USC football: Taylor Mays was leading tackler despite knee sprain

Staff Writer

Sept. 13, 2009 4 PM PT

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After USC players left the Ohio Stadium field and ran up a long ramp to their locker room on Saturday night, All-American safety Taylor Mays finally exhaled.

Asked what he was feeling after the Trojans came from behind to beat Ohio State, 18-15, Mays said, ‘Man, I don’t even know. That was crazy. That was why you play, to go down to the fourth quarter like that.’

Mays suffered a knee injury in the first quarter when a teammate rolled into him after Mays brought down Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor for one of his team-best eight tackles. Mays stayed in the game for two more plays before he was taken to the sideline.

Mays returned in the second quarter and played the rest of the game. A school official said Mays suffered a knee sprain.

-- Gary Klein

Sports Now

Gary Klein

Gary Klein covers the Los Angeles Rams for the Los Angeles Times. Before that, he covered USC’s football program and athletic department. He began working for The Times in the San Fernando Valley edition and has reported on high school, college and pro sports. He grew up in Southern California and graduated from Cal State Northridge.