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USC Trojans vs Hawaii Warriors Football Recap

USC 49, Hawaii 36

Aloha, Lane Kiffin era.

With the nightmare summer over and the season underway, the new frontman for USC notched his first win for the Trojans. But the trip to the islands was no summer getaway for Kiffin.

Quarterback Matt Barkley threw five touchdowns and wide receiver Ronald Johnson scored four touchdowns (three receiving, one punt return) to keep USC out of harm’s way in a 49-36 shootout against Hawaii on Thursday at Aloha Stadium.

Though the Trojans’ offense scored early and often Thursday night, the Warriors outgained USC, 588-524. But Hawaii could get no closer than the 20-13 deficit it faced late in the second quarter. The two teams traded scores the rest of the night in a no-defense-needed affair.

Barkley and Johnson established a rapport that was missing last season when the then-freshman quarterback relied on Damian Williams on a bulk of USC’s passing plays. Johnson also took over where Williams left off as the team’s punt returner with an 89-yard touchdown that had fans pleading for a fair catch at its outset.

Marc Tyler tallied 154 yards on 17 carries in his first career start. The redshirt junior went 44 yards on a winding, start-and-stop jaunt for his final touch of the night.

But Hawaii’s surprise implementation of the Pistol offense stymied USC for most of the night. Kealoha Pilares hauled in five passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter. Three Hawaii receivers finished with more than 100 yards as the Warriors racked up 459 passing yards on a young USC secondary.

Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz settled down after the Hawaii offense sputtered early. But the former walk-on was knocked out after taking a vicious hit from USC linebacker Michael Morgan on a scramble late in the third quarter.

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After Brent Rausch took over for one series, Shane Austin took over and tossed two touchdown passes to Pilares.

But Hawaii could not recover the ball after a short kickoff and USC squeezed erased the final four minutes by running the ball.

The game’s early oddity was Kiffin’s decision to go for a two-point conversion after each of USC’s first three touchdowns. Joe Houston finally got the call late in the second quarter after the Trojans missed two of their first three two-point attempts. But Kiffin returned to the swinging gate formation at the end of the third quarter when Mitch Mustain ran the ball in for a conversion.

By Mike Schwartz
DFN Sports Staff Writer