The Toreros entered last night's game against Morehead State riding two impressive streaks – 27 straight wins at home and five consecutive games without allowing a quarterback sack.
Only one was extended. But it's the one coach Ron Caragher really cares about.
USD (6-0, 4-0) routed Morehead 41-17 last night at Torero Stadium in a Pioneer Football League game.
Quarterback Sebastian Trujillo, much to his surprise, was finally sacked after five games of perfection in the pocket.
“Was I? Really? I didn't even realize it,” he said, eventually recalling the roll-out play in the third quarter that resulted in a 6-yard loss. “That's not on my offensive line. I was booting out so that's on me. They have done an amazing job for me all season.”
It didn't slow him much. Trujillo passed for three touchdowns and 198 yards while Phil Morelli ran for 115 yards and a score. But it was the defense that flourished, pitching a first-half shutout by pestering Morehead quarterback Evan Sawyer. “Their quarterback is a real athletic guy who can hurt you with his feet,” Caragher said. “We did a good job squeezing the pocket so he didn't run around and make plays.”
Most of the squeezing came from the defensive line and linebackers, who sacked Sawyer six times and limited him to just 9-of-26 passing for 107 yards and 49 rushing. Defensive end Julian Strickland, who had three tackles and a sack, said the new scheme implemented in August is finally coming together.
“In camp it was awful,” Strickland said. “Nobody knew what they were doing. But everyone gets it now. And it works.”
The defense generated two turnovers – an interception and a fumble – plus a fumble recovery on a punt. All three led to USD points.
Freshman defensive back Al-Rilwan Adeyemi opened the scoring when he picked Sawyer on Morehead's third play of the game, returning it 37 yards for the touchdown.
“Eyes as big as a kid on Christmas morning,” Adeyemi said. “I saw the dude running a little drag route. I just stepped in front and took it to the house.”
Also in the first, Morelli put USD up 14-0 on a 4-yard run.
To close the opening quarter, tight end Mitch Ryan caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Trujillo. Four plays earlier, it appeared Ryan had a 63-yard touchdown off a screen pass, but it was called back on a holding call.
Receiver John Matthews added two touchdowns in the second quarter, both on fade routes, to put the Toreros ahead 35-0 at halftime. He finished with 7 catches for 73 yards.
USD's offense wasn't immune to mistakes, however. Two second-quarter drives stalled deep in Morehead territory. First it was a missed 24-yard field goal. Then, on second-and-goal at the Morehead 4, Trujillo gave the ball back to the Eagles by fumbling a snap.
The Eagles (3-3, 1-1) strung together 17 second-half points, but Caragher said with a 35-0 lead, it was tough to keep the fires burning.
“I told the team let's not be complacent,” Caragher said. “But at the same time, it is that score and we have a young football team.”
Kevin Gemmell: (619) 718-5304; kevin.gemmell@uniontrib.com
