QUARTERBACK
Grade: B-
If John David Booty is really a Heisman contender, he can’t afford more nights like this. It wasn’t that he played so poorly, but the USC passing game was simply a non-factor. Nebraska seemed intent on stopping the USC passing attack and left itself susceptible to the run. Booty completed 19 of his 30 passes for 144 yards. It’s not his fault that Patrick Turner couldn’t catch the ball, but he did overthrow a couple of deep balls to Ronald Johnson.

RUNNING BACKS
Grade: A
You could argue that the water boy could have run through these holes, but probably not as efficiently as Stafon Johnson and Co. did. The 8.2 yards per rushing attempt was the most Nebraska had ever allowed. Johnson had 144 yards and C.J. Gable averaged 17.2 yards per carry. It was almost as if Nebraska’s defense forgot about the running game.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Grade: D
Perhaps Turner was still woozy from a hit Rey Maualuga had put on him in practice nearly three weeks earlier. He played like it, dropping three easy passes and fumbling. Joe McKnight, who is basically a receiver these days, also dropped an easy pass. The other guys, particularly David Ausberry, were fine but unspectacular.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Grade: A+
This was the crowning moment of glory the USC offensive line has been seeking. Center Kristofer O’Dowd made the middle of the field look like a vacant lot and the rest of the line did its zone blocking flawlessly. Johnson said his eyes lit up every time he touched the ball, because he couldn’t believe how massive the holes were. It was a combination of preparation and execution that made this one of the great days to be a USC big man.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
Grade: B
Kyle Moore had the finest game of his career, tipping one ball and picking off another. Sedrick Ellis was disruptive as ever in the middle. He and Lawrence Jackson each managed sacks. Has anyone ever noticed freshman Everson Griffen? After all the hype, it’s like he’s not even in there. Griffen assisted on two tackles. That’s it.

LINEBACKERS
Grade: C
In his third season, Rey Maualuga should play with a little more intelligence by now. He committed a crucial mistake near the goal line to give Nebraska its first touchdown. Maualuga “disconcerted” the Nebraska center, prompting an unsportsmanlike conduct call. Clay Matthews left with a broken thumb and Thomas Williams did OK filling in, but there was nothing dynamic about this performance.

SECONDARY
Grade: D
Sam Keller shredded USC’s secondary at times. In the first half, Cary Harris looked defenseless to cover Maurice Purify, but for some bizarre reason, Nebraska didn’t throw Purify’s direction much after that. Terrell Thomas had an interception, but that’s only because Kyle Moore tipped the ball right to him.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Grade: D
Desmond Reed made an awful decision trying to scoop up a rolling punt and nearly turned it over, but out-fought a defensive lineman in the pile. Vincent Joseph fumbled a kickoff return. It was a bad night for decision-making on the Great Plains. On the plus side, David Buehler remains perfect with his place kicks. His kickoffs were a little shorter than against Idaho.

COACHING
Grade: B+
Even though it was ragged at times, Steve Sarkisian deserves credit for noticing the Nebraska defense’s tendency to overcommit and for calling a lot of misdirection runs. It resulted in an easy victory, in which the quarterback and receivers could basically take the night off.

MARK SAXON/The Register

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