Rey Maualuga, LB

The three-year starter was called by the coaching staff the "most menacing" linebacker of the Pet Carroll era. By the time he finished playing for USC, Maualuga was the most decorated linebacker to wear a Trojans uniform since Junior Seau roamed the fields for Southern California in the late 1980s. In each of his three seasons as a starter, Maualuga garnered All-American and All-Pac 10 Conference recognition.

During his freshman season as a reserve, the Trojans ranked 31st in the nation in rush defense (130.54 ypg), 48th in total defense (360.92 ypg) and 35th in scoring defense (22.85 ppg). In Maualuga's first year as a starter, Southern California improved to ninth in the nation vs. the run (91.08 ypg), 20th in total defense (295.85 ypg) and 11th in scoring defense (15.15 ppg).

As a junior, USC continued to move up the national charts, finishing fourth vs. the run (84.15 ypg), second in total defense (273.15 ypg) and second in scoring defense (16.0 ppg) in 2007. In his final season, the Trojans allowed just 87.38 yards per game on the ground (fifth in the NCAA), ranking second in the country in total defense (221.77 ypg) while leading the major colleges in scoring defense (9.0 ppg).

"I want to become the player that the offense game-plans around, that the offense fears coming into the game," Maualuga recently stated. The inspiration he draws from his late father, Talatonu, who died just before the 2006 Rose Bowl BCS championship game: "It doesn't hit me as much now as it did, but I use it as inspiration. He's out there in my heart playing with me. Even though he's not here, he's with me spiritually. I've matured a lot lately. That childish player, that person that I was, is long gone. I feel like I've developed a sense of leadership on the team. I've learned the do's and don'ts, and I've realized what's important."

In an article by Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Daily News, he wrote: "Have you seen the play of USC linebacker Rey Maualuga? If you watched the Trojans play, could your eyes possibly avoid him? Does this look like Superman in cardinal and gold or what? He flies to the ball and then hits like a locomotive. Isn't this obviously USC's next superstar? He has given every indication of becoming the ideal middle linebacker. He has the natural size. He has incredible burst. He is powerful and aggressive and uncommonly fast. More than all that, he is also amazingly athletic. He can be a sledgehammer or a ballerina. Dazzle with power or agility. Play with fury and control."

Hall of Fame coach and ESPN's Lou Holtz chimed in, "He's the next great Trojans linebacker, very physical, always lining up big hits. He reminds me of (ex-Ohio State All-American) A.J. Hawk. His athletic ability is similar to Hawk's, but the infectiousness of his free spirit makes him even more valuable to his team."

Maualuga earned Parade, Super Prep, Prep Football Report, Scout.com and EA Sports All-American honors at Eureka High School as a senior in 2004. He was named USA Today All-USA first- team, Super Prep Elite 50, Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team, Student Sports Top 100, Rivals 100, Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-West, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Orange County Register Fab 15 first team and Cal-Hi Sports All-State first team honors that season.

In 2004, Maualuga recorded 96 tackles, including 37 stops for loss, four interceptions, including two that he returned for touchdowns, a pair of fumble recoveries and had one kickoff return for a touchdown. As a junior in 2003, he was a Student Sports Junior All-American and Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass first-team pick while posting 146 tackles, 43 for loss, 11 sacks and one interception. Eureka went 20-2-1 during his junior and senior seasons. He spent his 2001 freshman year at St. Bonaventure High in Ventura (Calif.).

Maualuga made an immediate impact as a true freshman. Even though he played behind Oscar Lua at middle linebacker, he was named Freshman All-American first-team by the Football Writers Association and Scout.com. He received the team's John McKay Award, given to the player that shows the most competitive spirit. He finished with 37 tackles (26 solos), a sack, 4.5 stops for losses and an interception.

Maualuga earned All-American honorable mention and All-Pac 10 Conference first-team honors in 2006. He started 10 of the 13 games he played in at middle linebacker, going on to register 78 tackles (45 solos), ranking second on the team. He had two sacks among his five stops for loss, as he also deflected three passes and picked off another.

As a junior, Maualuga received All-American third-team and All-Pac 10 Conference first-team accolades. He started all but the Notre Dame game, as he was nursing a hip pointer before that contest, leading the team with a career-high 79 tackles (41 solos). He placed third on the squad with six sacks and 10.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. He also knocked down three passes while intercepting another.

Maualuga was a unanimous first-team All-American and All-Pac 10 Conference choice in 2008. He was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Award and the Butkus Award, in addition to being named the league's Defensive Player of the Year. He matched his career-high with 79 tackles (51 solos), as he returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown and deflected four other throws in 12 games. He sat out the Oregon clash after he sprained his knee in the Oregon State game.

Positives: Good initial quickness off the snap. Quickly gets to top speed, flashing rare downhill explosiveness for the position. Reads the action quickly. Willing to take on blocks and has the strength and hand technique to shed quickly. Good lateral quickness to evade blockers and has the speed to beat backs to the flanks. Gets good depth on his pass drop and is quick to close on the ball. Punishing hitter with four career forced fumbles. Productive pass rusher with the speed to close on even mobile quarterbacks. Can break down in space to make the secure open-field tackle.

Negatives: Has a tendency to overpursue, opening holes in the defense for quick and savvy ballcarriers to exploit. Too often relies on his explosive hitting to knock down ballcarriers, rather than wrapping up to make secure tackles. Concerns about his maturity. Repeated troubles while at USC involving fights and alcohol. Arrested for misdemeanor battery after punching a student at a Halloween party in 2005. The charge was eventually dropped.

Compares To: BILL ROMANOWSKI, ex-Oakland -- Alright, Romanowski played on the outside, but there are a lot of similarities in their games, especially with both being violent tacklers. Maualuga is fun to watch because he plays so physically. He is big, strong, fast and explosive, displaying the perfect middle linebacker temperament. He is the type of player that can set the tempo of the game and makes players around him better. His teammates know that if they let up, he is going to get all over them. He plays very close to the line of scrimmage, right up in the "A" gap, and will not hesitate to attack and be physical with blockers. If he maintains his recent maturity off the field, he is the type of playmaker to build a defense around.

GENERAL REPORT: GRADE: 6.64

Body Structure: Maualuga has the typical middle linebacker's frame - thick body, especially in his upper frame, thick arms, large hands, firm midsection, tight waist and hips. He is a bit bow-legged, which helps when trying to stay low in his pads and has strong thighs and calves to drive through ball carriers.

Athletic Ability: Maualuga has that rare combination of size and speed to fly to the ball and punish the runner with crunching hits. You would think that the way he attacks the ball carriers that he would have many more nicks and bruises, but he has been quite durable during his career, considering his search and destroy attitude on the field. He has excellent quickness and balance, showing the quick change of direction and lateral agility to make plays along the perimeter. He plays faster than his timed speed indicates and even when banged up, he will give total effort on the field. GRADE: 7.5

Football Sense: Maualuga might get out of control, at times, but he is quick to read keys and break down plays. He has great vision, knowing instinctively when to drop back in coverage or shoot the gaps to disrupt the pocket. Because of his vision, he displays excellent ball anticipation skills and reacts suddenly on the snap, working through the crowd to get penetration or laying back to wait for the rush lane to develop. GRADE: 7.2

Character: While he showed better maturity as a senior, Maualuga has had trouble off the field with fighting and also with alcohol issues. He was self-centered and immature when he joined the program, but ever since coach Pete Carroll read him the riot act in 2007 he has been compliant. He was arrested in 2005 for punching another student at a party and teams have become increasingly wary of players with character issues. This could see a few teams drop his draft stock or even red flag him altogether. GRADE: 5.2

Competitiveness: Maualuga plays as if his next play will be his last. He is a true Polynesian warrior who will not hesitate to sacrifice his body. He will get reckless in his play, but fortunately the USC defense had smart players around him to cover. He is a very intense, heavy hitter who will not hesitate to go nose-to-nose with an opponent. He played early in the 2008 season with a bad knee, but still went out and played with a take no prisoners approach. GRADE: 7.0

Work Habits: Maualuga showed questionable effort earlier in his career, but eventually came around and joined the program. His work habits have greatly improved since 2005 and he now studies lots of film on his own. He has also developed good practice habits and is a vocal leader who encourages the scout team to step up their play. He is the kind of player that Bill Parcells would love to coach. GRADE: 6.3

ATHLETIC REPORT: GRADE: 7.36

Key and Diagnostic Skills: Maualuga is a steady playmaker with the eyes and instincts to recognize the action developing and getting into position to make the play. He will get a bit reckless and over-pursue in attempts to make the spectacular play, and is then slow to recover. He does a very good job of reading keys and is quick to find the ball sifting through trash. He is not the type that will be fooled by misdirection and is generally in position to neutralize play action fakes. He simply has a great nose for the ball. On occasion, he will run himself out of position, but is quick to recover, especially vs. play action. GRADE: 8.1

Playing Strength and Explosion: Maualuga comes off the snap with good explosion and knows how to use his hands to generate a punch to rock the offensive lineman back on his heels. He is sudden in his movements and has no trouble building to top speed to make plays out of his territory. He will get out of control trying to deliver the sensational hit and when he does this, his hands will get outside his frame, allowing savvy ball carriers to sidestep and avoid. He meets the blocker with good force and is explosive delivering his hits, but if he gets too high in his stance he can be positioned. GRADE: 7.4

Lateral Pursuit/Range: Maualuga has the range, loose hips and lateral agility to make plays in pursuit. He runs with good urgency and does a good job of generating outside run containment. He is a classic downhill tackler who uses his hands with force to shed and control the offensive linemen. He has the loose hips to change direction on a dime and displays the range to make plays along the sidelines. His only problem occurs when he gets reckless in his play and tries to punish people, losing sight at the task at hand - getting to the person with the ball. He shows very good long and short pursuit quickness, doing a fine job of catching the running back from behind and will not hesitate to run long distances to make the stop. GRADE: 7.8

Use of Hands: Maualuga has above average strength, along with a violent hand punch and proper hand placement to stun and slip off blockers. He displays the large, soft hands and good extension to attack the ball at its high point and secure it for the interception. He plays with strength and good authority, as he can deliver a good punch to stop his opponents in their tracks. He uses his hands well to protect his legs on the move and gets through traffic with no problems. GRADE: 7.1

Tackling Ability: Maualuga is an explosive hitter who knows how to use his size and athleticism to stack and control. He drives hard with his legs to push the lead blocker out of the way and clog the rush lanes. He gets in trouble when he gets reckless in his play, as he will get vertical and leave his feet, but that will only result in a missed tackle. He breaks down well in space, but it is his ability to fly to the ball with suddenness and ease of movement that separates him from the rest of the middle linebacker draft class. He needs to play with better control at times, but at the Xs he does a good job of breaking down, facing up and wrapping up, but when he gets reckless he will revert to shoestring tackles. GRADE: 7.6

Run Defense: Maualuga is best when taking on the lead blocker and clogging the rush lanes. He has the lower body strength to split double teams and uses his hands with force to stun or with quickness to shed. He is very fluid moving through a crowd and is a great impact hitter. He has the speed of a defensive back closing on running plays along the perimeter and does a fine job of impeding the ball carrier's forward momentum with his ability to consistently attack his opponent's outside leg. Taking on the inside run, he is quite effective playing right up the "A" gap, showing enough strength to hold ground at the point of attack. He holds ground well on plays directed right at him and is quick to fill. On outside runs, he has the chase speed to make plays well behind the ball and his lateral speed lets him make plays wide. GRADE: 7.8

Pass Defense: Maualuga has the balance and quick feet to get good depth in his pass drops. He closes on the ball with suddenness. He is best mirroring receivers in the short area, as he has become quite adept at rerouting the opponent and disrupting crossing routes. He is like a heat-seeking missile sifting through trash to shut down the screens. He has the ability to cover the speedy backs out of the backfield and can drive hard to close. GRADE: 6.9

Zone Defense: Maualuga ability to open his hips and come out of his backpedal with no wasted motion makes him one of the best zone coverage defenders in the draft at this position. He has very good timing shooting the A and B gaps and also shows good fluidity opening his hips to get good depth in his pass drops. He has greatly improved his route recognition and when he sees the ball, he is quick to close or go for it at its high point. GRADE: 6.8

Pass Rush and Blitz: Maualuga was not used often as a pass rusher, but shows the balance, quick feet and sudden burst to shoot the gaps with great effectiveness. He is a physical tackler who closes on the quarterback in a hurry. He is very capable of disrupting the pocket and he has that relentless nature shooting the gaps and the loose hits to perfectly execute the stunts. He shows good anticipation at the snap and is quick to get penetration, doing a nice job of locating the rush lane. GRADE: 6.7

Compares To: BILL ROMANOWSKI, ex-Oakland -- Alright, Romanowski played on the outside, but there are a lot of similarities in their games, especially with both being violent tacklers. Maualuga is fun to watch because he plays so physically. He is big, strong, fast and explosive, displaying the perfect middle linebacker temperament. He is the type of player that can set the tempo of the game and makes players around him better. His teammates know that if they let up, he is going to get all over them. He plays very close to the line of scrimmage, right up in the "A" gap, and will not hesitate to attack and be physical with blockers. If he maintains his recent maturity off the field, he is the type of playmaker to build a defense around.

OVERALL GRADE: 7.24

--Report by Dave-Te' Thomas

Maualuga started 34 of 50 games he played in at Southern California at middle linebacker, recording 273 tackles (163 solos) with nine sacks for minus 48 yards, 22.5 stops for losses totaling 91 yards and two quarterback pressures … Caused four fumbles and recovered another … Deflected four passes and gained 76 yards with a touchdown on five interception returns … Also returned an onside kick 7 yards.

Unanimous All-American and All-Pac 10 Conference first-team selection … Recipient of the Bednarik Award, given to the nation's top defensive player … Finalist for the Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Award and the Butkus Award … Team Most Valuable Player and named the Pac-10's Defensive Player of the Year … Started 12 games at middle linebacker, missing the Oregon contest due to a knee sprain suffered vs. Oregon State … Still managed to lead the team and match his career-high with 79 tackles (51 solos) that included 2.5 stops for losses of 11 yards … Intercepted two passes for 48 yards in returns with a touchdown … Credited with one quarterback pressure and deflected four passes … On 62 running plays in his area, the opposition gained 311 yards (5.02 ypc) with five touchdowns and 16 first downs, as Maualuga made four third-down stops and prevented ball carriers from gaining yardage on four of those attempts … The opposition completed 18 of 24 passes in front of the linebacker, producing 13 first downs and 234 yards (13.0 yards per completion/9.75 yards per attempt) … Part of a unit that allowed just 87.38 yards per game on the ground (fifth in the NCAA), ranking second in the country in total defense (221.77 ypg) while leading the major colleges in scoring defense (9.0 ppg).

Virginia … Maualuga contributed two solo tackles to the Trojan defense, which limited Virginia to 32 rushing yards and 187 yards overall in USC's 52-7 victory over the Cavaliers … With 2:26 remaining before halftime, Maualuga tackled halfback Mikell Simpson after a 1-yard rush … Near the end of the third quarter, Virginia wide receiver Jared Green gained 9 yards after catching a pass from quarterback Peter Lalich before being stopped by Maualuga at the Trojan's 44-yard line … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#64-Jack Shields (6:05-289) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#37-Cedric Peerman (5:10-208)-Eight carries for 32 yards, two catches for 7 yards, one kickoff return for 17 yards … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made one tackle vs. the run, which netted the offense 1 yard, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 32 yards on 21 carries (1.52 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for 9 yards … The defense allowed 187 total yards on 56 plays (3.34 yards per play) … The opposition completed 18-of-35 passes for 155 yards, with one interception.

Ohio State … Maualuga intercepted a second-quarter pass by Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown and added five tackles (2 solos) to the Trojans' decisive 35-3 win over the fifth-ranked Buckeyes … "I turned around, saw the ball, and took it. I was hoping the receiver wouldn't catch me," said Maualuga of his fourth career interception and first career touchdown … On Ohio State's first drive of the game, Boeckman completed a pass to Ray Small but the wideout was stopped for no gain by Maualuga … Later in the quarter, Maualuga stopped Buckeye tailback Dan Herron for 2 yards on a rushing attempt inside USC's 20-yard line and, later in the drive, allowed Herron to covert a 3rd-&-8 play from the USC 17-yard line with a 12-yard reception … At the 2:49 mark in the second quarter, Maualuga stepped in front of OSU receiver Brian Hartline and picked off Boeckman's pass, returning the interception 48 yards for a touchdown … Near the end of the third quarter, the USC linebacker tackled Beanie Wells after the tailback picked up 7 yards on a pass reception from quarterback Terrelle Pryor … With a few minutes remaining in the game, Herron was tackled by Maualuga after rushing for 8 yards … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#64-Jim Cordle (6:04-297) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#1-Dan Herron (5:10-193)-Eleven carries for 51 yards, three catches for 23 yards, 2 kickoff returns for 32 yards … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made two tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 10 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 71 yards on 34 carries (2.09 ypc) … The opposition completed 3-of-4 passes that were thrown into his area for 19 yards and one interception … Maualuga was involved in one third-down play, two red-zone tackles, one tackle for no gain, and one interception return for a touchdown, as the defense allowed 207 total yards on 64 plays (3.23 yards per play) … The opposition completed 21-of-30 passes for 136 yards, with two interceptions.

Oregon State … OSU's super freshman tailback Jacquizz Rodgers torched the formidable Southern Cal defense for 186 rushing yards and two touchdowns, as the Beavers upset the top-ranked Trojans, 27-21 … Maualuga led the Trojan defense in tackles, finishing with 12 tackles (5 solos) in the loss … Early in the first quarter, Maualuga limited Rodgers to 2 yards on a rush inside the USC 10-yard line … At the 12:46 mark in the second quarter, Rodgers broke off runs of 10, 9, and 3 yards, two of which resulted in first downs, before Maualuga could bring him down … Later in the quarter, Maualuga was credited with tackling Rodgers after a 7-yard rush to midfield … On a drive that started at the 10:12 mark in the third quarter, the USC linebacker tackled Rodgers after gains of 4 and 3 yards … Later in the third quarter, Maualuga tackled Rodgers after a 3-yard rush, stopped his brother, James Rodgers after a 5-yard reception, and brought down Jacquizz after the tailback broke off a 14-yard run to the OSU 40-yard line … Jacquizz Rodgers had rushed of 7 and 3 yards during a fourth-quarter drive before Maualuga could wrap him up, the latter of which resulted in a first down at the USC 32-yard line … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#60-Alex Linnenkohl (6:02-288) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#1-Jacquizz Rodgers (5:07-193)-37 carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns, two receptions for 27 yards … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made 11 tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 55 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 176 yards on 45 carries (3.91 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for 5 yards … Maualuga was involved in one red-zone play, as the defense allowed 343 total yards on 73 plays (4.70 yards per play) … The opposition completed 18-of-28 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

Oregon … Maualuga did not play due to a right knee sprain that he suffered during the Oregon State game.

Arizona State … The USC defense limited the Sun Devils to 75 yards on the ground in its 28-0 shutout of ASU, getting a game-high eight tackles (3 solos) from Maualuga … The USC linebacker had a sole tackle in the first quarter, stopping ASU tailback after a 2-yard run early in the frame … In the second quarter, Maualuga was credited with three stops, wrapping up Nance after a 9-yard pass reception, tackling tailback Keegan Herring after a 4-yard rush, and limiting halfback Ryan Bass to 1 yard on a rushing attempt … On the Sun Devils' first drive of the second half, Maualuga tackled Dimitri Nance after a 4-yard rush … Later in the quarter, Keegan Herring gained 4 yards before the USC linebacker wrapped him up … Early in the fourth quarter, Maualuga tackled Herring after a 3-yard gain and, later in the drive, limited halfback Shaun DeWitty to 4 yards on 3rd-&-17, forcing the Sun Devils to punt … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#56-Thomas Altieri (6:02-300) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#31-Dimitri Nance (5:10-220)-14 carries for 64 yards, five catches for 31 yards … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made seven tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 22 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 75 yards on 36 carries (2.10 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for 9 yards … Maualuga was involved in one third-down play, as the defense allowed 229 total yards on 73 plays (3.14 yards per play) … The opposition completed 15-of-37 passes for 154 yards, with three interceptions.

Washington State … Southern Cal thoroughly dominated Washington State on both sides of the ball, defeating the Cougars, 69-0, thanks, in part, to a defense that limited WSU to four first downs and 116 total yards … The All-American linebacker finished with a team-high five tackles (2 solos) and added one pass breakup … … "Our intention wasn't to come out and beat these guys by 80 points. Our intention was to come out and play a great football game. That loss to Oregon State couldn't have come at a better time as far as waking everybody up," said Maualuga, still stinging from his team's loss to the Beavers earlier in the season … Maualuga registered four tackles in the first quarter, including stopping tailback Chantz Staden after rushes of 1 and 2 yards and limiting halfback Logwone Mitz to -1 and 2 yards on separate rushing attempts later in the quarter … In the second quarter, Maualuga missed out on an opportunity to score when he had a potential interception bounce of his hands. However the third-down pass breakup forced the Cougars to punt the ball away … Later in the quarter, Logwone Mitz was dropped for a 2-yard loss at the WSU 18-yard line by Maualuga … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#69-Kenny Alfred (6:02-300) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#34-Logwone Mitz (6:01-219)-19 carries for 52 yards, one catch for -1 yard … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made five tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 2 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 88 yards on 37 carries (2.38 ypc) … The opposition completed 0-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area … Maualuga was involved in two tackles for losses, one third-down play, and one pass breakup, as the defense allowed 116 total yards on 46 plays (2.52 yards per play) … The opposition completed 6-of-9 yards for 28 yards, with one interception.

Arizona … The Wildcats' offense came into the game averaging more than 40 points per game, ranking them ninth in the nation, but the vaunted USC defense limited Arizona to 10 points and 188 yards of total offense in USC's 17-10 victory of their PAC-10 rival … Maualuga finished the contest with a team-high nine tackles (8 solos) … On Arizona's first offense series of the game, tailback Nic Grigsby was tackled by Maualuga after a 4-yard gain … Later in the quarter, Maualuga was credited with three tackles on a single Arizona drive, stopping halfback Keola Antolin after gains of 1, 3, and 5 yards, the last of which set up the Arizona offense at the USC 7-yard line … Early in the second half, Nic Grigsby was wrapped up by Maualuga after a 2-yard gain to the USC 13-yard line … On a drive that started at the 10:35 mark in the fourth quarter, the USC linebacker limited wide receiver Terrell Turner to 5 yards on a rushing attempt, but, on the game's next play, allowed Grigsby to break off a 26-yard run to midfield … With a few minutes remaining in the game, Maualuga stopped Grigsby after a 2-yard run and, later in the drive, tackled receiver Delashaun Dean for a 1-yard loss on 3rd-&-8, forcing the Wildcats to punt … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#64-Colin Baxter (6:04-295) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#5-Nic Grigsby (5:10-194)-14 carries for 69 yards and one touchdown … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made eight tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 48 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 100 yards on 30 carries (3.33 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for -1 yard … Maualuga was involved in two red-zone tackles and one tackle for loss, as the defense allowed 188 total yards on 61 plays ( 3.10 yards per play) … The opposition completed 14-of-31 passes for 88 yards, with one interception.

Washington … With its 56-0 rout of the Huskies, USC has recorded shutouts in three of its last four games, and the Trojan defense continued to function at an elite level, holding Washington to just 71 yards on the ground and 184 yards overall … The All-American linebacker contributed six tackles (3 solos) and one interception to the victory … "We set a goal at the beginning of the season to swarm to the ball on every play, keep our intensity up. Our best defensive play is still ahead of us," said Maualuga of his team's outstanding defensive performance this season … On the first drive of the game, Maualuga limited Huskie tailback Terrance Dailey to rushes of 2 yards and no gain … Later in the quarter, Washington quarterback Ronnie Fouch completed an 8-yard pass to wide receiver Kavario Middleton, who was tackled by Maualuga at the Huskies' 26-yard line … At the 3:31 mark in the first quarter, Huskie tailback Brandon Johnson was stopped by Maualuga after a 2-yard gain … Midway through the second quarter, the USC linebacker intercepted a Ronnie Fouch pass deep in Washington territory, setting up the Trojans' fifth touchdown of the afternoon, a 1-yard scoring run by tailback Stafon Johnson that increased USC's lead to 35-0 … Later in the second quarter, Maualuga stopped Terrance Dailey after a 5-yard run for a first down on 2nd-&-4 and tackled running back Willie Griffin after a 4-yard reception … Early in the second half, Maualuga was penalized 5 yards for being offside … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#58-Juan Garcia (6:03-315) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#6-Brandon Johnson (5:09-207)-18 carries for 54 yards … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made four tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 9 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 71 yards on 30 carries (2.37 ypc) … The opposition completed 2-of-3 passes that were thrown into his area for 12 yards and one interception … Maualuga was involved in one tackle for no gain and one interception, as the defense allowed 184 total yards on 63 plays (2.92 yards per play) … The opposition completed 14-of-33 passes for 113 yards, with three interceptions.

California … The Golden Bears' offense came into the game averaging more than 36 points per contest but the impenetrable USC defense shut them down, holding Cal to three points and 165 total yards in the Trojans' 17-3 win … Maualuga finished the contest with a game-high ten tackles (7 solos) … On the game's first series, the USC linebacker stopped Cal tailback Jahvid Best after a 6-yard rushing attempt … Later in the quarter, Cal tight end Verran Tucker hauled in a pass from quarterback Nate Longshore but was stopped for just a 1-yard gain by Maualuga … On a drive that started at the 1:31 mark in the first quarter, Maualuga was credited with four tackles, including tackling Jahvid Best after an 11-yard reception that converted a 3rd-&-8 play from the Cal 21-yard line, stopping Best after a 2-yard rush, wrapping up wide receiver Nyan Boateng after a 10-yard pass reception from Longshore, and limiting running back Shane Vereen to a 3-yard gain to the USC 33-yard line … Maualuga made three stops on a Cal drive that began late in the second quarter, tackling Nyan Boateng after a 7-yard reception, stopping Shane Vereen for a 1-yard gain from the Cal 32-yard line, and limiting fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou to 4 yards on a reception to the Cal 37-yard line … Early in the second half, the USC linebacker stopped Jahvid Best for no gain at the Cal 21-yard line … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#51-Alex Mack (6:05-316) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#4-Jahvid Best (5:10-193)-13 carries for 30 yards, three catches for 15 yards … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made five tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 12 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 27 yards on 26 carries (1.04 ypc) … The opposition completed 5-of-5 passes that were thrown into his area for 33 yards … Maualuga was involved in one third-down play and one tackle for no gain, as the defense allowed 165 total yards on 57 plays (2.89 yards per play) … The opposition completed 15-of-31 passes for 138 yards, with one interception.

Stanford … The USC middle linebacker and game captain collected a team-high nine tackles (7 solos) and added one quarterback pressure in the Trojans' 45-23 victory over Stanford, preventing the Cardinal from pulling off an upset for a second-straight season … On a drive that started midway through the first quarter, Maualuga allowed Cardinal tailback Toby Gerhart to pick up 5 yards on a 3rd-&-4 play from the Stanford 39-yard line, tackled halfback Anthony Kimble after a 3-yard rush, and, later in the drive, allowed Gerhart to pick up another first down, this time via a 2-yard run on 3rd-&-2 from the USC 28-yard line … In the second quarter, Gerhart rushed over left tackle for a 1-yard gain and, later in the quarter, took a handoff 40 yards before being tackled by Maualuga on both plays … At the 12:23 mark in the third quarter, Stanford quarterback Tavi Pritchard was pressured by Maualuga into throwing incomplete … Midway through the third quarter, Maualuga limited Gerhart to a 2-yard run … Later in the quarter, Maualuga stopped Cardinal quarterback Alex Loukas for a 3-yard gain on a 3rd-&-11 rushing attempt, forcing Stanford to punt … At the 2:36 mark in the third quarter, the USC linebacker tackled Loukas 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage on a rushing attempt and limited Toby Gerhart to a 5-yard reception on 3rd-&-18 from the Stanford 34-yard line, forcing the Cardinal to punt the ball away … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#60-Alex Fletcher (6:03-298) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#7-Toby Gerhart (6:01-232)-23 carries for 101 yards and one touchdown, two catches for 15 yards … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made eight tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 46 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 202 yards on 41 carries (4.93 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for 5 yards … Maualuga was involved in four third-down plays, one tackle for loss, and one quarterback pressure, as the defense allowed 367 total yards on 68 plays (5.40 yards per play) … The opposition completed 14-of-27 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown, with one interception.

Notre Dame … The USC defense had its way vs. the Notre Dame offense in the Trojans' 38-3 victory over the Irish, limiting Charlie Weis' team to a mere 91 yards of total offense … Maualuga chipped in two tackles (1 solo) and a pass deflection in the win … Midway through the first quarter, Maualuga deflected a pass by Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen, which was picked off by fellow linebacker Kaluka Maiava, who returned the interception 2 yards to the USC 45-yard line … Seconds before halftime, Notre Dame halfback Robert Hughes was tackled by Maualuga after a 3-yard gain … Maualuga recorded one tackle in the second half, a takedown of tailback James Aldridge for no gain at the USC 30-yard line … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#51-Dan Wenger (6:04-302) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#34-James Aldridge (6:00-225)-12 carries for 58 yards … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made two tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 3 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 50 yards on 27 carries (1.85 ypc) … The opposition completed 0-of-1 passes that were thrown into his area for one interception … Maualuga was involved in one tackle for no gain and one pass breakup, as the defense allowed 91 total yards on 49 plays (1.86 yards per play) … The opposition completed 11-of-22 passes for 41 yards, with two interceptions.

UCLA … USC won for the ninth time in its last 10 meeting with UCLA, defeating the Bruins, 28-7, thanks, in part, to its stout defense, which held UCLA to 157 total yards of offense, including just 47 yards on the ground … Maualuga finished the contest with a team-high five solo tackles and added one pass breakup … Midway through the first quarter, UCLA Kahlil Bell was tackled by Maualuga after a 5-yard run … Later in the quarter, Maualuga was penalized 15 yards for roughing the passer on 3rd-&-9 from the Bruins' 23-yard line, giving UCLA a first down … In the second quarter, the USC linebacker was credited with tackling UCLA fullback Chane Moline for no gain at the Bruins' 16-yard line and, later in the quarter, stopping Kahlil Bell for a 1-yard gain on a rushing attempt … In the third stanza, Maualuga tackled UCLA's Marcus Everett after the flanker gained 7 yards on a pass reception from quarterback Kevin Craft … Minutes before the end of the game, Maualuga tackled Kahlil Bell after a 3-yard run deep in UCLA territory and, later in the drive, broke up a Kevin Craft pass that was intended for Bell … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#58-Micah Reed (6:04-316) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#36-Kahlil Bell (6:00-219)-15 carries for 39 yards, one catch for 21 yards and a touchdown … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made four tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 9 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 47 yards on 21 carries (2.24 ypc) … The opposition completed 1-of-2 pass that were thrown into his area for 7 yards … Maualuga was involved in one tackle for no gain and one pass deflection, as the defense allowed 157 total yards on 50 plays (3.14 yards per play) … The opposition completed 12-of-29 passes for 110 yards and one touchdown, with one interception.

Penn State (Rose Bowl) … The defensive numbers don't tell the whole story in USC's 38-24 win over Penn State in the Rose Bowl … Though the Trojan defense gave up 24 points and 410 yards of offense, 17 of those points and much of the yardage came in the fourth quarter, when the game was already decided … The USC middle linebacker contributed six solo tackles and a pass break-up to the victory … On a Penn State drive that started at the 4:12 mark in the first quarter, Maualuga tackled wide receiver Brett Brackett after an 8-yard reception, forced quarterback Daryll Clark to misfire on a pass to tight end Mickey Shuler, and allowed wide receiver Derrick Williams to convert a 3rd-&-2 play for a first down with a 4-yard run … Midway through the second quarter, Daryll Clark was stopped by Maualuga for no gain at the PSU 25-yard line … The USC linebacker was credited with two tackles in the third quarter, including stopping tailback Stephfon Green after a 3-yard reception on a 3rd-&-10 play from the USC 39-yard line, which preceded the Nittany Lions' failure to pick up a first down on 4th-&-7, and, later in the quarter, tackling Stephfon Green after a 3-yard run to the USC 37-yard line … In the fourth quarter, Maualuga limited Green to 1 yard on a 3rd-&-3 rushing attempt from the USC 8-yard line, forcing the Nittany Lions to settle for a 25-yard field goal … Head-to-Head Competition: OC#57-A.Q. Shipley (6:01-297) … Rush Coverage Assignment: HB#22-Evan Royster (6:01-209)-Six carriers for 34 yards … Defensive Impact: Maualuga made four tackles vs. the run, which netted the offense 8 yards, and helped the defense hold the opposition to 137 yards on 29 carries (4.72 ypc) … The opposition completed 2-of-3 passes that were thrown into his area for 11 yards … Maualuga was involved in three third-down plays, one tackle for no gain, one red-zone tackle, and one pass deflection, as the defense allowed 410 total yards on 66 plays (6.21 yards per play) … The opposition completed 21-of-37 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns, with two interceptions.

Earned All-American third-team recognition from The NFOL Draft Report and Phil Steele, adding honorable mention from Pro Football Weekly and College Football News … All-Pac 10 Conference first-team choice … Named the Rose Bowl Defensive Most Valuable Player, earning a spot on ESPN's All-Bowl Team … Played in thirteen games, starting twelve contests at middle linebacker … Saw reserve duty vs. Notre Dame due to a hip pointer … Led a squad that finished fourth vs. the run (84.15 ypg), second in total defense (273.15 ypg) and second in scoring defense (16.0 ppg) … Paced the Trojans with a career-high 79 tackles (41 solos) … Finished third on the team with a career-high six sacks for minus 32 yards and 10.5 stops for losses totaling 40 yards … Caused and recovered a fumble … Gained 19 yards on an interception return and deflected three passes.

Opened the season with four tackles vs. Idaho, followed by six tackles and 1.5 stops for losses at Nebraska … Was in on six hits (5 solos) vs. Washington State … .Posted ten tackles (5 solos), including one for a 2-yard loss vs. Washington, followed by another ten hits (4 solos) and a 4-yard sack vs. Stanford … Added four tackles at Arizona and two of his three stops vs. Notre Dame were sacks of QB Jimmy Clausen for minus 10 yards … Was in on a season-high eleven tackles (3 solos), as he recovered a fumble vs. Oregon … Posted five hits and broke up a pass in each of the Oregon State and California clashes … Totaled eight tackles (4 solos) with a pass break-up in the season finale vs. UCLA … Delivered just four tackles, but sacked QB Juice Williams three times for losses of 18 yards, causing a fumble on one sack that he recovered and also had a 19-yard interception return to set up a USC touchdown drive in a 49-17 throttling of Illinois in the Rose Bowl, earning Game MVP honors.

All-American honorable mention by Pro Football Weekly and Sophomore All-American first-team choice by College Football News … Consensus All-Pac 10 Conference first-team choice … Semi-finalist for the Butkus Award … Started ten of the thirteen games on the schedule at middle linebacker, coming off the bench vs. Arkansas, Oregon State and Notre Dame … Ranked second on the team with 78 tackles (45 solos), as he posted two sacks for minus 8 yards, five stops for losses of 17 yards and a quarterback pressure … Caused one fumble, deflected three passes and came up with one interception … Helped the team rank ninth in the nation vs. the run (91.08 ypg), 20th in total defense (295.85 ypg) and eleventh in scoring defense (15.15 ppg).

Came off the bench to make six hits vs. Arkansas in the season opener … Followed with two stops for losses among his eleven hits vs. Nebraska … Picked off a pass, sacked QB Willie Tuitama for a 7-yard loss, later catching the passer on a bootleg for a tackle behind the line of scrimmage and finished the day with five stops vs. Arizona … Added nine tackles and a pass break-up vs. Washington State and eight tackles vs. Arizona State … Totaled seven tackles (4 solos) in the Oregon clash … Had a sack among his seven solo tackles in the season finale vs. UCLA.

Freshman All-American first-team selection by Scout.com and the Football Writers Association … Recipient of the John McKay Award, given to the player that shows the most competitive spirit … Even though the true freshman played behind Oscar Lua in all twelve games, he registered 37 tackles (26 solos) with an 8-yard sack and 4.5 stops for losses of 23 yards … Caused two fumbles and deflected two passes … Returned an interception 9 yards and had a 7-yard kickoff return.

Took down tailback Darren McFadden twice behind the line of scrimmage for minus 10 yards and made three tackles vs. Arkansas … Posted six tackles (5 solos) vs. Washington State, followed by another five hits vs. Stanford … Added six solo tackles and an 8-yard sack in the California clash … Delivered nine tackles (6 solos) with a stop for a 4-yard loss, as he broke up two passes and caused a pair of fumbles that USC recovered to set up touchdown drives in a 66-19 rout of UCLA in the season finale.

2007: Saw limited action vs. Notre Dame (11/25) due to a hip pointer.

2008: Sat out the Oregon game (10/04) after suffering a right knee sprain the previous week vs. Oregon State (9/25).

2009: Could not complete the agility tests at the NFL Combine due to a right hamstring pull.

Combine: 4.86 in the 40-yard dash … 1.59 10-yard dash … 2.75 20-yard dash … 8'11" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 23 times … Could not complete workout after straining his right hamstring during his first 40-yard dash.

Attended Eureka (Cal.) High School, earning Parade, Super Prep, Prep Football Report, Scout.com and EA Sports All-American honors as a senior in 2004 … Named USA Today All-USA first- team, Super Prep Elite 50, Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team, Student Sports Top 100, Rivals 100, Super Prep All-Farwest, Prep Star All-West, Long Beach Press-Telegram Best in the West, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Orange County Register Fab 15 first team and Cal-Hi Sports All-State first team honors that season … In 2004, Maualuga made 96 tackles, including 37 stops for loss, four interceptions, including two that he returned for touchdowns, a pair of fumble recoveries and had one kickoff return for a touchdown … As a junior in 2003, he was a Student Sports Junior All-American and Cal-Hi Sports All-State Underclass first-team pick while posting 146 tackles, 43 for loss, 11 sacks and one interception … Eureka went 20-2-1 during his junior and senior seasons … Spent his 2001 freshman year at St. Bonaventure High in Ventura (Cal.).

Sociology major … Born 1/20/87 in Oklahoma … Resides in Eureka, California.