San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
USD ROMPS IN RAIN, THUNDER
Late in the second quarter of the University of San Diego’s football game against Presbyterian on Saturday, the skies opened, rain fell and fans began exiting the stands, looking for cover.
On cue, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” blasted out of the stadium speakers. Then at halftime, fans were forced to leave Torero Stadium because of a lightning delay that wound up lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes.
“Lightning, in San Diego?” said USD head coach Dale Lindsey. “That’s something that’s so unreal.”
Here’s something that wasn’t unreal. The Toreros put the rain and 90-minute delay behind them, dominating, particularly on defense, in a 28-3 homecoming rout of Presbyterian.
How dominant was the defense?
USD forced more turnovers (four) than it allowed points (three). With its second straight win, USD improved to 3-3, 2-1 in the Pioneer Football League. Presbyterian dropped to 1-6 and 0-4.
The Toreros defense not only kept the Blue Hose out of the end zone but scored a touchdown of its own. With 3:01 remaining in the first quarter, redshirt senior safety Joshua Hong stepped in front of a receiver, picked off a pass and returned it 29 yards for an interception and a 7-0 lead.
“Evidently he baited someone and the quarterback threw it right to him,” said Lindsey.
Hong said he simply read his cues before stepping in front of the receiver. Asked what flashed through his mind when he caught the ball, Hong said, “Run ... run. I gotta try to score.”
There was no one between him and the goal line as the safety from Las Vegas completed his first ever pick-six.
“It felt surreal (scoring),” he said. “I turned around and all of the other guys were coming to celebrate with me. It was awesome.”
Sixth-year senior quarterback Judd Erickson has struggled much of the season. He came in completing just 51 percent of his passes and had suffered five interceptions against seven touchdowns.
On a cloudy afternoon he was sharp, completing 27 of 38 passes (there were at least three drops) for 301 yards and three TDS. There was a 9-yard score to Derek Klein, a 37-yarder to Michael Carner and a 5-yarder to Vance Jefferson.
“Best quarterback play we’ve had all year,” said Lindsey. “It’s about time.”
Up 14-0 at halftime, Lindsey said he was genuinely concerned that his team might lose focus during the 90-minute delay.
“I had snacks, drank Gatorade, sat on my (butt) and worried about winning the game,” said Lindsey. “You think about keeping your team focused in the locker room. They’re boys and they’re young.”
He worried for naught. Hunter Nichols returned the second-half kickoff 38 yards, the offense promptly drove 60 yards in four plays for a touchdown and the defense forced a three-and-out.
Defensive end Muhindo Kapapa said he stretched and stayed loose during the delay and wasn’t concerned about the defense being distracted.
“Not at all,” he said. “We knew what the mission was as a defense. Stay focused.”
After being on the field for 87 plays the week before against Drake, the defense was on the field for just 48 against the Blue Hose. Eight of the plays went for negative yards. Another six gained zero yards.
As for the rain, Kapapa said it brought back childhood memories of playing outside when it’s wet.
“It was definitely fun,” he said. “It kind of amped us up, brought some juice to the defense.”