USC's new no-huddle breach confused up and bottomward the acreage with acceleration and efficiency, veterans and accomplished freshmen abacus amazing accents.
The Trojans' new aegis was mostly stout and created opportunities.
On Saturday at the Coliseum, the No. 15 Trojans looked annihilation like an unfocused aggregation afterwards constant a anniversary of camp and anarchic distractions.
Instead, they gave new Drillmaster Steve Sarkisian his aboriginal victory, a 52-13 beating of Fresno State.
"That was fun," Sarkisian said. "Gosh."
Quarterback Cody Kessler anesthetized for four touchdowns as the Trojans' no-huddle breach formed up 701 yards in 105 plays, a Pac-12 Appointment record.
Junior Nelson Agholor bent two touchdown passes and apprentice receiver Adoree' Jackson and apprentice bound end Bryce Dixon anniversary bent one while apprentice JuJu Smith accumulated 123 ya rds in receptions as new players contributed in all three phases.
It should get absolutely added difficult abutting Saturday aback the Trojans biking to Stanford for their Pac-12 opener.
But for a night anyway, the Trojans can insolate in the afterglow of an absorbing start.
"The best part," said Kessler, who anesthetized for a career-best 394 yards, "was that it acquainted like we've been arena with Sark for years.
"It didn't feel like a new era."
Kessler torched Fresno State for a Las Vegas Bowl-record four touchdowns aftermost December, but that was beneath an absolutely altered set of circumstances.
Sarkisian, assassin beforehand that month, had watched that bold from the columnist box and the sideline, agog for his adventitious to drillmaster the Trojans.
Preparations appeared disconnected this anniversary afterwards cornerback Josh Shaw's annual of comestible abate injuries while extenuative a potentially drowning nephew aftermost Saturday came abolition down, putting NCAA sanctions-free USC aback in the civic accent for addition off-t he-field controversy. Shaw was abeyant indefinitely afterwards his acceptance to academy admiral that the adventure was fabricated, and a badge analysis into his captivation in an adventure aftermost Saturday at a city accommodation circuitous that night continues.
A day afterwards Shaw's admission, a column to above amateur Anthony Brown's Instagram annual accused Sarkisian of racism, a allegation denounced by several accepted and above Trojans players.
But the Trojans did not arise absent Saturday.
"I maybe brought it up to them alert all week," Sarkisian said.
Kessler rushed for a touchdown and anesthetized for three added as USC formed to a 31-7 halftime lead.
Fresno State denticulate to alpha the additional half. But for the additional time in eight months the Bulldogs were no bout for the Trojans.
Sarkisian had hoped that the accelerated advance he brought with him from Washington would acquiesce the Trojans to advance the clip and run added plays.
USC started the bold with a 9 0-yard, 17-play drive that featured seven players affecting the ball.
Unlike antecedent Lane Kiffin, who generally seemed bedeviled on a laminated, menu-sized play-call sheet, Sarkisian confused advisedly about the sideline, sometimes demography a abject position 25 yards abaft the band of scrimmage.
The breach was not absolute — tailbacks Justin Davis and Javorius Allen absent first-half fumbles — but the achievement had to accord Stanford and the blow of the appointment article to anticipate about, abnormally with so abounding freshmen acutely unfazed by the academy stage.
It was additionally the admission of arresting coordinator Justin Wilcox's 3-4 scheme.
With the barring of the aboriginal alternation of the third quarter, the assemblage appeared advancing and engaged.
Safety Gerald Bowman, arresting lineman Leonard Williams and linebackers Anthony Sarao and Michael Hutchings intercepted passes.
The Trojans were not absent by the off-the- field incidents, players said.
"We pushed that to the side," cornerback Kevon Seymour said. "We were aloof focused."
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