The first week of college football featured some big plays out of some familiar faces. All over the West Coast, former Southern Section players put up gaudy offensive numbers while two key players in the Midwest quarterbacked No. 16 Nebraska and Kansas to season-opening wins.
Here's a look at what some former Southern Section players did in week one of the 2012 college football season.
Corona Centennial
Taylor Martinez, Nebraska QB
The junior who led Centennial to a 2008 state championship will be back on his home turf this week as he returns to the Los Angeles area to take on UCLA. A program he had always dreamed of playing for growing up that spurned him, leaving him to choose the football-rich Cornhuskers. Last week against Southern Miss, Martinez threw for a career-high 354 yards and five touchdowns in the 49-20 victory. His 354 yards was the ninth-best single-game performance in Nebraska history. Martinez didn't even need to use his ground game. It remains to be seen whether or not his rejection from the Bruins gives him some extra motivation this weekend, but being back in Southern California and playing in the Rose Bowl should be sufficient enough excitement for him to have another big game.
Up next for Centennial: After a shocking and disappointing loss to St. Bonaventure last week, the Huskies will look to get back on track in their home-opener against Long Beach Cabrillo (0-2).
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
Dayne Crist, Kansas QB
The first game of the Charlie Weis era, a new-look pro-style offense put the attention firmly on Crist, the once heralded recruit who has finally found a home in Lawrence, after a rough go at Notre Dame. Making his Jayhawk debut, Crist led a rebuilding KU squad to a 31-17 win over South Dakota State. While Crist has room for improvement with the numbers he put up — 17-for-36 with a touchdown and an interception — the Jayhawks finally have the quarterback presence they have been so desperately searching for since Todd Reesing graduated. In 2010, KU used three faces under center. Kale Pick earned the job the first couple weeks but was soon demoted in favor of Jordan Webb and moved to wide receiver. With Webb now at Colorado and Crist's presence fully felt in Lawrence, the relationship will likely be a mutually-beneficial one.
Up next for Notre Dame: The Knights (1-1) got a quality win and a quality cultural experience last week when Notre Dame defeated Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton in Ireland, as part of Dublin Friday Night Lights. This week, the Knights will play their third-straight game on the road, facing an 0-2 Taft team. Star running back Khalfani Muhammad was injured last week in Ireland and a return this week is questionable.
Rancho Verde
Quincy Enuwa, Nebraska WR
Enuwa was the Cornhuskers' top performing receiver against Southern Miss, totaling six receptions for 70 yards. Emerging as a new favorite target of teammate Martinez, Enuwa finished third last season with 21 receptions for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Now a junior, Enuwa's production should greatly increase this season as he proves himself a solid target.
Next up for Rancho Verde: The Mustangs suffered a tough 35-13 loss to Heritage last week. Now 0-2 on the season, Rancho Verde continues its five-game road stretch at Temecula Great Oak Friday night.
Gardena Serra
Marqise Lee, Southern California WR
Lee was by far the favorite target of the Trojan quarterback crew against Hawaii last week. The sophomore caught 10 passes for nearly 200 yards and a touchdown for No. 2 USC and in its 49-10 rout of the Rainbows. Lee possesses exceptional speed, so much so that he also competes for the Trojans in track and field, and head coach Lane Kiffin made a bold statement earlier this year when he said that Lee could potentially be the best receiver the program has ever seen. Already a Biletnikoff Award candidate, should Lee continue to thrash opposing teams' secondaries he could also hear his name being mentioned in the Heisman conversation as well.
Robert Woods, Southern California WR
Lee's teammate caught two touchdown passes against Hawaii in his first game back after offseason ankle surgery. Woods, another USC Heisman hopeful, Keyshawn Johnson's school and Pac-12 record with 111 receptions last year and is now healthy and anxious for a big year. His confidence is evident in his twitter handle, @HeismanWoods, and he feels that he can build on his massive 2011 season. Both Woods and Lee are the favorite receivers of quarterback Matt Barkley, another Southern Section alum out of Mater Dei, and the trio may all be in the Heisman mix as well.
Up next for Serra: Serra is quickly climbing the ranks as one of the top teams in the region after two strong wins over Notre Dame and Long Beach Poly. Last week in Long Beach, the Cavaliers had a strong showing with a 20-12 win. On the road again this week, Serra should cruise to a win in the South Bay over Mira Costa.
Crespi
Joseph Fauria, UCLA YR
Fouria should finally get his chance to shine this season under new head coach Jim Mora. The redshirt senior led the Bruins in receiving yards with 53 against Rice and caught a key touchdown pass. Early in the fourth quarter with the Owls knocking at the door, Fauria caught a short pass in the end zone from quarterback Brett Hundley to give UCLA a 41-24 lead and effectively put the game out of reach for Rice. To say that Fauria is big is an understatement, listed at 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, his sheer size and stature makes him difficult to cover.
Bryan Bennett, Oregon QB
After being beat out by Marcus Mariota for the starting job, Bennett still managed to see significant time in the 57-34 win over Arkansas State last week. Determined to show that he is a competitor and worthy of starting, Bennett made the most of his snaps going 10-for-17 with 108 yards and a touchdown. Known for an accurate arm, Bennett did make one mistake with an interception, which was the first of his career.
Next up for Crespi: The Celts had no problem with one of Nevada's top teams in last week's opener, moving to 3-0 on the season. Crespi is already averaging 40 points per game this season and this week will host a struggling Clovis West team.
Notes
Santa Margarita will lose another player from last season's state championship team, the third one so far this season. Eric Bunte is rumored to be transferring to Mission Viejo, which is the same school that former teammates Sean Modster and Alex Suchesk landed this season. The lineman is currently committed to UCLA.
