The biggest question facing the University of San Diego’s football team going into Saturday’s home game against Marist was this: what would the Toreros’ mental state be like?
USD hadn’t played in 14 days. In Marist, they were facing an 0-6 team giving up 41.5 points a game. Might overconfidence, lethargy, boredom be an issue?
“There were a lot of those questions lingering around the locker room,” said senior cornerback Eric Haney. “We knew we had to throw the first punch.”
It was Haney who landed the haymaker. Just 106 seconds into the game, he jumped a rout along the USD sideline, bobbled the ball, latched onto it, then sprinted down the sideline for a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown.
The play set the tone for a defense that would dominate, leading USD to a 34-6 win on homecoming at Torero Stadium. USD improved to 4-2, 2-1 in the Pioneer Football League. Marist dropped to 0-7 overall and 0-4 in league play.
Haney poked fun at himself for bobbling the ball before securing it on the interception.
“That’s why I play DB,” he joked. “I don’t have too good of hands. I’m lucky it came back to me and I had a bunch of blockers in front of me going into the end zone.”
Here’s how dominant USD’s defense was: Marist’s 12 drives ended with seven punts, three on downs, the pick-six six and one touchdown.
Of his defense, head coach Brandon Moore said: “They gave up six (points) and scored six. They’ve done an outstanding job all year, an excellent job of keeping us in games. Our success is wholeheartedly, strongly because of their stand and their discipline.”
Marist had a chance to make it a game in the first half’s final minute. Trailing 14-0, the Red Foxes reached the USD 1 with less than 30 seconds to play. Out of timeouts, a running play was stopped for no gain.
The visitors tried to rush off another play, but were called for a false start. With a 10-second runoff on the penalty, the half ended at 14-0.
Of the goal-line stand, Moore said: “Very, very crucial.”
USD’s offense was sloppy the first half, scoring one TD on five possessions. At halftime, running back Isaiah Smith (104 yards rushing) told his teammates, “Don’t be afraid to be great.”
The USD offense listened. In a span of four possessions, the Toreros scored two touchdowns and two field goals to turn the game into a rout.
Senior wide receiver Ja’seem Reed caught eight es for 162 yards, including TDs covering 21 and 18 yards. Quarterback Grant Sergent was efficient, completing 11 of 22 es for 202 yards and three TDs with no interceptions.
Said Reed: “The thing we preached all week was never let off the gas.”
