Maualuga leads USC's defense to dominant performance
PASADENA, Calif. -- Linebacker Rey Maualuga had a vision that he was going to win the outstanding defensive player award in the Rose Bowl.
He proved to be quite the prognosticator.
"It was weird. I told myself, I can get this award -- positive self-talk," Maualuga said Tuesday after Southern California's 49-17 rout of Illinois. "At the hotel, sitting here before the game. I was thinking about things I could do."
Maualuga, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound junior from Eureka, made his first interception of the season to set up a first-quarter touchdown, giving USC a 14-0 lead after just 6½ minutes of play.
He sacked Juice Williams on back-to-back plays in the second period and got a third shortly before halftime, matching his regular season sack total.
"Everyone was saying, 'Keep it in the room,'" Maualuga said of the defensive player award. "Hopefully next year, another linebacker will get this."
Maualuga's roommate, Brian Cushing, won the award last year for his effort in USC's 32-18 victory over Michigan.
When asked if this was his best game, Maualuga smiled and replied: "Definitely. I've had nothing to compare to this. I've never had a more complete, special game than this. Hopefully there's more to come. I didn't win this award by myself."
That's certainly true. The USC defense was simply too big, too strong, too athletic and too fast for Illinois, making big plays all day.
Oh, Illinois had its offensive highlights in the second half, thanks mainly to Williams and running back Rashard Mendenhall. But the Trojans turned Maualuga's interception and three third-quarter turnovers into touchdowns in rolling to their decisive triumph.
"We're just trying to get the ball to the offense as many times as possible," Cushing said. "They took advantage of the opportunities. We shut down a very capable offense -- only one big play. You give us a month to prepare for a spread team like that, we're going to figure them out."
Maualuga had a team-leading 75 tackles this season despite being slowed by a hip pointer. There had been speculation that he'd bypass his senior year to turn pro.
When told Cushing had said two days before the Rose Bowl that he was definitely returning next season, Maualuga said: "Double that. Yes, sir."
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