Cody Kessler’s phone started buzzing shortly after he put his name in USC’s record book.
Kessler said former USC quarterbacks Matt Barkley, Matt Leinart and Mark Sanchez all sent congratulatory messages last weekend after he passed for seven touchdowns in the Trojans’ victory over Colorado.
“Kind of surreal,” Kessler said Tuesday after practice.
Kessler hopes to keep the momentum going when the No. 20 Trojans play No. 19 Utah in a key Pac-12 Conference game Saturday at Salt Lake City.
Kessler would not mind a repeat — “Shoot, I’d love to do that every week if I could,” he joked — but he acknowledged there was “stuff I can work on from that game that I missed.”
Kessler completed 19 of 26 passes for 319 yards against Colorado.
He has passed for 18 touchdowns, with one interception, and is ranked 10th nationally in passing efficiency.
After playing conservatively the first half of the season, Kessler cut loose against Colorado. He connected on a 75-yard touchdown to receiver Nelson Agholor and completed passes of 45 and 40 yards to receiver JuJu Smith.
Smith also made a diving, one-handed catch.
Kessler said offensive coordinator Clay Helton has told him, “That’s why guys come to this school, because they can make plays like that.”
“It’s my job to put the ball where they can do that,” Kessler said.
Kessler appreciated every congratulatory message, including one delivered in person on the field by former Trojans tailback LenDale White.
But the one from Barkley, who held the previous record of six touchdowns in a game, resonated.
“He was like my big brother when he was here and he taught me a lot of stuff,” Kessler said.
Ball security is Davis’ main focus
Tailback Justin Davis said he would not fumble the next opportunity.
After rushing for 97 yards in 11 carries against Colorado, Davis is looking forward to playing Saturday and is determined to put behind the fumbling that has marred his last two games.
Davis fumbled after catching a pass against Arizona, and after an impressive 21-yard run against Colorado.
Coach Steve Sarkisian said Davis’ errors came on “second-effort, extra-effort plays.”
“It’s just raising his level of awareness — when there’s more people around him, when he is on his way down to the ground, putting two hands on the ball,” Sarkisian said.
Davis, who came back from season-ending ankle surgery in 2013, said his focus now is on taking care of the ball.
“Coming off the injury, I just felt like I had to do something spectacular to get back to where I left off,” he said. “It’s just a mental thing, knowing you don’t have to do too much all the time.
“It’s ball security first.”
Davis has rushed for 334 yards and two touchdowns as the backup to Javorius Allen, who has rushed for 909 yards and eight touchdowns.
Quarterback search
Travis Wilson will start at quarterback for Utah, but Kendal Thompson also could play.
The two-quarterback system is not ideal, Coach Kyle Whittingham said.
“Bottom line, we would love for one of them to take ownership and become the guy because I’m not a two-quarterback system fan,” Whittingham said.
Wilson, a 6-foot-7, 233-pound junior from San Clemente, has passed for 833 yards and seven touchdowns, with no interceptions.
Thompson, a 6-2, 192-pound junior who transferred from Oklahoma, has passed for 301 yards and two touchdowns.
Quick hits
USC on Saturday will again wear the metallic-tinged alternate helmets it debuted against Colorado. Sarkisian said their use would be decided on a game-by-game basis. . . . Linebacker Hayes Pullard (knee) and safety Gerald Bowman (foot) were held out of drills. . . . Cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (hip flexor) practiced.
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