SB Nation - Blake Ayles

Game Day Notes - Boston College

Paragon SC — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 17:45:01 -0000

I hope everyone had a great holiday yesterday. I kind of took some time off of the blog to enjoy family and friends and to finish out the work year. So, lets jump right into tonight's season finale!

It has been fun to listen to and read how much joy people are taking by dancing on USC's grave. Whether it is the local or national media/press who are taking a skeptical view wondering if SC will respond tonight with a solid performance or if it is our rivals and detractors who would love nothing more than to see USC hammered either on the field or off the field by the NCAA (you know Troy will fall blah blah blah).

Either way USC continues to make news...

The question is which USC team will show up tonight?

As of this writing there is still no news on Joe Mckight's status for the game.

But I did notice an interesting take on the attitude of the coaching staff (read PC) from Wolf this morning.

This is exactly the kind of situation in which USC needs Pete Carroll's optimism to buoy its spirits as it stumbles toward the season's conclusion in a bowl game it never imagined being involved in.

But the normally sunny Carroll made a startling admission this week.

"I'm anxious for the season to end," he said.

That might be an unremarkable attitude for some coaches, but Carroll survives on enthusiasm and that's not the recommended attitude as USC (8-4) faces Boston College (8-4) at 5p.m. today in the Emerald Bowl.

Even Carroll is human, however, and he wants to close his worst season at USC since 2001.

"It's been a long season," he said. "We've had some rough spots. I'm ready to get started on the next one."

It is hard just what to make of those statements.

I can't remember the last time I heard Pete Carroll make that sort of statement. With PC, it is usually about the here and now but it is hard to not to understand that even the most optimistic person could end up feeling daunted after all that SC has gone through this season.

It all goes back to Sanchez leaving for the NFL. I stand by my opinion that PC knew exactly what he had in Corp and Mustain and that with Sanchez leaving it would put a ton of pressure on Matt Barkley when he enrolled early at USC. He knew with Sarkisian leaving and without a defined chain of command on the offense that the writing on the wall that it could be a tough season ahead. With all the talent lost on the defense and with all PC was going to have to do in regards to keeping a firm hand in the offense it is easy to see now just how things could unravel and unravel they did.

With the pressure off and with SC playing in a lesser tiered bowl game that most really could not care less about, this is just the sort of atmosphere that could help get SC back on track for next season.

The funny thing is even some of USC's detractors form this past season aren't necessarily ready to write USC off yet.

Now, remember this is the same guy who said Barkley was going to fail against Ohio State. Opportunistic??

- - -

Today's game to me is less about winning or losing and more about what type of tone the teams comes out and sets. Don't get me wrong, I want to win this game but I am also interested in how Pete moves the chess pieces on the board for next season.

That means some players are going to get an opportunity to see some action today and get a jump on next season...

One of those is Rhett Ellison.

USC sophomore tight end Rhett Ellison primarily operates in the background, but he will be the Trojans' only healthy player at his position today in the Emerald Bowl.

Ellison will start against Boston College because senior starter Anthony McCoy is academically ineligible and sophomore Blake Ayles is out with a knee injury.

"It's just been more work and more fun," Ellison said. "I'm used to practicing a lot because guys have been hurt all season. But it's definitely exciting knowing I will get to play a lot."

[...]

Ellison said the Trojans were not experiencing a letdown playing in the Emerald Bowl after four consecutive Rose Bowls.

"Especially since we've come up here for practices, there's been a lot of new energy and everyone is fired up," he said. "I think guys are pretty excited."

The lack of depth at tight end means USC could play three wide receivers more often than usual. Long-snapper Cooper Stephenson will be the backup tight end tonight.

It also means that if Ellison has a stand out performance tonight it would give him a leg up on the starting job next season with Anthony McCoy graduating and with Blake Ayles struggling to see the field because of injury and performance.

Another player is Allen Bradford...

Allen Bradford would have preferred a more traditional ascent to the No. 1 spot on USC's tailback depth chart.

Bradford went from No. 3 to No. 2 after senior Stafon Johnson suffered a season-ending throat injury in a freak weightlifting accident in September.

On Tuesday, with Joe McKnight's status for the Emerald Bowl undetermined, Bradford rose to No. 1.

For now.

After a windy midday practice at City College of San Francisco, Coach Pete Carroll said Bradford was on track to start Saturday against Boston College. "Allen would be the first guy going," Carroll said.

If anyone deserves the opportunity it is Bradford...

Like said the pressure is off for some, because this is not a big time bowl with whole world watching, so Pete Carroll has a new and different battle to fight...indifference.

- - -

There have been a few game previews written on this game but this one really stands out...

In case you were wondering, this really hasn't been Pete Carroll's finest team, and I'd label this a rebuilding year. Last year's quarterback, starting defensive tackle, and all three of their linebackers went in either the first or second round of the NFL draft. That means for the first time in a while Coach Carroll actually had to develop some talent instead of just rolling the ball out on the field. If you remember him from his Patriot days in the NFL, that's not really his strong suit.

Now, remember this is written by a guy in Boston who probably harbors a lot of ill will towards Pete Carroll from his New England Patriot days so you have discount much of what he says...the guys a hater pure and simple.

Couple of things here...

When USC runs: Advantage BC

But as we all know, on defense it's a group effort for the Eagles, and the key to stopping the run is that everyone plays their gap. This allows Marcellus Bowman to roam free and make tackles in space. BC ranks 16th in the nation in rushing defense, only allowing 104 yards per game on the ground. How they've accomplished this without the services of Mark Herzlich is a true credit to Coach Bill McGovern and Coach Spaz's scheming.

Interesting that this guy uses stats to make his argument.

OK, hold that thought for one minute...

Perusing a few of their games you can see that they shut down the running games of both Northeastern and Kent State...real power houses there but when they went up against Va. Tech the gave up over 230 rushing yards? OK, so what gives?

Here is a little more...

When BC passes: Advantage BC

Can Dave Shinskie make this defense pay with the play action pass? The Trojans' safeties and cornerbacks are very slow on the uptake, and seem to be constantly running on their heels. It's almost as if the defensive coaches for USC understand their secondary's shortcomings, and allow teams to dink and dunk down the field on them.

USC's secondary only had seven interceptions on the season (the other three were from their linebackers) which shows two things - they don't rush the passer well and they play very soft coverage.

USC does not rush the passer well?

OK...lets move on from that we know SC is more than capable of rushing the passer, they just out worked against some pretty good Pac-10 offenses. It happens..

But, back to that thought above...

What happened to using NCAA rankings to justify your position? Here are the related rankings for when BC passes:

USC Passing Defense, 53rd
USC Passing Efficiency Defense, 16th.
BC Passing Offense, 95th
BC Passing Efficiency, 90th

Remember what I said about competition above...

The ACC struggled this season...we all saw some pretty ugly games.

So, the question remains How is BC going to torch SC's passing defense when BC's passing offense has played aginst some pretty inferior talent? You can use stats to bolster any argument but in the end it is all about who you play. BC didn't play that great a schedule. When you look at the games they've won, BC does not have one win against a team with a winning record and the only solid team they did beat was North Carolina who ended the season at 6-6 and UNC is going to a bowl game.

They didn't play a great against Notre Dame either. The two teams only common opponent.

Here is a bigger issue...the guy under center who runs the BC offense has been pretty sporadic...

But it all comes down to Shinskie's play. His final exam on the football field will be graded pass/fail. In five road games this year, Shinskie is averaging 131 yards per game with only three touchdowns against seven interceptions. In his last final five regular season games, he threw ten interceptions and only five touchdowns. That might get it done against the Virginias and Marylands, but USC's offense has big-play ability, which could result in some quick scores.

Truth be told Shinskie has not had a great season. It was mentioned above that SC won't get pressure...that is a mistake. If SC keeps Griffen on the line and not drop him into pass coverage he will get some pressure on Shinskie who has a habit of throwing a drive killing INT...he went 17/35 with 1 TD and 3 INT's against a below average Notre Dame defense so whats that telling you?

I mean come on...Shinskie is a freshman just like Barkley...OK a 25-year old who gave up baseball to take a stab at college football. He may be more mature but it sure doesn't show in some of decision making skills. He has numbers similar to MB with 14 TD's and 13 INT's.

Yes, USC has a down year when measured against the past seven but lets not get too crazy. Out side of his take on USC's passing game, the only thing this guy really got right in his write up was questioning whether or not USC will show up for this game. If they do BC will have a tough time, If SC doesn't and there is always the chance of that as we have seen it before then this is a close game.

Here are a few other write ups form various places...

Pete Carroll, USC Trojans look to regain swagger in Emerald Bowl - Ann Killion - SI.com

2009 Emerald Bowl - Boston College vs. #24 USC - BCS Evolution

Southern Cal brushes off distractions - The Boston Globe

Eagle in Atlanta -- atleagle.com: BC-USC preview

Emerald Bowl and the Big Finish - BC Interruption

Toss Up: USC, BC and the Emerald Bowl - BC Interruption

- - -

I will have the game thread up later today!

FIGHT ON!!

USC Football News and Notes 11/11 - Havili and McCoy Return, Barkley refocuses and Kennard to LB?

Paragon SC — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:35 -0000

So, Stanford is not to be taken lightly...

It would appear that they are really up for this game. They are no longer intimidated by either playing USC or playing them at the Coliseum. Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh has taken his lunch pail mentality and really has his players prepared...This will be a great game!

There is some good news on offense with both Stanley Havili and Anthony McCoy back in the mix.

Both the fullback and tight end positions are key to executing the USC offense. For being a tight end Havili is one of the better receivers on the team. At one point this season he was #2 in receiving, in either catches or receiving yards...I don't remember. You can line him up just about anywhere and throw him the ball.

So, having him back on the field is a big deal...

Havili, hurt in the game against Notre Dame on Oct. 17, did not play against Oregon State and Oregon. The junior was in for a few plays last week against Arizona State but did not carry the ball or catch a pass in a victory he described as "just a terrible game to watch."

"We just need more tempo -- we need more life out there," Havili said Tuesday. "If you ask anyone, it seems like the offense is dead even when big plays are made.

"This week I've told myself to make it an emphasis of bringing guys up and letting guys know that they are doing good."

Havili's return should bolster an offense that has been outgained in each of the last three games and produced only 10 points in the last six quarters.

With Damian Williams probably out for Saturday, having both Havili and McCoy back will will make life a little easier for Matt Barkley. McCoy has been another favorite of Barkley's. He has become a key weapon in the offense and with the apparent inability of Blake Ayles to step up and make a statement that he is the TE for the future McCoy's presence should calm some nerves as the season enters its final stages.

Speaking of Barkley, Many of us saw that last Saturday's game at ASU was far from the Matt Barkley that we have been used to seeing. He lacked some of the poise that we saw earlier in the year. He throws seemed hurried and it was clear that he was a bit rattled in the pocket. That is understandable...He was destined to have a bad game sooner or later and the ASU defense gave him fits for most of the evening. You could probably lay blame in at a number of peoples feet but Barkley has taken the blame for last weeks sub-par performance and has rededicated his focus for this weeks game...

Asked about the USC offense's struggles in the past six quarters, the freshman quarterback pointed the finger squarely at himself.

"There are a lot of things that go into it, but I'll take the responsibility for it and for the offense," Barkley said Tuesday. "It does start with the quarterback."

Consider that yet another lesson learned for the Mater Dei High product in a college career that is still only eight games old: No matter what, take the blame.

Although other factors contributed — including some dropped passes — Barkley's numbers have taken an undeniable nosedive since halftime at Oregon. In the past six quarters, he has completed 31.5 percent of his passes with one touchdown and two interceptions. Before that, he had a 61.7 percent completion rate and a 9-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Carroll likes the way Barkley has responded in practice as USC prepares to face Stanford on Saturday.

There is no question that Matt Barkley is mature beyond his years...

No, he is not a God. But he has taken command of this team. He knows that regardless of dropped passes, missed routes or assignments it is on him to to get the team firing on all cylinders. I certainly do not expect Barkley to be grabbing players face masks or publicly berate players on the sidelines but he knows that he needs to set the tone and the example to get the rest of the offense to perform.

Barkley's maturity shows us that he knows just what he needs to do and he will not point to excuses for his recent poor performance...

In the last six quarters, he has completed only 12 of 38 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions. The USC offense has scored only 10 points during the span.

Carroll said this week that he was "not worried about it a bit."

On Tuesday, Barkley also sounded unconcerned while refusing to blame injuries or a rigorous road schedule for the struggles.

He focused instead on "corrections" the Trojans were making in practice to help the offense get back on track.

"We're confident this week we're going to get a complete game and really finish strong," he said.

He is becoming a true leader.

I never expected it to be all wine and roses. Many of us knew that Barkley would probably have some struggles. We all knew that Pete Carroll was taking a gamble in starting a true freshman with two other QB's on the roster that more experience in the system but Barkley really stood up and took control of his destiny. I am not disappointed at all in his performance. Nobody could have expected Barkley to play like a senior in his first season but after witnessing the complete meltdown of Aaron Corp against UW and the apparent inability of Mitch Mustain to fully grasp the offense Barkley stepped up and controlled his own destiny.

The season is far from over so Barkley has an opportunity to make a bigger statement than he already has...

A lot is being made of the number of young QB's in the Pac-10. There are something like 5 true freshman or red shirt freshman starting or getting ready to start at this point in the season. I am not really sure what the reason is for the new youth movement but it is clear that Pete Carroll is not the only one who sees the benefit and risk of going young.

Harbaugh thinks he has the best one in the bunch...

Last month, Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh said the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Luck was "the best quarterback in the country." And that was before he passed for 251 yards and two touchdowns Saturday in the Cardinal's 51-42 victory over Oregon.

Luck, the son of former NFL quarterback Oliver Luck, has completed 58% of his attempts, with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions in nine games. He leads the Pac-10 in passing efficiency.

He is also the Cardinal's second-leading rusher, averaging 5.7 yards a carry.

"He's as good right now as anybody we've faced," Carroll said. "And [it's] really because they've gone with it and they've allowed him to really come out and go for it.

"And when you add their running dimension with that kind of passing attack, it really makes it a challenging offense."

Harbaugh said Tuesday that Luck benefited from redshirting last season while senior Tavita Pritchard started at quarterback.

That is fine...

Luck has really shown us some nice things this season. He has had an extra year in the system so I would expect him to have a better grasp at this point in his young career but lets not get too carried away. Except for WSU all of their losses have been on the road. Their big "wins" have been at home. In contrast when you look at SC's road schedule Matt Barkley has gone into much tougher environments and performed pretty good. Sure, Luck has better number and stats but I would like to see just how good he would do with a similar road schedule that Barkley has had to navigate. This is not to take anything away from Luck...he is scary good and SC will have his hands full but where you win is sometimes important to how you win.

Does anyone think that Stanford would have beaten the Ducks if that game was in Autzen?

I don't know...but that is a growing experience I don't care who you play for.

Simply stated...Luck is a solid QB and Harbaugh has done some great things with him but even with some of Stanford's "signature wins" its not like Harbaugh or Stanford is an elite team in the nationally or the Pac-10. The next three games is the toughest part of the schedule for Stanford. I do feel that if they were to win out then you could have that conversation, after SC the both Cal and ND at home.

We'll see how it goes...

- - -

Briefly...

Devon Kennard tries his hand at linebacker.

this is an interesting development...

USC freshman Devon Kennard might start at strongside linebacker against Stanford on Saturday despite his limited experience with the position - only two days.

Kennard, a defensive end who made his first career start last weekend against Arizona State, could replace Michael Morgan, who sprained his right wrist. Kennard was switched to linebacker this week and made an impressive transition.

"He's really astute and picked stuff up quickly on film," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "He sees everything and has a knack for the position."

Kennard, who is 6-foot-3, 255 pounds, would give the Trojans a big, physical linebacker in the mold perhaps of former All-American Brian Cushing.

"I feel like I'm capable of doing it," he said. "I don't know if it's permanent or not. I'm picking things up quickly and I understand the concepts of the defense. I'll be ready Saturday. I don't think I'll be nervous."

Intriguing to say the least. It says a lot about USC's depth. I have no idea how this experiment will work out but I am not the one coaching the team. This might be another way to have a big body on the field to counter Stanford RB Toby Gerhart. This reminds of last year when Pete Carroll wanted all the LB's on the field in the "elephant" formation. I can see why he would want to maximize his talent. But, it would seem to me that moving a linebacker to the down lineman position would be easier than the other way around.

This will be interesting to see...

- - -

Finally some links...

Pete Carroll's Stanford Presser

Freshman quarterbacks are growing up fast -- latimes.com
A little more on the youth movement in the Pac-10

USC defensive back Baucham savoring a new lease on life - LA Daily News
I'll say!

Hail Harbaugh! - Inside USC with Scott Wolf
Jim Harbaugh's presser quotes...

Various Provocations: Toby Gerhart! Also, Andrew Luck is the Special One.
Hey there is a Stanford Blogger out there! We will do a Q & A with these guys later this week...

Pac-10 Week 10 Notes and Observations: USC Trojans | All Pac 10

USC Football News and Notes 11/10 - The Offense

Paragon SC — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:45 -0000

USC is going to be challenged this weekend when they Stanford if for no other reason than the amount of players injured on the team.

This week Damian Williams is unlikely to play due to a high ankle sprain...

Damian Williams, USC's top receiver and punt returner, is doubtful for Saturday's game against Stanford because of a high ankle sprain suffered against Arizona State.

The junior did not practice Monday and wore a calf-high protective boot on his right foot.

"It's been tough the last two days just trying to walk," Williams said. "I kind of figured out, like, 'OK, there is a possibility that I might not play,' so that's really tough for me."

Williams said it was too early to rule out his playing against the Cardinal -- "I'm a quick healer," he said -- but high ankle sprains typically take weeks to heal.

USC tight end Anthony McCoy, for example, has sat out the last two games because of the same injury. The senior did a few drills Monday and said he would meet with doctors tonight with hopes of playing Saturday.

This is the last thing SC needs. This Stanford defense can be exploited but USC needs its skill players to make plays. RoJo is pretty much back at full strength so who will play the #2 receiver. Ausberry is pretty much out for the year. Carswell? Butler? Carswell has a toe injury so I doubt he's the guy. Butler has shown us some nice things, 10 catches for 166 yards and a touchdown, but he hasn't been on the field enough to really show some consistency. Now is his chance. This is really concerning because the passing game has been the one thing that has kept opposing defenses on their heels as the running has been inconsistent.

This is where the coaching staff is going to earn their money...it is easy to be good when you are at full strength with top notch players. When you have piece a team together with untested players it is a whole different story.

One weapon SC hopes to have back is TE Anthony McCoy...

Receiver Damian Williams‘ situation makes tight end Anthony McCoy’s possible return even more essential for USC.

McCoy, who has missed the past two games, ran in a straight line and jumped without any setbacks Monday. He said he still has some pain but expects it to dissipate by the end of the week. He will try to practice Tuesday or Wednesday.

Although replacements Blake Ayles and Rhett Ellison have struggled with drops, that isn’t McCoy’s motivation to come back.

"The season’s almost over; that’s my urgency trying to get back," said McCoy, a senior. "I’ve got three games left. … I want to get back so I can finish my senior season."

Don't get me started. Ayles hasn't struggled, he simply hasn't shown up. He has 5-star talent with a 5th grade mind. He has dropped some easy balls the past few games that were drive stoppers. When highly touted players with great potential aren't getting it done it takes another option away for an already struggling offense. The TE position is crucial component to the USC offense so whomever is playing need to have a lot of positive production. I say give Ellison a bigger role until Ayles gets his head straight.

Of course the other concern that we really shouldn't have is with the O line. They got pushed around by the ASU defense especially their stud DE's. There is definitely some talent on the line but for some reason they have not lived up t their potential. Again, some of that is due to injury but you can't use that excuse forever...guys need to step and beat back the rush...

One of the more interesting comments following USC's offensive meltdown at Arizona State occurred when quarterback Matt Barkley said the Sun Devils' defensive ends lined up wider than expected and he could not see them when they tipped his passes.

But USC coaches said Monday the Sun Devils did not line up wider than other teams. They simply slipped past USC's offensive tackles when they pressured Barkley.

"We just got beat. Flat out," USC offensive coordinator John Morton said. "That was unexpected. It was one-on-one situations."

The most successful rusher was Arizona State defensive end Dexter Davis, who tipped two Barkley passes.

I understand that they can't protect Barkley on every play but you could see SC's O line really struggled. I also think that the ASU defense was already in Barkley's head before the game even started...he had happy feet all night. He never looked comfortable in the pocket. And it showed with some of the throws he made...he made a couple of short throws but it was the over thrown balls that concerned me more. That showed me a guy who had a little too much adrenalin going.

Barkley has enjoyed a fair amount of success this season it hasn't been perfect but it has been serviceable. His last to games though have shown us that his still growing into the game. I realize that some do not to want to hear that he is a freshman QB...but the facts are the facts. He is a true freshman and while he has shown us some great things he is still prone to mistakes. Heck, last season MArk Sanchez looked like a freshman against ASU throwing 3 or 4 picks, we see how that turned out...

Barkley is not satisfied with his poor performance...

Barkley completed only seven of 22 passes for 112 yards, 75 of which came on a catch-and-run touchdown by receiver Damian Williams.

Barkley was four for 11 for 24 yards in the first half and three for 11 for 88 yards in the second. He had one pass intercepted, and might have had two more if not for a penalty that overturned one and a drop that prevented another.

Barkley, who also struggled in the second half against Oregon, said he was "a little frustrated" against the Sun Devils.

"I just felt like we couldn't get into a rhythm," he said.

Barkley has completed 125 of 221 passes for 1,839 yards, with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

I cannot blame Oregon on Barkley...the coaches went off the reservation in trying to force things to play catch-up. But I can lay some blame on Barkley for his ASU performance...some receivers did drop some easy balls but Barkley made some errant throws as well...lets just say that there is plenty of blame to go around and leave it at that.

SC need to put all of its focus into beating Stanford this weekend.

- - -

File this in your "NOT. GOING. TO. HAPPEN." file...

Think UCLA at 4-5 is a cinch to make a bowl game with two more victories? Think again. In a testament to how weird this Pac-10 season has been, in order for the Bruins to earn a bowl invitation, not only must they beat Washington State and Arizona State but they likely need USC to win out … which means they would need to lose to USC in their regular season finale.

Consider the following:

There are only six guaranteed bowl spots for the Pac-10.

UCLA, with two victories in its final three games, would be 3-6 (6-6 overall) and finish seventh in the conference.

UCLA, if it wins out, would be 4-5 (7-5 overall) and still probably finish seventh in the conference. (Only Cal, currently 3-3 in the Pac-10, has a reasonable shot of falling below UCLA. If USC loses out it could also finish behind UCLA.)

Oregon’s loss to Stanford ended the Ducks’ outside shot of playing in the BCS title game, which would have given the conference an extra bowl bid.

USC is the only Pac-10 team in line to play in a BCS bowl other than the Rose Bowl, which would give the conference an extra bowl bid.

If Oregon wins out, it’s going to Pasadena. If the Ducks were to lose again, their ranking would be too low to play in another BCS Bowl. Neither Arizona, Oregon State or Stanford are positioned to finish high enough to make another BCS Bowl. (Note: Another Oregon loss would probably mean a three-way tie atop the conference, which could put USC in the Rose Bowl and deny the Pac-10 the extra bowl bid.)

In other words, UCLA needs any team other than USC in the Rose Bowl and USC in another BCS bowl. This leads to my favorite part: Heading into their season finale with USC, the Bruins, with victories in their next two games, could be in a situation where they would knock themselves out of a bowl by beating USC (subsequently knocking the Trojans out of a BCS bowl) but would ensure making a bowl by losing. That would be fascinating.

Heh.

Right...

Closing the Book on Arizona St.

Paragon SC — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:23:31 -0000

A win is a win right?

In what was obviously the "worst" win of the Pete Carroll era many of us were definitely shaking our heads.

I am not going to get to crazy with this.

We all know what we saw.

It was ugly but USC left Tempe with the win. Yes, the defense did the majority of the work in helping SC get the win but I don't know how many of us were satisfied with the win. The offense was clearly not firing on all cylinders. Matt Barkley had a terrible evening...not that that is a bad thing...he was destined to have a "freshman outing" sooner or later. This was agme where the defense bailed SC out. The previous weeks it was the offense that carried the day.

Regardless of how it looked its still a win in the book.

Things on offense looked so bad that some thought this team was being coached by Paul Hackett...

If I did not know better, I’d have sworn we were looking at a Paul Hackett coached USC team on Saturday in Tempe. We looked that bad. That undisciplined. That off the mark. Coverages were blown. Our vaunted speed on defense was nowhere to be seen. Our freshman phenom QB looked like, well, a freshman QB minus the phenom.

And don’t even get me started on the play calling. If I were Pete Carroll (or Mike Garrett as Carroll seems befuddled by this implosion of the mighty Trojans), I’d be taking Offensive Coordinator Jeremy Bates and Defensive Coordinator Rocky Seto out behind the proverbial woodshed. 3rd and 15 and you call a running play? Are you freaking kidding me?

The USC offense continues to struggle on 3rd downs, something USC fans have not seen in the offenses of the Pete Carroll era. However in the past we’ve had guys like Norm Chow and Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian calling the plays. Remember? Remember when USC was explosive on offense? Remember when every single play called wasn’t a 2-4 yard running play?

Ouch!

I never thought I would see the day where some fans were pining for the days of Kiffin and Sarkisian.

I admit I was scratching my head too at some of the play calling but I wasn't the on the sidelines so I couldn't possibly know all the coaches knew. The running game continues to perplex...there were some flashes of big plays but for the most part it just could not get going. The offensive line had a very difficult time with ASU's bookend Defensive Ends. BArkley was skittish back there all night. It looked like he never got his feet set. His throws were all over the place and to make matters worse some of the throws that were nice were dropped...I am looking at you Blake Ayles.

I guess things looked so bad that some wondered if Pete Carroll was going to pull Matt Barkley...

USC coach Pete Carroll said Sunday night he never considered removing freshman quarterback Matt Barkley from the Trojans' 14-9 victory over Arizona State.

That is not surprising, given Carroll's affection for his freshman quarterback.

But it is unexpected that he is answering questions about pulling Barkley, since he was being discussed as a Heisman Trophy candidate a few weeks ago.

"It wasn't all Matt's fault," Carroll said. "He got rushed, we didn't hang on to the football. I'm not worried about him a bit. He didn't have the game he's been having.

It was bad, but there was no way Pete was going to pull Barkley.

And he is not worried...

In the last six quarters, Barkley is 12 for 38 for 161 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. The USC offense has scored only 10 points during the span.

Coach Pete Carroll acknowledged Barkley did not play well against Arizona State, but he is not concerned.

"I'm not worried about it a bit," Carroll said Sunday night.

Struggles against Arizona State are nothing new for USC quarterbacks.

Mark Sanchez, for example, lost a fumble and had three passes intercepted in the third quarter last season against the Sun Devils.

Barkley, facing the top-ranked defense in the Pacific 10 Conference, was seven for 22 for 112 yards with an interception Saturday....

Look, I never would have expected Barkley to light it up every week.

Players get injured, opposing defenses figure out little things from watching film and sometimes a player just has a bad game. Barkley isn't God...he isn't infallible so crap happens. I mean what was Pete going to do? Put in Aaron Corp?

On defense it was nice to see Pete Carroll make some adjustments. It was nice to see the CB's lined up tight against ASU's receivers but it still was frustrating to see the middle of the field open with ASU getting good yardage with some quick slants. The front four continue to be beasts. They made it tough on Sullivan in the first half and continued it in the second half when ASU switched QB's

So, SC looks a little more mortal...Any team would look mortal with the road schedule that SC just went through and I doubt many if any other team would have done any better.

ASU has a stout defense and with SC struggling on offense for whatever reason, it made what should have been an easier win a little close than what many of us wanted to see...

Stanford and Harbaugh are next on the slate.

USC 14 ASU 9

Paragon SC — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:56:45 -0000

This is a mediocre USC football team.

I hate to say it but it is true. The team is just disjointed in a lot of areas. The excuse of youth and depth is wearing thin. Injuries happen, we have dealt with them before. This program has played under classmen in the past so whay is it a big deal now?

As much as I love this program and as much patience as I have for some of the things I have seen this year I am starting to not be as charitable in my good will towards this teams performance.

As I noted in my game day notes, I knew that the offense had its work cut out for them against this aggressive ASU defense but not like this... once again stupid penalties and soft coverage kept ASU in this game all night. Matt Barkley took a step back in my eyes. He passing was not sharp he floated some balls out there. Blake Ayles needs to sit. I am more that willing to support Ayles when he makes bone headed moves like that picture at ND but with his play the past two week I see that he is not concentrating on making solid plays.

I think it is safe to say that the offensive line is not as good as advertised...far from it. The tackles were beat on regular basis. You could tell that Barkley was rattled as he had the ASU defense in his head from the early parts of the game. I saw a lot of happy feet back there tonight. I have been on record that play calling is overrated but tonight even I had some questions. The play calling was all over the place. I think it was early in the 2nd qtr. when were 3rd and long after a penalty Bates calls a running play? Why in Gods name would you that?

The defense made some nice adjustments. They got a lot of pressure on both ASU QB's tonight. If not for them it would have been much worse...If not for that pick 6 SC isn't even in this game...that is how bad it looked. Carroll and Seto did tighten up some of the coverage by moving the corners up closer to the LOS but once again the middle was left open for ASU's quick slants. And that TD for ASU that made it 14-9 was an embarrassment in coverage, Kevin Thomas is better than that. That was just frustrating...

Sullivan was as bad as we thought he was...he handed 3 turnovers over USC and we turned only one into points...the pick 6. That is not the USC offense we are used to seeing this season.The new kid that ASU has at QB will be a great player but not for a a couple of years...he has some talent but he is still raw.

I know SC is probably still punch drunk after last weekend but they really needed to shake the cobwebs loose...this one was all on the offense.

I have no idea how this team is going to be ready for Stanford next weekend. Lord help us...

Leave your comments and rants here...this our post game thread.

FIGHT ON!

Game Day Notes - Arizona St.

Paragon SC — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:03:43 -0000

USC can't possible lose two weeks in a row can they?

That pretty much seems to be the consensus from all the pundits and analysts. I agree with that assessment, but SC is far from being out of the woods after last weeks loss in Eugene.

I don't think I am breaking any earth shattering news that SC is officially in some sort of rebuilding/retooling mode. Plain and simple the road schedule, our youth and our thinning depth really exposed many of SC's flaws that many of us are not used to seeing in a Pete Carroll coached team. In reflecting on last weeks loss I simply do not think that the sky is falling. It is one loss, a bad one for sure, but that's the way the ball bounces...sometimes you need to get your teeth kicked in to get your mind straight.

I guess that makes me a sunshine pumper because I refuse to beleive that this is the begining of the end for USC. This is where Pete Carroll will earn his money...there is no guarantee that SC will win their last 4 games so he has his work cut out for him.But I am not too terrible concerned with the teams mind set. Pete Carroll knows how to rebound so I expect the team to be ready.

So, obviously with that rebounding mindset in place SC look's to get back on track and Arizons St.'s offense could be the perfect elixir for USC's struggling defense ...

USC's defense breathes a sigh of relief. Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli is in Palo Alto to play Stanford and can no longer torment the Trojans -- until next season, perhaps.

Arizona State quarterback Danny Sullivan is neither as efficient as Oregon State's Sean Canfield nor as mobile as Masoli. He has completed 54% of his passes with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. Samson Szakacsy, who at one time committed to USC, is more mobile and could be utilized in goal-line situations as he was last week against California.

I watched a fair amount of the Cal/ASU game last Saturday and I didn't come away impressed. Sullivan made some plays but that was also against a Cal defense that both SC and Oregon shredded so as aeve as SC's defense is hurting in some areas I expect the defense to make some plays.

Injuries continue to plague SC right now, especially on the defense and that is PC's first challenge. He needs to plug those holes with players who are going to respond and pick up the slack...

USC's linebackers are still smarting, physically and emotionally, from the Oregon nightmare.

Middle linebacker Chris Galippo is fully recovered from a sprained neck, but Malcolm Smith is not on the trip because of a shoulder injury. Shane Horton starts on the weak side with Michael Morgan on the strong side.

All three linebackers need to play better than last week. It looked like these guys had never played before with missed assignments and missed tackles that needs to change this week.

Injuries also open the door for others to show us what they can do on a consistent basis. With Everson Griffen not making the trip his week Malik Jackson and Devon Kennard will get their chance to prove their worth.

First some news on Griffen...

Griffen, a junior defensive end from Avondale, Ariz., suffered a toe injury against Oregon. He did not practice this week, working instead with trainers on the sidelines with the hope of healing enough to play.

Griffen, however, did not make the trip.

"He woke up . . . a little bit worse maybe from the work they did [Thursday] so we just figured it would be best to treat him for three straight days," Coach Pete Carroll said Friday after the 12th-ranked Trojans' walk-through at Sun Devil Stadium. "We never thought he was going to make it to full speed, but he was trying."

Don't get me wrong, both Jackson and Kennard have shown us some nice things this season but this weekend they will get the majority of the work on the defensive line so now they can really show their stuff. They will also have some help...

USC received some rare good news on the injury front this week when defensive linemen Nick Perry (shoulder) and Armond Armstead (wrist) responded well to rest. Their availability should ensure a deep DL rotation.

The more help the better.

I think the D line will have a good showing today. ASU just doesn't have the same level of talent on the O line that SC has faced in the past and with Sullivan's average performance numbers I think SC can force him into making some mistakes...but there are no guarantees...SC needs to earn this one on defense today.

What could make this game close is ASU's solid defense.

Even though Matt Barkley didn't have a terrible game last week it certainly wasn't one of his better performances either...

Though Barkley did not turn the ball over until his final pass was intercepted, the freshman was far from stellar. He uncharacteristically underthrew one receiver. He also overthrew another for what could have been a touchdown. He completed only five of 16 second-half passes.

Barkley, who has passed for nine touchdowns with six interceptions, now faces the Pac-10's top-ranked defense, an aggressive unit that has a conference-best 13 interceptions.

A Brief Look at the Trojan Offense

Sam @ WWAHT — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:00:30 -0000

Breathe a sigh of relief, Buckeye fans: Matt Barkley is still the quarterback of the USC Trojans. If there is anything we're all hanging our collective hat on heading into this game, it's that USC's signal caller is a true freshman making his first road start in one of the 5-most hostile environments in college football. If Ohio State hangs tough with the Trojans for a quarter or two, the 'Shoe is going to rock for the whole game. Barkley comes into the game as one of the most polished freshman passers we've seen in the last five years, but he goes up against one of the top-3 pass rushes he'll play in the regular season. USC will probably be able to get its running game going, but it'll have to move the ball through the air consistently if it wants to beat Ohio State. Can they do it?

How they might beat us

USC's offense is an admirable one. It doesn't have a whole lot of bells and whistles, as they say, and it excels primarily based on exceptional amounts of talent. Similar "West Coast" offenses have failed to take flight at other schools recently - Nebraska and Miami immediately come to mind - but at USC, it's literally just about plugging in the right QB and watching him work wonders. Usually, a solid running back needs to be found, but at SC, it's tougher to find a bad running back than a good one. As you have undoubtedly heard, the Trojans run five-deep at running back - Stafon Johnson, CJ Gable, Joe McKnight, Marc Tyler, and Allen Bradford each. I had this to say about two of the Trojan tailbacks in my previous USC Early Look:

Well, if you watched last year's game and didn't immediately drown your sorrows afterward, you probably remember a darting, shifty little bastard by the name of Joe McKnight. McKnight carried the ball 12 times for 105 yards against Ohio State last year, but ended the year with just 89 carries for 659 yards. Stafon Johnson actually ended up being the Trojans' leading rusher last year in their surprisingly-effective committee approach to the ground game.

The Trojans will be relying even more on this committee approach as they attempt to shepherd along a true freshman in a rowdy environment. Expect Marc Tyler and Allen Bradford both to see a carry or two as USC tries to feel out the Ohio State front seven, seeing what works and what doesn't.

USC might have four first-round draft picks on its offensive line. You know they're going to run the ball between the twenties. Last year, the Trojans could not close the deal in the red zone on the ground, so they went to the air. That's where Barkley comes in, and here's how the Trojans might get Ohio State: play-action. This is where those of you who watched Anderson Russell struggle so mightily against play-action in Ohio State's last two games might start getting antsy. USC runs the play-action like no one else in college football. What they really, really do well: the play-action boot.

I personally expect to see this play on at least three separate occasions come this Saturday, and it scares the bejesus out of me. Kurt Coleman will probably be able to come up and make that tackle if it goes right, but can you say with any confidence that Austin Spitler - last seen getting burned by the Navy FB - can cover Blake Ayles or Anthony McCoy? Chris Brown from Smart Football chimes in on this play, and others, over on Dr. Saturday:

The other trends in the offense, evident under Chow but omnipresent once he left, were the rise of misdirection passes -- i.e. bootlegs, half-rollouts, and the like -- and an increased use of vertical pass patterns. Now, some of this was to take advantage of the fact that USC had suddenly become a talent juggernaut: Why not get vertical when all your receivers, running backs, linemen and quarterbacks are headed to the NFL? But this still was a change from Norm Chow's more measured, methodical style of playcalling. The best way to observe this is to simply watch USC play and get a feel for it.

Play-action with the talent USC has at RB can be particularly brutal, especially with Ohio State's inexperienced RBs.

How we might beat them

Most would expect the clear-cut answer to be "with the pass rush" here, but with USC's talented OTs, I'm not sure how easily Ohio State will be able to bring pressure with four. Obviously, blitzing is going to play a major factor, but last year, Ohio State was blitzing aplenty and the blitzing guys were simply getting blocked. There are two reasons for this:

1) Mark Sanchez proved to be excellent at diagnosing blitzes, manipulating the pocket and throwing to his checkdowns. Whether Barkley is uncannily good at this too remains to be seen.

2) USC is a well-oiled machine when it comes to using its tight ends in RBs in blitz protection

This year, Barkley has such an excellent line that pressure with four won't be a concern. However, when Ohio State brings the pressure - and its strategy against redshirt freshman Colt McCoy leads me to believe it will - Barkley is going to have to do all the things Sanchez did as a junior to avoid taking the sack. Thaddeus Gibson is improved. Brian Rolle is faster that James Laurinaitis. This is Ohio State's one great hope to stop the USC aerial assault, because honestly, I don't have much faith in the secondary to contain someone like Damian Williams. But duh, of course Ohio State has to blitz if it wants to win. You knew hat.

The real way Ohio State might throttle the Trojan offense is simply by occupying its guards. If USC's guards can't get to the second level with any consistency, even Joe McKnight will have trouble moving the ball. Personally, I'm hoping Cameron Heyward sees a lot more time on the inside this weekend, because it's clearly his best position and he's a rock against the run in ways that Doug Worthington and Dexter Larimore are not. On USC's first few offensive possessions, watch this battle closely. If Ohio State is consistently getting a push on the interior of the USC offensive line, it should be able to keep the score manageable, which means the offense may only have to put up three or four touchdowns at the most to win.

Speaking of the Ohio State offense and, by association, the USC defense, I'll be going over that tomorrow.

USC Football Evening Links

Paragon SC — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:00:13 -0000

A few things from earlier today...

Damian Williams has bruised quad - OCR
He will be fine...

Ayles Update - Inside USC with Scott Wolf
Hope the Kid is OK!

USC's Kristofer O'Dowd hopes to be ready by opener - Los Angeles Times
Here is hoping for the best!

USC Trojans - best offense in college football - Buster Sports
Good read!

Getting to know De’Von Flournoy - OCR
This kid is going to be a stud!

ESPN's Scott VanPelt on the Pac-10
Mostly USC and Oregon...

Here's hoping USC is ready to end sports scandals...
The DT can do better than this...

Robert Woods chooses USC
USC picks up a big commitment!!

San Jose State football News
Here is a brief look at SJSU

Running back Chris Polk glad he stayed at Washington | Seattle Times
Former USC recruit Chris Polk almost called it quits...Hmmmmm

USC Quarterback Notes and some Links

Paragon SC — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:00:24 -0000

Busy day here on Vacation...the sun is back out and the rain has passed so its back to the beach. I am going to combine a bunch of things into one post...

So, Matt Barkley had a bit of a set back in yesterdays first session of practice.

The rush to anoint true freshman Matt Barkley as USC's starting quarterback always is apparent, especially when fans cheer his touchdown passes at Howard Jones Field.

But the movement hit a snag Thursday morning in practice when Barkley threw three interceptions, his first of training camp, as the defense finally abandoned its butter-finger reputation from the first five days.

In Barkley's defense, the final interception was a tipped pass caught by linebacker Jarvis Jones, but quarterback coach Jeremy Bates did not excuse the other two.

I think it pretty obvious that everyone is anxious to see Barkley get on the field but I think we all need to temper our enthusiasm and let things play out. Barkley is going to make some mistakes no matter how much more mature the coaching staff thinks he is in the position. I think too much is made over how many INT's a QB throws in camp. I could see where it might be a concern if a veteran QB like Sanchez or Booty threw a bunch of INT's in camp in their senior season but I just can't worked up over it when the new starter who is an underclassman or a true freshman...it is jjst going to take some time.

In the afternoon session Barkley bounced back...

Matt Barkley learned from his mistakes Thursday.

The freshman quarterback with a chance to start USC's Sept. 5 opener against San Jose State had three passes intercepted during a brief morning workout.

Five hours later, the Trojans returned to the field and Barkley did not commit a turnover while taking nearly every first-team snap during a 2 1/2 -hour practice.

"It didn't faze me," Barkley said of the morning miscues.

Turnovers, and the ability to avoid them, will be a determining factor if Aaron Corp returns from a leg injury in time to compete with Barkley to regain his place atop the depth chart.

Again, I just don't get the story here...Corp will be back in time to be the starter on the 5th. All the reps that Barkley is getting will obviously help him going forward but I just don't see him starting if Corp is 75% ready to go.

I asked the question yesterday on what Quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates opinions of the situation are. Bates offers up some interesting observations...

(On how Barkley has handled the first-team responsibilities so far)

"He’s taken it over. He’s the No. 1 quarterback in practice, and we’ll see when Aaron gets back what happens. This is a good experience. When I was with the Jets (in 2005), we went through five quarterbacks in one year. The backup always has to be ready, and when it’s your turn, you have to take it over. That happens.
"Matt’s doing a great job. He’s great in the huddle. He’s taking the leadership role serious. He’s executing pretty good."

Bates also noted in the LAT article that Barkley's interception happened on complicate plays that he was implementing into the offense for Barkley for the very first time. Pete Carroll knows what he is doing he just needs a little more time work out the kinks.

Matt Barkley is going to have a long career at USC so why rush it? I think its is a mistake to put this kid on the pedestal before all the facts are in. Aaron Corp has some great potential as well but he needs time to settle into the position. His injury will set him back, but not that much. I would not count him out yet as I still expect him to be the starter on September 5th.

Injured USC quarterback Aaron Corp made enough progress Thursday to suggest his recovery time from a cracked fibula could be closer to one week than three.

Corp (Orange Lutheran High) played catch after the Trojans’ morning practice. He then threw passes early in their afternoon session while wearing a new brace that reduces the pressure on the outside of his left leg.

Corp appeared to be limping less and said his leg is “definitely improving.” He planned to increase his activity level Friday in hopes of returning by early next week.

“I thought Aaron looked pretty good,” USC coach Pete Carroll said. “He was dropping back comfortably. He’s going to make a quick recovery, hopefully.”

Carroll didn’t guarantee that Corp would retain his starting spot, emphasizing Wednesday that the competition between him and Matt Barkley would continue. Or as quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates put it Thursday: “He (Barkley) is the No. 1 quarterback in practice, and we’ll see when Aaron gets back what happens.”

Moving on...Some injuries of note.

USC starting defensive tackle Averell Spicer will be out two to three weeks with a high ankle sprain, which could put in jeopardy his start on Sept. 5 vs. San Jose State. While junior Derek Simmons is listed behind him on the depth chart, 330-pound JC transfer Hebron Fangupo has been impressive in camp thus far.

Also at USC, tight end Blake Ayles will undergo further testing for an irregular heartbeat, though Ayles told the Orange County Register he expects to practice Friday. Meanwhile, No. 1 cornerback Shareece Wright's bruised knee swelled up and may require an MRI.

That Blake Ayles news is a little disconcerting especially after we lost Frankie Telfort due to a heart ailment. Lets hope he passes his tests.

Here is Taylor Mays' Chat transcript from ESPN yesterday

This is an interesting read on USC's dominance of the Pac-10 the past several years. This actually a good read from the Seattle P.I..

It will be fun to read your reactions to this piece on Slick Rick's take on the ongoing Taylor Mays v. Eric Berry comparison.

At Pac-10 media day I chatted with the one coach who can provide real insight into the discussion: UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel.

He's faced both Berry and Mays in 2008.

Here's what he said about Mays:

"Taylor is the unblocked tackler. Because of their defense's structure, it's hard to get a body on him. So he comes down and becomes that extra guy at the point of attack who makes a lot of plays around the line of scrimmage... His impact is more felt in the run game... Taylor is more of a downhill player, although he plays centerfield very well. He can do both, which makes him unique. He's Steve Atwater but can also play centerfield."

And Berry:

"Berry is more of a guy who makes plays on the back end. He's an Ed Reed type of guy who sort of wanders around and doesn't necessarily play the rule of the coverage and trusts his instincts. Coaches get to a place where they are so comfortable with his instincts they let him gamble a little bit."

Again, different players put into different roles on their respective teams...We need a break from this subject.

That's all for now...I am grabbing my bucket of beers, my box of cigars and my iPod and I am hitting the beach!!!

USC Football Links for 8/9

Paragon SC — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:11:56 -0000

We will start to see a lot more links now that Training Camp has started...

Freshman Matt Barkley vying for USC Trojans' top QB job - ESPN (AP)
Here is the AP's take on Barkley...

Buoyant Blakes Ayles back on the field - OCRegister.com
Ayles back in the game!

The Ripsit Blog
Pictures from Saturday's practice

Three defenders dinged - OCRegister.com
Some injury notes

Joe McKnight comes out flying - OCRegister.com
Will this be McKnight's year??

USC football: Everson Griffen gets serious - USC - OCRegister.com
Has Everson Griffen made the turn?

3 observations as training camp opens - OCRegister.com
Good stuff!

Here are a couple of interesting things that look at the upcoming season as a whole

Grading nonconference schedules - CBSSports.com
USC gets a C+...

Two Pasadena games could be better than one - Los Angeles Times
An interesting, if not an early look at the post season