Soward Is Stellar in This Category Too

Update that incredible R. Jay Soward touchdowns-per-touch statistic.

It’s now one touchdown every 5.5 times he has touched the ball in his 22-game USC career.

That’s down from 5.9 after scoring three touchdowns and racking up 256 yards on nine plays Saturday.

Soward wants it even lower.

“My goal is basically . . . score every time you touch the ball,” Soward said after scoring on a 53-yard reception, an eight-yard reception and a 74-yard punt return against San Diego State.

He had another touchdown called back because of a penalty, and came close to breaking the opening kickoff return for a touchdown before he was hauled down after 19 yards.

“He was one man away,” special teams coach Shawn Slocum said. “Then he’d have had one of each.”

Said Soward: “I got my first kickoff, and I figured, I’m going to score. I saw a big hole, and somebody--I don’t know who it was--he made the tackle. I was disappointed in myself.”

USC Coach Paul Hackett called Soward’s performance “marvelous.”

“I think it’s very clear that in college football there’s not a more exciting football player than R. Jay Soward,” Hackett said.

“He really is an electrifying return man, whether it be kickoff returns or punt returns. This is just Game 1 in a 12-game season for R. Jay Soward and I think we’re all looking forward to watching him perform.”

Soward, a junior, has scored 21 touchdowns on 116 plays at USC--and his average scoring play has gone for 52.3 yards.

Mindful that his coaches tell him he’ll have to become a consistent receiver if he wants to become a Heisman Trophy contender this year or next, Soward was a tough self-grader Saturday.

“I didn’t feel like I had a good game. I dropped the ball, had a touchdown called back and missed some blocks,” he said. “Let’s put it this way, it was fun. And I’m happy the team won.”

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Eric Denmon, USC’s starting center against Purdue and the backup to Matt McShane on Saturday, has a high ankle sprain--the kind that lingers longest. The No. 3 center is David Pratchard. . . . Tight end Antoine Harris suffered a milder ankle sprain. . . . Ted Iacenda started at fullback instead of Brennan Ochs, but both played. . . . USC moved up from 22nd to 18th in the AP top 25 poll.