SC DEFENSE: DEFENSE SHINES BRIGHT TROJANS SHUT DOWN HIGH-SCORING OSU.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

Mike Patterson drew a blank during a television interview Saturday, so he unleashed his trademark smile and just giggled to fill time.

He wasn't sure how to explain USC's defensive gem against Oregon State.

All Patterson knew was that he and the rest of the defensive line had a blast terrorizing Oregon State quarterback Derek Anderson all afternoon. The Trojans weren't even blitzing much. USC's defensive line simply was that dominant.

USC had five sacks in a 22-0 shutout over Oregon State on Saturday at the Coliseum in the Pacific-10 Conference opener. It was the first shutout for USC (3-1, 1-0) since a 27-0 rout over UCLA last year.

``It's really fun getting sacks,'' Patterson said. ``Coming in, we knew they'd only given up four sacks (all year). They were a real tough team and a tough offensive line.''

Until they ran into USC.

The Beavers averaged 47.5 points and 499 yards per game before Saturday. They were held to a meager 131 yards against USC.

Anderson was second in the nation in pass efficiency through four games. He completed just 8 of 30 passes for 80 yards Saturday. The USC defense is the nation's best passing defense - allowing 101 yards per game - and it showed.

``Their defense was overpowering,'' Anderson said. ``Yeah, I'm pretty sore. They came after me hard all day. We just need to go back and move on to UCLA.''

And USC coach Pete Carroll can move on to Washington State.

``Man, that was a great day's work,'' Carroll said. ``It didn't really matter what we called. The guys up front were just tearing it up. And it wasn't just one guy. It was a bunch of guys, a real team effort.

``When your four guys can rush up front, it's just so much fun because it doesn't matter what you do coverage-wise. This is an exciting group. These guys are going to be together for a long time and we're just adding guys to it.''

Defensive linemen Omar Nazel, Kenechi Udeze and Patterson combined for 14 tackles, including seven for a loss.

And this is all work from a program that was once labeled ``Tailback U.''

USC has two shutouts under Carroll and nearly had another this season in a 40-3 rout at Colorado.

``I have to face them every day in practice,'' USC quarterback Carson Palmer said. ``I know how tough it is to go anywhere against them.''

The defensive line spends plenty of time in film sessions each week scrutinizing pass rushes, blitzes and techniques. But not just of itself. Defensive line coach Ed Orgeron has the Trojans watch Warren Sapp and the stingy Tampa Bay defense each week.

``We consider him the best at pass rushing,'' Udeze said. ``We just try to emulate what he does.''

The Beavers went from scoring at will to struggling to get first downs Saturday.

On one play early in the game, Patterson blocked an offensive lineman all the way back into Anderson, who fumbled.

``USC kicked our rear ends in a lot of phases,'' Oregon State coach Dennis Erickson said. ``I've never had an offense that was so inefficient as we were today. Give their defense credit. It was ugly.''

Just the way USC likes it.

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Photo:

Oregon State quarterback Derek Anderson is sacked by USC's Kenechi Udeze, one of five sacks by USC in USC's 22-0 victory Saturday at the Coliseum.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer