COLLEGE FOOTBALL: USC REPORT: USC ISN'T TESTED IN ROMP OVER HAWAII OFFENSE OVERSHADOWS DEFENSIVE PROBLEMS.

Byline: Scott Wolf  Staff Writer

KAPOLEI, Hawaii - USC enjoyed a luau at its posh resort Saturday night, but this trip officially became a paid vacation about six hours earlier, thanks to Hawaii's ineptitude.

The top-ranked Trojans left Aloha Stadium in good spirits primarily because Hawaii did everything but place leis around the USC players' necks before submitting to a 63-17 rout.

The game provided so few answers that the great debate afterward involved whether USC tailback Reggie Bush was emphasized at the expense of his counterpart, an increasingly depressed LenDale White.

It's only one game, so it's too soon to tell if USC has abandoned its two-tailback rotation that was so successful in the past.

On a lesser scale, few noticed receiver Dwayne Jarrett replaced freshman Patrick Turner in the fourth quarter to catch a 2-yard touchdown pass that gave USC a 56-10 lead. It also gave Jarrett three touchdown receptions for the first time in his career.

Marquee offensive players starred in the opener, which might make some of the defensive lapses be forgotten.

It might sound like nitpicking, but the bar has raised to a different level at USC. One loss is considered a disappointment. So when Hawaii gets 23 first downs and 437 yards offense, it's cause for pause.

USC coach Pete Carroll didn't downplay it, although he didn't seem too worried either.

``It can be like this against these guys,'' Carroll said. ``(Hawaii coach) June Jones had some great calls. These are big-time coaches.''

Maybe, but the Warriors were about the most one-dimensional team USC plays all season. Their leading tailback accounted for 8 yards, and they didn't even try to run most of the game.

That makes it even more disconcerting that the secondary (and linebackers) gave up so many yards - 377.

``That's a sign of a first game,'' linebacker Dallas Sartz said. ``You're always a little rusty. We knew they would come out with some tricky stuff. They like to run-and-gun.''

USC didn't put much pressure on quarterbacks Tyler Graunke or Colt Brennan, and Carroll didn't blitz much.

It's a reminder that when USC defeated Oklahoma in last year's Orange Bowl, it harassed Heisman Trophy winner Jason White with a four-man rush, a rarity in football.

``That's difficult to do these days,'' Washington State coach Bill Doba said before the season. ``That will be the key for USC. In that championship game, they did it with four men.''

Those who automatically believe USC is better this season might want to remember Doba's comment, because the Trojans will need to blitz more to pressure quarterbacks this year.

And that leaves the secondary vulnerable, which means Carroll gets to make tougher choices this season than deciding which resort to house the Trojans.

--Extra rest: Although he was available to play, Carroll elected not to use All-American punter Tom Malone (sore hip) for the only punt of the game. ``Tommy wasn't 100 percent. He could have punted at the end, but now he gets two weeks to rest it,'' Carroll said. Walk-on Taylor Odegard's only kick went 38 yards.

--Take it personal: Freshman linebacker Kaluka Maiava, from Hawaii, received a personal-foul penalty while playing on the kickoff team. USC committed three personal fouls and received two unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties.

Defensive end Lawrence Jackson hit the quarterback late to incur one of the personal fouls. ``I didn't know he didn't have the ball,'' Jackson said. ``I might have gotten a little carried away. It's football. Things like that happen.''

Scott Wolf, [phone]

scott.wolf(at)dailynews.com

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USC tailback Reggie Bush, right, is brought down by Hawaii's Tumarian Morland.

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press

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