LOS ANGELES (AP) – Show some sympathy for Matt Leinart. Directing the nation’s most high-powered offense isn’t as easy as it seems.

With all that time in the pocket, there are difficult decisions to make about which wide-open receiver to throw to.

How about deciding which of three game-breaking running backs is best suited for a given situation or figuring out how to get the tight end or third receiver involved in the offense.

“It’s hard sometimes because there is only one football, and so many good players to get the ball to,” Southern California’s quarterback said Monday. “It’s hard, when you have so much talent, to get the ball to everyone.”

Most quarterbacks would be envious of Leinart’s plight. Because quarterbacking the Trojans’ offense isn’t very different from being a kid with a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

“We have a big storehouse,” offensive coordinator Norm Chow said. “When it comes game time we just have to pick and choose what we’ll use.”

Figuring out how USC earned its No. 1 ranking and a berth in the Rose Bowl against No. 4 Michigan isn’t hard when you look at its offense.

Mike Williams and Keary Colbert might be the best receiving duo in the country. Williams makes highlight catches to rival the more heralded Larry Fitzgerald, and Colbert takes advantage of the space Williams’ dominance gives him.

“It is so difficult for defenders, because Mike is so big and physical. You can’t double-team him because Keary is on the other side,” Leinart said. “Both of them have big-play ability.”

All-American Jacob Rogers leads an offensive line that has allowed only 14 sacks this season, providing Leinart the time to use his surgeonlike precision to pick apart defenses and clearing holes for a trio of talented running backs.

Freshmen Reggie Bush and LenDale White provide a perfect complement to sophomore Hershel Dennis in a running game that defenses can’t afford to ignore. All three gained at least 480 yards this season and averaged at least 5 yards per carry.

“It’s exciting because they all have big-play ability,” Rogers said. “You don’t know when they’ll break one. Each of them brings something different to the table, which makes it difficult for the defense to adjust.”

That’s made for an easy transition for Leinart, who threw a touchdown on his first career pass in the season opener against Auburn.

The quick start helped Leinart establish himself as Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer’s successor. But he didn’t completely win over the team until coming back in the second half from an injured ankle and knee against Arizona State to lead the Trojans to a 37-17 win.

“Everyone figured out what type of player he would be when he made his first pass for a touchdown,” Colbert said. “That was the spark. Then, when he came back against Arizona State when he was hurt, we fed off that. Everyone let him take the leadership role and jumped on his coattails after that.”

After sitting out his first two years, Leinart has completed 63 percent of his passes for 3,229 yards and 35 touchdowns. He threw only nine interceptions, including one stretch of 212 straight passes without a pick.

“He just took over the offense,” Chow said. “It was unbelievable. He didn’t show that his first two years. He’s been amazing.”

Stopping an offense that has scored at least 43 points in seven straight games and scored a Pac-10 record 506 points for the season won’t be an easy task.

But the Wolverines have been extremely stingy since saving their season with a 38-35 comeback win at Minnesota on Oct. 10. Michigan allowed only 68 points over the final five games, including three against Top 10 teams, to make it to the Rose Bowl.

“We’re not going to do anything differently,” defensive end Larry Stevens said. “We’re not going to make any special alterations for USC. We’re going to do what we’ve done all year.”

The key for Michigan will be pressuring Leinart without sacrificing too much in its coverage of Williams and Colbert. Much of that responsibility will fall on Stevens and outside linebacker Pierre Woods.

“The guys up front will have to put (Leinart) on the ground to give us a chance,” defensive coordinator Jim Herrmann said. “If you see him with a dirty uniform at the end of the game that probably means we got to him. If he has a clean uniform that probably means it was a long day.”

So far this season, there have been many of those for USC’s opponents.

AP-ES-12-29-03 1754EST