was asked if the defense carried extra pressure Saturday due to the offensive struggles.

"No, no, we're a team. So it's going to be some days where we struggle and vice versa and they're going to put up 56, so it's never a struggle -- we all in this together," he said.

The Trojans seem a long, long ways away from being capable of scoring 56 points, but it is just Week 1 and they'll get another chance next weekend vs. Stanford.

"We've just got to execute. It's pretty simple," Malepeai said, before clarifying. "It's one of those things where it's easier said than done, but we're looking forward to the challenge that brings."