USC's Stanley Havili Takes On Bigger Role

 After seldom getting the ball in USC's first three games, senior fullback Stanley Havili took on a big role in the No. 20 Trojans' 50-16 victory Saturday over Washington State.

On USC's first offensive play, Havili erased a 7-0 deficit by taking a handoff and breaking multiple tackles en route to a 59-yard touchdown. He also scored the Trojans' final touchdown on a 22-yard pass from backup quarterback Mitch Mustain.

Havili, who had a combined six touches against Hawaii, Virginia and Minnesota, rushed four times for 80 yards and caught five passes for 107 yards against the Cougars.

"It feels really good to touch the ball," he said.

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Havili's Experience Crucial For Trojans

Since Stanley Havili became the starting fullback, USC has gone through four starting quarterbacks, two head coaches, a carousel of assistants, a couple of polar-opposite athletic directors and a mountain of pain handed down by the NCAA.

The fifth-year senior appears to be exactly what USC needs in these trying times: Someone the Trojans can depend on. Havili provides a vocal, trusted presence in the huddle, a dangerous outlet valve in the passing game and, lately, some punishing blocks to open running lanes.

"Stanley's a real cool guy. Everybody loves him on the team," tailback Allen Bradford said. "He's going to be
a real offensive leader this year."

In intense team sports, it's impossible for outsiders to gauge quite how leadership works. When Havili broke freshman cornerback T.J. Bryant's cheekbone in a skirmish earlier this summer, some people viewed it as another example of the Trojans' football program coming apart at the seams. People on the team, however, saw it differently.


Havili is one of the few holdovers from the end of USC's golden era under Pete Carroll, when Rose Bowls and BCS title games were the objective. The fight between the two broke out because Havili was urging Bryant to finish the drill with maximum effort, to compete in the Trojan way. He was leading. And so coach Lane Kiffin suspended him for just one practice.

Havili will be the most experienced member of the offense Thursday at Aloha Stadium, when USC opens its season against Hawaii. "This is definitely the most excited I've ever been," Havili said. "The realization of this being my last year, the first year of Coach Kiffin just makes it a plus. I'm going out with the change of Trojan identity. It's a different leader now and guys have to buy in."

A lot is riding on Thursday's outcome for Havili, who is of Tongan descent and will have family members who live on the island at the game. Hawaii recruited him as a tailback five years ago, but Havili elected to go to USC, saying, "I always wanted to compete at the highest level."

A lot is riding on this season, because Havili has NFL aspirations and will need to prove he's a capable blocker in order to improve his draft stock. At 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, he's a bit light for a fullback. New running backs coach Kennedy Pola is teaching him to make up for his size with solid technique.

"Our focus is on knowledge," Havili said.

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Stanley Havili Torches Trojan Defense

USC fullback Stanley Havili had five catches for 129  yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's spring game.

Havili is the best receiving fullback in the nation.  He has 84 catches for 894 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career.  Matt Barkley has already stated an importance in checking the ball down and Havili figures to benefit from that strategy.  He can be a valuable option in Pac 10 leagues when looking for a bye week fill-in.

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Q&A, USC Fullback, Stanley Havili

“Woo! We back!”

Those were the words of USC fullback Stanley Havili, shouted at the top of lungs that had to be gasping for oxygen.

Havili said them in the midst of a series of 40-yard sprints he and his teammates ran at the end of their first supervised summer workout earlier this week. Havili’s enthusiasm was a sign that he appreciates every opportunity to be on the field with his fellow Trojans after missing the Rose Bowl because of academics.

We talked about that and other topics, including Havili’s excitement about Jeremy Bates‘ play-calling and the junior fullback’s desire to grow out his hair (which seems to be a theme in these Q&As, eh?).

Question: It doesn’t seem like a lot of fun out here, yet you seem to be having a blast. What’s up with that?

Havili: It’s been a long break. We’ve been off this workout plan for weeks. I think all the players are ready to get back at it. I’m excited.

Q: What are the differences you detected with Jeremy Bates and John Morton in charge of the offense?

Havili: Coach Bates is not scared to call plays. Him and Johnny Mo are not scared to go deep. They’re not scared to take chances. I think the offense responds to that.

Q: What about the role of the fullback? Has that changed it all?

Havili: Hopefully it expands. Hopefully, me, D.J (Shoemate) and Adam (Goodman) can come out here and show our athletic ability and have Coach Carroll, Coach Bates and Coach Mo evaluate us and see if they can get us out more.

Q: Was it a rewarding feeling to be able to participate in spring after missing the Rose Bowl?

Havili: Oh yeah. Definitely. It was a humbling experience. It’s always good to come out here and be with the team after I let them down.

Q: What did happen? How’d you get in trouble?

Havili: I just got caught up. I just took it for granted. And it bit me in the butt.

Q: Was it hard to watch the Rose Bowl?

Havili: Yes, definitely. It was a terrible experience. But it was a good learning experience for me.

Q: How’s Aaron Corp doing in this new leadership role that he has?

Havili: I think he’s doing really good, and I think a lot of guys are responding to his leadership. There’s no leader like Mark (Sanchez) – Mark was a very vocal leader. Corp is one of those guys, he uses few words. He doesn’t talk that much. He just comes out and shows with his athletic ability, and everybody follows him.

Q: You were wearing a white headband earlier (above). What do you have going on up there now?

Havili: It’s a skull cap. I ripped off the top. I’m growing my hair out.

Q: Oh, no. Not another one. Really?

Havili: I’m letting it grow out. I’ve never really grown it out.

Q: So is it going to be Rey Maualuga-length or what?

Havili: I don’t know. We’ll see what my mom does. Hopefully she doesn’t make me cut it. Growing up, in high school, she never let me grow my hair out past eyebrow-length. So we’ll see.

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