USC 14, Cougars 12 - Halftime

As the score indicates, the Cougars are playing well.

How well?

Loren Langley has converted two field goals longer than 30 yards. USC offense has been stuck in first gear for most of the half. And Dwight Tardy has been a star.

The freshman running back from Southern California – the area, not the school – put together a highlight reel on the Cougars’ touchdown drive – and only one play was a run.

The 5-foot-11, 212-pounder sprung Alex Brink free on a drive-igniting scramble with a peel-back block that knocked USC’s Kyle Moore back on his heels.

Tardy picked up Dallas Sartz on a blitz allowing Brink to make a key pass completion.

Then Tardy did what he’s supposed to: run. His tackle-breaking ramble put the Cougs in position to score their lone touchdown.

Up to that point the Trojan defense had showcased near-perfect tackling. That’s a trademark of a Nick Holt-coached team, right? It has been that way for the past four games at least.

No matter how well the Trojans tackled, they had two glaring problems: They were clutching and grabbing receivers – three pass interference penalties garnered WSU 45 yards – and, this is probably related, they were having trouble stopping the Cougar short passing game.

Brink had almost twice as many passing yards in the first half as he had all game against USC last season.

Give the WSU O-line an assist on that, as Brink wasn’t pressured often before halftime.

So WSU took a two-point deficit into the locker room, not too bad considering the Cougs were a 17-point underdog coming in.

The Trojans get the ball first to start the second half in what may be one of the Cougs’ most important defensive possessions of the year.

See you at the end of the third quarter.