SB Nation - Mitch Mustain

Random thoughts for an early Sunday Morning...

Paragon SC — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:11:47 -0000

Just throwing a few things out there this morning. I have no particular opinion on these...yet. But I am curious on what you guys are seeing. I may have more later...

Where is the high flying passing attack that John Morton supposedly brought from New Orleans?

Is Pete Carroll's shepherding Bates into the college game taking time away from the defense? Many think Rocky Seto is a yes man. If true then it is a double edged sword? Is Seto having a hard time delivering PC's message? If he is not a yes man and he has some input on the defensive schemes what does that say about Seto as the DC?

Following that line...we have heard very little about Ken Norton this season. The LB corps is certainly not what we have been used to seeing, are the LB's progressing under Norton's tutelage? It has looked good the past few weeks...

There were some complaints about too much assistant coaching turnover the past few seasons. Not all of that is PC's fault. It is clear that PC really has no choice but to make some coaching changes in the off season. Will that affect team chemistry? Who should go, Who stays?

I am certainly not conceding the ucla game, but the performances of the past few weeks have to give everyone pause, Instead of two good teams fighting it out it will be two ugly teams fighting it out.

Does Matt Barkley give us the best chance to win?. It is pretty clear that neither Mitch Mustain or Aaron Corp is ever going to see the field in any significant capacity, if at all. How did Pete Carroll miss on those two guys...

There a lot of questions now and not many answers...thank God for the bye week...

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

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

by Matt York - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He is becoming a true leader.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That is fine...

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

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

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

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

We'll see how it goes...

- - -

Briefly...

Devon Kennard tries his hand at linebacker.

this is an interesting development...

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

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

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

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

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

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

This will be interesting to see...

- - -

Finally some links...

Pete Carroll's Stanford Presser

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

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

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

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

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

Jordan Jefferson Then and Now

Richard Pittman — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:02:25 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

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Jordan Jefferson is a guy I really wish would have had the opportunity to redshirt last year and be a backup QB this year, learning from the comfort and safety of the clip board. He is still so very young and came to LSU as a relatively inexperienced project. He had missed the bulk of his junior year of high school due to injury and had not been part of the standard full-time-quarterbacking-school carousel that quarterbacks like Mitch Mustain, Tim Tebow, Ryan Mallett and others have come from. Unfortunately for us, circumstances dictated he had to play last year, and circumstances thrust him into the full time starting quarterback position this year, a job for which I hope we can all agree he has proven not to be quite ready yet.

But for better or worse he is our guy right now. We can talk about Jarrett Lee getting another shot if Jefferson continues to struggle, but Les Miles' public pronouncements have been to the effect that if Jefferson stays healthy he will keep the job. We could have a good, healthy debate over whether that is a good policy. Some of us would come down on the side of sticking with one guy to avoid the sort of musical quarterback situation that can wreck a season. I tend to follow my mantra of pragmatism: "If things are working, try something. If that doesn't work, try something else."

Anyway, before the season, LSU fans and outside observers were hopeful that Jordan Jefferson would emerge as one of the better quarterbacks in the conference. That has not happened at this point, though I suppose it still could. Currently though, his ATVSQBPI of 5.7 puts him 9th in the league, and firmly in the category of "not really helping his team".

(Incidentally, defenses are taking over again, and quarterback numbers are coming down. Ryan Mallett leads the conference with an ATVSQBPI of 8.7, and the median is about 6.2. If Jefferson improves his numbers just a little, he could easily reach "average" and turn things around for himself.)

One of the problems we are seeing is that Jefferson is completing a very high percentage of his passes. "What?" you ask? How is it a problem that he is completing so many passes? Well, he is completing passes, but not getting yards. When you're completing 63% of your passes, but only averaging 7.0 yards per attempt, either you are having a lot of plays designed to get yards-after-catch and you're not getting them, or you're taking too many safe throws that aren't getting yards.

In Jefferson's case I think it's a combination of the two. Earlier in the season, I was constantly amazed at how many completed passes ended up going for zero yards or even negative yardage. Part of the problem was that he sometimes gave receivers the ball in positions where they could not effectively run with it. Another part of the problem was that these sorts of plays were called too frequently when defenses were looking for them. He also has an artificially inflated completion percentage because he does not throw the ball away to avoid sacks enough. It shows in his rushing statistics, where he has the 3rd highest number of rushes in the conference, but is averaging less than 2 yards per rush, despite being a "mobile quarterback". He has taken 18 sacks already this season, which is only partially the fault of the offensive line.

People point to his game against Georgia Tech last year and wonder, "Why isn't Jefferson playing like that now?" Here's a surprising thing though. His ATVSQBPI that day was 5.3. What's that? Well, it was a tale of 2 halfs for Jefferson. He was outstanding in the first half, then tapered off in the second, a trend that has continued this year. He also completed a high percentage of passes, over 60%, with a low yards per attempt. He took 2 sacks, and rushed 8 other times, averaging 2.5 yards per rush.

In other words, Jefferson is playing pretty much exactly like he played against Georgia Tech. People just tend to forget the flaws he showed against Georgia Tech because no one remembers the second half of that game. He's still showing them, and perhaps we were not being realistic as fans to expect otherwise. After all, Jordan Jefferson entered this season with 2 starts to his credit, only 73 pass attempts, and one Sprint Practice. He's certainly not a finished product yet. He will be a better quarterback in year than he is now. I just hope he starts making that big leap in development starting this week.

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.

USC Football News and Notes 10/14

Paragon SC — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:00:20 -0000

Mustain now #2

One interesting development this week was that Mitch Mustain moving into the #2 spot on the QB depth chart...

Mustain, now the Trojans' No. 2 quarterback behind Matt Barkley, said Tuesday that his recent stint working as a punter helped him focus and perform better at his primary position. "Actually having something to do that was at least halfway constructive helped a lot," he said.

Mustain is clearly buoyed by his elevated status, which was evident last week when he took most of the second-team snaps during the Trojans' off week.

The junior, who started eight games for Arkansas in 2006, said it was a "huge boost" in morale to be No. 2 instead of No. 3.

Competition is apparently still king on Howard Jones Field. It doesn't really matter to me as long as whomever is on the field gives us the best chance to win. Aaron Corp really didn't show us all the things we heard about during camp. And even if Pete Carroll does have a man crush on Barkley it is clear that Barkley has shown that he is the guy.

Aaron Corp on the other hand can move back up if he can get his head on straight ...

Today, Corp is USC's third-string quarterback, left with no other option but to try to battle his way back up the depth chart.

"I was told we're still competing," Corp said Tuesday. "That's the way I'm looking at it."

Unfortunately for Corp, the third-string quarterback gets precious few practice reps during game weeks, and USC is waist-deep in preparation for Saturday's game at Notre Dame. So for the second consecutive day, Corp had to watch while Matt Barkley took the first-team reps and surging Mitch Mustain the second.

When he learned about his demotion Monday, Corp (Orange Lutheran High) said he "didn't really say anything. I'm not going to say what I thought. It is what it is."

Corp acknowledged he wasn't happy about it and lamented a blown opportunity at Washington, where he struggled in relief of an injured Barkley in a USC defeat.

"I was given a shot," Corp said, "and I didn't perform well."

Yeap...

The opportunity slipped right through his grasp. There really isn't anything else that can be said...

- - -

Matt Barkley looks to write another chapter in his scrapbook...

Matt Barley continues to ready himself for another tough road game in South Bend.

When sixth-ranked USC plays No. 25 Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium, Barkley has a chance to make his mark in the sport's most intense intersectional rivalry.

Pat Haden and Carson Palmer are among the Trojans quarterbacks who struggled in defeat in starts at a stadium built in 1930. Paul McDonald, Matt Leinart and Mark Sanchez are among those who flourished in victory.

Barkley was typically poised when asked if he was looking forward to playing at Notre Dame.

"I'm stoked," he said Tuesday before quickly adding, "But I'll say this a million times: It's no different than any other game.

"I'll probably look back after I finish here realizing what a great tradition this is between these two schools. But to me, I'm not doing anything out of the norm to prepare for this."

According to Haden, who played on two national championship teams and now works as a broadcaster on Notre Dame telecasts, Barkley's preparation before arriving at USC will help him block out the pressure that quarterbacks of earlier generations felt playing at Notre Dame Stadium.

We really already know this...

Barkley has proven himself under pressure in two other tough stadiums...The 'Shoe and Memorial at Cal. Notre Dame is just another game in Barkley's head. I am sure he knows about the tradition and history but he can handle The 'Shoe then I see no reason why he can't handle South Bend. It won't be easy but I really can't think of another young QB that I would rather have in this position.

- - -

Stafon comes home...

I am sure you all saw this today but Stafon Johnson held a presser today when he left the hospital.

I am just glad that he is OK and progressing ahead of schedule!

- - -

USC's Linebackers look to make their own legacy

We have read a few similar stories like this already this season...

Poor ole USC. Five games into the season, its no-name defense -- other than fancypants safety Taylor Mays -- only ranks fourth in the nation in scoring (8.6 points per game), sixth in total defense (238.6 yards per game) and fifth in run defense (64.8 yards per game). It has surrendered no -- zero -- touchdown passes. It's the only team in the nation with a clean sheet.

Seems like these no-names aren't half-bad, particularly the linebackers.

"You can't say enough good things about their defense," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said. "And they're losing all those -- everyone's, 'Oh, they're losing all these guys to the NFL from last year!' and it doesn't seem like they've missed a beat."

Weis has reason for concern as he prepares for a visit from the sixth-ranked Trojans on Saturday. Sure, his offense averages 33 points a game and ranks 10th in the nation with 470 yards per contest, but the Fighting Irish have scored three points against USC in their past two meetings and haven't faced a defense that even approaches the Trojans' depth and talent level.

You bet he is scared...

This defense is actually ahead of where they were last season...

Blue-Gray Sky has some of the most honest commentary I have read on the game.

Even though they will show up in South Bend led by a true freshman at quarterback, he already has a 4th quarter comeback win on the road at night over Ohio State to his name. And despite losing nearly their entire defense to the NFL, this year's squad is actually ahead of the dominating pace set by last year's crew. Sure, they hit a pothole against Washington, a team that ND just beat, but the transitive property has little value in college football and shouldn't be much solace for Notre Dame fans.

More than SC's strong stats and deep depth chart is the unavoidable fact that the past few years worth of matchups have been a horror show of Irish ineptitude. The players and staff just don't know what it is like to experience success against Southern Cal. I can think of no better way to sum it up than with this unfortunately 100% true statement:

70% of the scholarship players on Notre Dame's roster were not a part of the program the last time Notre Dame scored a touchdown against Southern Cal.
Re-read that statement a few times and you might find yourself looking to make other plans for Saturday.

And yet....despite the odds favoring the Trojans and the unpleasant thoughts of what another loss means for Charlie and the future of ND football, I found myself today looking up last minute airfare to Chicago. Maybe it's because today is 100 years to the day that my grandfather was born, the man that decided to head to college, picked a small school in northern Indiana, and was in the Stadium the first time the Trojans came to visit in 1931. Or maybe I just want another chance to tailgate and catch up with friends. But I think the main reason is that I'm getting the feeling that I don't want to be anywhere other than Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday.

Now that is a fan! My hats off to him...

- - -

More ND News!

Here are a few other links on this weekend's game...

All Pac-10 USC-ND Preview

Southern Cal-Notre Dame Preview | TideSports.com

Clausen, Notre Dame will keep pace with USC - Coppock on Sports

Weis confident in his Fighting Irish

USC maintains Carroll's plan - South Bend Tribune
There's achieving success. And there's maintaining success.

USC-Notre Dame rivalry should be back to old form - LA Daily News

USC Media Links

Paragon SC — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:25:41 -0000

Here are a bunch of Media links over the past couple of days covering Saturday's game against Notre Dame...Too many to record individually so I will link them all up here...

Pete Carroll on the Dan Patrick Show yesterday

Pete Carroll on the Colin Cowherd Show today

Pete Carroll on the Petros and Money Show today

Pete Carroll talking USC vs. Notre Dame - Rivals.com Video

Video: USC-Notre Dame preview - Pac-10 - ESPN
ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit wonders if an upset Saturday will relieve the pressure on Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis.

Pete Carroll on LA Sports Live

Pete Carroll's press conference

Mitch Mustain on ESPN Radio

Is Barkley at 80% better than Corp at 100%?

Paragon SC — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:00:39 -0000

Pete Carroll is facing renewed criticism over his choice to name Matt Barkley the starting QB for Saturday's game against Washington St.

The "problem" seems to be that Barkley is still recovering from his bruised shoulder from the Ohio St. game...his throwing mechanics and production, from articles I have read, do not seem to be where they should be in some peoples eyes.

Who really knows? The coaches usually have more information than the rest of us...

The usually even keeled Michael Lev of the OCR is the latest to offer up his criticisms...

After Matt Barkley scrapped through practice Wednesday, his shoulder clearly not fully healthy, this is what I thought USC coach Pete Carroll might say:

"We’re going to go with Aaron Corp this week. Matt just isn’t ready. He needs another week off. Hopefully, he’ll be ready to go next week for the Cal game."

This is what Carroll actually said:

"We are going to go with Matt in the game. He’s ready to go. It’s clear that he had a very good day today, feels good about it, and off and running we go. I am happy to get him back out there."

Did my eyes deceive me? Did Carroll see something I didn’t — something completely different?

Before Wednesday, I refused to go along with the conspiracy theorists who asserted that Carroll’s affinity for Barkley was affecting the coach’s judgment. Now I’m all in.

Clearly, Carroll wants Barkley to be his starting quarterback. Period. Given Barkley’s immense talent and upside, I’d have no problem with that — if Barkley weren’t still injured.

I am little surprised by Lev's tone here...not that it matters what I think. I have said in the past I am not going to second guess the coaching staff. The press may attend all the practices but they are not in the coaches meetings and a lot goes on in those meetings.

Lev's colleague at the OCR, Scott Reid, reported differently...

Freshman quarterback Matt Barkley also continued to make progress Thursday.

"He had his best day by far," Carroll said. "He's all pumped up about playing Saturday."

Barkley, who also missed Saturday because of a deep shoulder bruise, looked noticeably sharper in both his throwing motion and velocity.

"He's 100 percent," freshman wide out De'Von Flournoy said. "He's throwing bombs out there."

Reid did not raise the same issues as Lev did. If anything he though Barkley "looked sharper" in practice. If Reid thought there were some issues I am sure he would have reported it and I would then be a little more intrigued over this but nowhere in Reid's reporting did he raise the same issues as Lev. It would appear that they were seeing the same things at the same practice but they interpreted things differently.

What should surprise no one is that it is pretty clear that Pete Carroll doesn't have faith in Aaron Corp. I keep going back to Corp supposedly not being comfortable with the playbook more than his deer in the headlights performance up in Seattle. If Corp is not grasping the playbook after 3 years then he may never be ready.

I like Michael Lev...I have always thought that his writing was no nonsense unlike others in the LA press, but I will ask the same question of Lev that he asked us in his article....Did his eyes deceive him? Did he see something different than the rest of us last Saturday? Corp isn't ready mentally...Barkley can manage the team without having to get to crazy on the field. I would agree with Lev that if Barkley is not able to chuck it down field to take advantage of a supposed open playbook that we won't see much in the way of an explosive offense. And I do think that is an important step to make...but you can put Corp in there and open up the playbook but if Corp cannot grasp it then what is the point?

I don't know why people just can't see it for what it is without going all dramatic. Pete Carroll likes Matt Barkley as the QB, Aaron Corp was less than stellar in his performance, execution and understanding of the offensive scheme...after three years in the system. Mitch Mustain is not an option.

Right or wrong. Good or bad. For better or worse. Pete Carroll has made his choice.

Barkley to Start, Bates vows to open up the playbook and Mays possible

Paragon SC — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:00:24 -0000

So, lets lead with the news that was announced last night...Matt Barkley is starting on Saturday against Washington St.

After Aaron Corp's performance in Seattle I think it is safe to say that this was the direction that USC wanted to go in the first place. So, the coaches get their wish and we move on. Barkley is not 100%, but I really don't see a problem with that because contrary what we saw last Saturday and what we subsequently read later, Aaron Corp wasn't 100% either so with all things being equal it would make sense that Barkley will give us the best shot to win on this weekend.

This is the perfect game for SC to take out their frustration and get back to their winning ways. Wazzu is better than last year but they still have a long way to go. Of course USC can't treat any team like it is a gimme win at this point.

Here is Pete Carroll's reasoning in regards to naming Barkley the starter...

"We are going to go with Matt in the game. He’s ready to go. It’s clear that he had a very good day today, feels good about it, and off and running we go. I am happy to get him back out there.

"Aaron (Corp) is ready to go too. He has had a good week of work. Putting together tomorrow, Matt will get a bunch of it (the game plan) tomorrow. … I am glad to see Matt get back out."

(on whether Barkley still has stiffness in his shoulder)

"He’s all right. He’s OK. He’s ready to go."

(on Barkley’s throwing motion)

"I think it’s controlled. It’s controlled still, and we are trying to make sure that he makes it through the practice (week). But he is able to throw all the throws that we are doing in the game plan, so he’s OK."

(on whether there was a moment that tilted the decision)

"Just the way he responded today. He came back out and could throw and felt all right about it. He could get the majority of the work — that really made the difference. We are OK with the decision, and if he has any problems, Aaron is ready to go, which is great, and Mitch (Mustain) should be ready too."

(on making the decision early in the week)

"I feel fine about it. I don’t have a plan on this one. We will just go with the information and the facts that we get. We don’t have a set scenario of how we want to do it. We want to wait and see what the information tells us. I think it feels right, and he’s excited to get back out there and have his mind in it. I think it will help him the next couple of days."

Of course, there will be some second guessing as to why Carroll made an overt decision to name a starter early in the week in comparison to last weeks "non-decision".

I still stand by the premise that Pete knew all along that were issues with Corp and that he really did want Barkley in the line up. Saturday's performance simply confirmed his feelings and we are where are today. I still think the most telling issue on Saturday was Bates having to go through his play calling sheet just to see what Corp was comfortable with. Corp's on the field performance aside...if Corp could not run the plays after all the prep work in the week before, not to mention all his time with Bates since Bates arrived, that is a far bigger indictment of Corp's ability than what we saw on the field.

Barkley is going to make some mistakes and SC may lose another game or two with him under center but he is the future and I am more than willing to deal with some losses now in preparation for the next couple of seasons.

- - -

Bates will open the playbook

All of us armchair QB's were screaming at our TV's on Saturday because we knew the one way to counter Washington stacking the box was to either run some play action or simply chuck it down field. With RoJo out for another 3-4 weeks SC doesn't have a speed burner receiver. Damian Williams is a play-maker and possession but he has never been seen a speedster. He can get some separation but not on every play.

As long as SC remains one dimensional EVERY team we play is going to follow UW's game plan. Bates needs to mix it up and keep opposing defenses guessing.

Although he says he doesn’t pay attention to public criticism, first-year USC play-caller Jeremy Bates is giving fans and pundits what they want — a more aggressive offense.

"We’ve got to open it up," Bates said.

"We’ve got to get into more three-wides and four-wides and do some seven-step drops and all that good stuff that USC’s done in the past. And spread it around a little bit. We’ve got some playmakers, and we’ve got to get the ball in their hands. That’s on me."

USC has scored only three touchdown the past two weeks and ranks 112th in the nation in third-down conversion percentage.

That last sentence really hits home. SC has always been pretty efficient on 3rd down and if they want to play USC football then Bates is going to have to open things up. Let Barkley take things out for a spin and see how this sucker runs when he is behind the wheel. It funny because just about everyone I have talked to in passing or in depth on SC has seemingly forgotten about the SJSU game. It is like Barkley's first start was against Ohio St.

I don't think you use that SJSU performance as any sort of a gauge...most people have just thrown it out.

This will be a truer test to see if Barkley can lead this team after last weekends debacle.

- - -

Quick Hits from various places

Taylor Mays is listed a possible for Saturdays game. That really isn't a big deal to me. I understand we really missed him last week but Wazzu does not have a Jake Locker under center. We need Mays healthy for Cal and beyond...

Harfman will probably punt this weekend but Mustain sees more time at Punter and that could be intriguing. It would be a nice wrinkle if we could do some trickeration...

Is there a double standard? I never got a chance to address this from earlier in the week...

Gable can’t help wondering what it is going to take to get him back in the starting line-up.

Or on the field at all.

A year ago Gable started the Trojans’ first 12 games, rushing for 644 yards and eight TDs. So far this season he just seven carries for 40 yards.

Gable on Monday disputed the assertion by USC coaches that he was not able to play in Saturday’s loss at Washington because he was battling the flu.

"I could have went," Gable said. "I know I could have went. If they had let me play I would have done what I have to do. They said it looked like I wasn’t ready. So I guess how I look determines whether I play or not I guess. But not to me. If I say I’m ready to go, I’m ready to go. I know when my body is not ready to go. I said I’m ready to go. I said I’m ready to go and they said no.
So that’s it."

Gable said he was frustrated that the fumbles by McKnight and other Trojan running backs do not seem to impact their playing time. USC running backs fumbled four times against Washington.

Of course there is...welcome to college football.

It is pointless to try and dissect this and there are more important things to worry about this weekend but this could also have some repercussions down the line...

Here is may take on this weeks game against Wazzu and last weeks game against UW on the CougCenter Podcast (I apologize for being long winded).

Washington notes 9/17 - Barkley still sidelined, the Carroll Sarkisian relationship and do we have a new punter?

Paragon SC — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:30:14 -0000

There is no question that Steve Sarkisian has changed the attidude of the football program at the University of Washington. It is hard to believe that UW had fallen so far in what appears to be a short amount of time. Sarkisian had the unenviable task of trying to rebuild the program after Ty WIllingham left Washington dead in the water.

Sarkisian's time under Pete Carroll gave him the building blocks to go out and make a name for himself, so when the opportunity opened at UW he jumped at the chance. UW fans see a remarkable difference in the program now. UW played LSU tough and they beat Idaho snapping a 16 game losing streak so it is safe to say that the program has some life but it has a long way to go.

This weekend Sarkisian, and former USC defensive coordinator Nick Holt, will take all that they have learned under Pete Carroll and see just how they match up.

So, the big question is who has the advantage this weekend?

Is it Carroll? The old addage being Carroll may have taught Sarkisian everything Sarkisian knows but Carroll did not teach Sarkisian everything Carroll knows...

Or is it Sarkisian? Itching to beat his former program to prove he belongs...

Regardless, while both Carroll and Sark have a strong mutual admiration for each other this is about football and even though there will be some familiarity out there that is about where things will stop. And trying to over analyze it is pointless...

"I think we have to be very careful over-analyzing -- I think you can easily get paralysis by analysis," Sarkisian said. "When you start digging too deep into this thing and try to look three or four steps down the road, that's where you can get yourself in trouble. Ultimately, we've got to do what we do well that fits with what they are doing. They're a different football team than they have been. They've got different coordinators. We have to attack them accordingly. The bottom line is we have to do what we do well. If we go too far beyond that, and try too hard, that's where we can get all screwed up."

(FYI: All donations to the Paralysis by Analysis Foundation should be sent care of the Pac-10 blog.)

Sarkisian and Holt spent a large part of their careers working with Carroll. It would be fair, in fact, to say he is their chief mentor. They have spent hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- of hours together breaking down film, evaluating players, game planning, talking Xs and Os philosophy, writing poetry about winning forever and just shooting the bull.

So it's not hard to imagine each party will try to climb in the other's head in order to take a few photos.

Of course both coaches will try to look for familar tendencies afterall that is waht LSU didwhen they prepared for their game at Washington...they simply looked a bunch of USC tape to map out their scheme. Not Surprising...but in the end talent will win out and SC is loaded with it.

UW has some talent on offense. Stud QB Jake Locker, talented (if not thin skinned) running back Chris Polk and the impressive James Johnson at wide receiver offer UW some weapons to put some points on the board. UW did move the ball pretty well against LSU which has a pretty defense; unfortunately UW's offensive line is little suspect so I would expect SC to get some penetration to force Locker to make some hurried throws.

On Defense UW has some issues with a beat up defensive line, though they do OK against the run, and an abosolute sieve in the secondary which gave up 350 yards in passing (400+ in total offense) aganst Idaho. I am sure Nick Holt will turn it around but he has his work cut out. Holt does not get any help from Quinton Richardson who has guaranteed a win on Saturday.

The USC players and coaches are aware of Richardson's comments...

Washington cornerback Quinton Richardson guaranteed a Huskies victory over the Trojans, according to The Daily Herald of Everett, Wash.

USC coach Pete Carroll said his players are aware of it, but he won’t use it as bulletin-board material.

"Those guys know. I heard them talking about it," Carroll said. "I can tell them, ‘Don’t listen to this’ or ‘You didn’t hear that,’ but they’re going to hear it and see it.

"That’s never been something I’ve ever engaged in in terms of motivation. … That’s not the kind of stuff we want to be motivated by. Does it work sometimes? Yeah, it does. But I don’t operate with that."

Does that mean that SC will target Chris Polk just like you know they did DeSean Jackson instead?

Like I said, in the end talent wins out. UW is still rebuilding and getting comfortable in the new system. But don't expect this to be a boatrace...that has never been Pete Carroll's style and if USC has a comfortable lead as they head into the forth quarter I don't see Carroll rubbing Sark's face in it so I don't see SC covering the spread.

- - -

Kiffin compare USC in 2004 to Florida in 2009...

Interesting comments from Lane Kiffin-

Lane Kiffin stayed on his Florida-is-the-greatest tact during Wednesday's SEC coaches teleconference. "Maybe the best ever," he called the Gators, who host Kiffin and the Volunteers on Saturday afternoon.

The anointing is important, especially given that Kiffin helped coach another team-of-the-decade candidate—the 2004 USC Trojans. That team featured a pair of eventual Heisman winners (Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush) as well as a receiver that caught a touchdown pass per game (Dwayne Jarrett). The defense, led by Shaun Cody and Lofa Tatupu, led the nation against the rush and ranked third in total defense. It forced 38 turnovers and allowed 20 or more points just three times.

Florida likely has a dozen games left this year, but it's easy to sketch the arguments. USC's big-play capabilities and solid offensive line give it the nod with the ball. UF's experienced and fast defense gives it the slight edge there. Florida covers kicks better; USC's Bush gets the nod over Florida's Brandon James as a return man.

Who wins? A shame they'll never play. But the debate is a good one. Thanks to Lane for making it mainstream.

That was some USC team!

- - -

Here are a couple of nice articles on Joe McKnight...

USC's Joe McKnight, a former John Curtis standout, makes big move - NOLA.com

USC's McKnight grows up off, on the field - OCRegister.com

- - -

Barkley Still Out...

Matt Barkley did not throw on Wedsnesday. That is the third stright practice that he was not able to throw fueling speculation that it could be Aaron Corp getting the nod. No decision has been made and that is fine, like I have said in the past.

CFT has an interesting, if not a smug, take on things...

The fact of the matter is that exactly who starts at quarterback is the least important question revolving around the Trojan football team. Unless, of course, you're one of those worshiping at the altar of golden child Matt Barkley.

If you are, don't be ashamed. Pete Carroll is kneeling right there with you.

If Barkley's wing isn't solid enough to make a go of it on Saturday, so be it. Aaron Corp, who was Carroll's previous golden child, will be just fine. Perhaps even better.

Then, let's say Corp, who sustained a small crack to his left fibula on Aug. 10, isn't able to play for whatever reason, that would open the door for Mitch Mustain. You remember him. He went 8-0 as a starter as a true freshman at Arkansas in 2006.

We're not trying to be disrespectful to Washington, but Garrett Green could start against the Huskies and USC would still roll to victory.

Yeah, Well...

This one is interesting...

Barkley was sidelined for only one game as a four-year starter at Santa Ana's Mater Dei High.

In the 2005 Southern Section Division I quarterfinals against Colton, Barkley suffered a broken collarbone. The injury ended his season, forcing him to sit out the Monarchs’ semifinal loss to Loyola.

"The feeling that you can’t do anything, that you’re helpless was just terrible," Barkley said Tuesday.

Barkley’s injury came courtesy of a hit delivered by future USC teammate Allen Bradford.

At the time, Bradford was the among the most dynamic two-way players in recent Southland prep history, a senior running back and linebacker for a Colton team that also featured future Trojans cornerback Shareece Wright.

- - -

New Punter?

Well, whatever works...

Mitch Mustain was one of the most sought-after quarterback recruits when he came out of Sprindale (Ark.) High. But since transferring to USC, he has failed to crack the starting lineup.

Now, Mustain is dabbling at a new position — punter. Coach Pete Carroll said Mustain has a chance to earn future playing time at a spot where the Trojans have struggled so far.

"He’s got a really good leg," Carroll said. "It’s going to take him awhile, obviously, to get his timing down and all that. … We’re going to give him a chance to see if he can develop a little bit."

The coaches became intrigued by Mustain’s punting ability when they saw him do it during the team’s walk-through in Columbus last week. He punted as a senior in high school, but only "about five times," according to his former and current teammate, Damian Williams, because Springdale’s offense was so prolific.

Wouldn't that be a kick in the pants!

Heading a Few Things Off at the Pass

Year2 — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:00:51 -0000

Florida's offense by itself won't score 50 on Tennessee.

Even when UF beat Tennessee 59-20 in 2007, it wasn't all the Gator offense doing the scoring. Brandon James had a punt return touchdown, Dustin Doe had a fumble return for a touchdown, and the final score was on a 29 yard drive after a Jonathan Crompton interception. Florida's offense did have some good drives, including a 99-yard touchdown drive, but only 38 of the 59 points were solely the offense doing its thing.

That 2007 edition wasn't exactly a vintage Vol defense though. It was perhaps the worst of John Chavis' tenure, finishing 70th in total defense and 61st in scoring defense. Last year, Florida only scored 20 points from sustained drives, with a touchdown coming from another James return and a field goal coming on a one yard "drive." Granted, both teams wanted to shorten the game with rushing, so that held the scoring down. Florida did score on five of its seven drives, with its final drive of the game ending inside Tennessee's red zone with Urban Meyer electing not to try to run up the score.

Crompton's renewed commitment to turnovers means that the Gators could put a big number up on the scoreboard. It's not likely however that Florida will be running up huge numbers on long drives. Tennessee forced a lot of field goals last year, and Percy Harvin is gone.

Georgia's problems are not solved.

Only two teams in the country have lost more turnovers than Georgia has: Tennessee with its turnover machine of a quarterback, and Virginia, the team that lost to William and Mary. Only three teams that have played two games are averaging fewer plays per game than Georgia: Oregon, Colorado State, and Western Kentucky. The Buldogs are being outgained by an average of 84.5 yards per game. They are 108th in the country with an average of 10 penalties per game and 109th with an average of 83 penalty yards per game.

Yes, Georgia saved its season by beating South Carolina in that 0-2 would have meant crisis mode and no one has any margin for error in trying to beat out the Gators in the SEC East. However, it's still going to be a rough slog from here on out and if the Bulldogs win 10 games again, Mark Richt should win Coach of the Year.

Michigan's quarterback will look mortal.

A lot of praise is being heaped on Tate Forcier for his gutsy play against Notre Dame, and rightfully so. I said yesterday I was more impressed by him than I was by Matt Barkley against Ohio State. But, he is a freshman and that will kill Michigan in at least one game. Freshman quarterbacks who win a ton of games are ones like Mitch Mustain in 2006, who was asked to do little more than not fumble when handing off to Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

Forcier is the quarterback of a quarterback-centric offense. At some point, he's going to make some bad decisions that will cost the Wolverines a game or two. It will likely cause a flood of articles about how he's not Superman anymore. Just ignore them; the kid's got talent but as with everyone good, it will take refinement.