USC RB Buck Allen Putting Trojans Offense on His Shoulders
Win or lose, USC running back Javorius 'Buck' Allen is ready to bear the burden.
'I feel like you can put it on me. I messed up or whatever, I'll take the blame. Live to see another day,' he said Tuesday after practice at Howard Jones Field.
Allen and the No. 18-ranked Trojans return to action this Saturday following a bye week. Their last time out, they lost 37-31 at Boston College in a decision for which the redshirt junior running back takes responsibility.
Never mind Allen produced 149 yards of total offense and scored at least one touchdown for the eighth time in his last nine appearances.
Such is the duty of a leader, a role Allen welcomes as USC's top rusher and arguably most dangerous offensive weapon. He sets the tone both with his performance on game day and his demeanor preparing for it.
'As a leader, if guys see you up and grinding, they'll keep going. If you come out, have a bad day and [you're] down, they feel like they can be down,' he said. That carries over into dealing with a loss, he added.
'If you dwell on it, they're going to beat you the next week,' Allen said.
It's with that attitude in mind that Allen has taken charge in turning the page from the loss to USC's return to Pac-12 Conference play. The Trojans are back in the Coliseum for the first time in nearly a month hosting Oregon State.
The Beavers were the first opponent against which Allen emerged as a focal point of the USC offense. Starting in place of injured Tre Madden, he rushed for 133 yards and three touchdowns.
A star was born that November night in 2013, but Allen credits a total team effort.
'My [offensive] line did a great job, and as for me, just trusting my reads,' he said. 'Gaining confidence and trusting the person next to me that as long as I do my job, he's going to do his job.'
USC could use a renewed shot of confidence after the Boston College loss, particularly in the run game.
The Trojans were stymied for just 20 total rushing yards. Allen finished the night with 31, though made up for his lost production on the ground with 118 yards on nine receptions.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian said last week that while his offense is tailored to use Allen's ability as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, the running back's receiving workload in Week 3 was excessive.
Still, Sarkisian remains committed to his play-calling philosophy, which builds heavily off the run. The coach is unmoved by the team's struggles at Boston College.
'I've had worse games than scoring 31 points,' he said last week.
In other words, the pertinent question isn't whether Sarkisian will shy away from the run, but rather how USC will try to establish it Saturday against Oregon State.
The Trojans could still be without Madden, who has yet to appear in 2014. Madden went through a series of individual workouts Tuesday but was not in pads. Sarkisian said the back is close to receiving medical clearance from his toe injury, though gave no timetable for his return.
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Meanwhile, sophomore change-of-pace back Justin Davis is averaging just 2.3 yards per carry on the season.
That leaves the bulk of the run responsibility on Allen's broad shoulders-a role that's suited the back just fine previously.
In USC's first two games of 2014, Allen rushed for 133 and 154 yards. He may have been stifled in Week 3, but one big play may be all he needs to reinvigorate the Trojans' ground attack. And he's taken on the mindset to make it happen.
'I always think, every play, I'm going to bust out,' he said.
When he does bust out once again, Allen will take the entire USC offense with him.
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics compiled via CFBstats.com.
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