SB Nation - C.J. Gable

Five Good Minutes: Conquest Chronicles

Brian @ BCI — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:53:38 -0000

about 1 month ago: USC quarterback Matt Barkley (7) hands off to running back Allen Bradford (21) against Arizona State during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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To preview this weekend's Emerald Bowl matchup between the BC Eagles and the USC Trojans, we welcome the SBNation USC blog Conquest Chronicles for Five Good Minutes.

In exchange, we also answered some questions for Conquest Chronicles and they will be posted later in the next day or so.

BC Interruption: Any line of questions regarding USC and the Emerald Bowl has to start with star running back Joe McKnight. Can you update us on this situation? Do you expect him to play? Should he play?

Conquest Chronicles: As of writing this Monday night, the common thought here in Los Angeles is that McKnight will likely not be able to play in the bowl game against the Eagles on December 26th. USC beat writer Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News reported earlier that McKnight did not accompany the team buses to the airport for their flight to San Francisco despite the fact that Carroll already said he would be making the trip up north with the rest of the team. But despite the rumblings, we are all still waiting for an official word from USC regarding McKnight’s status for the game.

While I think McKnight may in fact be innocent of the accusations for Scott Schetner seems to be a somewhat honest fellow and has a legitimate side of the story at this point in time, I highly doubt that number four suits up for the Emerald Bowl on Saturday. As we all know, USC is presently under investigation by the NCAA for a "lack of institutional control" so playing a possibly ineligible in McKnight, even if it yet to be proven, risks further damage to USC’s already partially tarnished reputation. I don’t see Carroll and company taking such a risk considering where they are as a program.

BCI: Are there other scratches for USC for the bowl? Do you expect the Trojans to successfully balance possible losses of McKnight, TE Anthony McCoy, and DT Averell Spicer with Carroll’s desire to treat this game as a springboard to the 2010 season?

CC: Spicer was just a reserve so I don’t anticipate his absence to make a huge difference for Troy, but some of the others will. McKnight was the team’s leading rusher with just over 1,000 yards so if he is unable to go, it will force backups Allen Bradford and C.J. Gable to take on larger roles. Bradford rushed for 596 yards this season and Gable remains the only true freshman in the history of the USC football program to ever start a season opener at running back. So, both have the experience necessary to be effective against the Eagles.

I think ‘SC will be most challenged to replace McCoy and offensive tackle Tyron Smith, who was also ruled ineligible for the game due to academic issues. McCoy served as one of Barkley’s favorite targets this season due to his size and catching ability. Lacking a pass-catching tight end is only going to make things harder on a freshman quarterback, especially considering that there is a significant drop off between McCoy and his backup Rhett Ellison. The absence of Smith will force an inexperienced but still talented redshirt freshman Matt Kalil to take over the tackle position. At this point in time, it is yet to be seen whether he can be effective.

BCI: At quarterback, there seem to be similarities between the play of freshmen Matt Barkley (13 TDs, 12 INTs) and Dave Shinskie (14 TDs, 13 INTs). Both had up and down seasons in their freshman campaign. What are your expectations for each QB’s performance on Saturday?

CC: I have yet to see Shinskie play an entire game (I’ve only seen bits and pieces and a few highlights) so I will reserve judgment on BC’s "young" signal caller. However, when it comes to Barkley, I certainly expect him to play well. No, I don’t anticipate him to finish with numbers akin to a Texas Tech quarterback, but I do think he is capable of putting together a solid performance against the Eagles. While he has struggled at times this season (a 31.8 completion percentage against Arizona State and 3 interceptions at home against Stanford), he has compiled solid numbers for any freshman quarterback. 2,385 passing yards and 13 touchdowns while playing in arguably the nation’s toughest conference are nothing to cause a first year starter to put his head down.

In a perfect world, it would be nice for Barkley to play much like he did during USC’s best stretch of the season, early October, when they soundly defeated Cal and Notre Dame. During those games, Barkley threw 283 and 380 yards respectively while leading the offense to over thirty points each time. On Saturday, he doesn’t necessarily need to throw a bunch of touchdown to be successful. What he needs to do to be effective is to limit the interceptions and be efficient with the football (i.e. no errant passes on first down). If he can simply complete passes and keep the chains moving, then USC has a great chance of success.

BCI: Were the preseason expectations for USC too high this year? What are your expectations for next season with a win in the Emerald Bowl? If USC loses to BC, do those expectations change at all?

CC: I think it has become quite clear that a top ten preseason ranking for the 2009 Trojans may have been a bit too high. While the team does have an impressive track record of success, it would be more than fair to say that the media was a little too generous when bestowing USC’s preseason ranking. In short, the expectations were too high, even for a Pete Carroll coached team. And to be honest, that isn’t necessarily a disappointing thing. Look, it was entirely unrealistic for anybody to truly expect the Trojans to be the fourth best team nationally at season’s end. Not only did they have to replace starting quarterback and Rose Bowl MVP Mark Sanchez with a true freshman, but they also needed to find suitable replacements for eight starters on defense. There was just too much talent departing - eleven Trojans were drafted in the first six rounds of the NFL Draft - for anybody to reasonably expect Carroll’s bunch to seriously contend for the national championship.

With that said, because this is a lower-tier bowl, I’m not going to base my thoughts on the upcoming 2010 season entirely on this one game. Yes, Saturday’s contest will serve as some indication in regards to how next year’s bunch will perform, but to frame a prediction off of one good may be borderline crazy. Nevertheless, I still expect the Trojans to be much better in 2010 simply based on the fact that this team will be a year older. Matt Barkley will no longer be a freshman quarterback, sophomore Chris Galippo will not be a first year starter at middle linebacker, and play caller Jeremy Bates will have a year of coaching in college football under his belt. Greater experience and continuity across the board should enable this team to bounce back, and fully challenge for the Pac-10 title and a BCS bowl appearance once again.

BCI: This is the first time in 7 years that USC hasn’t played in a BCS bowl. This game is the day after Christmas in a baseball stadium. Do you expect these factors to limit attendance? Will Trojan fans show up for this game?

CC: Yes, some Trojan fans will show up for the December 26th Emerald Bowl, but don’t anticipates flocks of them to make the journey up to San Francisco. While I don’t have the numbers in front of me, I find it hard to believe that USC is going to sell out its ticket allotment as it is accustomed to doing. Over the past few days, I have received dozens of e-mails and text messages from the USC Ticket Office reminding alumni, students, and fans that there are still plenty of tickets remaining. Well, the game is about four days away and occurs one day after Christmas so I find it hard to imagine that a swarm of fans swoop in to purchase last minute tickets. ‘SC fans can be a bit fickle so that lack of interest in tickets is not surprising in the least.

BCI: Last one, make a prediction. Who ya got in this one? What’s the final score?

CC: Generally speaking, bowl games can be rather tough on prognosticators simply from the standpoint that it is tough to tell whether a particular team will show up or not. While I have little inside information, I do have the feeling that USC, led by seniors Jeff Byers and Taylor Mays, takes this game seriously for they have too much pride as a team to lay an egg against Boston College. Provided they can play mistake-free football, I think the Trojans are a far better football team talent-wise to get steamrolled by a middle of the road ACC foe. In the end, I like USC 28-14.

BCI: Thanks for joining us.

For more information on the USC Trojans, be sure to check out Conquest Chronicles.

USC Football News and Notes 12/22 - Who is in; who is out, no word yet on McKnight, A BIG night for some former Trojans!

Paragon SC — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:40:20 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Is he in or out?

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So we all patiently await the final status of Joe McKnight being eligible for Saturday's Emerald Bowl Game.

Regardless,if McKnight can't go that will give Allen Bradford the bulk of the carries and I would expect to see a heavy dose of CJ Gable as well.

SC has a chance to finish off the season on a positive note with a win on Saturday. It can be used as a catalyst for a new beginning in 2010. And with some players being deemed ineligible it will give SC a chance to see how some of the youngsters on this team could look in the future.

I am certainly not thrilled with all the negative publicity that SC has been getting over the past week but maybe this is what the program needs to find its way back on track. Be it better coaching, better schemes or simply changing the attitude to take nothing for granted. I have never thought that there was any good to be found in losing but I do think that looking at the reasons as to why a team loses is the road map to rededicate that team to winning. Teams get comfortable and that means complacency...we no what that means.

As I posted yesterday, McKnight did not make the trip with the team but there is still a possibility that he will make it to the bay area for the game...

USC is investigating McKnight's use of a sport utility vehicle that is owned by a Santa Monica businessman. It may constitute a violation of NCAA rules that prohibit student-athletes from accepting benefits from marketing representatives or agents, or "extra benefits" from anyone based on athletic ability.

The Times published a story last week about McKnight's use of the 2006 Land Rover. McKnight said he never drove the vehicle, which a Department of Motor Vehicles official said carried a purchase price of about $27,000. But McKnight has been observed driving the SUV.

[...]

McKnight participated in the workout but was not made available to reporters.

Coach Pete Carroll said afterward that the Trojans were preparing as if their 1,000-yard rusher would be available for the game at AT&T Park.

"We'll just go one day at a time and see where it stands," Carroll said.

Upon arrival in San Francisco, however, Carroll said in statement posted on the school's website that McKnight remained at home to complete "compliance-related" business.

"He has some paperwork he needs to do and it's best for him to stay in L.A. so he can be available to finish it," Carroll said.

Carroll did not provide a timetable for when McKnight might join the Trojans.

It is hard to know just what the "paperwork" really is but SC is doing the right thing by holding him back until this is all cleared up.

I realize that is not a popular opinion in some circles but because the NCAA is already looking at us, SC needs to make the politically correct moves in order to not piss off the draconian NCAA. Currently the NCAA is not involved with this...USC is one doing the investigating and if they don't do it right and the NCAA has to step in then really gets out of hand. Like it or not McKnight does not get the benefit of innocent until proven guilty.

We have read the claims that McKnight submitted the proper paperwork, yet the school didn't seem to have a hard and fast explanation for this and then the statement form the school is that McKnight needs to fill out more paperwork? SC can't close the loop on this until Schenter returns from South Africa as they will ask him some pointed questions and ask Schetner to provide documentation. They will probably do the same with McKnight's girlfriend too.

Don't think the NCAA hasn't already placed a call to review the progress of USC's investigation.

My guess is that the "paperwork" will probably take too long to complete for McKnight to play in the bowl game. This is probably SC's way of sitting him out...

- - -

With three players being ruled academically ineligible that means other players get a chance to step up and show us what they have got.

Replacing McCoy at TE will Rhett Ellison. This is his chance to make a name for himself for next season. With Blake Ayles out due to injury Ellison move to #1 on the depth chart. Ellison came to USC with some high expectations but because of SC's depth ti is not surprising that he would have some difficulty cracking into the starting line up with McCoy and then Ayles there. Ayles has shown us he has hands of stone and with some of his off the field antics it has made many question his dedication to getting better. This is a big deal as the TE spot is pretty important in the USC offensive scheme.

Replacing Tyron Smith will be freshman Matt Kalil. Kalil is a beast.

In a surprise, though, sophomore offensive tackle Tyron Smith was also ruled ineligible. Redshirt freshman Matt Kalil will start the week as Smith's replacement. USC could have chosen to move starting guard Butch Lewis to tackle and insert senior Alex Parsons back into the lineup, but chose to promote Kalil.

"I'm excited," Kalil said. "It's a chance for me to show what I can do and step up. I think I'm ready to play."

Kalil said he was told during a team meeting Monday morning that he would be a starter.

"I've mostly worked with the (second team) during bowl practices," he said. "I can handle it."

We will find out just how well he handles it.

As I noted above, if McKnight is out then that gives Bradford and Gable a chance to shine.

- - -

I found this last night...

There have been rumblings and rumors about USC linebacker Uona Kaveinga transferring to BYU.

Kaveinga, who has been in Las Vegas this weekend, committed to the Cougars before deciding to sign with the Trojans as part of the 2008 recruiting class.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall can't talk publicly about Kaveinga until a transfer is official, but he did have this to say during this morning's Las Vegas Bowl press conference while addressing questions about mid-year transfers and high school early enrollees: "We have young man who is considering transferring from another Division I school. He wouldn't be placed on scholarship right away. When we get back in January, and I can't tell you if he's coming for sure or not, but that would be noteworthy if he chooses to come at that point."

Obviously, if Kaveinga were to transfer to BYU, it would be a coup for the Cougar defense.

I have been reading these rumblings of Kaveinga transferring for a few weeks now. I am not sure as to what the issues are, on or off the field, but it is obvious that there is some frustration with Kaveinga that he can't get on the field. I really don't know what he is capable of but if he isn't seeing a lot of playing time even with our thin depth at LB than that is saying something.

I found the that last sentence intriguing...that is the power of the USC brand. How is it a coup for BYU if they pull a transfer from USC? The kid has not proven that he is the real deal otherwise he would be seeing the field. I have not read, not that I have looked very hard, anything that says how great this player is. I don't recall even reading one of PC's famous "he is doing all the right things in practice, etc. etc." quotes so I am not sure how that translates into a coup for BYU.

I want every player at USC to succeed but if they are not happy, for whatever the reason, then they should seek out a situation that makes them happy.

- - -

On a lighter note, looking at some former Trojans in the NFL I found this...

Observers around the nation continue to question the capacity of this team to deliver when it matters most. Saturday night’s mauling at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys, 24-17, has been officially submitted as Exhibit A. The Cowboys drilled the Saints for 145 rushing yards on the ground, nullified the pass rush, and held on to win a game where the final score did not reflect Dallas’ dominance.

I still like the Saints and I believe that those observers would be wise to view that game in its full context. Sure, the Saints played without Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush sustained an injury during the game. That’s hardly the point. Dallas won that game between the trenches. They rode a powerful running game that included a defining knock out blow on Jonathan Vilma delivered by Marion Barber (Lights Out!!). And, the trenches are where the fortunes of the Saints have been determined all season.

Consider this:

In games in which Sedrick Ellis (the 2nd year defensive tackle out of USC) has played, the Saints have allowed an average of 94.7 yards rushing per game. That would be good enough for 5th in the league overall. Only Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Cincinnati, and Minnesota rank higher.

In games that Ellis has missed, including Saturday night’s game vs. the Dallas Cowboys, the Saints have allowed a whopping 149.6 yards per game. Over the course of the year, that would tie them at 29th with the Cleveland Browns. Only Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Buffalo have been worse.

Who here doesn't miss Big Sed mauling the middle of opposing offensive lines?!

We have seen it all year...how many former Trojans are performing at the highest level in the NFL? Last night there were three Trojans who scored in the Giants/Redskins game. Steve Smith got a TD pass, Big Fred Davis got a TD pass and Terrell Thomas (T2) had a pick six. Not a bad showing, as it shows once again that if a player puts in a lot of hard work at USC and goes the distance there is a pretty good chance that he will find success in the NFL.

Steve Smith has to be headed to the Pro Bowl! If he isn't I will be stunned.

Anyway, great times for many former Trojans!

USC Football News and Notes 12/14 - Emerald Bowl Prep, Team Banquet and C.J. Gable News

Paragon SC — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:00:59 -0000

So, the team is back at it this week as they go into bowl prep.

A couple of interesting story lines are taking shape as the season comes to a close.

I noted yesterday that Safety Josh Pinkard is out for the Emerald Bowl because of a knee injury. That makes things very interesting as Pete Carroll will now be giving us a small glimpse into the future as to what players may have a role in 2010.

With Pinkard out, sophomore T.J. Bryant, who has been the nickel back, probably will start. But redshirt junior Shareece Wright and redshirt freshman Brian Baucham also are in the mix.

Wright, a projected starter, is expected to be available for the game after sitting out the regular season because he was academically ineligible.

Baucham, who was ahead of Bryant coming out of training camp, returned to practice Sunday after missing several weeks because of a foot injury related to a September motorcycle accident.

I am not really sure as to just how effective Wright will be after not playing for almost four months. His loss really became apparent in the second half of the season when SC's defense started to struggle. I was not pleased that Wright did not take his classwork seriously...his not being on the team really changed the dynamic of the defense.

The question I have for everyone is academically eligible does Wright deserve to play or should he wait for spring ball? Wright definitely should not start but should he see some playing time? Playing in a bowl game to me is privilege not a given. I know he is talented but is missing the regular season enough of a punishment? It is a fine line but what is the message that needs to be sent?

T.J. Bryant already has some playing time under his belt but we really have not seen anything of Baucham after his motorcycle accident...will he be game ready?

- - -

Last night USC held their Team Banquet and handed out a number of awards...

Sixth-year senior Jeff Byers was named offensive lineman of the year, while Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey shared defensive linemen of the year honors. Senior quarterback/wideout Garrett Green was recognized as special teams player of the year. And, for the third consecutive year, Green also won the Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award for having the highest GPA on the team.

The night wasn't lacking thrills. Cedric the Entertainer performed standup comedy and linebacker Marquis Simmons led a rendition of "Lean on Me" -- along with the tear-jerking presentation of Johnson's award by Jake Olson.

Here's a look at the full list of winners from the 2009 USC football awards ceremony on Sunday night:

Most Valuable Player: Wideout/punt returner Damian Williams

Most Inspirational Player: Tailback Stafon Johnson

Linemen of the year: Center/guard Jeff Byers (offense); defensive tackles Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey (defense)

Special teams player of the year: Quarterback/wideout Garrett Green

Service team players of the year: Center Michael Reardon (offense); linebacker Marquis Simmons (defense)

Player of the game versus Notre Dame: Tight end Anthony McCoy

Player of the game versus UCLA: Tailback Allen Bradford

Jack Oakie "Rise and Shine" Award (year's biggest hit): Safety Taylor Mays

Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award: Quarterback/wideout Garrett Green

Bob Chandler Award (underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character): Defensive tackle Christian Tupou

John McKay Award (underclassman with the most competitive spirit): Linebacker Devon Kennard

Courage Award: Cornerback Josh Pinkard

Co-Lifters Award: Offensive lineman Jeff Byers, safety Will Harris, safety Taylor Mays

Recognition of the 22 graduating seniors

The awards for Stafon Johnson, Garrett Green and Damian Williams are no surprise.

Speaking of Garrett Green...

Garrett Green has been cleared to hold on placements despite a torn ACL in his right knee.

How cool is that! He definitely deserves it. He has probably been the most under the radar player on this team over the past few seasons. It sucks that he won't have a bigger role on kick returns like he has had but at least he will get a chance to have a hand in his final game as a Trojan.

- - -

So, what about C.J. Gable?

No player has been as much as an enigma as Gable has during his time at USC.

He had the hot hand before going out with an abdominal injury and he had a pretty good season in 2008 until he saw the bench after putting the ball on the turf against ucla and Penn St. At times his attitude has been questioned in the press but that is hard to really know. He made some statements in the past that probably put him in the doghouse but this season he has been completely off the radar.

Last season there were some rumblings that he might go pro but he stuck it out...

But with the season almost over the questions are now being asked...will he stay or will he go?

Gable is one of several draft-eligible Trojans underclassmen who must decide by Jan. 15 whether to go pro or return to school. Unlike many of the others, Gable has played only a bit role this season after being a major contributor a year ago.

Gable started all but one game last season and tied for the team lead with 10 touchdowns. This season the redshirt junior has no starts and just 21 carries as Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford have shared most of the workload.

"It’s been frustrating," Gable said Sunday after USC’s second practice in preparation for the Dec. 26 Emerald Bowl. "Anybody would be frustrated. … Why would you play if you don’t care whether you get in or not?

"I care because I want to play. But I can’t do anything about it but keep on doing what I’m doing, which is work hard and let everybody see what I can do."

Gable made quite an impression Sunday, when, according to USC coach Pete Carroll, "he was the best guy on the field." But being a good practice player — and a good soldier after complaining about playing time last season - hasn’t translated into a greater role during games.

We have heard how great players have performed in practice only to see them disappear when game time comes around so I am not taking Gables strong performance as nothing more than just a snapshot in time.

Personally, I think he goes pro. SC will still have a glut of running backs, four off the top of my head, and that is before LOI Day where SC is in the mix for a couple of more top RB's

Here is a little more for the DN...

After rushing for 617 yards on 107 carries with eight touchdowns last year, Gable has been buried behind Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford in the running back rotation during his redshirt junior season, causing him to contemplate whether he'll return to play for the Trojans in 2010 or explore his value in the NFL draft in April.

"(In the past) I've always been basing my decisions off anger, but now I'm thinking clearly," said Gable, who has seen action in 11 of 12 games, but has rushed for only 98 yards on 12 carries with no scores.

"The most important thing is graduating. I've learned that football isn't everything. There is life after football. It's been difficult, but I just get in a rhythm in practice and I forget that I'm not playing anymore. I don't talk about it unless somebody brings it up."

Gable needs three more classes to graduate, but intends to sit down and talk with coach Pete Carroll following the Dec. 26 Emerald Bowl against Boston College in San Francisco about his future prospects.

"Allen is coming back too, but it also depends on who they might bring in," Gable said. "The only thing I know I'll benefit from by coming back is that I'll graduate. But (this year) they were better than me. The best man won the position."

Gable's mature approach hasn't been lost on Carroll, especially following the Trojans' second practice in as many days since a 21-17 loss to Arizona on Dec. 5.

You know Carroll is going to try and get him stay...but he may be in the same as Mark Sanchez. He can take those three classes and be done next semester so his commitment in my eyes is fulfilled...he has no obligation to stay once he has his degree...

It should be interesting.

Oregon St. Notes, Byers starts over O'Dowd, RoJo will start on Sat. as well

Paragon SC — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:13:49 -0000

There was some interesting news from the coaching staff yesterday...

Jeff Byers will start at center over Kristofer O'Dowd. This might be a shock to some but the running game doesn't seem to be where many of us think it should be.

The season has not gone as planned for the 6-foot-5, 300-pound O'Dowd, who had off-season shoulder surgery that caused him to miss spring practice and then suffered a dislocated kneecap for the second time in three seasons.

O'Dowd sat out the opener against San Jose State but returned to play against Ohio State.

"I tried to fight back and got back as quickly as I could, but it still wasn't necessarily 100%," he said. "I was hoping that by going out there and working on it, I would build it up to where it would get back to normal, but it just hasn't been the case."

Byers, who came to USC as a center in 2004, took the majority of snaps with the first-team offense during practice this week. He will start for the second time this season at center.

I am not surprised that he was not 100%. A dislocated patella is a tricky injury to recover from, especially if you re-injure it. O'Dowd is looking at some off-season knee surgery to fix the damaged structures.

The great thing in this article is that O'Dowd plans on returning for his senior season.

Opposing defenses have been able to get penetration on our running game this season. We have seen it in a number of different games. With Marc Tyler out of the season and C.J. Gable inexplicably still in the doghouse it all falls on Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford. It is possible that we could see Curtis McNeal in the game but with Stanley Havili pretty much questionable that opens up the door for D.J. Shoemate at the FB spot. Regardless of who is on the field the O line needs to blow some holes open to get these guys some room to operate.

From what I have seen it would appear that McKnight actually does pretty well when runs between the tackles. When he jukes and moves trying to get to the outside is when he seems to not be less effective...this is particularly true (obviously) when the defense can beat him to the outside.

The offense is really close to busting out...If the running game gets rolling we could see some some really interesting games in the second half of the season.

USC closed the first half of '09 with its strongest offensive performance since the season opener (which was against 1-5 San Jose State, so please feel free to affix an asterisk). The Trojans scored 34 points at Notre Dame – after scoring 30 at Cal, 27 against Washington State and 13 at Washington.

Barkley missed the Washington game – the lone loss on 5-1 USC's ledger – because of a shoulder injury. In his four games since the opener, he has mirrored the offense's ascent.

Barkley passed for 195 yards Sept. 12 at Ohio State. He nearly doubled that total – 380 – at Notre Dame.

Barkley completed 48.4 percent of his passes against the Buckeyes. He hit on 65.5 percent – again, the best since San Jose State – against the Fighting Irish.

Yet in a sign of how driven he is to succeed – and how he is raising the standard for every freshman quarterback to follow him – Barkley was far from satisfied with his performance.

"I've got more potential in me," Barkley said. "After watching tape on Saturday's game, it was a lot more scrappy than I thought it was, not as pristine. There's always stuff to improve on. ... There are some little things we need to work on in order to get better."

I don't think there is any question that Barkley has some growing to do.

He has come a long way for a true freshman...just going on the road and getting the win at Ohio St. and Notre Dame with minimal mistakes shows his maturity.

And Barkley learns fast as well...

USC twice ran play-action passes on third-and-1. The first time, tight end Anthony McCoy was open – but Barkley didn't set his feet and underthrew the pass. McCoy gained 23 yards, but it could have been a lot more.

The next time, McCoy again was open – and Barkley delivered a strike. McCoy rumbled downfield for 60 yards. It took all of a quarter for Barkley to learn his lesson and make the proper adjustment.

"The kid is doing great," senior guard Jeff Byers said. "He impresses me every day. He's a really special guy back there. He's playing his butt off."

That Barkley has won over his veteran teammates isn't insignificant. USC returned nine starters on offense, and the unit had great expectations despite one of the losses being All-Pac-10 quarterback Mark Sanchez, whom the New York Jets took with the fifth pick in the NFL draft.

When Carroll elevated Barkley over redshirt sophomore Aaron Corp – who won the job in spring but lost it in fall after breaking his leg – there were hints of skepticism inside the locker room and heaps of it outside. The Trojans entered 2009 with seven consecutive conference crowns, BCS bowl berths and 11-plus-victory seasons, and now they were entrusting a freshman to help make it eight?

I don't think anyone is questioning PC's move now are they? Barkley has done good enough to shut the mouths of clowns like the insufferable Matt Hayes who constantly tried to say that Barkley's inexperience would hurt SC. So far that hasn't been the case and while I am not ready to say that he is not susceptible to a rookie mistake Barkley has done a remarkable job at leading the offense.

SC needs to put some points up on the board early to force The Beavers to have to play catch up and the running game is key to putting points up on the board. More on why later...

USC also gets RoJo back in the starting line up on Saturday.

Receiver Ronald Johnson struggled to regain game speed against Notre Dame and acknowledged continued soreness early this week.

The junior, however, will start against Oregon State, Carroll said.

Johnson, who suffered a broken collarbone before the season, had one reception against Notre Dame.

Johnson replaces David Ausberry in the starting lineup. Ausberry, who has 10 receptions, has been slowed this week by a calf strain.

I think that is a big deal.

RoJo clearly was not himself against ND, nor did I expect him to be. I think he needed a little more time to get back into the groove in regards to his timing and route running. You just don't come back after being out six weeks and hope to perform at the same level that you were out prior to your injury, especially in a big game like Notre Dame at South Bend. We all know RoJo is our speedster and if he is on that will keep the OSU defense honest. If RoJo gets behind their DB's it could spell trouble for Oregon St. especially with Barkley getting better and better each week.

On the defensive side of the ball this weeks game is a big test for the USC defense.

Last year the D line was embarrassed by Jacquizz Rodgers. Averill SPicer and Christian Tupou both had bad games last year, they had no answer for him in the first half, though SC made some adjustments in the second half to contain 'Quizz better. They moved Casey to the NT spot and moved Ellison up into the box. I could go on...

This is a very stout D line that SC has coming into this game. With Casey at NT and Armond Armstead (probably right nest to Casey) back in the groove from his injury I think that 'Quizz will have a tougher time than he did last year. It will be more difficult than last year to get the type of yardage that he had last year. I also want to see how Everson Griffen plays in this game. Last season he was continually motion-blocked by James Rodgers and taken out of the play. Hopefully Jethro Franklin has brought Griffen along to be able to handle that wrinkle in the OSU offense.

I think 'Quizz will get some yards and he won't put the ball on the turf, but I think this is a better front seven for this game than what we had last year by just putting in Casey and Armstead over Tupou and Spicer (no offense gents). The speed of this years D line is just insane. We already have seen their speed but I think the LB's are less susceptible to over running the play like we say Rey do last season in Corvallis. The OSU O line lost three players to the NFL last season, not that it matters, so while they still have some talent it is not quite as experienced as last season if SC gets some points on the board early it could force OSU to use 'Quizz less if they have to play catch up by airing it out.

Lets talk a little bit about some players on Oregon St.

There is an interesting article up at the Oregonian discussing Oregon St. players who feel they were snubbed by not being recruited by USC.

I found these comments by Beavers OL Gregg Peat...(emphasis added)

"Not even a second glance," Peat said. "Pete Carroll was there and I'm sure (he watched me) and was like, 'Ah, um, no.' They recruit the best of the best and none of us are usually their caliber of player.

"Or so they think."

Peat's recruiting anecdote is common among Oregon State players who played high school ball in the Southern California area. A handful of them, like senior corner Tim Clark, who is from Compton, and safety Lance Mitchell, who is from Pasadena, grew up in USC's backyard -- but they didn't get a sniff from the Trojans.

"I think not being recruited by your hometown team is a little bit of a slap in the face," Mitchell said.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Blah, Blah, Blah.

Please...

Peat has turned into a fine player, no question. Some players need a few years at the college level to really blossom and Peat looks to be one of those. Look, I get it that these guys will try to use what they feel is "snub" as some motivation for this game but SC can't recruit them all. Pete Carroll and his staff can't look into the crystal ball and see how every player out there will turn out.

More interesting is this...

Peat originally committed to Nevada before accepting an offer from the Beavers without ever taking a visit. Nevada? Really? That is a real power house of football...I guess SC really missed out when the kid committed up there, I am sure they scrambled to steal him from Nevada.

</sarcasm>

So, yeah PC may "have seen him" when he was recruiting Mark Sanchez but does anyone think that Peat would be on the field now with all the other talent SC has on the O line? There are only 85 schollies so I am not sure who SC should have NOT recruited on the OL in place of Peat. Point being is simple...everyone gets up to play USC. If these guys want use a supposed "snub" about not being recruited then so be it. I wish them luck...

I think this will be a great game and if all the mini drama's help to make it a better game than that is fine with me.

Cal Notes...opening up the offense and staying focused in the face of adversity

Paragon SC — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:00:25 -0000

Lets turn our focus to Cal for a bit. We will of course keep our eys on the recovery of Stafon Johnson but there is a big game this weekend that we need to examine.

Regardless of what some may think of USC's overall performance against WSU it was clear that USC QB Matt Barkley is USC's QB of the future. Barkley's performance of 240 yards and 2TD's was a sigh if relief after the previous weeks performance of Aaron Corp against UW.

Barkley now heads up Berkley to face another crazy crowd. He will also face a Cal team looking for redemption after last weekends dismantling by Oregon. Barkley is still 100% healed from his bruised shoulder that he suffered against Ohio State but Barkley really doesn't seem fazed...

A sore arm did not seem to bother USC quarterback Matt Barkley in last week's bounce-back victory over Washington State.

So the prospect of playing again with discomfort in his right shoulder does not faze him. "It's still not 100%, but whatever," Barkley said after practice on Tuesday.

The seventh-ranked Trojans are preparing for Saturday's game against No. 24 California at Berkeley.

Barkley, who suffered a bone bruise during a victory over Ohio State on Sept. 12, said his throwing motion has returned to normal.

"It's firing, but there's still that little bit of pain," he said.

Barkley described his condition as "manageable."

Coach Pete Carroll also sounded unconcerned.

Barkley passed for 247 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-6 victory over Washington State last Saturday.

"We saw him at less than 100% and liked the way he played," Carroll said. "Hopefully, he'll be better this week."

I think most will agree that if you isolate Barkley's performance you see that he is doing a remarkable job of settling in. He has made some mistakes, let some balls float a little too high and such but if a few of those throws are not dropped by the receivers his performance all that more special. Pete Carroll also noted that they have installed the whole play book for Barkley to use...of course what they implement will be dependent on the situations they face during the games.

If that is true and if Barkley is grasping the offense then the only real question is will Pete Carroll actually break the NFL mold that he is currently using to really let Barkley rev things up?

Cal got exposed this weekend, albeit on the road at a nutty Autzen Stadium the question is how do they respond and how does SC perform? Regardless of the win in Columbus I think it is safe to say that USC offense looked pretty anemic that night. We know how bad the offense looked in Seattle and after a great start last Saturday against WSU the offense simply disappeared after the first quarter.

Barkley is going to be tested by a pretty good Cal defense. I know they looked less than stellar against the Ducks but every team has performances like that on the road. Cal is looking for some redemption. The Hippies will be out in full force looking to rattle the kid. I am less concerned about that because Memorial Stadium is NOT the Shoe...Cal fans while rabid in their own special way are not like tOSU fans.

SC must move the ball effectively this weekend. They also have to convert in 3rd down situations. That has been the most troublesome problem that I have seen so far this year.

USC is ranked 114th nationally in third-down conversions and coach Pete Carroll admitted Monday it might be difficult to significantly improve the Trojans' 25 percent success rate.

Carroll cited USC's upcoming schedule, which features games at California, Notre Dame and Oregon in October.

"This is a bad stretch to break out of it," he said.

USC ranks between Wyoming and Utah State. There are only 120 teams in the NCAA's Football Subdivision.

That is embarrassing.

For all the riches in talent we have there is no excuse for not converting more efficiently on 3rd down. The players are not performing to their potential and to me that is all about coaching. You can say the same thing about penalties but I am less concerned about that because the more I look at that I really think that that is a way for the refs to level the playing field. A lot of the penalties we have seen are really judgment calls against USC while the refs seemingly "missed" penalties committed by our opponents.

With Johnson out it will give some of the other running backs on the roster a chance to step and fill in the gaps. Particularly C.J. Gable and Allen Bradford...

Allen Bradford and C.J. Gable stand to gain the most with fellow tailback Stafon Johnson out for the season after emergency throat surgery Monday. They had hoped to earn more playing time on merit. Instead, they're moving up the depth chart because one of their own is down.

"I'd rather have Stafon here than me playing more," Bradford said Tuesday, one day after Johnson's weightlifting accident sent him to the hospital for seven hours of delicate but successful surgery.

Said Gable: "I really didn't want to get it this way. I wanted to get it by me working hard and moving my way up to the spot. But things happen."

Joe McKnight remains the starting halfback, and USC coach Pete Carroll wouldn't divulge who would take over Johnson's short-yardage and goal-line roles. Bradford, the biggest back at 235 pounds, is willing to fill that void.

"Me and Stafon are two different backs," Bradford said. "But come short yardage, if it's a yard or 2 yards, I think I'll be able to get it."

Bradford lacks Johnson's knack for wriggling between defenders in traffic but has excellent power and speed. Bradford is USC's third-leading rusher with 130 yards on just 16 carries — an average of 8.1 yards per attempt.

Bradford is a bruiser if given the chance but he is not a short yardage, goal line running back...even the coaches acknowledge that. Bigger does not necessarily mean better sometimes you need some some agility and Johnson provided that. Of course the flip side is that if USC is on the opposing teams goal line and Johnson was back there you could call it a telegraphing of the play. SC has been guilty of that in the past. With Gable or Bradford back there you could still say that SC will try to punch it in but you never know of they could pull a rabbit out their hat with a new look.

This is a big test for both Barkley and the offense in general. The defense is fine...there will be some minor tweaks here and there to address playing time and injury issues but I am really not worried. The defense tends to step up when the stakes are higher.

- - -

Keeping with the defense for a moment...

USC sack leader Nick Perry did not practice on Tuesday due to a bruised knee.

Pac-10 sacks leader Nick Perry has missed Southern California’s latest practice because of a bruised knee.

The freshman defensive end has six sacks in four games for the No. 7 Trojans, surprising even his coaches with his quick contributions to USC’s defense. He already has more sacks than any player on last season’s USC team.

Coach Pete Carroll says he doesn’t know whether Perry will be able to play when USC (3-1, 1-1) visits No. 24 California (3-1, 0-1) Saturday.

That is concerning but it is still early yet. Perry has been an absolute stud for the defense. He has stepped it up no question. You can see DL Coach Jethro Franklin's influence all over Perry's performance.

- - -

Another Johnson feel good story...

I have always said that the players get it and that the fans for all of their good intentions all always blinded by loyalty to the team/program...

This is heart warming...

UCLA's Rahim Moore and Johnathan Franklin went to California Hospital Medical Center on Monday after learning that USC tailback Stafon Johnson had been injured in a weight-room accident.

The three were teammates at Los Angeles Dorsey High, where Johnson was two years ahead of Moore and Franklin.

"Rahim and I had to show our support for a brother, you can say a family member," said Franklin, a redshirt freshman running back. "This is a guy I grew up with, a guy I played behind in high school, a guy I learned from, as a running back and a person."

Johnson was injured when a bar with 275 pounds slipped from his hands and landed on his throat, doctors were told. He underwent seven hours of surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.

Moore and Franklin got to the hospital while Johnson was in surgery.

At the end of the day the players always get it. They have stood shoulder to shoulder in games past so it should surprise no one that these guys were there to support their former team mate. It has nothing to do that Moore and Franklin are from ucla...if the situation were reversed you have seen the same thing from the USC side of the house. Even Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis sent his best wishes.

In the end this is just a game...Life is far more important than what jersey you where or what school you went to. These guys get it but is anyone really surprised?

Along those lines...The Johnson accident gives the players a new sense of perspective (you might need a premium account to view this article)...

USC head coach Pete Carroll has to have his mind in two places right now.

Part of him is focused solely on the well being of running back Stafon Johnson, who suffered severe throat injuries after a horrific weightlifting accident Monday at USC.

And part of him is getting ready for a very difficult road test at Cal on Saturday.

In Carroll's mind, the two have a tough time co-existing.

"We're concerned about him right now," Carroll said. "The concern about the effect of this and having the affect on the game is not even an issue for us at all. I think our concern for now is Stafon and his family and everybody handling what's going on."

This will be a huge test for the team as a whole. how a team responds to these types of situations goes a long way to showing the mettle of a team. I have seen some comment around the boards that because of this accident it will fire SC up even more. I don't really buy that. Players learn to compartmentalize things and put them in their respective place. There isn't any one thing that will make a player perform better...it all about focus.

Barkley holds his own, the defense neutralizes Pryor but some questions emerge...

Paragon SC — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:53:10 -0000

More photos » by Jay LaPrete - AP

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Where to start...

While we are all giddy about last night's win in Columbus we did see some things last night that should cause some concern. Now, I am not saying we need to light our hair on fire over some of these things but we do need to keep an even keel as we head up to Seattle to take on the Huskies.

As I said last night in the post game thread I saw three things that stood out that made SC's night difficult last night...

First...Special Teams was absolutely atrocious. For all the pissing and moaning we have heard about not having a special teams coach having one didn't seem to help with the poor punting and missed field goal.

Second...It didn't matter how many running backs we had in The Stable never was able to get up a lather to really be effective because the Offensive line was getting pushed around by their D line. But Props to Joe McKnight for stepping it up at the right time!!

Third...The defense did a great good job against Pryor, he made some plays...a few nice throws and some key runs but lets not get crazy he was not Vince Young tonight...At least not yet.

Lets talk about the defense first...They were the ones that kept us in the game last night with some key stops in the second half. Griffen's sack that took Ohio State out of field goal range was the biggest play of the game in my opinion. In the first quarter the secondary showed some disorganization with being out of position on a few big plays. Pryor made some sweet throws that just had the right touch that gained some big yards but he he wasn't as effective on the run...he made some plays for good yardage and some first downs but he did not control the game like a Vince Young.

As an aside, for the life of me I can't understand why Jim Tressel is trying to show the world that Terrelle Pryor can throw the ball...that is the last thing that should have been on his mind last night. He should have used Pryor's speed and agility to eat up chunks of yards.

Our "young" defensive front got some penetration and the linebackers made some great plays but the secondary got caught flat-footed early in the game for some big plays but once they adjusted Pryor was not as effective in the air. The OSU running game was average last night as Boom Herron gained only 44 yards. Pryor only had 36...that is telling to me. The SC defense did their job...

Chris Galippo made an interesting observation...

"I wouldn't say there was a doubt but it was more like the defense coming together and saying, 'The offense isn't really doing it, so we'll do it,'" Galippo said. "If we hadn't had a goal-line stand, the game would be over."

Safety Taylor Mays said the defense expects to carry the burden with a true freshman at quarterback.

"We know sometimes they will struggle, especially with Matty at quarterback," Mays said.

That is exactly how it should be...sometimes one unit has to pick the other up, that is the definition of team work...these guys are in it together.

Special teams was just awful...SC never got a chance to return a single punt as the OSU put coverage was superb pinning SC back deep in their territory on just about every kick. When we punted the ball the kicks were not as effective as we have been used to the past few years and always seemed to give OSU decent field position. The high snap for a safety was a complete mental breakdown as the snap should have been lower and the punter should have caught it. SC also doged a bullet on a punt later in the game when the OSU punt rush over flew the punter for what seemed to be a sure block deep in SC territory. The kick-offs were average with OSU getting a chance to get some decent returns. The short field goal that hit the cros bar was embarrassing too.

I realize that we now have a special teams coach but I don't care how well you coach them if the players don't have the talent coaching will only get you so far...

As for the running game...I was surprised that C.J. Gable did not get any touches. It was obviously the Joe McKnight show especially on that last drive but because the OSU defense was getting some great push against the SC O line the running game looked anemic for much of the game. We really should not be surprised as the OSU D line has a number of futre NFL draft picks that pinned their ears back and played lights out for most of the game until that final drive.

So lets talk about Barkley...

It was definitely a growing experience for the kid last night and he seemed unfazed by the whole experience...

The questions that had dogged the USC football program for several weeks were stunningly answered Saturday night with two words.

Matt. Barkley.

"He's no longer that young freshman quarterback," said Jeremy Bates, USC's quarterbacks coach. "He's now the starting quarterback at USC."

Period. End of story. Beginning of stardom.

Those who questioned Coach Pete Carroll's sanity, those who thought a true freshman should never be the starting quarterback for a championship-contending team . . . were you watching? Were you listening?

Easy there Bill..Barkley is not the second coming. He still has a long way to go but Barkley did not have a meltdown like Matt Hayes predicted earlier in the week...

It is fair to say that Barkley had some pedestrian type numbers last night going 15 of 31 for 195 yards with 1 INT, but the key throws were on that final drive where Barkley was 3-5.

The cliche' we will hear and read about over the next few weeks was that we watched Barkley grow up last night...Maybe. It is obvious that the final drive will become part of USC Football lore. It was a gutty performance against worn OSU defense who was simply asked to do too much last night. Barkley's one pick was similar to Pryor's but there was little damage to the overall outcome of the game. He go it out of his system and he settled in...

SC did do something that they haven't had to do many time before...come from behind to win.

In the previous four seasons, USC was 7-6 in games decided by seven or fewer points. That's with Heisman Trophy winners and first-round draft picks under center.

Here, the Trojans trailed Ohio State 15-10, completely on merit. Their gains were incremental. Their poise was teetering. Their eardrums throbbed. And their quarterback never had played a collegiate game in front of dissenting strangers.

The final: USC 18, Ohio State 15, with Matt Barkley getting the ball on his 14 with 7:15 to go, retreating to the five, and then leading his elders downfield to Stafon Johnson's run with 1:05 left.

"There are no words to describe Matt Barkley," guard Jeff Byers said. "He goes to the loudest stadium I've ever been in. He gets the ball on the 14 and then we go backwards. And then he takes us down for the win. As a freshman. I mean, come on. He's remarkable."

That is a character builder...

I was a little surprised at some of the comments I saw on Facebook from Jay Christensen (aka the Wiz of Odds) and Chris Huston (aka Heismanpundit) about Barkley's performance...Christensen felt that if Aaron Corp had started, SC would have beat OSU by two touchdowns, Huston agreed becasue he felt Corp would have made plays with his feet. I have great respect for both The Wiz and HP but I think that is flawed thinking...the OSU defense was flying towards the ball last night, they put 8 guys in the box and dared Barkley to throw, thus the running game never really got going until the end when they wore down the OSU defense and while I would agree that Corp is more of mobile threat the OSU defense would have tracked him down too...there is simply no guarantee that corp would have done better.

To me it was all about penetration and the OSU defense was getting plenty of it all night...

Gary Klein pretty much sums it up...

The Trojans overcame special teams miscues, poor field position and Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor to improve to 2-0 heading into their Pacific 10 Conference opener at Washington.

Tailback Stafon Johnson's second short touchdown run with 1:05 left put the Trojans ahead to stay.

"This program is all about finishing," wide receiver Damian Williams said. "We finish blocks, we finish runs and we finish games.

"Tonight we showed the world how we finish."

Barkley, running backs Joe McKnight and Johnson, the Trojans' offensive line and the defense showed a record Ohio Stadium crowd of 106,033 that they would not be intimidated, even after going into halftime tied 10-10 and trailing by five points midway through the final period.

Agreed...

It may not have pretty and SC may have been shown some flaws in their game but you always need a little luck on your side and SC got just enough on the backs of a great defense, the tenaciousness of a great offensive line and the patience of a kid who just goes out and haves fun...

This is Pete Carroll's type of team!

FIGHT ON!

San Jose St. Game Day Notes

Paragon SC — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:54:04 -0000

It is finally here!

From Ian Evenstar's photostream

No more talk, no more speculation...we will finally get some answers today!

All eyes, of course, are on true freshman Matt Barkley. And I literally mean ALL EYES!!

USC coach Pete Carroll warned his veteran players to keep an eye on the freshmen today, even if the No.4-ranked Trojans are facing lightly regarded San Jose State at the Coliseum.

"I said it's like taking your little brother to the circus," Carroll said. "We don't want them wide-eyed."

The biggest little brother will be 18-year-old Matt Barkley, who becomes the first true freshman quarterback to start the season-opener for a preseason top-five team since Rick Leach did it for No. 3 Michigan in 1975.

"What we have to do first is get him calmed down and keep him in the frame of mind to do what we are capable of," Carroll said. "He's been in the Coliseum a number of times and seen a lot from our defense already. I hope he's calm and trusts our preparation."

We won't really know how Barkley does until this game is in the books. You won't be able to judge him on one play or one series but on the complete body of work. There will be some mistakes so lets get that out of the way right now. It will be on the defense to bail us out if there is a turnover and it will be on the offensive line to help Barkley settle in and focus on the task at hand.

The theme of the day as I look around the web it pretty much similar to what I linked above. There is this from the Press-Enterprise...

The Plan was that quarterback Mark Sanchez would come back for his senior year, lead USC on another national championship crusade, then turn the offensive reins over to the golden boy waiting in the wings, Matt Barkley.
As it turned out, there would be no waiting. No holding back the kid from Santa Ana Mater Dei, who never waited before and wouldn't have to wait this time, either, somehow maneuvering his way onto the Coliseum field today, starting the Trojans' season opener against San Jose State.

Last January, Sanchez surprised the world, upset Coach Pete Carroll, and turned to the NFL. It also turned on the competitive spirit in Barkley.

"I had no clue he would declare," Barkley said. "But it stirred some excitement, knowing there would be a chance for me."

No matter that he was just entering USC, and no freshman had started at quarterback for Carroll. He was used to being a step up on everyone else. At youth football camps, they had put the strong-armed prodigy in with older age groups. He started as a 14-year-old freshman for the perennial powerhouse Monarchs. He was the first junior to win the biggest prep prize: the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award.

Talented, smart and personally grounded, he still impresses those around him with his maturity.

His maturity and mettle will be tested today if for no other reason that this will be his first game at a totally different level.

That seems to be other theme playing out...

Dick Tomey is defensive guru who is well known for the Arizona Desert Swarm defense of the 90's. I have stated in the past that Tomey is going to throw the kitchen sink at Barkley. He will pull every trick in the book to rattle him into making a mistake. There is no question that Tomey has some solid talent on his defense but the bigger question is how much of an effect will they have against this USC Offensive Line to pressure Barkley and how will they be able to keep up with the multiple threats of The Stable and the receivers...even without RoJo.

Ben has some numbers...

San Jose State will be toting a historically strong defense when it buses down the 5 for Saturday's season opener at the Coliseum.

The Spartans had the nation's No. 21 defense in 2008, allowing just 312 total yards per game. Coincidentally, they also were ranked 21st nationally on turnover margin with a plus-8 tally in '08. San Jose State also finished 7th in 2007 and 13th in 2006 in the nationwide turnover margin stat category, one of only five schools to be in the Top 25 for turnover margin in each of the last three years.

But lets not get carried away...as good as this defense is what that impression is being based on is against some average teams. And in their 6 or 7 "toughest" games they went 1-6...

Boise State - LOSS (33 points)
@ Nebraska - LOSS (35 points)
Louisiana Tech - LOSS (21 points)
@Nevada - LOSS (41 points)
Fresno State - LOSS (24 points)
@Hawaii - WIN (17 points)
@ Stanford - LOSS (23 points)

Outside of Boise St. who dinged SJSU for 33 points there are a lot of average offenses that scored a fair amount of points on that list. And the WAC isn't exactly the SEC so those numbers are probably a bit inflated.

Anyway...Like I said Tomey will try to rattle Barkley it will be interesting so see how Barkley reacts.

Look for a lot of running plays to get Barkley settled in...

With an inexperienced quarterback at the helm, Trojans tailbacks are quietly celebrating in anticipation of an approach that produces more carries.

Joe McKnight ends C.J. Gable's streak of starting three straight openers, but USC fans can also expect to see Allen Bradford actually carrying the ball. The junior from Colton has been running with power and purpose from the first day of training camp.

Senior Stafon Johnson? Still the Trojans' most dependable and productive back.

Can you say Allen Bradford?

If USC establishes the run it could be a long day for SJSU because they will have to stack the box and that will leave the receivers free to do their thing. SJSU is a better against the pass but their depth won't be able to stay up when they are getting beat down the field by our O line.

As for the defense the one player I want to see perform is Chris Galippo...

USC middle linebacker Chris Galippo is in his third season with the Trojans, but it seems as if it's been longer.

The former Anaheim Servite High star endured two back surgeries, a bout with mononucleosis and caddying for Rey Maualuga while waiting for his chance to start.

That opportunity finally comes today when the Trojans play their opener against San Jose State at the Coliseum.

"It's the first time in a long time that I've had the responsibility of either making plays or possibly losing a game on my shoulders," Galippo said this week. "That's the way it's been my whole life."

Galippo, a third-year sophomore, did not attend Thursday's practice after having fluid removed from a swollen right elbow. But he attended team meetings and the Trojans' walk-through on Friday and will play and call defensive signals against the Spartans.

Its time for Galippo to make his presence known. It is time for him to step up and show us all that we know he can do.

SJSU has some issues on offense. Tomey has not yet named a starting QB and as I noted in the record above they had some problem scoring some points. Because so many on the USC defense have game experience I think the defense will be fine.

I really can't predict a score. I know the defense will do their part but Barkley's performance is going to be the key...obviously.

It is GO TIME!!

Previewing the season: USC Trojans

jtlight — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:42:25 -0000

More photos » AP

Matt Barkley is a microcosm of this USC football team. Incredibly talented but inexperienced. Will this team have the consistency to go undefeated? (AP Photo/University of Southern California)

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Another season, and USC starts right where they left off, at the top of the conference. As vulnerable as they may be this year, they are still the favorite to win the conference, and rightly so. The coaching staff has proven year after year that they can develop talent and they will no doubt contend nationally again this year.

This year, USC is coming to Autzen on Halloween night, which is sure to be quite the experience, especially if both teams live up to expectations up to that point in the season.

Oregon Offense vs. USC Defense

The last few seasons, the Oregon offense has struggled against USC. Even the prolific 2007 offense scored only 24 points and were actually outgained in the game. While some have attributed that to some sort of deficiency with the spread offense, the real culprit is the fact that over the past few years the USC defense has been sickeningly loaded with talent and experience. As Matt Hinton pointed out earlier this week, excluding Taylor Mays and Josh Pinkard as they are still playing at USC, every regular starter USC's defense over the past two years has been drafted, and nine of those players in the first two rounds.

The simply fact is, this type of talent will not be easy to replace, even for USC. And the across the board theme is inexperience. On the defensive line, they return tackle Christian Tupou, while having extremely talented ends in Nick Perry and Everson Griffen, though the knock on Griffen up this point in his career is that this talent has never been realized. At the linebacker spot, it's more of the same. The 2-deep has 8 "very highly touted" players, and the USC defensive coordinator has claimed this new unit is faster than last years dominant group. The only experienced unit is the USC secondary, which is led by Taylor Mays at safety and Josh Pinkard at cornerback. Mays is simply a physical freak that makes the entire unit better. Not only can he hit like TJ Ward, but has the speed to cover the entire field, which has helped makes USCs pass defense the best in the nation.

This will be a very good test for both the Oregon offense and the USC defense. Oregon's offensive line will hopefully have all its kinks worked out by the 8th game of the season, while USC will have to play very disciplined football to stop the Oregon offense. If Oregon's line does not get manhandled like it did in last year's game, then Oregon has a great shot to move the ball well.

Oregon Defense vs. USC Offense:

With all the hubbub over Aaron Corp vs. Matt Barkley, many seem to be forgetting the the strength of the USC offense is their offensive line, which is the best in the nation, and led by preseason all-americans Kristofer O'Dowd and Jeff Byers. The should be paving the way for the USC stable of running backs, which include Stafon Johnson, C.J. Gable, Joe McKnight, and fullback Stanly Havili. Meanwhile, whoever ends up under center will have a large amount of targets to pick from, including All Pac 10 WR Damian Williams.

At the QB position, my feeling is that Aaron Corp will end up taking the position. Matt Barkley has not seized his chance with Corp injured, and when he was around, Corp did not make mistakes, and with the talent on the line and at the skill positions, that could be all that USC will need.

The real question is, how will this unit respond in pressure situations? The knock on USC the past year years is that they never came through in those games they probably should have won. With some key inexperience as well as new coaches on offense, USC may struggle, but will like be just fine as they overcome their opponents with sheer talent.

Special Teams:

I really feel that this will be a wash. Both teams have talented returners, but at this point, the kicking games are solid but at this point, neither have reached that upper level. If Jackson Rice continues to impress, that could be a key advantage in this game

Conclusion:

USC is as vulnerable this year as they ever will be, and I think that Oregon and Cal will have a great chance to challenge them for the conference title. I believe USC will falter this year. I don't believe that they will be consistent enough on either side of the ball to get through it's schedule without a loss. And Oregon and Cal could be the teams to beat them. Let's not forget, the last team to beat USC when favored was Oregon in 2007.

But, USC is the favorite for a reason, and until either team can consistently challenge the Trojans, before the season, the chances are better for a loss than a win.

USC Tailback Focus

Paragon SC — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:00:15 -0000

With all the focus on the QB situation we really haven't had much of a discussion on the tailbacks situation.

USC still has one of the deepest rotations at tailback in the country...some would say that it to USC's detriment but Pete Carroll has made it work even if it doesn't always look that way. We all know the names and the faces, they are as familiar as our own families. But this is the season where it will all be on them to set the tone.

Tailbacks Stafon Johnson and C.J. Gable came to USC with a lot of promise and they initially had to rotate time with Chauncey Washington and Emmanuel Moody. Things worked themselves out that season as Johnson found himself buried on the depth chart and SC rotated the backs as we have seen. SC then recruited McKnight, along with a few others, Johnson changed his attitude and got a ton of playing time while Gable's went a bit south though he continued to be a major factor in the running game.

Gable, the best pure blocker out of the bunch, had some problems hanging onto the ball late in the season (against ucla and PSU) which saw him land on the bench. There was even a rumor that he was going to leave school after last season but he stayed.

Last week it was Joe McKnight that finally shed the pressure deciding to throw caution to the wind and have some fun. This week it is C.J. Gable's turn to make his mark this season by showing us early that his attitude may have made a change for the better.

Despite being among USC’s most productive offensive players last season, C.J. Gable wasn’t happy. He had to share carries with his fellow tailbacks, and it made him angry.

But as this season approached, Gable decided to discard the bad attitude. He looked back at his performance and came to a simple conclusion: He plays better when he’s happy.

"I wasn’t doing that good because I was always mad," Gable, a redshirt junior, said Sunday. "I let my mind get off of football. When I’m happy I’m doing good, doing good runs, making good blocks and focusing."

Gable thought about leaving school after last season, which ended, at least for him, on a down note. Gable fumbled in each of USC’s final two games, resulting in extended time on the sideline.

Of course it is early yet and anything can change but if Gable has recognized what he needs to do going forward then that is a big first step.

Gable went so far as to accept responsibility for putting the ball on the turf last season and how it affected his playing time.

Gable, who now weighs a career-high 210 pounds, said he is no longer troubled by the final two games of last season, when he fumbled against UCLA and Penn State and was removed by the coaches.

"I didn't ask them about that (after the season)," Gable said. "I don't care. It's in the past. I can't do anything about it. It was my fault. I fumbled. Why get upset? Then they don't put you in."

Hopefully he has made the turn...

With all that talent it was surprising to read that the running game was having a bit of a lackluster performance in their first scrimmage. I don't think I have to tell you just how important the running the running game will be as SC breaks in a new starting QB...

After their mostly lackluster effort in the Trojans' first scrimmage, Coach Pete Carroll pointedly told the group it wasn't running hard enough.

On Sunday, the running backs answered en masse during practice with a punishing performance that left several defenders dazed or on the ground after absorbing contact.

"We wanted to impose our dominance as much as possible and show everybody that we're not a slouch," senior Stafon Johnson said.

I could just imagine what Pete Carroll told them. The Stable is one of the most experienced units on the team so they should not be mailing it in.

Once again we hear a lot about how well Allen Bradford is doing but will it result in some major playing time this season? He has fully recovered from hip surgery last season and is providing some solid leadership in the backfield.

The 5-foot-11, 237-pound Bradford, in particular, initiated clattering collisions and plowed through the defense for several short touchdowns.

Carroll said he had shown Bradford and Tyler tape of former Trojans running back Justin Fargas' performance at Oregon in 2002. Fargas rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown in 27 carries.

"I wanted to make sure they saw the way he ran in that game and how it worked," Carroll said. "As that game went on, he wore them down and . . . he was busting runs and was a big factor.

I really hope that Bradford finally gets on the field consistently this season.

And of course we haven't even discussed Marc Tyler and Curtis "Moody" McNeil....

We have already seen some flashes of what Tyler can do and we are already hearing some great things about Moody in Training camp.

This could be a really exciting season for the stable.

Gable not going Pro

Paragon SC — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:08:32 -0000

No real surprise here...

USC running back C.J. Gable, who was considering making himself available for the NFL draft, said today that he is remaining with the Trojans.

"My mom wants me to finish school and I want to finish school too," Gable said.

Gable expressed frustration several times during the season about his role in the Trojans' tailback rotation. Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson and Gable shared most of the carries and each gained more than 600 yards.

Gable was upset after the regular-season finale against UCLA because he was benched after fumbling on the first offensive series. He also was removed from the rotation in the Rose Bowl after fumbling.

Gable, who will be a fourth-year junior next season, did not petition for a draft projection from the NFL, but met with Coach Pete Carroll last week to discuss his situation.

"If I could have graduated this year I would be gone," said Gable, a sociology major.

It's clear from that last sentence that he really wanted to go.

A number of us were concerned about how he handled his disappoint about a lack of playing time as well as how the coaching staff may have singled him out for putting the ball on the turf.

I am all about team chemistry so I hope his returning next season sees a change in how he handles his issues with the coaching staff.

Welcome back C.J. ... I guess.