SB Nation - Ronald Johnson

USC Football News and Notes 11/24

Paragon SC — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:13:20 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

There is a lot of speculation about whether or not USC WR Damian Williams will play on Saturday.

USC's #1 receiver injured his ankle against ASU and he was missed in USC's loss to Stanford. Williams has been irreplaceable the past few seasons and his sure handedness has had a big impact on Matt Barkley as he has matured in his role as the starting QB.

The question right now is will Williams be able to take the field on Saturday?

USC wide receiver Damian Williams is probably doubtful for Saturday's game against UCLA because of the severity of his ankle sprain, according to sources. However, USC's coaches are optimistic he will try to play.

"He said it felt pretty good," wide receivers coach John Morton said Monday. "He did some stuff today."

Williams ran but did not do any cuts during a brief workout Monday afternoon. He will wear a brace today and attempt to participate in some of the practice.

"I think he's the kind of guy that will find a way," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "He's going to try. He'll find out how to adapt. He did it with a hamstring strain a couple weeks ago when he shouldn't have played."

Guys like Williams are competitors and they want to be in there.

But when they can't be in there it gives guys behind them on the depth chart a chance to step. The Offense has had some nice showings this season. Even with some guys out because of injury there have been some pretty good performances, so the talent is there. But is starts with Matt Barkley...he just needs to settle down and get back into the groove like he was earlier in the season. He has the supporting cast around him so he should be able to make some plays...he needs to it this weekend.

Ronald Johnson will once again be the go to guy.

If Damian Williams can’t play Saturday, USC most likely will need a big game from Ronald Johnson to defeat UCLA.

Those performances have been few and far between in a season Johnson has found to be less than satisfying.

Since returning from a broken clavicle, the junior receiver has 18 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns in five games. But aside from his six-catch, 99-yard, one-TD performance vs. Oregon State, Johnson hasn’t made the impact he’d hoped to make.

"Up and down," Johnson said when asked to describe his season so far. "Coming back was kind of difficult … just trying to get through it."

Johnson said he has felt a little bit "off" since returning, never quite capturing the focus or regaining the conditioning he had before getting hurt in the final preseason scrimmage.

"I’m not the same as I was before the season. That’s where I want to get to," he said.

There is no question he was missed in the first half of the season. Being the speed receiver added such a huge dimension to this offense. Brice Butler is getting in his groove and Brandon Carswell has shown us some nice things but this weekend these guys need to make ZERO mistakes.

- - -

On defense it gets a little trickier.

The defense had some good performances as well but since the second half of the Notre Dame this defense has looked a lot different.

One of the players that has taken the most heat is middle linebacker Chris Galippo...

"At the end of the day, as young as we are and the fact we played six of nine games on the road, there was a lot of great stuff we did," Galippo said. "There are still lessons to be learned and there's so many things we can improve on. But we're doing our jobs on defense."

Galippo was listed as one of 16 Butkus Award semifinalists last month but that was before the linebacker struggled in losses to Oregon and Stanford.

He was not one of the five finalists named Friday for the award.

I could care less about the award...there is still a lot of football left to play.

This is a young defense but they had some good games earlier in the season, though some will say there really wasn't any competition against SJSU, and they wet the bed against UW, but it really has been spotty since ND.

But Galippo said he is pleased with his play this season.

"Personally, I've played pretty solid," Galippo said.

Galippo is physically worn down because he played without a backup who could spell him during games, a luxury afforded his predecessor, All-American Rey Maualuga.

Yes and no...this is Galippo's first season as the full-time starter and he is not playing at 100% with a couple of nagging injuries. Yes, he has not anyone to back him up like Rey had so it should be a surprise to anyone if he is a little bit spent.

Galippo has played almost every snap this season, but no, fatigue can't excuse everything.

While others among the Trojans' struggling front seven have been sidelined because of injuries or sat out plays because of rotations at their positions, Galippo has been on the field for nearly every meaningful snap this season.

That, of course, includes recent blowout losses against Oregon and Stanford, games in which the Trojans gave up a combined 716 rushing yards and 102 points.

So Galippo, a third-year sophomore and first-year starter, has been a focal point for scrutiny in the wake of Stanford's 55-21 rout at the Coliseum.

"The last thing I want to do is make up an excuse," he said. "You've just got to take it and treat it as a learning experience."

As noted above, Galippo is in a tough spot. But he has missed some plays he missed out there...there were plays where he has been out of position or where he overran some plays. Galippo still has some size issues he is a little on the average size but he has speed. Because he was Rey's back-up it should surprise no one that he didn't see a lot playing time last season, thus affecting his seasoning at the position. Next year I expect to see a big improvement in his level of play.

With all the talent SC lost on defense it really is hard to expect the players to play at the level we have been used to seeing. All four of USC's LB's that are in the NFL have had significant impact on the they teams they now play for. USC cannot be expected to replace that sort of production overnight.

I found this interesting...

More questions about the defense will await.

A main one: How could a unit that looked so good in the first half of the season play so poorly in the second?

Poor tackling has been an obvious issue, but inexperience, coaching decisions, injuries and a schedule that included six of the first nine games on the road also have taken a toll.

Former linebackers Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing and Kaluka Maiava, all NFL rookies, are among those who have called or texted Galippo.

"They're wondering what's up with us and stuff like that," said Galippo, who is second on the team with 60 tackles. "I think they know that we're young and know that we have lessons to learn. And somehow we've got to learn them -- whether that's someone telling you or whether you've got to find out for yourself."

How quickly Rey and Cush forget...I don't think anyone will forget how tough they had it in Rose Bowl against Texas. I can see why it is a distant memory to them.

It just takes time...

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.

Closing the book on Oregon St.

Paragon SC — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:00:35 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

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Well, since Matt and Reggie left I never thought I would see the day where the offense would have to bail the defense out at USC.

Oh yeah, the defense definitely did their thing early on but I can't remember seeing a Pete Carroll defense get carved up by an opposing tight end like we saw Saturday. USC was so intent on stopping 'Quizz Rodgers that they totally forgot about OSU TE Joe Halahuni.

Halahuni had nine catches for 127 yards. I was stunned at how often he was open. Pete Carroll fell right into Mike Riley's trap and it could have had a terrible effect if it wasn't for Matt Barkely and the offense doing what they needed to do to keep OSU at arms length.

I don't think anyone was expecting to see the game we saw on Saturday.

On Saturday against Oregon State, USC for the first time found itself in a shootout at home.

With the help of tailback Allen Bradford and another big punt return from Damian Williams, the fourth-ranked Trojans outlasted Oregon State, 42-36, in front of 89,718 at the Coliseum.

"This was a different game than we hoped to have," USC Coach Pete Carroll said. "We were scrambling trying to slow them down."

The victory improved USC to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference and kept the Trojans on track for a possible berth in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

But on a warm night, playing at home for the first time in four weeks, the Trojans got all they could handle from an Oregon State team determined to show that last season's upset of the then-No. 1 Trojans was no fluke.

I really did not know what defense I was watching on Saturday but the offense seems to have finally found its stride and they are going to need to be hitting on ALL cylinders next week when they travel up to Eugene to play the Ducks. The defense looked lost out there because they were so focused on stopping the run and OSU put the pressure on the secondary by spreading them out when SC committed to stopping the run. That left Halahuni open to run wild underneath. I was surprised that OSU did not use their motion blocking more like the did last year. James Rodgers had one play where he broke through for a big gain. SC still has fit s with that and because 'Quizz was not in the game for most of the second quarter OSU had to adjust their game...

It could have been really ugly.

Barkley did not have his best game even with the nice throws to Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson. Barkley even described his game as mediocre.I would agree with that assessment. Yes, Barkley threw for two TD's and rushed for another but his 2 INT's kept the Beavers hanging around...

Barkley passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another in the first half. However, he finished with two interceptions. And another interception was nullified by a penalty on Oregon State for a late hit on Barkley.

"I didn't think he was as sharp as he’s been," Coach Pete Carroll said. "We went after these guys pretty good. He was called on a lot to throw downfield. ... He just had a couple miscalculations."

I realize it isn't always going to be perfect this year, so as long as he progresses in his overall performance and as long as we win I am fine with a stinker here or there.

SC had a hard time putting these guys away...and they will be tough to beat next year in Corvallis.

The Trojans took a 19-point lead after Williams returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, but that didn’t keep Oregon State from clawing back into the game.

"We couldn’t separate," Carroll said. "We had so much momentum on offense, and then there was the punt return, but we just couldn’t stop them. It just made for a frustrating night. We couldn’t get them off the field."

Oregon State scored two consecutive touchdowns to make the game a one-score possession before Barkley and the offense ran out the clock.

"I’m very proud of our team for their effort," Oregon State head coach Mike Riley said. "Nobody blinked. A lot of times, it looked like when USC scored, it would be hard to get back into the game, but we always kept trying…

"USC is very impressive."

Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rodgers rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass despite an ankle injury, and his brother, James Rodgers, gained 194 all-purpose yards and scored on a seven-yard pass. Beaver quarterback Sean Canfield completed 30-of-43 passes for 329 yards and three scores in the losing effort.

More than a few think that there are a lot more questions on defense than there are on offense.

We're usually convinced by now.

Shoot, we're usually convinced before the first hamstring of spring ball is stretched.

But here it is, Halloween week, and we're still trying to figure out just how good USC's football team is this season.

Good enough to go 6-1 with road victories over a ranked Ohio State and a ranked Notre Dame? To be sure.

Good enough to get strangely pushed around by Notre Dame late and Oregon State throughout? To be sure.

I was definitely having a Maalox Moment towards the end of the game.

One of the keys to Saurday's win was Allen Bradford.

Two years ago the rumors were flying under the radar that Allen Bradford was going to transfer form USC. I got a tip that his lack of playing time was was frustrating his family and that there was some pressure for him to transfer. I had a story all ready to go...but he never pulled the trigger.

I have in the past questioned why we heard all the great things he was doing in camp and in practice but never making it on the field.

Then there was his hip surgery that shut down his season last year. I was skeptical about whether or not he would be effective after this surgery but he kept on working and Saturday it paid off.

For months, for years, Bradford, frustrated with his lack of playing time in USC's tailback by committee rotation, openly talked of quitting, and leaving USC. And for months, for years, the voices talked Bradford out of running away.

Saturday evening, Bradford looked into the eyes of a fallen teammate and was finally given wings. Stafon Johnson didn't say a word, couldn't say a word. He didn't have to.

"I went to go see him I almost cried, I almost teared up because of just the energy that he brings," Bradford said of the pregame appearance of Johnson, recovering from emergency throat surgery last month after a weight-lifting accident. "We all got love for him and when he was in there I just felt like I'm going to run hard for him."

If there was ever a definition of the Trojan Family this is it...

Many of us have wanted to see Bradford get a fair shake and on Saturday we got our wish with his break out game.

I do not know what the future holds for Bradford but no one can deny that we are all happy to finally see Bradford get the touches.

The other person who came back to life was Ronald Johnson...

Johnson, a junior who suffered a broken collarbone during training camp, made a diving catch for a touchdown in the Trojans' 42-36 Pacific 10 Conference victory over Oregon State on Saturday night at the Coliseum.

Johnson missed the first five games of the season before returning last week against Notre Dame.

He had one catch against the Fighting Irish on a pass that tipped off the hands of fellow receiver Damian Williams, but otherwise struggled to play at his regular game speed.

Last Tuesday, Johnson remained sore and said he was still struggling to regain his pre-injury form.

But on Saturday night, Johnson looked like he was at full strength early in the second quarter when he dived to grab a Matt Barkley pass for a 22-yard touchdown and 14-6 lead.

He's Baaaaaack!

One final note...the Pac-10 suspended one official for missing the the face-mask call on Taylor Mays' hit on James Rodgers in the end zone when he scored in the 4th quarter.

The Pac-10 Conference has suspended an official for one game for missing a facemask call on Taylor Mays during the USC-Oregon State game on Saturday.

Mays ripped off James Rodgers‘ helment in the end zone, but no call was made. The Pac-10 did not name the official who’s being suspended, but Commissioner Larry Scott did issue this statement:

"Our members expect a high level of officiating in all our sports, and the conference office shares that expectation. We have taken this action in light of the blatant and dangerous nature of the missed call. We have full confidence in our highly trained and qualified staff of football officials, but they, like the coaches and players, are accountable and must meet the high expectations placed upon them."

What about the non-calls in the ND game?

Up next...Oregon!

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.

University of Southern California Trojans at University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish: The Preview

CW — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:00:42 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

2 months ago: In this photo made Oct. 3, 2009, Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen, left, celebrates a touchdown against Washington during an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind. Clausen isn't the same quarterback who walked out of the Los Angeles Coliseum seven games ago following USC's 38-3 win over Notre Dame that he describes as the toughest loss of his life. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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This game needs little introduction. It is perhaps the greatest rivalry in college sports, with no conference affiliation or in-state feud to sustain it, just a quest for continued excellence and national titles on both sides. The fact the rivalry has lost some of its luster in recent years also needs little explanation as, save for one fantastic game in 2005, the Irish have been little more than a speed bump for the Trojans as they roll to top five finish after top five finish. If Charlie Weis and Jimmy Clausen want their Notre Dame careers to take the next step, they need to win this game. Considering how the last few games have gone (the Irish haven't scored a touchdown in two years during two rather humiliating contests), there is some work to do.

Irish Defense vs. Trojan Offense

Clausen vs. Pete Carroll's defense gets all the headlines, so let's start on the other side, with Matt Barkley squaring off against Jon Tenuta's defense. Barkley beat out Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain to become starting quarterback out of camp and is undefeated in that role, but the offense revolves around a meat grinder of a running game, with five monsters blowing giant holes in the defense for a variety of tailbacks. With Stafon Johnson still recovering from that awful throat injury, all-world recruit Joe McKnight is the featured back, a dazzling player more than capable of catching the ball out of the backfield. McKnight is the consummate home run hitter, and helping to clear the way is one of the bigger x-factors in the game, Stanley Havili. There are few fullbacks in the country that are capable of taking out a middle linebacker on one play and splitting out to wide receiver and catching a fifty-one yard fly route on another like Havili did against Cal. Allen Bradford will spell McKnight, and depending on CJ Gable's health, you may see him or Marc Tyler get a few touches over the course of the afternoon. With Anthony McCoy a capable blocker and pass-catcher at tight end, the Irish will have to be wary of the passing game even when Southern Cal goes to a power running formation.

The aptitude of the Trojan running game raises an interesting question: Do you sell out to stop the run, loading up the box and sending in a variety of run blitzes, or do you respect Barkley's arm? Notre Dame Stadium was as loud as any venue in the world in 2005, but I'm not sure how rattled Barkley will be after leading a fourth quarter comeback in the Horseshoe. He hasn't been asked to do a whole lot, but he's been absurdly competent and has the arm to make any throw the Trojans ask of him. If the Irish front seven can't at least put a dent in the Trojan rushing attack, then there isn't much of a chance of slowing this offense. If there are eight or nine in the box, Barkley is going to play action and find Williams, or the returning Ronald Johnson, or McKnight, or Havili, or one of the talented tight ends. I wish it were more complicated than that, but I don't think Barkley is going to lose this game for the Trojans if the Irish drop it into his lap. Perhaps that's a strategy you have to try, but I don't think it will end well.

If the Irish can limit big plays - a tall task against an offense like USC possesses - there's a chance the Trojans shoot themselves in the foot trying to string together long drives. They have been awful on third downs, not particularly disciplined when it comes to penalties and have a penchant for putting the ball on the ground (which is one reason Washington pulled off the upset, along with Barkley and Taylor Mays missing the game).

This Irish defense has had issues, yes - that's perhaps the understatement of the season - but there have been flashing moments of brilliance. A good Purdue offense was held scoreless for nearly three quarters. Washington's offense only mustered three first half points after their opening drive. There have been massive breakdowns at horrible times, yes, but this team has the potential - the coaching, the recruits, the motivation, the home crowd - to stop the Trojans. It will take everyone playing at their peak, but the Trojans have been slowed before, and this Irish defense has stood up to some talented offenses when need be. If they don't wrap up the speed merchants who are going to be getting the ball most of the game, be prepared for another game like 2008, or 2007, or 2003, or 2004...

Irish Offense vs. Trojan Defense

When it's strength versus strength - Weis' offense versus Carroll's defense- something will have to give. As I wrote about earlier in the week, neither team has played a unit anywhere near the caliber of the one they'll be facing off against tomorrow. A lot of Irish fans seem to want to establish the run first, but lining up in the I-formation and pounding the Trojans might resemble a suicide mission. Their defensive line is deep and talented, and their linebackers can cover ground on anything going outside. When the Irish run, it seems like a fine idea to keep the Trojans spread out with three or four wide and use the strength of the Notre Dame offensive line - Robinson, Olsen and Stewart - to pop some draws up the middle. If the Trojan front isn't as formidable as it seems (and it seems awfully damn formidable), then adjust and take a few more cracks at them. However, I have no desire to start the game with an I-formation and a two yard loss just so some fans get their fullback fix. (That being said, welcome back, James Aldridge. We need all hands on deck for this.)

Jimmy Clausen is the best player on the team, and while the Irish need balance, they're also going to need a Herculean effort from their QB1. We can pine about how this game would be different with Michael Floyd, but he's a few weeks from returning and Clausen will just have to make do with the tremendous talent remaining at the skill positions. Golden Tate will draw a lot of attention from the Trojan defense, but Weis has been playing a shell game with him since Floyd's injury, and I don't see him suddenly making it easy to bracket his main playmaker. Kyle Rudolph will face some athletes who are more than capable of matching up with him, but he's already shown he can come through when it matters. My primary concern is the continued lack of a definite answer at the second wide receiver position. Whether it's a consistent rotation or one standout performer, someone is going to need to give Clausen somewhere to go when Mays is blanketing Rudolph and a double team has latched onto Golden.

The Trojan pass rush is among the best in the nation, and if Paul Duncan and Sam Young don't seal the edges to protect their quarterback, this offense is going to look like it did in the lights of the Coliseum last year. If I were Weis, I would lean on the no-huddle spread. Not a hurry-up, but simply getting to the line in an effort to limit USC's substitutions, which will in turn limit the effectiveness of that tremendous defensive line depth. Quick drops, quick reads and keep them guessing. Toss in some pro formation and wildcat to keep things interesting, but the Weis offense has always been at its best when it's spread out, in a rhythm and keeping the defense off balance. This will obviously be impossible if there are a flurry of false start and illegal motion penalties, so it would be nice if those were at a minimum.

The Trojan defense hasn't given up a passing touchdown all season and Mays gives the cornerbacks an ability to press up and take chances, but if Clausen can't effectively move the ball through air, the Irish have little chance. He'll need some help from his running backs, but the biggest match-up on the field is how Clausen deals with the pressure, reads Carroll's coverage and finds the correct option. He was 11 for 22 for 41 yards and two interceptions last year, but that Jimmy is long gone. The 2009 Jimmy Clausen is up for this challenge, and I think he'll respond well to it.

Inane ramblings and a vague prediction

Over the past five years, I think I've been respectful of - perhaps even deferential to - the Trojans. They've been the class of college football in the 21st century, continually finishing at the top of the polls and one amazing Vince Young performance away from seven straight Orange/Rose Bowl wins, with victories in Lincoln, Columbus, Auburn, South Bend, Fayetteville, Charlottesville and Landover (against Virginia Tech) thrown in just for fun. I almost never feel good about an Irish game going into it, and especially not against the Trojans, but I find myself oddly at peace about this clash. (There's a very good chance that I've just accepted the fact that if Notre Dame loses this game, the majority of Irish literature I read daily on the internet will become unbearable. As you read on, do not discount this fact that I'm just looking at this whole thing through shamrock-colored glasses because I've experienced the alternative and it's too unbearable to contemplate.)

As I've stated all week, these men of Troy do not jump off the screen at you like some of their past versions. They are obviously dripping with talent, but it's raw, and it's beatable. Washington already knocked them off. Ohio State was very close. The rest of their opponents were either tin cans or a Cal team that was still trying to get its torso back in order after Oregon had ripped its heart out the week prior. People are correct to say this is a giant test for the Irish, but they're downplaying what it means to the Trojans. It won't have any effect on their Rose Bowl chances - the trip to Autzen on Halloween will most likely decide that - but as far as national championships go, there are no more toe stubbings available for the men of Troy.

Of course, Notre Dame and Charlie Weis have considerably more to prove, as there are still plenty of questions after dodging raindrops to a 4-1 open to the season. The Irish lost to the only team with a winning record they've played, and barely survived against a slate of mid-tier Big and Pac Ten teams. But every game, they show off something new that gives fans a little bit of hope. Against Michigan, it was finding two key touchdowns and a necessary pick to rally from an eleven point fourth quarter deficit. Against Michigan State, it was recovering from the loss of their best weapon on offense and another fourth quarter hole in front of a home crowd that was more anxious than supportive. The next week it was domination that slipped away due to a couple poor defensive possessions, but Clausen-to-Rudolph fixed everything. Then there was goal line stand after goal line stand against Washington, the reemergence of Robert Hughes, the ridiculous production of Golden Tate, and again, Clausen-to-Rudolph.

Everyone wanted this team to just be great from the word go in September, but teams usually can't just flick a switch. You have to learn greatness, and more importantly, earn it. This squad bottomed out in November of 2008, with the losses to Pitt, Boston College, Syracuse and Southern Cal. Perhaps it was in Hawaii, or the practices in the cold of the South Bend winter before, that made them look like a completely different team as they mauled the Rainbow Warriors. It's a look in the eye that hasn't faded since. They kicked the crap out of Nevada, punched Michigan in the mouth repeatedly with Armando Allen, then showed tremendous guts in three straight games where lesser teams would have just said "You know what? We're losing. We'll put it together and go get them next week." The offense is a well-oiled machine, led by the best passer in the country who has a support system that has him in ideal conditions to earn that rating. The defense has the horses to slow up Troy, and for the first time in a few years, there's a placekicker that inspires confidence when he walks onto the field

Then you have the intangibles, and the mounting frustration of being on the wrong side of a beat down every season. There's a west coast quarterback who could have followed in the path of two recent Heisman winners in his own backyard but didn't, and has gotten his ass handed to him the last two years for that decision. There's a freshman receiver playing against his hometown school who wants to show them that he also made the right choice, and a freshman linebacker who'd love nothing more than the same thing. No matter how long these guys have been on this team - three months or going on five years - they've never beaten USC. Most of them have never even been close, and for the few fifth year seniors who started to storm the field like the rest of us in 2005, they have to have a burning desire to just take back control of this series and get the respect they want.

Since the dazzling 2005 offense moved on, games like the Rose Bowl against Penn State where the Trojans storm out to a giant lead are the exception, not the rule. The way USC wins is by slowly grinding you, continually throwing haymakers on both sides of the ball until you just break down and end up on the other side of a three touchdown loss. Normally it's a touchdown here and a field goal there and next thing you know some freak tailback is taking a wheel route seventy yards for a score and you immediately realize there's no way your favorite is coming back. They have the swagger and the confidence that no matter what the situation is, they'll make a play and win because hey, they're USC. For the first time in a long while, Notre Dame has a little bit of that same confidence. It's not a confidence where they can slip n' slide on the sideline four days before a giant rivalry game, but it's growing. There is no doubt that the Irish have to play great to win, and they will need some breaks and a little bit of luck along the way. But - and this is a little different from the past few seasons - they have shown over the last six games that greatness is attainable. Maybe it's not there consistently yet, but the flickers are there.

If USC has any lapses, like trailing 3-0 against San Jose State after the first fifteen minutes, Notre Dame will have points on the board. They have to have points on the board after the first quarter. They need touchdowns, not field goals, and need to continue the trend of doing a relatively good job of protecting both the ball and their quarterback. The numbers tell you the USC defense is good, and I don't doubt that it can consistently deal out some pain, but they have not had to deal with a quarterback like Clausen yet. (Locker is good, but he's still learning Sarkisian's system and hiccups were inevitable, like at Stanford. Pryor is still a mess and Riley looked like a deer in the headlights from his initial drive-ending pick on.) If the Trojans can't slow down the Irish, then the pressure goes onto Barkley. He's been calm, cool and collected up until this point, but he's also been either been out in front or in low-scoring slugfests in his other four starts. How will he respond to a shootout, on the road, in front of a crowd that's ready to burst with another chance like 2005? (Probably pretty well, but it's a potential factor that could lean towards the Irish.)

I loathe making predictions and have no idea how things will go Saturday, but all I can say, for really the first time this season and for the first time in years against Southern Cal, is that I like our chances. I will most likely end up eating these words come darkness tomorrow, but for now, I am at peace. Backs are against the wall, echoes are awakened and there are seven years of pent-up frustration that need to be released at some point.

October 17th around 3:30pm seems like as good as time as any to begin.

Go Irish, Beat Trojans.

Raking The Muck: USC vs. Notre Dame Anticipation-Is-Killing-Me Version

CW — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:09:47 -0000

First, you'd think that the Southern Cal players would be a little tense about Saturday's game. Maybe? Just a little? Uh, Nope.

(I love how PeteCarrollTV goes to bars before the video ends. Dammit. Just dammit.)

For the Irish to win Saturday, they're going to have to put some pressure on Matt Barkley, both with large men chasing him and by putting points up on the board. Everything you'll watch and read about Barkley leads you to believe he's not easily rattled. The Tribune and the LA Times weigh in.

ESPN is giving the game wall-to-wall coverage, anchored by this Ivan Maisel piece. If you have Insider, check out the Scouts, Inc. preview. (Also, ESPN, do we need to automatically start videos on every page? What a great idea.)

From the South Bend Tribune, a fun little A to Z on the series (did anyone clear it with Orson?). I barely made it past A, but it's solid.

While the Irish are getting some players back from injury, the Trojans are maximizing the bye week as well. Ronald Johnson will make his season debut for the wide receiving corps, while Armond Armstead will be entering the already terrifying defensive line rotation after missing the first five games with a broken bone in his foot.

Stafon Johnson won't be playing on Saturday - although he is out of the hospital now - but that doesn't mean he won't be on the minds (and helmets) of his teammates:

USC News and Notes 10/7

Paragon SC — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:00:37 -0000

I will be out today and tomorrow traveling on business so posting will probably be light so here is some news, notes and links from the past day or so...

Help is on the way...RoJo and Mondo should be back for the ND Game and that will be big deal on offense as we get a deep threat.

Injured USC wide out Ronald Johnson and defensive end Armond Armstead will return to practice Tuesday afternoon and Trojan coach Pete Carroll is hopeful both will be able to play at Notre Dame October 17.

"We’re thinking that way," Carroll said Tuesday morning. "But we’re kind of wishful thinking around here."

Johnson, perhaps the Trojans’ top deep threat, suffered a broken collarbone in practice in late August. Johnson had 33 receptions for 570 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Those are some big numbers that the offense needs this season.

- - -

Scott Wolf offers his take on Saturday's win.

This was easily the least interesting matchup in the Carroll-Jeff Tedford rivalry. And it reinforced the idea that while the series is usually entertaining, it is also lopsided. Carroll is now 7-1 against Tedford, and it's been six years since the Bears' highly discussed 34-31 triple overtime victory.

"We were zero dimensional today, because we couldn't run it and we couldn't throw it," Tedford said. "They are that much better than us if we don't execute and we don't throw and catch the football."
USC (4-1, 2-1) should have won by an even bigger margin, but the offense settled for three field goals because of errant Matt Barkley passes near the end zone. But as the Trojans' offense slowly progresses each week, it allows USC to improve because the defense is consistently shutting down the opposition.

"We love the guys (on defense last year) that left, but the guys that are here are playing great," Carroll said. "We are very solid right now."

He is right...for all of the hype early in the season about Cal this game was a stinker. I am sure that some will say the same thing about SC's loss to UW but SC has more than proven their worth nationally...Cal? Not so much.

- - -

Here is Pat Haden on the Dan Patrick show...

PH on DP

This is a good interview from the USC great!

- - -

Interesting take...Pete Carroll offers his thoughts on Taylor Mays running down Jahvid Best

What struck me most about Carroll’s comments: He wanted Cal to get the ball to Best in a situation like that. Seriously. Call it professional curiosity.

"I don’t think there’s anybody (else) that could have made that play against Jahvid," Carroll said. "I was hoping they were going to pitch it and call it, just to see what would happen. It was really a cool play to see. And when they did it was a race – it was as classic a mano a mano situation as you could get."

No question we will miss him when he heads up to the NFL.

Also...

- - -

Taylor Mays picks up some more accolades

From Ted Miller's blog...

USC safety Taylor Mays was named the Lott Trophy IMPACT Player of the Week as well as Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week.

Good time to pause for a moment and appreciate Mays, who led the Trojans with 10 tackles and an interception in their 30-3 drubbing of California.

But first a quiz.

How many touchdown passes has USC allowed this year?

Answer: Zero.

[...]

It's going to be a lot of fun to watch Mays against Notre Dame and quarterback Jimmy Clausen on Oct. 17. With 12 touchdowns, two interceptions and a 68 percent completion percentage, Clausen leads the nation in passing efficiency, while Mays and the Trojans rank third in pass efficiency defense.

But back to Mays against Cal. The play that stuck out to me was not his interception in the endzone.

It was when he chased down Jahvid Best, one of the fastest players in college football, on a third-and-short play in the second quarter.

It wasn't just the speed, though. It was Mays' recognition and reaction. You get the feeling that when Best looked up and threw an abortive stiff-arm he was thinking, "What the heck are you doing here?"

Man, if we had Mays against UW we win that game no question!

- - -

Buster Sports ranks the Pac-10 coaches.

This is an interesting take...

7. Rick Neuheisel, UCLA (Previous 3) The Bruins are taking on the persona Neuheisel had at Washington during the early years, which is, never count them out. What’s missing, though, is Marques Tuiasosopo at quarterback. Stock: neutral.

I still think it is early yet but the play calling was a bit peculiar against Stanford, the defense did not look prepared and the penalties sure didn't show a very disciplined team. The question is how will they look when he has all his players after Norm Chow is gone?

- - -

Check out the video of Clay Matthews last night against Minnesota

Clay rips the ball out!

- - -

I hope to have something tomorrow but I am not counting on it...If not I will back at it on Friday!

The Obligatory Predictions Competition - Week 5

Law Buckeye — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:32:57 -0000

Did you score less points than a Big Ten offense in Week 4? Are you ready to put up Nintendo numbers? Here's your chance.

1. No. 22 MICHIGAN at MICHIGAN STATE, 12:00 p.m. EST (10/3), Big Ten Network

GRAHAMFILLER10 predicts MICHIGAN by 10

4-0 versus 1-3 never looked this evenly linked, with Vegas putting this as a pick 'em line. Everyone's confidence was shaken last week as Michigan's golden boy, Tate Forcier, sustained a shoulder injury and the Michigan defense continued to give up points and yards at will. So the question remains - Will this be the week that a Wolverine opponent hangs 50 on the injury prone and harried Michigan D?

I see two keys to this game. Key One. Michigan QB's need to learn to release the ball before they get hurried and take big hits. The instant Robinson and Forcier learn this, the team improves. Key Two. Michigan would do well to take a page from Wisconsin's defensive playbook of last week. The Badgers stacked the line and dropped into a zone coverage that stopped eight yard dump offs and forced Cousins and Nichols to throw into traffic. While the Spartans made some big plays, the QB's also threw three picks.

The magic continues for the Maize and Blue.

LAW BUCKEYE predicts MICHIGAN STATE by 7

Michigan somehow managed to make it through the entire month of September without leaving Ann Arbor. That will change quickly as famous Freshman quarterback Tate Forcier leaves the friendly bubble of the Big House and enters hostile Spartan Stadium. The good news for the Wolverines? Forcier is battle tested and good as advertised. The young leader has already thrown 2 late fourth quarter touchdowns to carry Michigan past Notre Dame and Indiana. The health of Forcier's shoulder, and its impact on the passing game, will determine whether Michigan can prey on a Spartan secondary that ranks 10th in conference. The bad news for the Wolverines? Their defense showed its vulnerability against Indiana last week, giving up 33 points to the Hoosiers at home -- and that's not counting IU's missed opportunities. I think the shaky Spartans steal their second in a row from Big Brother, if they can take care of the football and avoid the interception bug that plagued them against Wisconsin.

2. WISCONSIN at MINNESOTA, 12:00 p.m. EST (10/3), ESPN 360

GRAHAMFILLER10 predicts WISCONSIN by 10

A close enough line to be a pick 'em, I continue my streak of picking against Minnesota. I don't really think they turned a corner against Northwestern in the run game, I think EVERYONE turns the corner against that Wildcat defense. Wisky has a consistent offensive scheme that hasn't been slowed by anyone and a quarterback who all of a sudden has weapons, yes folks, fully developed weapons in the Badger passing game!

LAW BUCKEYE predicts WISCONSIN by 10

It's tough to pick against Minnesota. They've faced a more difficult schedule than the Badgers. They've won convincingly in conference on the road. They're also playing in their newly christened stadium, a place where they're undeniably resilient. It goes against my better judgment, but the truth is I like what I'm seeing in Madison, specifically what I'm seeing in Scott Tolzien. He's played three games without throwing an interception. He sliced and diced the Spartan secondary last week for 243 yards. Sure, Michigan State is 10th in conference in passing defense and Minnesota is 5th. But the Golden Gophers are 9th against the run, and it just so happens Wisky can run the ball (2nd in the Big Ten).

3. NORTHWESTERN at PURDUE, 12:00 p.m. EST (10/3), Big Ten Network

GRAHAMFILLER10 predicts NORTHWESTERN by 3

Vegas made Purdue a touchdown favorite early, obviously citing the horrendous Northwestern defense as a reason. No pressure on the QB, no tackling, and weak secondary play has made the Wildcat D the most disappointing unit in the Big Ten. Can they improve against a healthy Purdue offense that has been better than everyone thought?

I see another Kafka-esque game from the Big Ten leader in passing yards. 27-35, 330 yards, two touchdowns, and probably one inopportune pick. It'll be enoough against a Purdue defense has been picked apart by NIU, Akron, Oregon (late in the game), and a Wildcat option of Notre Dame's when Clausen went down.

LAW BUCKEYE predicts PURDUE by 7

In every category but one Purdue has grossly exceeded expectations. They came within 1:01 of besting Oregon at Autzen Stadium, losing by just 2 points. You might remember a Top 10 team that just was disemboweled there last weekend. They came within 24.8 seconds of handing Notre Dame its second loss. You might have heard, that's a BCS bowl favorite. The bottom line is Purdue is 12 points away from being 4-0. It's high time they pull one out. Northwestern's defense has left something to be desired. This week, Hope prevails in West Lafayette. Boiler up!

3. No. 8 OKLAHOMA at No. 17 MIAMI, 8:00 p.m. EST (10/3), ABC

GRAHAMFILLER10 predicts MIAMI by 7

Sam Bradford is my difference maker here. If he stays out, the Sooners stand a better chance of winning. Yup, that's right. Mr. Heisman needs to take a slow recovery, allow Landry Jones's Mustache to run the show for a couple more weeks, and then spring into action during Big 12 play. We all saw what a good defense and a bad quarterback could do against Miami. Does Bob Stoops really want to push a fragile Bradford out there with the green O-Line that caused the injury in the first place with it's missed block? Vegas likes Ohhhhklahoma by a touchdown here, but everyone is betting under that spread because it's a road game and the Hurricanes have some playmakers on a much improved offense. I'm taking the Canes at home and praying those vicious crossing routes and screens they ran so effectively against FSU and GT go all night against Oklahoma.

By the way, I was commenting earlier on the names of these Southern quarterbacks. Case? Colt? Landry? What in the world? I guess this is how you name kids down in Texas and them parts - Take a look at whatever you're drinkin' or whatever is in your backyard...And name your kid after it. "Bill, we're knocking down some Colt 45's tonight HEY THERE'S A NAME FOR LIL PRECIOUS!"

LAW BUCKEYE predicts OKLAHOMA by 14

Sure, it's possible that Miami just didn't show up last week in Blacksburg. More likely, they're a young team that's still a year ahead of schedule. I didn't see anything in the Hurricane pash rush last week that makes me think they can punish a dangerously inexperienced Sooner offensive line. Bradford will play and Shannon will pay.

4. No. 7 USC at No. 24 CALIFORNIA, 8:00 p.m. EST (10/3), ABC

GRAHAMFILLER10 predicts CALIFORNIA by 7

Vegas loves USC by a touch early, but the rash of injuries put this game in doubt. I hate picking USC to win because I dislike jumping on the bandwagons of bad offenses. Stefon Johnson, Ronald Johnson, the 13 people who left for the NFL Draft last year...This isn't 2002-2008 USC. I know the Oregon evisceration threw a monkey wrench into people's perceptions, but Cal has a functioning offense on which I will stake my fortune for this night only. Please God Hating USC, continue your work!

LAW BUCKEYE predicts USC by 10

I'll admit. It's not often that Los Angeles boos its Trojans. And Pete Carroll hasn't exactly proven that his offense deserves respect. But the upsetting loss of Stephon Johnson will fuel the fire in these young warriors. Could Cal bounce back? Sure, they have talent in spades. But since the 2004 season I haven't seen Tedford prove he can muster a four quarter effort against premiere competition. And let's face it, no one is afraid of playing in a place named after a fruit. Strawberry Canyon shows it has more faults than the Michigan State Spartans. Fight On!

Closing the Book on San Jose St.

Paragon SC — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:01:29 -0000

by Lori Shepler - AP

3 months ago: Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley (7) hands off to running back Stafon Johnson (13) who runs it in for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against San Jose State in Los Angeles, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Lori Shepler)

View full size photo »

There were a lot of great story lines yesterday.

I would not say that all of our questions were answered but we saw some things that calmed our nerves. I think that USC was probably a little more jittery early on. SJSU really had nothing to lose as they have played in front of raucous crowds before so they just went out and did their thing. US on the other hand had some questions to answer and with the decision to start a true freshman quarterback it left a lot of fans and pundits unsure if that was the right move.

As I noted in yesterdays post game thread SC had to get settled in and get their sea legs. The offense was without Kris O'Dowd and Ronald Johnson. The O line pretty much kept Barkley protected most of the day. I saw atleast one sack and few pressure situation but they did a great job in keeping his uniform clean. The running game looked solid though McKnight's fumble pissed a lot of us off. McKnight came back later in the game and had some great runs, one of which went for a 54-yard touchdown run. Williams and Ausberry had a decent day though it was clear that there were not going to be many throws coming their way that were in the air-it-out type of mode.

The defense looked solid once they adjusted to the end around that San Jose St. looked to employ numerous times early in the game. The Spartans got some pretty good yardage of that play early but SC adjusted and bottled that play up. The Linebackers lived up to their billing and they are ready to step up and make their mark...

Don't think there wasn't pressure elsewhere on the field for USC, and it fell on linebackers not named Maualuga, Cushing or Maiava.

"I haven't been nervous for a game like this for a long, long time," Chris Galippo said. "Before the game, we were all just talking about how nervous we were."

Galippo is now the man in the middle, roaming the field where Rey Maualuga once crushed opponents.

Alongside him are Mike Morgan and Malcolm Smith, who must live up to the reputations built in past seasons by Brian Cushing and Kaluka Maiava.

In USC's 56-3 season-opening victory against San Jose State on Saturday at the Coliseum, apprehension made a pretty quick getaway. Galippo forced a fumble USC recovered on San Jose State's second possession, and one drive later, Galippo and Morgan combined on a sack to effectively end that march.
By the time the carnage was over, Galippo had a team-leading nine tackles and three tackles for loss, Smith had six tackles and broke up a pass, and Morgan had three tackles, including one for a loss.

It is going to be tough to fill the shoes of Maualuga, Cushing and Maiava but if there any group ready to step up it is this group of line backers. I think this group is actually faster than the last group and they are pretty much the gate keepers. Their pressure behind the D line will take a lot of pressure off the secondary, not that they really need any help. Another Linebacker that made a big impression was Jarvis Jones. This kid is the real deal and he is going to challenge for some playing time.

Linebacker Jarvis Jones finished with five tackles, including one for a loss, in his first game at strongside linebacker.

"Jarvis Jones showed up and was great for us today," USC coach Pete Carroll said.

Jones said he felt comfortable from the outset, although he was initially surprised the Trojans were losing 3-0after the first quarter.

"But I knew we'd come back eventually," Jones said.

Jones, who is from Columbus, Ga., said he was not sure what to expect from his first game in front of a large Coliseum crowd. Many fans expected him to go to Florida, because he grew up a Gators fan.

I think SC will be fine at Linebacker...Not getting Burfict or Te'o, along with the medical loss of Telfort, really hurt but I think SC is in a really solid spot at Linebacker. This crew will really make some plays.

- - -

So lets talk about Barkley...

I think pretty much everyone is happy with his performance. He kept his composure he never looked rattled and he really didn't make a mistake thought at times it appeared that he wasn't seeing the field with some of the throws he was making. The only real criticism I had was that when the game was put away the coaching staff really never let him loose. He needed to air it out a few times to get a feel for what opposing defenses can do especially when SC heads to Columbus next week to take on a Buckeye team that will be looking to make some amends for last year AND yesterday.

Never the less the coaching staff was absolutely pleased with his performance...

Pete Carroll was right about Matt Barkley after all. The kid is unflappable.

Barkley probably won't lead USC to the national championship this season, but it's obvious he's not frazzled by anything.

The first collegiate game for the first true freshman at USC, and the kid barely registered a pulse.

Really.

The only nerves Barkley felt came during the Trojan Walk, in which players stroll through a walkway of fans leading to the Coliseum.

Barkley was so focused that he didn't notice his walk onto the field for his first offensive possession was accompanied by a standing ovation.

Carroll didn't exactly say he told us so, but he sure tried. The script on Barkley already has been written. Barkley just has to fill in the blanks.

Well, I think he had a decent game yesterday but I won't celebrate for a while..at least not until we get through the meat of the schedule. SJSU was a nice appetizer but lets concentrate on the steak and not the peas next weeks game in Columbus will give us some more infor on Barkley but it will it will be on the road against Cal and Oregon and at home against UW before I can make a solid opinion on the kid.

Barkley had a terrific supporting cast yesterday and that went along way to making his first start a little easier. There wasn't a running back on the sideline that didn't contribute and with the staff calling a very conservative gane plan it was hard for Barkley to mess this one up.

The Trojans' ground game made Barkley's introduction to college football a whole lot easier by covering 342 yards -- 7.6 yards per carry -- and scoring six touchdowns in a 56-3 victory over San Jose State at the Coliseum.

Joe McKnight led the way, bouncing back from an early fumble to gain a career-best 145 yards and score twice. But he was only part of the story on a day when Johnson, Allen Bradford and Marc Tyler made big plays against an overmatched opponent. "That's why SC's so good," San Jose State defensive end Carl Ihenacho said. "They have a bunch of backs and they all do something different."

The Trojans needed the running game to hit on all cylinders after getting off to a sluggish start, trailing the underdog Spartans, 3-0, after a quarter.

I have become so used to SC starting off a little sluggish over the past few years that I pretty much brace myself for some sloppy play play early on. We definitely saw that yesterday with two fumbles and some missed tackles on defense. SC really can't afford that next Saturday as they need to come out strong. OhioSt. will be up for this game...I don't care what we saw from them against Navy. More on that later in the week.

- - -

I don't want to get carried away here, again it was against SJSU, but we saw an awful lot of production from the freshman yesterday...

I already discussed Jarvis Jones but Devon Kennard had 5 tackles, Nicke Perry had 2 sacks and T.J.McDonald had 3 tackles...that sort of production and exposure goes a long way to building confidence of the new guys and for prospective recruits that if you are good enough you will see the field early...it is all about attitude.

So, we we move on and turn our attention to Ohio St...

- - -

Here are a bunch of links from yesterday and today that I have even had a chance to get through yet. If you find something interesting please write up a fan post...

USC football: 5 observations on Trojans-Spartans - OCRegister.com

Trojans' Galippo shows his mettle - OCRegister.com

Ripsit Blog - Pictures from USC's 56-3 win

Cautious gameplan tries patience of USC fans - OCRegister.com

Barkley enjoys a glorious USC debut - OCRegister.com

Matt Barkley gets the USC party started -- latimes.com

Pac-10’s New Commissioner Gets Involved - The Quad Blog - NYTimes.com
Early signs are that the Pacific-10 conference will be more pro-active under its new commissioner, Larry Scott.

Barkley gaining reputation as 'special' player - Pac-10 - ESPN

Reload, not rebuild, for USC defense - College Football Nation - ESPN

BlogPoll Roundtable - Who 'ya got? Who is off your radar and if you had your personal ATM

Paragon SC — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:38:03 -0000

It is that time of year year again.

This years initial BlogPoll Roundtable is hosted by Hey Jenny Slater

1. Without naming names, a few teams seem to have popped up frequently on everyone's "overrated" lists in the preseason, so let's forget about them for the moment and concentrate on a different group: sleepers. Which currently unheralded team are you currently putting at least a few of your chips behind in the hopes that you'll be able to say "totally called that" once they've accomplished big things by the end of the season?

I went back and looked at my pre-season ballot and looked at the teams from #15 down and really could not find anything that I might have missed. So I Iooked at the other ballots to try and glean some knowledge from some of the other voters. Well, two teams stood out... Colorado and Texas Tech. TT is easy, Leach will continue to do well with his easy schedule and he will continue to draw great offensive players with the system he runs. Colorado on the other hand has been doing some solid recruiting and even though they have had some bad losses. Dan Hawkins is building a quality program up there. They could make some real noise in the Big 12 North.

2. In a similar vein, pick a sleeper player on your team whom nobody's talking about right now and tell us why we will be talking about them by December.

WR David Ausberry and CB T.J. Bryant come to mind though with the recent injury to Ronald Johnson and with CB Shareece Wright ruled academically ineligible these are two names that have have spiked within the USC community. We hope to see a lot production out of both of these players.

3. Florida is about as big a consensus favorite as we've seen in recent years, but remember, USC got 62 out of 65 first-place votes in the AP's 2007 preseason poll and still managed to lose to Stanford. Given how difficult it is to go undefeated period these days, where do you think the Gators are most likely to stumble in the regular season?

Well, obviously we know a little about this...The bottom line is this. These are kids who DO read their press clippings so it is easy to buy into the hype. Now, Florida may have it a little bit easier with their schedule but one can never know and they lost at home last year to a better Ole Miss team than everyone thought. Florida has lost a few players this pre-season and they have a few that are banged up so their depth is going to be tested. They also lost their second best weapon in Harvin. The other unknown is that Steve Addazio is now the main play-caller and that will the test for Tebow as he has grown comfortable Dan Mullen. Florida will also have one tough game at LSU (see below) that could trip them up...

4. Which regular-season game not involving your team or conference are you most looking forward to this year?

For a conference game it has to be Florida at LSU - It is not that LSU is better than UF, at least not this year, it is that Baton Rouge is a tough place to play and the Tigers will be looking to make a few sets of luggage out of some Gator trophies. I just don't see any other game on Florida's schedule that would be trouble for them.

For an out of conference game it has to be OK St. against UGA I am sure Kyle and Doug are much better at discussing this game.

5. In honor of Georgia's opening-weekend opponent and their most prolific booster, let's say you somehow come into T. Boone Pickens money and can buy anything you want for your program -- facilities upgrades, an airplane for recruiting, buy out the contract of that coach you hate, you name it. Where does your first check go?

OK, this one is easy...Better facilities!

It is amazing that USC has been so dominant with such crummy facilities. I am not saying that they need what the Ducks have with all that Nike money they spend and it is not like it helped the Ducks win a title but it sure would be nice to some sort of upgrade for the players.