SB Nation - Shareece Wright

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

- - -

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

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

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

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

Most Valuable Player: Wideout/punt returner Damian Williams

Most Inspirational Player: Tailback Stafon Johnson

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

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

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

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

Player of the game versus UCLA: Tailback Allen Bradford

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

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

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

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

Courage Award: Cornerback Josh Pinkard

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

Recognition of the 22 graduating seniors

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

Speaking of Garrett Green...

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

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

- - -

So, what about C.J. Gable?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is a little more for the DN...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It should be interesting.

USC 20 Oregon 47 - The Morning After...

Paragon SC — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:39:26 -0000

More photos » by Don Ryan - AP

Browse more photos »

I am going to take a couple of different paths with this post...

One of things that frustrated me about last night's loss was the lack of adjustments.

Whether it was before the game or during the game Pete Carroll has simply refused to make any adjustment away from the Tampa 2 bend don't break defense that he is so wedded to. Some of that has to do with being thin at some positions because of injury or eligibility issues, the rest is simply habit. You can never stay 100% healthy and you can’t get every recruit you covet so he has what he has…But that does not excuse the poor tackling technique and the numerous false starts that we all saw last night.

The Pac-10 has caught up to Pete Carroll in terms of how they scheme against his defenses, in how he recruits his players and they have taken advantage of how he develops his talent. Pete Carroll has always been seen as the master of adjustments but I didn't see any last night...or in the previous two games where the defense fell apart in the second half.

I guess we really shouldn't be surprised...many of us thought (myself included) that with all this talent on defense we would be able to keep the defensive production respectable even as we lost all that talent on defense to the NFL. I did not think that we would simply pick up where we left off after the win over Penn St. but I also didn't think that ANY Pete Carroll defense would get schooled like they did last night. Stated differently, I knew we would have some growing pains and maybe a few tough losses but not the type of performances that we have seen the last three Saturdays.

It makes me wonder...with all this talent is Pete Carroll really managing it effectively? Zoulou made a great point in his commnet in the post game thread...

If Galippo is the best LB recruit since the famous haul of 2005, then we are in a world of hurt for the next two years because Malcolm Smith is too small at the point of attack and Gallippo isn’t big enough to get off block or go around them. Morgan does what is does, he is servicable, but if your MLB and your SLB can’t make plays, the cover two is in trouble.

Yeap...PC has not adjust his schemes to match his talent. And the talent he has is not as aggressive as we have seen in the past. I could take Rey overrunning some plays because I knew he would come back and smash someone in the mouth. Galippo has that ability but for some reason he isn't doing it like we saw early on. We used to see Morgan blitz from the outside all the time early on but that has been lost too.

Unfortunately, PC is forever wedded to the Tampa 2 regardless of the talent. That’s fine, but if you don't tweak it here or there you live by it and you die by it. If PC wants to keep the play in front of the defense by using a soft zone then he better make damn sure that his players can tackle the ball carrier. This has been one thing that has been so alarming on this defense...we saw it bit last year but this is just unreal. USC's defense looked like ucla out there last night with their poor tackling. PC has relied too much on the stout play of the defensive line instead of blitzing more to confuse the QB. Because of the early success of the D line PC got complacent by not bringing Taylor Mays in from his center field position for run support or for blitzing, making Mays pretty easy to scheme against and now we see the result.

You can also see it when the LB's are backing off the LOS making it easier for the QB to take off and scramble...especially one like Masoli. Keeping the CB's off the receiver 5-8 yards allows the QB to make quick throws. Why not man up the receiver off the line every so often just to keep him honest? Especially if you do not want to bring Mays up for run support...he can back up the CB's as very little is going to get past him with his speed.

Now with all that being said...

It is fair to criticize and analyze last night's loss but people also need to have some perspective

Lono over on WeAreSC let me use this...

I am also going to use his words...

ALL OF THEM!

When we lost 10-11 guys to the NFL, folks believed "we'll just reload."

Those guys included arguably the greatest linebacking corps ever. Maualuga, Cushing, Matthews and Maiava. All doing great in their first years as pros.

The weakest part of this year's defense? I would beg to say linebackers.

Oh and another guy, Mark Sanchez left. We have a freshman quarterback taking his place.

We also lost Kevin Ellison (pros) and Shareece Wright (ugh).

To date this year, we have lost Stafon Johnson, Loni Fangupo and Marc Tyler.

We were without the services of McCoy, Havili, Ausberry and Patterson. Kris O'Dowd, the centerpiece of the O'line still is battling injury and did not even play. Brian Baucham is still hampered. Adam Goodman has been out.

Again, our linebacking corps is thin, and we are battling injury there.

If some of you think coaching can overcome this, you need to turn in your gameboys and x-boxes, because there is a bit called reality here.

We are very short on manpower.

And if you use the 'we are more talented than they are' cop-out, tell me, are Carswell, D.J. Shoemate and Ayles better than the folks they are replacing? Are they equal to the folks they are replacing? Are they even close to being Ausberry, Havili and McCoy? The answer is NO.

Oh yeah, this 'reloading' thing is so last year.

The Trojans are rebuilding this year. Get used to it.

Before the season started I put up a thread that we were going to lose 3 games.

Guess what?

No other program can make those claims!

For as pissed off as we get about these types of things think about the 118 other schools that can't even sniff those accomplishments listed above.

Sure Florida has two crystal balls but Urban Meyer has not come close to PC's accomplishments. Very few teams schedule, recruit and produce the results that USC has in the past 5 years.

WE ARE THE DOMINANT PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY!

That doesn't guarantee that our team won't play poorly at times. It doesn't guarantee that we won't get beat bad like we did last night...but it does mean that SC has set the standard that everyone has either tried to emulate or catch up to. Watch those clowns across as they can't even get out of their own way week in and week out and then tell me how bad last night was.

The injuries are a problem for us, but other schools have injury problems as well. It just goes to show us that depth is still the key to a successful program but it is a tough thing to manage. Players still need to develop and that takes some time...anyone remember Rey and Cush against Texas?

We should question some of things that we have ween the past few weeks. But USC can't be dominant like this forever. I agree with Lono that this is our re-tooling year. We have the talent we just have to develop it and PC has gone a little off track of late. I suspect he will right the ship.

I also agree with Zoulou...PC has been so good at recruiting top talent that sooner or later some of these guys just are not going to come this way because we have TOO MUCH talent. The linebacker corps is the perfect example of that.

Calling out Seto like I have seen in a few places is so way off base that it is hilarious. This is PC's defense, he calls the shots. He is also the final say on the offense...he is not yet ready to let Bates and Morton do it all by themselves so this is all on him and he will be roundly criticized for it. But if you think there is someone out there who could produce these same results you better call Garrett and Sample.

It is a crappy feeling for all of us to see this team get beat like a drum last night but it is only one game. There have been some close calls this season and this time it caught up to us. So, the team has to start all over again and focus on ASU. I may be disappointed about the performance of the past few games but I really could not be happier with the over all package that we have all enjoyed the past 8 seasons.

We should question Carroll for some of what we have seen but we should also trust him in how he addresses it, he has much more information than we have and he knows a lot more than any of us ever will regardless of his stubbornness not to change.

I AM STILL IN!!

FIGHT ON!

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!

USC Football News and Notes 9/4

Paragon SC — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:15:15 -0000

Lots of things to address today

Lets start with the defense...

Wes Horton was named starter a defensive end replacing the injured Armon Armstead.

Redshirt freshman Wes Horton has edged out another redshirt freshman, Nick Perry, for the starting spot at defensive end, USC coach Pete Carroll said after practice on Thursday.

Horton will play a key role in the Trojans rebuilding job on the defensive front where USC lost All-Pac-10 tackle Fili Moala, and both ends, Kyle Moore and Clay Matthews.

"Wes will go first," Carroll said. "He just seems like he’s been steadier on every down."

That is some great news for Horton but you will see Perry and Malik Jackson in the game as well. Once again this attests to the depth that USC has amassed. I really wanted to see Armstead on the field but the combination of Horton, Perry and Jackson will give SC a lot of options to play with.

Linebacker Chris Galippo missed practice yesterday to have some fluid drained from his elbow.

I hate this type of "injury" it is one of those things that while looking like a minor issue can turn into a real problem later. The one thing that you want to keep an eye on is that it doesn't become infected...that is when the problems really start. Galippo will start on Saturday so it is nothing to be worried about right now.

I am not completely worried about the defense...regardless of all the new faces there is a lot of experience there as well. Pete Carroll ha always found a way to get the youngsters in so that they cut their teeth. The secondary will be fine even with the loss of Shareece Wright. It will also be interesting to see how SC uses the Nickel Package. You will see a lot of guys get some experience and that only bodes well for the future.

- - -

As for the offense....

I am intrigued by an article that I read the other day on QB coach Jeremey Bates.

USC fans skewered Lane Kiffin on Internet message boards. Steve Sarkisian did not fare much better.

So any USC play-caller not named Norm Chow, it seems, is in for a tough go with the Trojans faithful.

Jeremy Bates is not worried about it.

USC's first-year quarterbacks coach and play-caller plans to tune out whatever criticism might come his way after Saturday's opener against San Jose State and beyond.

"This is a game of entertainment," Bates said Wednesday. "The fans pay a lot of money to go to the games and they're going to have their opinions. . . . But we're focused. We can't deal with distractions and things outside of the building, so we're not going to worry about that stuff."

I guess I am scratching my head as to why anyone would criticize the Barkley move at this point. Aaron Corp has a broken bone in his leg and it affected his ability to use his mobility. If Pete Carroll put Corp out there and he was injured further could you imagine the scorn that we would hear?

Bates comes with a very solid resume' so once again if Pete Carroll trusts him then that is fine with me. I have a hard time understanding why this is even being discussed, we havent even played a game yet can we at least see how Barkley and the offense performs before critiquing the decisions. Regardless of whether or not we agree with the move it would appear that pretty much everyone is on board and that in clude Aaron Corp. Bates is not some no name, he kind of knows what he is doing and regardless of whether or not you supported Kiffin or Sarkisian, Bates has A LOT more experience than those guys. Sure there will be some things that he will have to adjust to from the NFL but it is still X's and O's.

Of course all eyes will be on Matt Barkley but I think we will be fine. He will make some mistakes but that is how you learn and while I am not looking at SJSU as some pushover I would rather Barkley cut his teeh on SJSU than a Pac-10 foe or tOSU.

USC is putting a lot of faith in a true freshman but there is not another program in the country that pull it off with complete confidence the way USC has...

Starting a freshman quarterback has been done before, but it's usually something coaches avoid. UCLA started Cade McNown midway through his freshman season, and USC started Carson Palmer late in the 1998 season. Philip Rivers started at North Carolina State as a freshman and Matthew Stafford, who was Detroit's No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft this year, started at Georgia as a freshman.

In 2007, Oaks Christian product Jimmy Clausen won the starting job at Notre Dame by the second game.

Clausen took over, but he wasn't the answer as the Fighting Irish struggled to a 3-7 record.

Results of freshman quarterbacks are obviously mixed, but Barkley doesn't believe there's pressure on him to make Carroll look good.

"People can say what they want," Barkley said. "I don't think I need to prove anything. With the talent we have, we'll be winning if I just do the minimum."

Carroll's decision to start Barkley over Aaron Corp has become a great debate. Barkley has impressive credentials, but he threw 18 interceptions as a senior at Mater Dei High last season. He's just 18, but Carroll has made it clear Barkley is the guy, injury or no injury to Corp. The Trojans play six of their first nine games on the road to boot.

Barkley appears to be a cool customer but we won't really know until he gets into the game.

Barkley has an air of confidence guided by some deep personal faith and that helps him get through the way he does. Don't get me wrong Barkley is going to get his teeth kicked in from time to time...it isn't always going to be easy but that is a port of growth. Even one Mitch Mustain can attest to that...

Mustain started eight games as a freshman at Arkansas in 2006. So I asked him what Barkley might be in for as he attempts to lead the Trojans this season.

"He’s just going to have to learn to take the bumps," Mustain said. "You’re going to have tough games.
"It’s different when you get to a college stadium. ... People yelling at you -- I mean just crazy stuff that you would never hear in high school. Most stadiums now don’t have tracks so everybody’s a lot closer to you.

"That was one thing, I know for me was one of the first shockers. ... They’re right on top of you yelling [stuff] so you have to deal with that stuff and really learn to be confident and learn to be smooth.

"I think he’ll figure it out."

Until Barkley experiences it for himself he will never understand it...I think he will be just fine.

Speaking of Mustain...this is an interesting piece from Fox Sports. I give him credit, he sure shows a lot of maturity. Garrett Green shows a lot of the same maturity and I think this is a testament to they type of program Pete Carroll runs. When was the last time we heard about a player moping or being disgruntled that could hurt the chemistry of the team?

- - -

Schoarship math?

File this in the "first time I am hearing about this" file

The NCAA concluded a month-long investigation Thursday and determined USC did not violate scholarship limits in football.

Questions were raised over the summer whether the Trojans went over the limit after awarding scholarships to some incoming walk-on players last year.

NCAA rules allow teams 85 scholarships, but there is usually some juggling that takes place when players get hurt and go on medical-redshirt scholarships, which do not count against the limit.

"Everything is fine," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "The NCAA cleared everything."

USC's compliance office was concerned football might be two scholarships over the limit and contacted the NCAA to check into the matter. The Trojans could have potentially lost scholarships with an unfavorable ruling.

Like I said...news to me. At least the compliance office self-reported on something they thought might be wrong.

- - -

Here a few links from the last few days that I didn't get to...

Something Lurks in the Coliseum: USC '09 Season Preview - LAist
Nice preview from our freind Adam Rose

The 2009 Trojans at a glance -- latimes.com

Florida, USC in Rose Bowl -- just not against each other -- latimes.com

The Quad Countdown: No. 3 Southern California - The Quad Blog - NYTimes.com
Southern California needs to replace a ton of talent, but the Trojans won't miss a beat.

For USC, it's Rose Bowl . . . or bust? -- latimes.com
Go ahead, say it.

Pledging their allegiance to USC, UCLA football - The Daily Breeze

The All-USC-UCLA team | ucla, usc, defensive, guys, best - OCR

Pledging their allegiance to USC, UCLA football - The Daily Breeze

Taylor Mays, Jahvid Best make Pac-10 watchable despite Nick Lachey - It's Just Sports

Here are a few Rivals videos...

Allen Bradford and Shareece Wright - Summer '09 - Rivals.com Video

Secondary shake-up for the Trojans - Rivals.com Video

David Ausberry and Joe McKnight interviews - Rivals.com Video

Pete Carroll at San Jose State Presser - Rivals.com Video

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I will have more later today...

Confirmed...Wright Ineligible for the 2009 season

Paragon SC — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:19:53 -0000

We alluded to this possibility last week but it is now confirmed...

Redshirt junior cornerback Shareece Wright was declared academically ineligible Monday after failing to raise his grade-point average to the required level.

Wright, who also has been battling a sore knee, will be able to practice with the team and regain his eligibility for 2010. However, he will have missed most of two seasons by then after sitting for 11 games in 2008 because of a neck injury.

Carroll had his contingency plan in place during Saturday's scrimmage, when he shifted senior Josh Pinkard from safety to cornerback and inserted senior Will Harris in Pinkard's spot.

Pinkard, who filled in for Wright last season, returned to USC for a sixth year in part to showcase his safety skills to the NFL. Now he's back at corner barring other injuries.

"I think if he had his way, he would like to play all the time at safety," Carroll said of Pinkard. "But more important, he wants to play all the time."

I don't want to be too critical here but come on...

Wright missed most of last season because of injuries (and some legal trouble) so how could he not have the time to make sure his grades were up to snuff. It can't be that hard to maintain the minimum standards.

This is really disappointing, Wright was going to be one of the big pieces to the puzzle this season. SC has enough issues right now with a new QB, new starters on defense and other injured players so this just adds more crap to the pile.

Thank god we have some depth...

USC Football News and Notes 8/26

Paragon SC — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:00:14 -0000

Aaron Corp was back on the practice field yesterday and it would appear that he is right back in the thick of things to win the starting job.

Many of us feel that this is a mere formality. If Corp is healthy he will start if he is not then Barkley gets the nod. It is as simple as that. It all depends on how Corp does this week. Personally, I think there has been far too much made about this already. If was Corp never injured this would not even be an issue. Barkley would have got some reps but this was Corp's job to lose no question.

And based on what I am reading (outside of the drama that some in the press are trying to whip up) I really don't see it as much of a contest...

Corp said he was happy with his first full practice since suffering a cracked fibula Aug. 10. He even ended it with a quarterback sneak.

Corp wore a specially designed brace on his left knee. He moved well on dropbacks but did not have any opportunities to get outside the pocket and run.

Asked if he was going full speed, Corp said: "About as full speed as I could be. I can do everything right now that playing quarterback at USC (requires) me to do. So I feel good, and it’s only going to get better."

Meanwhile, Corp’s competitor, freshman Matt Barkley, threw a pair of interceptions. One came on a new play the offense hadn’t practiced before, the other on a screen pass that defensive end Everson Griffen leaped for and snatched out of the air.

Well, it is all about protecting the ball and Barkley is still having some issues doing just that.

Two things are on my mind...the season opener against SJSU and the game in Columbus. I get the impression that many are not all that worried about SJSU. That would be a mistake as this will be an important test for new QB and relatively new defense. Michigan looked past App. St. a couple of years ago and we all know how that turned out...

USC needs to have a flawless game in the opener to make sure they have worked out the kinks before the Ohio St. game. There is no week off in between the two games so SC needs get right to it once the SJSU game is over. If there are some questions then they need to get addressed fast.

This is from The LAT...

Corp's initial success in his return from a cracked left fibula adds another layer of intrigue to a quarterback drama that began when Mark Sanchez departed to the NFL in January.

Corp, wearing a custom brace on his left leg, worked primarily with reserves as freshman Matt Barkley took most of the first-team snaps.

Corp did not appear limited in his mobility and completed the vast majority of his passes during seven-on-seven and full-team scrimmage drills. He did not have a pass intercepted.

"I was able to do some good things," he said. "I even got a quarterback sneak in at the end."

Coach Pete Carroll described Corp's return as "a big step forward," but reiterated that there was no timetable for deciding who would start the opener.

However, Saturday's mock game at the Coliseum looms as Corp's final proving ground.

If Barkley keeps throwing INT's in practice then this is pretty much over in my eyes. I think Pete Carroll feels the same way as well but I understand that he needs to keep the pressure on.

I am actually surprised that Barkley is still trying to push things. All he has to do is make plays not mistakes. I also think that even if Corp is not 100% Pete Carroll would still pick Corp over Barkley because protecting the football is so crucial in the coaching staff's mind.

Saturday looks to be the final hurdle provided Corp doesn't have a setback during practice this week.

USC coach Pete Carroll said Saturday's scrimmage at the Coliseum will be the ultimate test for Corp.

"He'll get a chance to show what he can do," Carroll said. "This was a big step for us. Saturday's a real important day for him."

Carroll said he did not know when he would name a starter although it is expected to be this week.

"We'll wait until we know what we need to know," he said. "This is a good challenge for the coaching staff to do this right."

We'll see.....

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Here is some other news from around camp...

Cornerback Shareece Wright still needs clearance before he gets on the field. This is a little disappointing. Having missed most of last season because of injury, I would have thought Wright would have made sure that his academics were up to snuff. Wright will be a key component on the defense next season and not having him on the field hurts SC

Damian Williams returns to practice. Nice to see DWill back on the field, he will be a key player in the final two weeks before the season starts. Whomever starts at QB I have no doubt that they will be relieved to #18 out on the wing. Williams really was fun to watch last season!

USC has new Kicker! Jordan Congdon gets the nod at kicker as Pete Carroll rewards the walk-on for his hard work with a scholarship. Watching Buehler boom the ball on the Dallas Cowboys makes you appreciate just how important the kicker position is. It is a lot tougher for teams to sustain drives when they are always starting on their 20-yard line. Here is hoping that Congdon can keep the sting alive!

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Here are some links from around the net...

Ranking the Pac-10 receivers - Pac-10 - ESPN

Daily Trojan - With Corp near recovery, other Trojans are sidelined

Daily Trojan - Defense still has plenty of swagger

USC training camp review: Top newcomer - OCR

USC training camp review: Most improved - OCR

Oldtimer's Take: Scrimmage Edition
SC Oldtimer offers a solid write up...

Conference Preview: Pac 10 " Over The Pylon
Some good stuff here from Over the Pylon

USC now 'Quarterback U'
We have this before...

A curious Butkus Watch List - Pac-10 - ESPN

Conquest Chronicles Links for July 10th

Paragon SC — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:04:40 -0000

I am going to mix it up a little bit today...

Michael Lev at the OCR has a look at USC's game against Ohio State in September.

What they’re saying: "For quarterback Terrelle Pryor, a year of marinating as a freshman, with some spot duty here and there, turned into a one-way ticket to the barbecue of college football. Here’s the ball, kid, remember to keep an eye out for those USC linebackers. But was it worth it? Was it better to play Pryor and get him used to a group of skill-position talents, all of whom have since left for the NFL? Yes, says Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel." — Chris Sprow, ESPN.com

Lev’s look: I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: IMO, USC will lose at OSU. Last year’s game wasn’t close, but the circumstances are entirely different. That game was at home, this one’s on the road. The Trojans had a bye leading into that game, this time they don’t. Pryor was a novice — even a novelty — then, now he’s the offense’s centerpiece. And he’ll have more game experience than Aaron Corp (or Matt Barkley). Of course, I’ve been wrong before, too.

I think this is going to be a very tough game for SC at The Shoe. I do think they can win but it will not be easy. Pryor is a year older and a little more experienced and while some will point to all the new faces in starting roles on defense I would be careful not give SC a chance at shutting Pryor down. tOSU has lost some talent as well. So, while this is a home game for tOSU Sc has played well on the road before with new players (Auburn anyone?).

This will definitely be a great game!

There is an interesting item in Olin Buchanan's mailbag this week...

Under the microscope

From: Mark in Pasadena, Calif.: Every season, it seems as if USC loses a game in which the Trojans are heavily favored. Why doesn't coach Pete Carroll get the same criticism for losing those games as Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel do for losing bowl games?

The obvious response is that bowls are higher in profile and more is at stake, so losses are magnified. With Oklahoma losing five of its past six bowl games – three of those with the national championship on the line – it's going to get more attention.

Similarly, Ohio State has lost its past three bowl games, including two for the national championship. Again, those are high-profile losses in high-profile games.

Those losses have led to criticism for Stoops and Tressel, but little to none from the people who really matter – administration and big-money boosters. Those two are as secure as any coaches in the country.

And the national media isn't going to blast them because if you look at it objectively and without the emotion of a fan, they deserve credit for getting their teams to BCS bowls and national championship games. While Oklahoma lost to Florida in last season's BCS championship game, there were 118 other Football Bowl Subdivision teams that weren't playing in that game.

Of late, USC has been among the teams on the outside looking in at the title game. Some could argue that Carroll should catch some heat for the Trojans' failure to reach that game. But do you really want to criticize a coach whose team has won or shared seven consecutive conference championships, who has a 34-5 record over the past three seasons and who has a three-game winning streak in BCS bowls?

Upsets are going to happen and powerful teams aren't immune. The Trojans' loss last season at Oregon State, which finished 9-4, certainly wasn't an embarrassment. Neither was the 33-31 loss in Corvallis in '06.

In fact, I'd argue the 13-9 loss to UCLA that cost USC a shot at the national championship in '06 wasn't a major shock because upsets aren't rare in rivalry games, in which strange things often happen.

USC's loss at Oregon in '07 wasn't an indictment of Carroll, either. That Oregon team probably would have won the national championship if quarterback Dennis Dixon hadn't endured a season-ending knee injury two games later.

Now, the '07 loss to Stanford remains a head-scratcher. But, again, do you blast Carroll because USC has lost five regular-season games in the past three seasons? In fact, over the past three seasons, only one coach of a major-conference team has lost fewer regular-season games.

That coach? Jim Tressel.

Well, its not like we haven't heard this before. And I am not surprised that it continues to be a topic of conversation. I think Buchanan makes a solid argument as to why Pete Carroll has not taken the heat that some want to throw his way.

USC continues to schedule pretty solid competition outside of the Pac-10. Yes, Idaho was not a stellar pick but there were some reasons outside of wanting to schedule a patsy that they made it on the schedule. Again, with no disrepect to other programs...it is easier to make it to a better bowl game when you schedule FCS teams in lieu of playing a round robin in your conference. SC had one loss last season to which turned out to be a pretty good Ore. St. team and it kept us on the outside looking in while Florida and Oklahoma played easy games that padded their record.

This could go round and round but I think Pete Carroll has been treated fairly on not making it to the title game every year with all the talent he has at his disposal.

A lot of this is out of his hands.

Here are a couple of Recruiting notes...

TigerBait.com - Ash tells all
Top DT Richard Ash picks USC as #1

Trojans and Gators vying for Powell - ESPN
USC is in the hunt, along with Florida, for DE Ronald Powell

Here is a little more on the passing of USC Volleyball player Jen-Kai Liu

In 1988 as a sophomore, Liu earned All-American first team honors while topping the NCAA champion Trojans in digs and aces. A 3-year (1988, 1990-91) letterman, he also was a member of USC's 1990 NCAA championship squad and 1991 NCAA runners-up. A knee injury forced him to redshirt in 1989, then limited him to just 4 late-season matches in 1990 and 16 matches in 1991.

Nicknamed "The Hammer" because of his hard hitting, he came to USC from Taiwan, where he was a member of that country's national team in 1986 and 1987 and its junior national team the previous 2 years. He also served in the Taiwanese army in 1985 and 1986.

Go read the whole press release...He lived a pretty full life for only having lived until age 42.

Finally, lets get this out of the way...

A spokesperson from the Nantucket Police Department said Thursday there were no criminal charges filed against USC defensive end Everson Griffen or linebacker Jordan Campbell, nor were the pair arrested, as reported elsewhere, for "breach of peace."

The pair were cited for being at loud at a July 4th party

"The charges were a civil matter -- kind of like getting a speeding ticket for making too much noise," the spokesperson said. "As far as criminal matters there are no criminal matters for any of the individuals involved in that party."

A USC spokesperson said both will write a letter of apology but no further action is expected.

There everyone feel better?

This one as well...

USC defensive back Shareece Wright will avoid jail time after pleading no contest to disturbing the peace in San Bernardino Superior Court on Thursday in an incident at a Colton party broken up by police last Labor Day weekend.

As part of a plea agreement, Wright pled no contest to disturbing the peace, a misdemeanor, his attorney Carlos L. Juarez said. Wright will be on one-year court supervised probation, fill pay a $456 fine and perform 200 hours of community service. Upon completion of the community service the charge will be reduced to a citation and eventually removed from his record, Juarez said.

This one was also much ado about nothing. Disappointing? Yes. End of the world? No. Over indulgent college kids mixed with overly aggressive cops...how did you think it was going to turn out?

Enjoy your Friday everyone! I will be back later this evening!