Coaches kept Booty on a roll
USC quarterback John David Booty was on the move Friday, traveling home to Louisiana to see his younger brother play quarterback in a high school playoff game.
It was the second time in less than 24 hours that John David Booty went mobile.
Against Arizona State on Thursday night, John David Booty repeatedly rolled out of the pocket on designed plays en route to his best performance of the season and one of the most productive of his career.
"We wanted to do everything," Coach Pete Carroll said Friday of the passing game strategy. "Not just drop back and not just roll out. Use everything."
John David Booty accounted for all five USC touchdowns -- four by passing -- in the Trojans' 44-24 victory over the seventh-ranked Sun Devils. The win kept USC in the hunt for a sixth consecutive Pacific 10 Conference title and a possible spot in the Rose Bowl or another Bowl Championship Series postseason game.
"For him to come out and play well in a big game, there was a sense of 'I did it,' " offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said of John David Booty.
USC rolled up 508 yards, only one fewer than its season high against Washington State.
John David Booty passed for 375 yards, throwing touchdown passes of four yards to Vidal Hazelton, five yards to fullback Stanley Havili, seven yards to tailback Joe McKnight and 34 yards to tight end Fred Davis.
"There were some things we did early on to get him on the move and into the rhythm of the game and not sit in one spot," Sarkisian said.
That was evident on the first play when John David Booty rolled left and threw to McKnight, the first of six passes he would complete during a seven-play scoring drive.
"That's the way you dream of it," John David Booty said of the drive. "You can't write it any better."
John David Booty finished the first quarter 13 for 16 for 139 yards, adding the touchdown pass to Havili.
By halftime, he was 17 for 24 for 227 yards, including a 33-yard strike to freshman receiver Ronald Johnson that set up John David Booty's sneak into the end zone.
Said Sarkisian: "Not only was John David and the offense in rhythm, I felt like I was in good rhythm calling it. It's always a good thing when you can throw it and catch it. It makes things a lot easier."
John David Booty said he approached the game like any other, but Sarkisian echoed Havili's assessment: that John David Booty played with a chip on his shoulder after enduring criticism during and after the loss to Stanford. He suffered a broken right middle finger in the game and had four passes intercepted. He sat out three games before returning against Oregon State.
"The season obviously has not gone how he would have liked, personally," Sarkisian said. " . . . I think he realized this was a great opportunity to play in a big ballgame."
The four-touchdown game was John David Booty's second this season and third of his career. He has completed 62% of his passes for 1,525 yards and 15 touchdowns in eight games this year, with eight interceptions -- but none in the three games since returning from the finger injury.
John David Booty's injury was one of several among offensive players that appear to be healed. The Trojans are hoping for a similar performance from John David Booty next Saturday against UCLA.
Carroll said coaches had been concerned about Hazelton and Johnson because they had dropped so many balls during practice. Hazelton responded with five receptions for 36 yards; Johnson had one for 33. . . . Carroll on No. 1-ranked Louisiana State's loss to Arkansas: "There seems to be a theme -- no one can really live with being on top. I think it's just fascinating." . . . Carroll said he would watch today's game between UCLA and Oregon. If Oregon loses to UCLA or Oregon State, and USC beats UCLA, the Trojans would earn a berth in the Rose Bowl.
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