SB Nation - Everson Griffen

USC Senior Weekend Story Lines...

Paragon SC — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:00:41 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

With tomorrow's final regular season game at home against Arizona there a re number of story lines that we need to keep an eye on...

Who Staying and Who is going?

Stanley Havili is going to stay...

Several USC juniors will consider making themselves available for the NFL draft after the Trojans play a bowl game later this month.

Fullback Stanley Havili said Wednesday he would not be among them.

"I need to come back," he said.

Havili, who suffered a midseason shoulder injury that sidelined him for two games and slowed him for two more, surprisingly was projected by the Sporting News last month as a possible late first-round pick in the April draft.

Havili was unmoved.

"I have a lot of developing to do," he said. "I need to show parts of my game that I haven't been able to show yet."

Obviously Havili is the best fullback we have. But he has some injury issues in his career so he needs to get as much experience as he can before making the jump. He has all the tools, blocking, receiving and big capability but there have been a few time that he has had trouble holding onto the ball at critical moments.

Havili's returning for another year gives Matt Barkley a little more stability as he settles into his second year as the starter.

The bigger question on offense will be Damian Williams...

USC's regular-season finale against Arizona on Saturday will be the last Coliseum appearance for Trojans seniors.

It might also be receiver Damian Williams' final home game.

"I've kind been like, 'Wow. It could be,' " the fourth-year junior said Monday. "But right now, I'm just focusing on getting through the season. After the bowl game, we'll sit down and make some decisions."

Last January, Williams had considered making himself available for the NFL draft, especially after quarterback Mark Sanchez decided to turn professional.

But Williams returned and has been the Trojans' most dynamic player. He has caught 50 passes, six for touchdowns, and also has returned two punts for touchdowns.

Williams, though, has suffered several injuries, including a hamstring strain that slowed him against Oregon and a high-ankle sprain that sidelined him against Stanford.

So Williams, who will graduate this month, again will consider entering the draft.

DWill is in the same boat as Mark Sanchez was last year. He is set to graduate so he technically can move on. The question is is he ready?

There is no question he can make plays...he is/was the favorite target of both Barkley and Sanchez and he has been the #1 receiver on this team the past couple of seasons. When he wasn't in the dynamic of this offense changed considerably. This is a hard one to call, though I think he is gone. Being slowed by injury and having a true freshman QB running the offense may have decreased Williams' production this season but there is no question he can play. I think his draft evaluation will be the determining factor.

What about Everson Griffen?

USC junior defensive end Everson Griffen says he’s not thinking about the 2010 NFL Draft.

At least not yet.

Griffen, who has been projected by various draft sites as possible first or second round pick should he forgo his senior season, said he will evaluate his options after the season.

"I really don’t know yet," said Griffen, currently third in the Pac-10 in sacks (8). "We still have two more games left. Let’s focus on the last two games and I really haven’t thought about it yet. I’ll talk it over with my family but right now I’m just focused on these last two games and see where I’m at and then go from there."

Griffen has been the most puzzling player on this team.

He is a tremendous talent but his head and drive have always been questioned. Jethro Franklin has done a great job at getting his head screwed on straight but not without some lapses (see the Notre Dame game). SC has some decent depth at DE but it is hard to let such a tremendous talent, albeit still a little raw, leave before it is fully developed.

Joe McKnight commented this last week...

USC junior tailback Joe McKnight is leaning toward returning for his senior season.

McKnight, who is closing in on 1,000 yards, hasn’t completely made up his mind but said if he had to make the decision "today or tomorrow" he would come back to school.

I haven't heard an update on this, so I will assume that he is staying...

Anyway more later...

- - -

Here are some links...

Coach Carroll on Garrett Green - TrojanWire

Joe McKnight gets another opportunity to shine against Arizona -- latimes.com

USC defense shows Jekyll-and-Hyde personality - LA Daily News

USC's potential newcomers could make sudden impact - LA Daily News

USC defense faces challenge in Foles - The Orange County Register

Preview: Arizona at USC " The Trojan Empire

Week 14 Game Matchup: Arizona Wildcats VS. USC Trojans | All Pac 10

Rams going with a QB, DE and OLB in early mock draft

VanRam — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:20:41 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

"Oh, can I feel them?" USC defensive end Everson Griffen

Browse more photos »

Who's ready for a mock draft? I thought so. With the St. Louis Rams sitting at 1-10, it's a great time to take a look at some of the mock drafts out there and start getting some fodder for discussion.

Browsing around Walter Football this morning looking at prospect rankings, I checked out their mock draft, which was last updated today. Their mock has the Rams addressing three key needs through the first three rounds. Given the success of the first three round picks in 2009, it's an encouraging sight to see. (Of course Bradley Fletcher, er, I mean Fletcher Bradley has had an injury derail his season). Alright, here are the Rams first three picks from Walter Football:

Round 1, #3: Jake Locker, QB, Washington

Marc Bulger suffers a season-ending injury the week after Peter Petrelli loses his healing abilities... coincidence? Probably.

It'll be shocking if Bulger is back in 2010, and Kyle Boller certainly isn't the answer. The Rams need a franchise quarterback. The question is which guy they'll select.

If Jimmy Clausen is off the board, Jake Locker will be the guy; he has moved ahead of Sam Bradford in the wake of Bradford's multiple shoulder injuries.

Round 2, #34: Everson Griffen, DE, USC

Aside from Chris Long, all of the Rams defensive ends will be free agents in March. St. Louis needs to get more than 18 sacks on opposing quarterbacks anyhow.

Round 3, #65: Roddrick Muckelroy, OLB, Texas

The Rams traded Will Witherspoon to the Eagles, so their current starting weakside linebacker is Paris Lenon. It doesn't get much worse than that.

Full disclosure, I don't know much about Muckelroy at all. Aside from that tiny little detail, I like this draft. The one thing you could make a case for is throwing a WR in the mix, maybe Brandon LaFell from LSU, who they have going in the second round. Of course, in a year deep with DL talent, getting Griffen in the second round is hardly a bad deal. This approach would necessitate some important moves in free agency, most notably signing a DT and a WR.

What do you think about these picks? Is this a reasonable route to pursue for the Rams? If it shook out like this in April, would you be disappointed?

Game Day Notes - Arizona St.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First some news on Griffen...

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

Griffen, however, did not make the trip.

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

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

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

The more help the better.

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

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

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

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

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

USC Football News and Notes 11/6

Paragon SC — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:30:54 -0000

Apologies for a lack of posting yesterday, today looks to be busy as well.

Quickly...

Frankie Telfort wants to play football again!

Not surprising that he has the itch to play so he is going to consult some cardiologists about getting back on the field...

Frankie Telfort, a USC freshman linebacker barred from playing because of a heart condition, said he will see cardiologists in December with the hopes of convincing the Trojans' medical staff he can resume his football career.

Telfort was diagnosed last summer with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that hardens the heart muscle and forces the heart to work harder to pump blood. He said his doctors did not prevent him from playing football but USC's medical staff restricted him because there is a 33 percent chance he could die playing the sport.

"I'll get examined in December and ask the doctors all kinds of questions and get information to relay to USC to try and play and bring the risk (of sudden death) down," Telfort said. "I always want to get back on the field."

Telfort, who played football since age 7, said his parents are "all for it" when asked if they would allow him to resume his career.

"I would have played this year (if allowed by USC)," Telfort said. "I've been a ballplayer my whole life."

If Telfort was cleared medically, he might be starting because weakside linebacker Malcolm Smith is doubtful this week with a shoulder injury. USC coach Pete Carroll said Telfort learned the defensive schemes faster than any recruit in the past nine years.

I have a hard time believing that Telfort will ever make it back on the field. USC is not going to sign off Telfort playing no matter how many cardiac docs clear him. The public an private liability is just too great...remember Hank Geathers??

- - -

While a lot of attention was focused on the defense after last weekends loss to Oregon some of the issues on offnece were overlooked...

I was impressed with Matt Barkley's poise but he did not look as crisp as we saw weeks before. That was not all on him though, PC and Jeremy Bates didn't exactly put him in the best position...(emphasis added)

Given the USC defense’s recent struggles, you might assume the offense would alter its game plan to emphasize time of possession.

When the reverse was true a year ago and the defense was consistently dominant, the coaches went to a more conservative offensive approach, knowing the Trojans likely would win if they simply didn’t turn the ball over.

But first-year play-caller Jeremy Bates (pictured) doesn’t plan to take his foot off the accelerator.
"It’s definitely a team sport, but as an offense, we’re always going to go into a game attacking," Bates said. "Our mission is to score seven on every drive. We’re not going to change our philosophy."

That being said, Bates thought he might have taken it too far once USC fell behind at Oregon.

"We got too aggressive too early," he said. "We were just trying to make a big play and change the momentum."

Not sure I completely agree with this...I guess it depends on what you consider "attacking". Yes, you can put up an all out assault but it better put up points (it didn't against Oregon) or you can attack using the death of a thousand paper cuts method, read run the ball down their throats.

Bates expounds on the above...

"In the second half we just got off schedule," play-caller Jeremy Bates said. "And they made us one-dimensional."

Bates blamed himself for "pressing too early."

"We just have to fight the urge and that's on me," he said. "We tried to open it up a little bit more in the third quarter, where if we would have just stuck with the first-half game plan. . . . I think we would have been better off."

That is because they wanted to get into a shootout with the Ducks offense instead of just playing their game and keeping the Ducks offense off the field. Look, it happens...sometimes the coaching staff has brain freeze. When coupled with Pete Carroll's comments about the defensive game plan it just shows me that SC completely miscalculated that game. I consider it an outlier while on the message boards will use it to continue to hammer PC for the various ills they want to blame him for. It doesn't matter what excuses some will use because it doesn't change a thing. The Oregon game is a teachable event, not the norm. It was the perfect storm of events that I hope we don't see again for a very long time. The team has moved on...so should others.

- - -

A number of us wondered why we didn't run the ball more (not that it probably would have made a big difference) but the offense last Saturday really looked disjointed. But this weekend SC looks to get back to basics with the running game, but it won't be easy ...

"We want to run the ball on these guys and our challenge this week is to be able to run the ball and run the ball effectively, and they're going to give us a great game and that's what we want," Trojans center Jeff Byers said.

ASU is allowing just 80.1 yards on the ground, a 26.5-yard improvement over 2008. The difference is not so much schematic as it is a change of attitude.

"They've really just focused on attacking the line of scrimmage and hitting the running game with really great energy," Carroll said. "They've just been very physical.

"They haven't changed their scheme much but they just hit the line of scrimmage and they keep attacking and attacking and causing things to happen and it's helped them in a lot of ways."

Well, its the old adage...establish the run to set up the pass.

And the offense gets to show just how much they have moved on. They will need to focus because former USC recruit Vontaze Burfict leads ASU's feisty defense...

USC's offense will go against an aggressive Sun Devil front seven that has helped make Arizona State the Pacific 10 Conference's top-ranked defense.

Freshman Vontaze Burfict, who originally committed to USC, starts at middle linebacker for a unit that gives up only 296 yards a game.

The Sun Devils, however, also lead the conference in penalties and penalty yardage. They average 9.2 infractions and 89.2 penalty yards a game.

"They're trying to set an attitude and they do a good job at it," USC center Jeff Byers said Thursday. "They're feisty, they're mean, they're nasty -- that's a good thing to have on defense."

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Burfict starred at Corona Centennial High.

He is the Sun Devils' second-leading tackler and has two sacks. Burfict also has forced a fumble, recovered two fumbles and broken up four passes for a unit that has a conference-best 13 interceptions.

"He's a young guy that is really trying to make an impression," USC Coach Pete Carroll said this week. "It looks like he's effected a very aggressive attitude."

There is no question that Burfict is a stud but he comes with some baggage both on and off the field. On the field he is big hitter who picked up 3 personal fouls in one game so SC needs to keep an eye on him. He will make some plays but SC needs to minimize the damage he can cause.

This is not a great ASU team, they have good defense but the offense is inconsistent. Of course, SC has its own issues but they should be ready to take it to ASU to wash out the taste of last weeks loss to Oregon.

- - -

One guy looking to make some noise is Devon Kennard...

Freshman USC defensive end Devon Kennard, who is from Phoenix, could get his first start Saturday in nearby Tempe against Arizona State.

Regular starter Everson Griffen (turf toe) hasn't practice all week but could play in the game.

"After missing last year with a knee injury and all the odds that were against me, it will be a humbling experience (to play in Sun Devil Stadium)," Kennard said. "I went to every home game my junior and senior years and live 10 minutes away.

"I'm sure there will be a lot of hostile ASU fans but there will be a lot of supporters and family, too."

Kennard said Arizona State was only his fourth college choice as a senior at Desert Vista High in Phoenix.

"A lot of people said stay in town and represent ASU," Kennard said. "But I wanted to go to the best place for me for academics and football."

Kennard is going to be a beast!

He has all the right tools and he has a great attitude!!

- - -

Here are some links...

Preview | No. 12 USC at Arizona State " The Trojan Empire

Arizona State Preview - College Football - Rivals.com

Renderings of an LA Coliseum Upgrade - TrojanWire
In our wildest dreams!!

USC football: Everson Griffen will play. Or won’t he? - USC - OCRegister.com

Cautionary tales of social media stardom -- latimes.com
An interesting take...

USC trying to not overanalyze lopsided loss at Oregon - LA Daily News

Closing the book on Oregon

Paragon SC — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:30:09 -0000

More photos » by Don Ryan - AP

Browse more photos »

I guess there really isn't much to say...so I am not going to get too crazy here.

I think we have all read the disaster reports from Saturday, so there isn't much to add though there are a few interesting things floating around...

Go here to watch this interesting video...

Click on the video link "Speed Games USC Oregon"

Tell me how bad the defense looked on Saturday... It is worse the second time around, not just the missed tackles but the the lack of speed that the USC defense has in this game.They were getting beat bad.

That is alarming...

Here is Pete Carroll's Take...

"I watched it pretty closely and was pretty disappointed in our performance, particularly on defense. We had a game, for the first time that I remember, that got out of hand. It was a statistical nightmare."

Carroll said the one thing he would not do is panic after the lackluster performance, despite USC being only 10 yards shy of tying a 63-year record for most yards allowed in a game (623 by Notre Dame in 1946). Oregon gained 613.

"We're not going to change our philosophy," Carroll said. "We've got to nail down some technique stuff. We have to get our fundamental play down. Like being in the spots you are supposed to be. We've got to get our front seven shaped up."

Fundamental play would include making simple tackles. I read elsewhere that if you are out of position it forces you to use your arms and not your whole body, and that is where missed tackles come in. I am not surprised that PC has no plans to change philosophy... one reason no doubt being that it is tough to change things mid-season. He isn't going to a whole different scheme, the changes needed are ones of technique. That is sure piss off a lot of people on the message boards who are calling for changes... I would like to see some tweaks like bringing Taylor Mays up a few yards closer or taking some of the soft zone cushion away but nothing drastic.

One thing that really hasn't been brought up in great detail is that SC has been on the road a lot so far this season. That takes its toll on a young team. I can't remember a road schedule this aggressive in a long time. I will admit that I haven't really analyzed the schedule but there is no question this one has been brutal. I realize that SC has a lot of tough road games this year, but it seems that they aren't spread out enough for the guys to rest.

Maybe it's just me... but I can guarantee that this will raise the discussion with some of having an easier OOC schedule that is closer to home.

Another issue that hasn't really been discussed much here is depth. SC always takes a hit with injuries but we always seem to have depth. This year it is different... especially at linebacker. I noted last week that having Rey, Cush, Clay and Kaluka made it tough to continue recruiting top linebackers because they knew that they were not going to play right away. Couple that with not getting Burfict or Te'o then losing Telfort to his heart condition and all of a sudden we are very thin at LB.

And the news doesn't get any better...

Linebacker Malcolm Smith suffered a shoulder injury that could keep him sidelined indefinitely.

Middle linebacker Chris Galippo and reserve linebacker Jarvis Jones suffered neck sprains and will be evaluated this week.

Defensive lineman Armond Armstead suffered a wrist fracture, and doctors must determine if he is capable of playing with a cast.

And defensive end Everson Griffen suffered a turf toe injury that could limit his effectiveness.

I guess this is USC's year to really handle adversity.

The question is how does the team bounce back from this?

Ben has an interesting take...

What do they do now?

Plain and simple, the Trojans go back to the principles that have worked for the last seven-plus seasons: Practice, tireless work and a trust in the system that's brought consecutive 11-win seasons, conference titles and BCS bowl game appearances since 2002. Knee-jerk reactions are left in the newspapers and on TV, as they don't have any place in the USC football machine. The team will return to its foundations, looking intently at Saturday's issues through a lens that's been crafted over the years of many ups and some downs.

In fact, the recuperation has already started. Coaches spent all Sunday breaking down the tape and also looking to the future, namely the Arizona State game this coming weekend. Players are in strength and conditioning workouts all morning, and the Trojans will come together for meetings starting at 2:15 this afternoon.

The road to redemption and the route to resurgence have begun.

There had better be a lot of introspection from the staff and the players this week. The fans can handle a loss, they can even handle a blow out, but they will not accept and will lose patience very fast if the team that has been so dominant continues to mail it in like we saw the past few weeks.

But all is not lost. SC has to show they are tough enough to bounce back from this one and I think that they have what it takes... but it is not going to be easy. I have taken Ted Miller to task in the past, but I think he does an outstanding job of laying out where SC is at, what they need to do, and what we all need to be mindful of as the team heads in to the last four games of the season.

Every other team in the country has suffered many, many, many double-digit defeats since 2001. Seems like it's about time the Trojans suffered their second.

Of course, there will be blustering about the Trojans being overrated despite the fact they have accomplished more this season than just about any other team in the nation, posting three wins over teams ranked in the current BCS standings, all of them on the road.

Oregon is better than USC. No question. That doesn't mean the Trojans aren't a top-10 team.

And if USC wins the rest of its games and finishes 10-2 -- and Oregon takes care of business and wins the Pac-10 title -- the odds are good that the Trojans still will earn the conference a second BCS bowl berth.

So despair not USC fans!

Or maybe you should.

That defense that gave up (clear throat) 613 yards on Saturday is banged up. Linebacker Malcolm Smith suffered a shoulder injury and won't play this weekend at Arizona State and could be out for weeks. Middle linebacker Chris Galippo and backup strong side linebacker Jarvis Jones suffered neck sprains against the Ducks, which could be issues for a while even if they can play Saturday. Defensive lineman Armond Armstead fractured his wrist. Defensive end Everson Griffen is experiencing turf toe, another injury that could linger for weeks.

And more than a few folks are wondering if if All-American safety Taylor Mays' is hurting. Mays, who missed the Washington loss with a sprained knee, didn't look like himself against the Ducks.

Miller does this rationally without going off the deep end using the "USC is dead" mantra that we are now seeing.

On the other hand, Ivan Maisel tried that yesterday but he seemed to back track on that when I heard him on Cowherd this afternoon. I hope to record that segment later. What Maisel seemed to miss is that if wants to call SC a fraud then he better put two teams up there with them... Ohio St. and Notre Dame. No two other teams have had their butts kissed by the media more than those two.

USC is not out of anything by a longshot... USC is still a name that big bowl games would want in their game.

There could be a silver lining in all of this but I haven't really looked at it... it is still too soon yet.

Getting to know the USC Trojans: Q&A with Conquest Chronicles

jtlight — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:30:27 -0000

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

The Ducks will need to get to Matt Barkley early to limit the powerful USC offense.

Browse more photos »

With tomorrow's game quickly approaching, we caught up with ParagonSC, who runs Conquest Chronicles, the excellent SBNation USC Trojan site. Paragon's answers our questions here, while we've answered his questions at his site.

1) Matt Barkley has shown no fear, which is something you need in your QB, but he also has a surprisingly high number of interceptions. What do you expect from him against Oregon's defense?

I am not worried about the interceptions...after all he is a freshman so I expect a certain amount of mistakes. Because Barkley is so incredibly talented that he has been able to make plays and sustain drives that make him look like a more experienced player. I think that offsets the mistakes...he makes many more plays in the positive than in the negative.

If he has time in the pocket then I expect him to have a good game.

2) USC's usually dominant defense has looked pedestrian the last few weeks. What will they need to improve to bottle up the Ducks offense?

Short answer...stop the run.

From what I have seen the Ducks are a much better running team than a passing team. SC will definitely keep their eyes on Dickson underneath and in the middle (I think the USC defense may have learned their lesson of not effectively covering the TE from the past two weeks). I think the Ducks will have a tougher time moving the ball if they can't run it like they are used to. I do expect them to get some yards and score some points but not like they have been used to in past weeks.

3) USC's offensive line is one of the best in the nation from the start of the season, while Oregon's defensive line has been a surprise. Have the Trojans faced a quick line like Oregon's, and how to you think they'll fare?

No question that the Ducks D Line has been a surprise! USC faced a pretty good D line at Ohio St. and they held their own. I know this Ducks defense has a lot of no-names on it but they are to be respected.

I expect the Ducks D line to get a few sacks or hurries on Barkley, but as the season has moved on we have seen that Barkley is not easily rattled when under pressure, so they need to take Barkley down not just put pressure on him. I am more interested to see if USC can run the ball on this Ducks D line than I am about the USC O line giving Barkley time. USC has had problems off and on this season in either short yardage situations or running the ball in the red zone. The running game has just not been as effective as I would like.

4) USC is loaded with talent, and most Oregon fans know most of the big names. Which under the radar player should Duck fans keep their eyes out for this weekend, especially on the revamped USC defense?

While USC is loaded with talent a lot of those players are still unknown to many outside of the program. On the USC D line everyone knows Everson Griffen but you also have players like Nick Perry and Jurrell Casey who have been making life very tough on opposing offensive lines. Both have a knack for getting penetration to force the opposing QB's to either throw early or to scramble out of the pocket where it it can be difficult to run on this USC defense. This USC D line is sack machine but they will be tested by a very mobile Masoli.

The USC Linebacking corps is also "under the radar." Everyone remembers the four that left for the NFL after last season but very few know their replacements. Depending on injury and/or the situation Mike Morgan, Malcom Smith, Chris Galippo, Shane Horton and Jordan Campbell have all played and made their presence known throughout the season. Some feel that this could actaully be a better group of linebackers than last years group because of their speed when all is said and done.

As much as I love Rey Maualuga, I think Chris Galippo is showing himself to better, smarter player. His mistakes are not as pronounced as Rey's sometimes were.

5) For every other fanbase, playing USC is many times the biggest game on the schedule. With the constant buzz around your program, how do you fans feel about the national build-up to this game?

Funny you should mention that...Before I read these questions I was reading some things here and there that were making this game look like the MNC. I was thinking what's the big deal? This is just another game. I realize the ramifications...whomever wins pretty much wins the Pac-10. For SC it would be their eighth in a row. For the Ducks it is a clear shot into the national picture.

USC can't win it every year though it sometimes feels like some of the fans think that.It hink SC always has a shot at going all the way but I also know that the rest of the Pac-10 is getting better and I think that is better for the conference as a whole

USC fans have been tempered by every team circling their game with SC on their schedule. I get it...it is a big deal to them but the USC program has been programed to treat all the games pretty much the same. There may be a lot of national hype surrounding certain games at certain times and some fans may look at this particular game as big deal but for many USC fans this game is no different than any other.

We are used to the attention and the emotion that both the press and the opposing teams put on USC. That is not arrogance, it is fact. Everyone makes a big deal out of USC, even when it is not warranted. And while some players may play with a heightened sense of emotion the overall personality of the team on game day is no more than another day at the office.

This is going to be a great game because of the national exposure, the conference and national ramifications and the crazy atmosphere at Autzen. But that is for the fans and the press...not the players.

Oregon St. Game Day Notes

Paragon SC — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:41:46 -0000

Some are calling tonight's game a grudge match or a revenge game...

I do not see it that way at all. This is just another tough Pac-10 match-up. Oregon St. has proven to be a solid football program coached by one of the more underrated coaches in Mike Riley. Like USC sometimes does they get off to slow starts but always seem to finish strong.

It is not surprising that some feel that Oregon St. beating USC two out of the three previous seasons gives the Beavers some confidence. I can see where it would but those wins came in Corvallis not at the Coliseum.

Jacquizz Rodgers realizes he will be a marked man Saturday at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The fourth-ranked Trojans have had more than a year to ponder a loss that ultimately kept them out of the BCS national championship game.

Whether last year's defeat provides added incentive for USC remains to be seen. It could work in OSU's favor, as well.
"It's confidence that USC can be beaten," said Jacquizz Rodgers, who is ninth in the nation in rushing. "We can't live off what we did last year, but it's possible that they can be beaten."

Last Year USC really didn't have any clue about Jacquizz Rodgers but they found out quickly about his abilities in that disaster in Corvallis. USC made some decent 2nd half adjustments that kept Rodgers to only 60 yards rushing in the second half. But SC was playing catch-up the whole game and they and you could tell they were just not their typical dominant selves.

Sure, OSU has some confidence because they have proven they can beat SC. But it isn't like The Beavers own us...especially not at the Coliseum. If I am OSU I would use those past wins as a road map as well but USC is mindful of their deficiencies from last year and USC will move the chess pieces on the board accordingly.

This is not a revenge game...at least not in the coaches' eyes.

Pete Carroll doesn't play it that way...

USC coach Pete Carroll didn't get frothy this week reminding his players what happened last year at Oregon State. He didn't rant and rave about how the Beavers took something from the Trojans and made them look bad on national television in a 27-21 defeat.

"We've never used that," Carroll said. "We don't use last year or the years before for anything. It's clear to our guys that this is the team that got us last year and all that. That's nothing new. That's just the facts. I'm not going to spend any time on it."

Just the facts: If USC had not lost last year at Oregon State, it would have played for the national title. And it almost certainly would have been favored to win Carroll's third championship.

The players on the other hand could be a little more focused...

SC has some things going for them in this game when it comes to the Beavers defense...

First, how will Oregon State's pass defense contain the rapidly improving Matt Barkley, who passed for 380 yards and two touchdowns at Notre Dame?

The Beavers rank ninth in the Pac-10 in pass defense -- though they are fourth in pass efficiency defense -- and have struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Their four sacks rank 116th in the nation.

All four starters in the secondary from last year were replaced as well as both defensive ends.

"I think the secondary may actually be the strength of their team," USC receiver Damian Williams said. "They run well. They play great press defense. Their coaches have a lot of confidence in them. They put them out there on an island and tell them to go to work."

I expect the Beavers secondary to up for this game but the rest of the information above is telling...

Barkley does not have to air it out, he can go underneath.

Here is little more.

The second issue for Oregon State is how its young offensive line will match up against a USC front that ranks No. 1 in the nation with 26 sacks and fourth in the nation in run defense (68 yards per game).

That line has surrendered 19 sacks, which ranks ninth in the conference.

That means Rodgers needs to make plays in the running game, because the Beavers probably can't win if they don't obtain a modicum of offensive balance.

As far as the passing game, this will be a big road test for Sean Canfield. The senior wasn't the quarterback of record in last year's game -- that belonged to now-backup Lyle Moevao -- and playing USC on the road obviously offers some unique challenges.

Yet Canfield, much like his ascending team, appears to be peaking at the right time.

It is a challenge but Canfield is playing some very solid football right now. SC got to Canfield in the 2007 game at the Coliseum, hitting him hard on one play by Will that ended up costing him the following season so he has some extra motivation to play out of his mind. This Beavers O line, while talented is not quite as good as last season but they will come to play. They will also see a very different defensive line from USC, with the different rotations that SC will throw at OSU. Seeing Griffen, Perry, Armstead and Casey coming your way could be very intimidating and it could make it a big challenge for the Beavers O line.

You can thank Jethro Franklin for that...

USC deployed 10 defensive linemen in its victory over the Fighting Irish, depth that enabled the Trojans to bring fresh pressure that resulted in five sacks.

USC enters today's game against Oregon State ranked first nationally in sacks and second in tackles for losses.

"In terms of production," Coach Pete Carroll said, "I'm surprised we're this far out there numbers-wise."

Trojans defensive linemen are not.

To a man, they credit Franklin, who is in his second tour of duty at USC.

In a program that preaches competition for playing time, the defensive line is the one position group that consistently rewards weekday effort on Saturday.

I think we are amazed at the production of the defensive line. These guys are monsters and if they can contain 'Quizz then it will be along night for the Beavers...but they HAVE to contain him.

I think SC linebackers will also "stay at home" and not overrun plays like we saw Rey do a few times last season. It hink that helps the D line do their thing. The secondary has some work to do as well when it comes to defending James Rodgers and Howard Croom...Rodgers has had a good season so far as well. Croom has put a target on his back with some comments he recently made.

Howard Croom, a tight end from Long Beach, Calif., thinks the Beavers get extra hyped to play USC. Maybe that's why he said the following to Trojan defensive end Everson Griffen.

"I was blocking him all night," Croom recalled. "Coach was on us last year about finishing through the whistle, don't stop even if they get mad. I kept blocking him real hard and he got mad. He was holding onto my arm when we were walking to the next play and I hit it down. He looked at me and said, 'You're terrible.'

"I said, 'Yeah, I'm terrible, nobody knows me and you're an All-American -- and I'm handling you right now.'"

Croom, who grew up a USC fan, said last year's win meant a little extra something for him and the other players from Southern California.

"We weren't good enough (for them)," Croom said, "but we were good enough on (Thursday night)."

Mike Riley can't be too happy if he saw that article...Don't think the players won't remember that passage...

Moving on.

I don't think this game is cake walk but I do think SC wins, but SC will not cover the spread. SC has to stay focused and not let the emotion of the game get to them like we saw last week in South Bend.

This should be an interesting one!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And Barkley learns fast as well...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I think that is a big deal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Or so they think."

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

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

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

Please...

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

More interesting is this...

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

</sarcasm>

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

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

Saturday NFL Draft watch notes

Mocking Dan — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:40:59 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Browse more photos »

• Clearly the top matchup of the day is one between Oklahoma and Texas. Quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy will be the main attraction, but watch Sooners left tackle Trent Williams. He's had some struggles moving from the right side this season and will be tested by Texas' Sergio Kindle.

Oklahoma cornerback Dominique Franks is one of the top junior cornerbacks in the nation. He gets overshadowed some by fellow junior Joe Haden. Today he could go head-to-head with Texas senior Jordan Shipley.

• Today could be the day Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen really gets the attention of NFL evaluators. Against USC last season Clausen struggled in the face of pressure. If he plays poised, shows good pocket presence and has completes a high percentage of passes, there's no reason to think Clausen shouldn't challenge Bradford or Jake Locker as the top quarterback among scouts.

If USC's Everson Griffen matches up against Notre Dame's Sam Young, the matchup will be a good one. Young is fairly underrated and has really good size and strength. Griffen is a good all-around pass rusher who has a chance to show what he can do against an NFL-sized left tackle.

• No one is talking about it, but one of best one-on-one contest to watch today is in in the Kentucky/Auburn game. Wildcats middle linebacker Micah Johnson is strong against the run. For the Tigers, running back Ben Tate is one of the most underrated running backs in the nation. Both are third or fourth round talents.

• Going against Georgia's A.J. Green, arguably the best receiver in the country, Vanderbilt cornerback Myron Lewis can boost his stock today. Lewis is a good all-around cornerback, but he doesn't have true No. 1 shutdown skills. He can prove otherwise today.

• Florida has one of the best defensive lines in the country. So today could be a long day for Arkansas senior guard Mitch Petrus. He's one of the better guards in the nation, but gets by mostly on heart and effort. The Gators will be his biggest test of the season.

• Minnesota wide reciever Eric Decker is having a fantastic year. In six games, he has 46 receptions for 689 yards. Penn State sophomore D'Anton Lynn is turning into a shutdown cornerback. Lynn is 6-foot-1, so Decker could be challenged big time today.

• Quarterbacks will be the name of the game in the Central Michigan/Western Michigan contest. Some like Central's Dan LeFevour, who is athletic and mobile. Others prefer Western's Tim Hiller, who is a pure pocket passer. Both have been inconsistent this season and look like third rounders, at best.

• Prediction: Today is the day Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead begins to turn his season around. The Rebels play a listless UAB team and Snead could get back on the first-round radar.

Bye Week News and Notes

Paragon SC — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:41:40 -0000

So, we officially enter Notre Dame week but there are a few items to look at from last week.

Something that caught my eye was in terms of scheduling. USC and Texas are talking about a home and home series...

The L.A. Times reported that USC is looking for a marquee BCS conference opponent for a future home-and-away series, and one discussion has been with Texas.

Help me out. When these two teams last played, was the game sorta entertaining?

From the Times:

Steve Lopes, a senior associate athletic director who handles scheduling, said playing nonconference opponents such as Ohio State and Notre Dame on the road in the same season was "not something you'd really like to do very often."

Lopes confirmed that he has "had conversations" with Texas and other teams from Bowl Championship Series conferences about possible home-and-home series.

USC is trying to fill dates in two-year cycles for 2015-2016, 2017-2018, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.

The game I'd love to see would be USC-Alabama. Great history between the teams -- Bear Bryant, John McKay, USC running back Sam "Bam'' Cunningham in 1970, the split title in 1978 even though the Trojans whipped the Crimson Tide 24-14 in Birmingham, etc.

Uh...Yeah!

Playing Texas would be a blast and I would play Alabama in a second. You gotta love the Pac-10's willingness to go all over the country to play some of these games. No fear! Of course they have to get scheduled and that takes time but the effort on both sides is what this sport needs to keep...I wish we saw that more from some of the teams in the SEC.

- - -

You have to love the OCR's Scott Reid willingness to openly rip his fellow members in the press who vote and the rankings process as a whole with his article that asks why Stanford and the Pac-10 feel the snub again.

Consider that No. 18 Brigham Young's four victories have come against teams that are a combined 8-9 and the Cougars lost at home to 2-3 Florida State 54-28. The "Y" still received 403 votes in this week's AP poll, 353 more than Stanford.

Or consider that one-time national title contender Mississippi is No. 20 in this week's AP poll on the basis of victories over such powerhouses as Memphis, Southeastern Louisiana and Vanderbilt, which are a combined 5-9.

What a joke these wimps are!

I am tired of hearing about BYU. It was a nice win against Oklahoma but one win does not a season make. Same with Utah...it was a nice win over 'bama last season but lets take it easy, they are not in the national discussion year in and year out. Do it consistently for a few years then we will talk. As for the the SEC scheduling FCS patsies all they have to do to take some of the stigma away is to schedule some road games against some lesser D-1 opponents. They don't have to schedule top 10 teams every year for their OOC slate but try to make some effort.

We could go on forever as to why the voting system is a sham with ranking teams high before they even played a game or how the writers or coaches are even able to submit accurate ballots when they never see any other games other than their own. And of course there is the cronyism or pettiness that we all know permiates the voting. The lack of transparancy takes the cake for me...there is no accounatability.

Once again another great read from Reid!

- - -

Let the chess moves begin... 5 games that mean something to USC and how they affect USC in the polls...

NO. 1 FLORIDA AT NO. 4 LSU

USC should root for … LSU

The logic: The more losses the top-tier SEC teams suffer, the better for USC. LSU would remain unbeaten, but the Tigers have a date with Alabama on Nov. 7.

NO. 3 ALABAMA AT NO. 20 MISSISSIPPI

USC should root for … Mississippi

The logic: Speaking of the Crimson Tide, it sure would help USC’s cause in the BCS standings if the Rebels could pull the upset here. The long-term problem for the Trojans is that even if LSU beats Florida, Mississippi beats Alabama and Alabama beats LSU, a one-loss SEC champion still most likely would go to the BCS title game ahead of USC.

STANFORD AT OREGON STATE

USC should root for … Oregon State

The logic: The Trojans need the Cardinal to come back to the pack. Stanford already is 3-0 in the conference. Sure, USC gets Stanford at home in mid-November. But do the Trojans want the improved Cardinal to come to the Coliseum confident and playing for the Rose Bowl?

It is definitely tough to watch than it is to play...

- - -

Speaking of Florida...Tebow Fans sound off, as some fans are not pleased with The SportingNews' picking of Matt Leinart as college football player of the decade.

Read for youself...

- - -

One player that we all wanted to see at full potential is Evereson Griffen. It has been an interesting ride watching him the past few years. So much potential with so little drive, but this year something clicked and Griffen has such a different attitude this season that he is now extra critical of his performance and he looks for improvement...

The junior defensive end ranks second on USC with four sacks in five games, just half a sack less than last season's total. He's fifth on the team in tackles with 17 — behind two linebackers and two safeties.

Griffen greets it all with a shrug.

"I'm playing all right," he said Thursday. "I can play much better. There's always room for improvement."

No matter his personal assessment, Griffen is playing the most consistent football of his Trojans career — finally putting his NFL-caliber combination of size (6-foot-3, 280) and speed to good use on a regular basis.

(That athleticism was on display earlier this week, when he dropped into coverage, deflected a pass and intercepted it.)

USC's coaches have wanted Griffen to practice with high effort and focus on a daily basis, and they're starting to see it. But as talented as Griffen is, there's still a sense that he's just scratching the surface.

I put this all on Jethro Franklin.

Grifffen has been challenged by Franklin this season and so far he is responding. Franklin is another one of those USC coaches that has an NFL background that knows how to get the most of his players. We have all seen flashes of Griffen's talent but this year we have a different player. You can see that he is more driven you can see that he is making plays and reducing his tendency to commit stupid penalties. As noted the article this an interesting year for Griffen who is draft eligible...the better he gets the more likely he could go...

- - -

Trojan great Leon Clarke passes...sad news.

Leon Clarke, an all-league end who led USC in receiving in 1954 and 1955 and was a member of the Trojans' 1955 Rose Bowl team before playing in the NFL for 8 years, died on Monday (Oct. 5) in Los Alamitos, Calif., of pancreatitis. He was 76.

Clarke, who prepped at Venice (Calif.) High, lettered 3 years (1953-55) at USC. He led the Trojans in receiving as both a junior (13 catches for 232 yards) and senior (15 catches for 215 yards and 2 touchdowns), earning All-Pacific Coast Conference honors in 1955. The Trojans posted a 6-3-1 record in his 1953 sophomore campaign, then went 8-4 in his junior season and finished ranked No. 17 nationally by AP after falling to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. USC was 6-4 and ended up ranked No. 13 the following year. He played in the East-West Shrine Game, Hula Bowl and College All-Star Game after his senior season.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Clarke's family.

- - -

I am going to write a separate basketball post in the fan shots this weekend as a few things popped up that we should look at with the season just around the corner...

More later.