Clay Helton’s game-sealing call for USC: Let Justin Davis finish off UCLA

Clay Helton gave Justin Davis a simple directive as USC attempted to close out its victory over UCLA.

“He told me, ‘This is your job, to end the game,’” Davis said.

And so Helton, USC’s interim coach, put the ball in Davis’ hands again and again and again.

The junior tailback carried the ball 15 times in the final 13 minutes, amassing 100 of his 130 yards rushing in the 40-21 victory that propelled the Trojans into Saturday’s Pac-12 Conference championship game against Stanford at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

“We know what Stanford’s going to bring, and we’ve been playing that kind of football — physical and hard-nosed — and I think it will be a great matchup,” Davis said.

USC is 5-2 since Helton took over and installed a power-running game that has at times featured steady senior Tre Madden and flashy freshman Ronald Jones II.

But the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Davis has been the constant, especially in the most critical situations.

When the Trojans needed one last first down to clinch a victory against California, Davis got the call and converted.

Two weeks later at Colorado, Davis ran for 13 yards on a third-and-eight play with less than two minutes left to clinch another win.

Davis rushed for a career-best 141 yards in the Trojans’ loss at Oregon, setting the stage for his performance against the Bruins.

“I’m starting to get a nice rhythm,” said Davis, who has rushed for 776 yards and five touchdowns. “Coach Helton has all the confidence in me. That makes you play that much harder.”

Former USC coach John Robinson was at the Coliseum on Saturday watching the Trojans defeat the Bruins for the first time since 2011.

Robinson was a USC assistant for national championship teams in 1972 and 1974 and guided the Trojans to a national title in 1978. He tutored such tailbacks as Anthony Davis and Heisman Trophy winners Marcus Allen and Charles White.

Robinson, who now works for USC in fund-raising, noted on Sunday that Helton has instilled a welcome “physical approach to the game” that was reminiscent of USC’s best teams.

Davis is a beneficiary.

“He looked like a guy that was in that culture,” Robinson said in a phone interview. “That’s what happens to running backs when you put them in that kind of situation and say, ‘Hey, the game is yours.’

“You could just sense in him, whatever that feeling is that I remember Marcus Allen, Charles White, Anthony Davis or any of those guys had: ‘I’m the boss and I’m going to do my thing.’ ”

Davis has evolved and matured since arriving at USC from Stockton Lincoln High as a thin 17-year-old.

He suffered a season-ending ankle injury halfway through his freshman season in 2013 and served as Javorius Allen’s backup last season.

In the days leading up to Saturday’s game, running backs coach Johnny Nansen noted Davis’ influence on freshmen Jones, Dominic Davis and Aca’Cedric Ware in the wake of injuries that had sidelined Madden.

“Taking over the leader role has really been the difference in Justin Davis,” Nansen said.

Davis had rushed for only 30 yards in 10 carries through three quarters on Saturday against UCLA.

The Trojans led, 33-21, when they got the ball with 13:04 left and Helton put the game on Davis and the offensive line.

“Toward the end of the third [quarter], the start of the fourth, I saw [UCLA’s] D-line with their hands on their hips,” Davis said. “I knew it was time to take over the game, and with the O-line it was really easy to do that.”

Davis carried the ball six consecutive times — and nine times total for 57 yards — during an 11-play drive that culminated with a touchdown pass for a 40-21 lead.

“I think we ran the same play like five times in a row,” Davis said. “That just shows you what type of coach [Helton] is.”

The Trojans got the ball back with less than six minutes left and Davis rushed it six times in seven plays before quarterback Cody Kessler took a knee to run out the clock.

“I can’t say enough about Justin Davis, the way he’s played over the last three weeks, especially down the stretch,” Helton said.

Now the Trojans get another shot at Stanford.

Davis rushed for 46 yards in eight carries against the Cardinal in a 41-31 defeat on Sept. 19 at the Coliseum.

But this is a resurgent Trojans team with a different attitude and style, playing for a chance to return to the Rose Bowl for the first time in seven seasons.

“Who would have known that we were going to play for the Pac-12 championship five weeks ago?” Davis said. “Coach Helton did a great job rounding dudes up, and the senior leaders did a great job as well, and we finished the season strong.

“Our goal is still in front of us, and that’s to win the Pac-12.”

Quick hits

Offensive lineman Damien Mama did not start against UCLA because he violated an unspecified team rule, Helton said Sunday night during a teleconference with reporters. Chris Brown started in place of Mama, but Mama played in the game…. Center Khaliel Rodgers suffered a high ankle sprain on the fifth play of the game, Helton said. He shared playing time with Nico Falah. Rodgers will be monitored this week and will probably attempt to play against Stanford, Helton said…. In regard to becoming a head coach, Helton said he would operate the next six days with “blinders on,” but jokingly acknowledged that he would like to be USC’s coach “for as long as humanly possible.”

[email protected]

Twitter: @latimesklein

ALSO

Five things we learned in USC’s victory over UCLA

USC defeats UCLA, 40-21, for first time in four seasons

UCLA has time to try to get over USC loss as it waits to hear about bowl game