Quarterback Josh Rosen was having a freshman moment on the UCLA sideline.
The clock was winding down and there was nothing left to do to change the outcome. USC was on its way to a 40-21 victory at the Coliseum on Saturday.
Rosen stood there, head down, arms folded. He shifted his weight and put hands on hips as if Simon said.
The mental pain was obvious. UCLA cornerback Fabian Moreau, his broken foot still in a cast, came up next to him and yanked on his pads while whispering a sweet something into his ear.
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“I just told him to keep his head up,” Moreau said. “There was going to be another day.”
That’s the lesson Rosen can take from what was his worst game of the season. He was harassed and battered throughout, and it took a toll.
Rosen had two passes picked off, ending his school record streak of 246 attempts without an interception. He fumbled in the third quarter, with defensive end Rasheem Green rumbling 31 yards for a touchdown to give USC a 26-21 lead it never relinquished.
And the Trojans did that all without changing up their defense.
“Definitely, it kind of confused him,” receiver Thomas Duarte said. “They brought things we weren’t really ready for, that’s credit to them. His rhythm was a little off today. The whole day, we were trying to get it back.”
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It never happened.
This was a different sort of defense than Rosen had seen this season. Cornerbacks Adoree’ Jackson and Iman Marshall and linebacker Su’a Cravens possess the type of closing speed NFL scouts drool over.
“We’ve never faced a team with that much athleticism,” Coach Jim Mora said.
It allowed USC to play man-to-man the whole game, while loading up the box to take away the run and pressure Rosen. He completed 19 of 37 passes for 227 yards. USC sacked him three times.
Chris Foster and Lindsey Thiry discuss UCLA’s 40-21 defeat by USC.
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“He’s going through experiences that will do nothing but make him better,” offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said. “It’s kind of like putting your hand on a hot stove. It hurts for a while, but you learn from it.”
Rosen already learned from being burnt.
He blamed himself for plays. Rosen was a tad long on a pass to Jordan Payton in the end zone in the first half. He inadvertently tossed the ball to center Jake Brendel while being pressured.
And he took a sack on a third-down play just prior to Jackson returning a punt 42 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.
“I blew a read,” Rosen said. “That would have changed the game. Chain of events happen quickly.”
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USC Coach Clay Helton embraces his son after a 40-21 victory over UCLA on Nov. 28 at the Coliseum.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster begins celebrating a 40-21 victory over crosstown rival UCLA in the closing moments of the fourth quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen is consoled by offfensive lineman Conor McDermott after having a pass intercepted by USC in the fourth quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Trojans football fans cheer their team in the closing moments of a 40-21 victory over crosstown rival UCLA on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen is brought down by USC linebacker Olajuwon Tucker and defensive lineman Rasheem Green (94) during the fourth quarter. Rosen attempted a pass but it was to an ineligible receiver.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC tight end Taylor McNamara catches a touchdown pass behind UCLA defensive back Jaleel Wadood in the fourth quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Justin Davis and USC will visit the Rose Bowl on Saturday night for their annual rivalry game against UCLA. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC cornerback Iman Marshall steps in front of UCLA’s Jordan Payton to make an interception during the second half.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC cornerback Iman Marshall is chased down by UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen after intercepting a pass in the second half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Coach Clay Helton and the Trojans will take on six teams in AP’s preseason top 25 rankings. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC cornerback Iman Marshall recovers his own fumble after intercepting a pass intended for UCLA receiver Jordan Payton in the fourth quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC defensive lineman Claude Pelon forces UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen to fumble during the second half, leading to Rasheem Green’s 31-yard return for a touchdown.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC defensive lineman Rasheem Green collects the ball after UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen was sacked by Claude Pelon and fumbled in the second half. Green ran 31 yards for a score.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC defensive end Rasheem Green (94) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a touchdown on a fumble return in the second half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA receiver Thomas Duarte can’t reach a pass as he’s covered by USC linebacker Su’a Cravens in the second half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC receiver Darreus Rogers reaches for the end zone as he is tackled by UCLA defensive back Nate Meadors on a 20-yard touchdown reception in the second half.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC linebacker Su’a Cravens breaks up a pass intended for UCLA receiver Thomas Duarte.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC linebacker Uchenna Nwosu makes the unsuccessful signal after UCLA kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed an attempt in the second half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson breaks up a pass intended for UCLA receiver Darren Andrews.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC interim Coach Clay Helton talks with quarterback Cody Kessler during the second half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA linebacker Aaron Wallace sacks USC quarterback Cody Kessler during the third quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen looks downfield for an open receiver against USC in the second half on Nov. 28, 2015.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA cornerback Nate Meadors brings down USC running back Justin Davis in the second half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Trojans wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster makes a catch in front of UCLA defensive back Nate Meadors in the first half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Bruins running back Paul Perkins breaks into the clear against the Trojans on a 19-yard touchdown run in the first half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA running back Paul Perkins is congratulated by teammate Nate Iese after scoring a touchdown against USC in the first half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA coach Jim Mora calls for the Bruins to kick an extra point after scoring a touchdown against USC in the first half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC running back Ronald Jones II is upended by UCLA’s Jayon Brown during the first half.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA Coach Jim Mora gets a good view of USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson returning a punt for a touchdown in the first half.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC linebacker Don Hill finishes off a block as teammate Adoree’ Jackson returns a punt for a touchdown in the first half.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson returns a punt 42 yards for a touchdown against UCLA in the first half.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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USC cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (2) celebrates his punt return for a touchdown against UCLA with a teammate last Saturday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen unloads a deep pass against USC in the first half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC quarterback Cody Kessler throws downfield against UCLA in the first quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster puts a hand to the face of UCLA linebacker Jayon Brown after making a reception in the first half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA wide receiver Thomas Duarte exchanges words with USC linebacker Su’a Cravens after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC quarterback Cody Kessler is pressured by UCLA linebacker Deon Hollins during the first half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Bruins running back Paul Perkins picks up yards against the Trojans in the first half.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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The UCLA Bruins take the field for their game against USC on Saturday at the Coliseum.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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The USC Trojans take the field for their game against UCLA on Saturday at the Coliseum.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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A member of the UCLA marching band is framed by Sousaphones before the crosstown rivalry game against USC.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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UCLA football fans arrive with refreshments before the crosstown rivalry game against USC on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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USC football fans party beneath a mural before the crosstown rivalry game against UCLA on Saturday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
What Rosen didn’t do was credit the defense too much.
“I just felt like we made that defense look better than it necessarily was,” Rosen said. “That’s not a shot at them at all. I just felt we didn’t execute.”
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Asked what was different about USC’s defense compared to others he had seen, Rosen said, “Absolutely nothing. There were a lot plays I wish I could have back. I just didn’t play like myself.”
Chris Foster is a former sports writer for the Los Angeles Times who covered UCLA football and basketball, USC basketball, the Kings and the Ducks. He grew up in San Clemente, arriving long before Richard Nixon came to town. As a teen, he surfed, played football and basketball, and fell in love with sports journalism. Foster died Dec. 13, 2023.
