Season IV: 4thand9 Crew Trojan Blog

The Wildcats Come Calling

2009-12-04T23:53:00.000-08:00

This is it folks . . . the finale . . . and who knows what’s going to happen. The Arizona Wildcats bring a formidable offense to the Coliseum, and the question is whether SC’s defense will be able to shut it down.

The SC offense also needs to have a good game, and maintain possession of the ball to keep the Wildcat offense off the field.

Here we go:

Arizona

Offense – The Wildcats bring in a very balanced offense behind QB Nick Foles who’s completing 67% of his passes with 17 TDs and only 7 INTs. UofA can also do some damage on the ground with Nic Grigsby and Keola Antolin, two quick RBs who both have 500+ yards rushing this season. As one might expect, the Wildcat OLine is very good, only giving up (9) sacks on the year.

Defense – This unit is solid, and boasts a couple of very good players. DE Ricky Elmore leads the Pac 10 in sacks with 10.5, while LB Xavier Kelley is a quick, smart player who patrols near the line of scrimmage. CB Devin Ross is one of the better cover-men in the conference, and leads the team in passes defensed.

USC

Offense – Well, this game represents another opportunity for QB Matt Barkley and the Trojan offense to find the groove that’s been missing since mid-season. The pieces are there as key injured players are back. But the play-calling has not helped the cause. SC should get series’ started with it’s solid run game, and get to 3rd and short situations . . . giving them a better chance to keep drives going.

Defense – Another stiff test for the Trojan defense that has struggled recently against teams that can score. And Arizona can score. So it will start up front with DE Everson Griffen, Jurrell Casey having to make a dent in a very good Arizona OLine. If they don’t, it will be a long day for the Trojan LBs covering the small and quick Wildcat RBs in the running game. The Trojan secondary can’t sleep, or they will be on the wrong end of some long gainers from the tall Wildcat receivers.

Prediction:

USC – 28

UA – 24

Trojans Show Some Fight, Beat Bruins 28 – 7

2009-12-04T23:47:00.000-08:00

Take heart, Trojan fans . . . USC is still the king of L.A.

On a cool, crisp night at the Coliseum, things got kind of heated as SC took control and then applied the “sleeper hold” with a late TD pass that got the fans juiced up, and the Bruins riled up. It was beautiful.

Here’s the breakdown:

Offense

QB – Matt Barkley had a decent night going 18 – 26 for 201 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. But he has been unable to keep offensive drives going, and in my opinion, it’s not all his fault. SC is in 3rd and long situations all night long, and that just puts too much pressure on Barkley to complete downfield passes when the defense is expecting it. Grade: C

RBs/FBs – RB Allen Bradford led the way in this game gaining 70 yards on 14 carries, with 2 short TD runs. McKnight left the game early with a thigh bruise, but it was good to see FB Stan Havili back on the field and contributing. Grade: B minus

WRs/TEs – The trio of receivers Damian Williams, Ronald Johnson and TE Anthony McCoy combined for 13 receptions and 190+ yards. The late deep TD to Williams added a punctuation mark to a nice game by the group. Grade: B

OLine – The OLine didn’t overwhelm a solid Bruin front (7), but they did enough by not allowing a sack and opening holes for SC RB’s to average over 4 yards per carry on the ground. Grade: B minus

Defense

DLine – This group should have been more dominant vs. a weak Bruin OLine. Although, UCLA couldn’t get anything going offensively, NT Jurrell Casey had the only sack by the Trojan DLine. Grade: C minus

LBs – This unit had it’s best game since ASU. OLB Malcolm Smith got things going with a pick 6, and also made (15) tackles. Fellow LBs Chris Galippo and Michael Morgan each added a TFL to the cause. Grade: B

DBs – The Trojan secondary contributed some nice plays in this game. Safety Taylor Mays led the group with (9) tackles, while CB Josh Pinkard and Safety Will Harris both collected INTs. CB Kevin Thomas also broke up two passes, in addition to his (6) tackles. Grade: B +

Special Teams

Kicking/Coverage/Returns – The return of punt returner Damian Williams (62 yards in returns) added some spark to this unit. But the FGs continue to struggle with any kick over 40 yards, with Jacob Harfman missing again from long distance. Grade: C minus

Coaching

Finding a rhythm offensively was again a problem. And to me, it stems from not using the running game more often early on offensive possessions to set up the passing game. As a result, the team is in 3rd and long too much and not converting. Defensively, the game should have been a shut out, except for not falling on a fumble during UCLA’s only scoring drive. A good game plan would have been even better had SC been more stingy on 3rd downs. Grade: B minus

Prediction Winner:

J-Man scores one for the out-of-state Trojan fans!

The Pride Bowl: Trojans Take on Bruins

2009-11-27T20:12:00.000-08:00

It's come down to this for the Trojans in 2009. I mean, if they can't beat the lowly Bruins on their own home field . . . what is there left to play for?

No matter what the records are, SC is 7 -3 and UCLA is 6 - 5, this game still means something. The winner will still be able to hold there head up high in their home city.

Let the battle for L.A. commence!

UGLA

Offense - It has been a real struggle for QB Kevin Prince and the Bruins. A lack of depth, talent, and injuries to members of the offensive line have made life tough for the inexperienced Prince (8th in the Pac 10 in passing efficiency) and the Bruin running game which ranks 9th in the Pac 10. As a result, scoring has been a big issue as the Bruins are only averaging 22 ppg. FG kicker Kai Forbath is the best offensive weapon on the team, ranking #1 in the conference at 89%.

Defense - The UGLA defense has carried the team for the most part. They lead the conference in takeways (27), and rush defense. DT Brian Price is the primary playmaker with a stunning 20 TFLs. LB Reggie Carter and Safety Rahim Moore provide leadership and playmaking in the back (7). Moore has (9) INTs this season.

USC

Offense - It's been awhile since the Trojan offense hit on all cyclinders, but getting WR Damian Williams, FB Stan Havili and TE Anthony McCoy back from injury should help big time. SC has been running the ball very well with Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford, but they and the OLine face a stiff test with the Bruin run defense.

Defense - The Trojan Dline must dominate this game against a suspect Bruin Oline. The Bruins struggle to run the ball, and protect the passer (given up 27 sacks this season), so DE Everson Griffen and DT Jurell Casey should make some plays. The LBs have been a much maligned group, but don't face a great offense in the Bruins. MLB Galippo and company should be able to hold their own in this one. And the Trojan secondary can take some chances in this game - CBs Pinkard and Thomas won't face consistent Bruin wideouts, so playing tight and physical should not be a problem.

Prediction:

USC - 34

UGLA - 10

Stanford Runs Over SC, 55 - 21

2009-11-27T20:08:00.000-08:00

Well . . . that didn't go as planned, did it? Another trip to the woodshed for the Trojans, and this one hurt. Stanford ran left, ran right, and ran up the middle for a stunning 325 yards, and there was nothing SC could do about it.

I'm in pain writing about this shellacking . . . But here it goes:

Offense

QB - QB Matt Barkley had his worst game as a Trojan. You simply can't win with (3) INTs. Barkley had some terrific throws in the game, but those costly turnovers, which included a fumble, did him in. Barkley finished 21 - 31 for 196 yards with a TD pass and was sacked twice, as well.

Grade: D minus

RB/FB - RB Joe McKnight was a bright spot for the Trojans, finishing with 142 yards rushing on just (16) carries - a 9 ypc average. RB Allen Bradford had a TD run, but left the game early with an injury. Grade: B

WR/TE - WR Brice Butler had a little bit of a break out game, catching six balls for nearly 100 yards and a TD. RoJo also chipped in (7) receptions. No other receiver, however, was able to make an impact on the game. Grade: C

OLine - This group did not play that badly, and I don't think they were put in position to control the contest in the running game, even though McKnight had a very good game. They did give up a couple of sacks QB hurries, but that was due to SC's need to throw the ball exclusively in the 2nd half. Grade: C minus

Defense

DLine - This unit didn't make a play the whole game. Grade: F

LBs - See above comment. Grade: F

DBs - When the top tacklers for the game are the DBs . . . you know you are in trouble. Although the Cardinal passing game was not a problem, SC's DBs combined for (41) tackles, led by safety Will Harris who had twelve, coming up to make stops in the running game. Grade: C minus

Coaching

The offensive coaches missed the boat completely in this game. SC did not take advantage of the running game working well with Joe McKnight. This was a game in which McKnight should have had (30) carries, not the 16 he got. That would have allowed the Trojans to wear down the Cardinal defense, and keep the potent Cardinal offense off the field. Instead, SC passed on first down too much, and stayed in 3rd and long situations that were low percentage opportunities.

Defensively, I gotta blame the players. The whole stadium knew what Stanford was going to do . . . run the ball. Still SC was not able to stop it. And it wasn't just Cardinal RB Toby Gerhart who did the damage. On 3rd downs, QB Andrew Luck ran for a couple of key 1st downs on scrambles. At some point, a Trojan defender needed to make a stop . . . and they did not do it. Grade: F

Prediction Winner: There were no winners in this one.

The Cardinal Come Rollin' In

2009-11-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

Week by week, it doesn't get any easier for the Trojans. And this week they face a hot Stanford Cardinal team that just finished beating the #8 Oregon Ducks (who of course, spanked SC a few weeks ago.)

So all is lost, right? Not exactly. Stanford is tough at home (5 - 0), but not so much on the road (1 - 3). Their defense is the main culprit, as the Cardinal give up twice as many points on the road (35ppg) vs. only (19ppg) at home.

So as the Cardinal roll into the Coliseum, it's time for the USC Trojans to put together a great effort in all (3) aspects of their game - offense, defense and special teams.

It's go time!

Stanford

Offense - RB Toby Gerhart is the heart and soul of the Cardinal offense. He's leading the Pac 10 in rushing, and is a tough back with surprising foot quickness. But the player who has taken Stanford's offense to the next level is redshirt frosh QB Andrew Luck who leads the conference in passing efficiency completing nearly 60% of his passes with 11TDs and 3 INTs. He's also good with the deep ball, and can scramble a little bit when he gets out of the pocket. WR Chris Owusu is a deep threat in the passing game with 5 TDs, and he's also a terrific kickoff returner with (3) TDs on the season.

Defense - If there's a weak link in Stanford's game, it's the defense which ranks 8th in the Pac 10. They've given up some big rushing yardage to the better teams they've played due to an undersized defensive line. Also, the Cardinal lost the captain of their defense MLB Clint Snyder for the season due to a knee injury just this past week.

USC

Offense - QB Matt Barkley and the Trojan offense are looking to bounce back from a rough game last week that saw them only put up (7) pts. And even though SC will miss WR Damian Williams who's out due to injury, the return of FB Stan Havili and TE Anthony McCoy should help them get back on track. The running game tandem of Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford will play an important part in this game, behind a Trojan OLine which should have an advantage against a smallish Cardinal front (7).

Defense - The entire defense will be tested this week as the Cardinal can run and pass the ball with efficiency. The matchup to watch is the Trojan Dline vs. the Cardinal Oline which has only given up 6 sacks this season, and paved the way for 211 yards rushing per game. Safety Taylor Mays and the Trojan DBs will need to remain alert, because Stanford gets defenders thinking "run", and all of a sudden is passing downfield.

Prediction:

USC - 27

Stanford - 14

Trojans Outlast Sun Devils, 14 - 9

2009-11-14T00:34:00.000-08:00

This one will not go down as a masterpiece. In fact, the Trojan offense was downright ugly for most of the game. But the Trojan defense showed up time and time again to repel the Sun Devils who had to change quarterbacks just to threaten SC.

All in all . . . we'll take the "W" and keep moving.

Here's a detailed look at the unit by unit grades:

QB - Matt Barkley didn't want to look at the stat sheet after going 7 - 22, for only 112 yards. But his stats would have been much better if not for some key dropped passes by receivers. And although Barkley was only sacked one time, he was harassed all night by the ASU Dline. Grade: D +

RBs/FB - Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford continue to run consistently, each pounding out 5 yards per carry on a combined 29 carries for about 150 yards. Bradford really could have blown the game open but tripped on the 40 yard line of what could have been a 60+ yard TD run. Grade: B

WRs/Tes - Not a good night for this unit. It was Damian Williams to the rescue, though, with a 75 yard catch and run TD that gave SC it's win. Tight ends Blake Ayles and Rhett Ellison had some key drops, however. Grade: D +

Oline - This group led the Trojans to about 150 yards on the ground, and gave up only one sack. But that was the good stuff. The bad included allowing the ASU Dline to pressure Barkley most of the night, and a committing a couple of penalties that stalled offensive drives. Grade: C minus

Defense

Dline - Strong night against the run, as this unit helped limit ASU to only 81 yards on the ground. They also had (3) sacks. NT Christian Topou forced a key fumble in the SC red zone. And young DE Wes Horton had a very good game with (6) tackles, and Malik Jackson and DT Derek Simmons tallied a sack each. Grade: B +

LBs - A solid night for the LBs in this one. MLB Chris Galippo had an INT, and OLB Shane Horton laid the wood a couple of times on some nice plays. Grade: B

DBs - Safety Will Harris was the star of the show with (2) INTs, including a "pick six" that was SC's first TD of the game. The unit did make one mistake allowing a deep TD pass, as CB Kevin Thomas got caught looking in the offensive backfield in coverage. Grade: C

Special Teams

Kicking/Coverage/Returns - FG kicker Jordan Congdon missed what could have been an important FG for SC, and punter Jacob Harfman had an up and down night getting a 51 yarder, but also only averaging 37 ypp. Grade: C minus

Coaching

The offense could never get going in this game. But the coaches did call some nice plays that were not executed, including a dropped potential TD pass to TE Blake Ayles and a crucial 3rd down pass to FB DJ Shoemate that was called back due to a penalty. Defensively, SC bottled up the ASU offense for the majority of the night. SC's defensive coaches knew what to do against ASU's starting QB Danny Sullivan.

Grade: C +

Prediction Winner:

JMW does it again!

On the Road Again for SC vs. ASU

2009-11-07T01:25:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought that this would be a big game for the Trojans and the Sun Devils? ASU has lost two straight games to CAL and Stanford, and is looking to get their mojo back. And after having their lunch money stolen at Oregon, SC is just looking to get it’s dignity back.

The final month of the season starts with this game, and the Trojans need to continue their “no loss November” streak to salvage the season. Here’s how the game breaks down:

ASU

Offense – The Sun Devils have been looking for an offensive identity all season. QB Danny Sullivan has not been consistent, only completing 54% of his passes with (8) TDs and (7) INTs. RB Dimitri Nance is solid, but not spectacular. The ASU WRs Kyle Williams and Chris McGaha are active, and have scored three TDs apiece on the year.

Defense – This unit has been the strength of the team. Led by leading tackler LB Mike Nixon, the Sun Devils currently rank #1 in defense in the Pac 10. They are particularly strong against the run keeping offenses to only 2.6 ypc. DT Lawrence Guy leads the team in sacks with 4.5 on the season, and safety Ryan McFoy has collected (3) INTs to lead the secondary.

USC

Offense – QB Matt Barkley and the Trojan offense has developed a balanced attack at this point in the season. The running game behind Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford has been consistent, but they and the Trojan OLine will be tested by a strong ASU run defense. SC can make the Sun Devils pay through the air, but the absence of TE Anthony McCoy and FB Stan Havili will be may felt again this week.

Defense – The ASU offense sets up very well for the Trojan defense to get back on track. The Sun Devils don’t do anything fancy, and the SC front (7) needs to establish itself in the trenches from the get – go. The Trojan LBs, especially, need a confidence building game, and can get it here. The DLine will probably not have DE Everson Griffen, so this is a big game for back up true frosh and Arizona native DE Devon Kennard to make his presence felt. The Trojan secondary will have to be ready against the ASU WRs who have good size, and will be a primary weapon for the Sun Devils in this game.

Prediction:

USC – 31

ASU – 10

Trojans Get Blasted by Ducks, 47 – 20

2009-11-07T00:44:00.000-08:00

Ohhh . . . humanity.

We haven’t seen anything like it for a long time. The Trojans got their Halloween candy taken from them . . . and could do nothing about it. The Ducks ran the ball at will against a confused and frustrated Trojan defense. Offensively, SC hung in there for a half, but then got turned into a one dimensional team that could only hope to pass their way back into the ballgame. But it didn’t happen.

This wasn’t a game . . . it was a crime scene. And unfortunately, we gotta do our best impression of “CSI” to examine what’s left of the victims:

Offense

QB – Matt Barkley kept the Trojans alive and was very accurate in the first half. But with Oregon continuing to score, Barkley had to “wing it” in the second half, and the Trojan offense just wasn’t effective. Barkley finished 21 – 38 for only 187 yards with 2 TDs and a pick. Grade: C minus

RBs/FBs – RB Joe McKnight ran the ball very well, tallying 95 yards on 15 carries (6.3 ypc). But no one else got on track and could help carry the mail. Grade: C

WRs/TEs – WRs Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson each scored a TD, with Williams garnering (9) catches. But the receiving corp really missed TE Anthony McCoy. Replacement Blake Ayles only caught one pass for three yards. Grade: C

OLine – Believe it or not, the Trojan OLine was pretty good. Despite SC’s total reliance on the pass throughout most of the game, this unit only gave up two sacks. And they blocked well in the run game for McKnight. Grade: B

Defense

DLine – Zero sacks folks. And that wasn’t the worst part for the Trojan DLine. They couldn’t get any penetration to stop the run game. The Ducks rushed for an amazing 391 yards. NT Jurrell Casey led the team with (11) tackles . . . I just didn’t see any of them. Grade: F

LBs – This unit could not have played any worse. They simply didn’t know which Duck offensive player had the ball. MLB Chris Galippo did not fill the gaps fast enough, OLB Mike Morgan was a non-factor, and OLB Shane Horton was totally lost falling for the fake handoff to the Duck RB in the Oregon spread offense almost every single time. Grade: F

DBs – The Trojan secondary spent the night chasing Duck ball carriers. End of story. Grade: D minus

Special Teams

Kicking/Coverage/Returns – Just to add insult to Trojan injury, the KO coverage team gave up a 77 yard return to the Ducks. Grade: D

Coaching

Eeesh . . . where to start? The offense moved the ball well in the first half, but went dead in the water in the second half. The coaches obviously wanted to keep pace with the Ducks in the 2nd half by throwing the ball, but would have been better served to run the ball just to keep the ball out of the Duck offense’s hands. On defense, it was a total collapse of gameplan and player execution. The “containment” plan of Duck QB Jeremiah Masoli by the DLine did not work. And the coaches were helpless in assisting the Trojan LBs find the ball. Grade: F

Prediction Winner:

The AFLAC Duck

USC Goes to Oregon on Fright Night

2009-10-30T23:20:00.000-07:00

As usual, when SC goes on the road to play a ranked opponent . . . it’s the “game of the year”. And this one is no different. The winner of this game will have the Pac 10 in a chokehold, and a BCS bowl invitation for the taking.

Oregon is on a roll after a shaky start, compiling an undefeated Pac 10 record of
4 – 0. The Trojans have picked up steam offensively, but are looking for its defensive mojo as it enters Autzen stadium – always a scary place to play.

So which team will impose it’s will on the other? Here’s the match up in a nutshell:

Oregon

Offense – After losing its star RB, Oregon found a young star in the making in RB LaMichael James who is averaging 105 yards per game. His backup Kenjon Barner is also very good, giving Oregon two very quick backs in their run-oriented spread attack. An early knee injury slowed QB Jeremiah Masoli, but he’s finding his stride as a dual threat now. The Duck WRs don’t do much, but TE Ed Dickson is a real threat leading the Ducks in receptions and TD catches with (4).

Defense – The Duck defense has had a lot of injuries, especially in the secondary,, but they’ve managed to be effective behind the play of MLB Casey Matthews and DE Kenny Rowe. Rowe has (7) sacks on the year, and Matthews leads the team in tackles. The Oregon defense is not big, but they are active and cause problems with their pressure on the opposing passers. They are 3rd in the conference in total defense, and first in pass defense.

USC

Offense – QB Matt Barkley has a ton of confidence on the road, but playing in Oregon will test him. The Trojan offense is getting on a roll with the return of key performers like WR Ronald Johnson, and the emergence of RB Allen Bradford. Maintaining possession of the ball and scoring in the red zone will be important to take the Oregon crowd out of the game early. So SC’s execution on 3rd down, especially, will be extremely important to keep drives going. Once again, keeping turnovers and penalties at a minimum will key SC’s effectiveness against a good opponent on the road.

Defense – The mantra for the SC defense this Saturday: Stop the Run. Oregon averages over 200 yards per game out of the spread offense, so SC’s DLine will have to be disciplined against the mis-direction and “slip” handoffs the Ducks like to execute. The Trojan safeties will play a strong role in run support. The Trojan LBs will need to be sure tacklers and take good angles against some very quick Duck RBs. Prediction:

USC – 34

Oregon – 20

Trojans Outlast Oregon St., 42 – 36

2009-10-30T22:33:00.000-07:00

They say a win is a win . . . but that sure wasn’t a satisfying win by the Trojans. Once again, SC took a commanding lead in the 3rd quarter, but had to hang on to win at the end after the defense gave up two scores to the opponent in the 4th quarter.

Luckily, the Trojan offense came to play, and a big punt return by Damian Williams proved to be the difference. Here’s the good and bad of a performance the Trojans will need to learn from:

Offense

QB – Matt Barkley had his moments in this game with a couple of TD passes to TE Anthony McCoy and WR Ronald Johnson. But he also under-threw a couple of passes that turned into INTs. He was mostly efficient, though, going 15 – 25 for 200+ yards. Grade: C

RBs/FBs – This night belonged to Allen Bradford who rushed for nearly 150 yards on 15 carries with 2 TDs that included a 43 yarder. Joe McKnight also ran well for 65 yards until a cut hand sidelined him for most of the night. Without fullback Stanley Havili, replacement DJ Shoemate and the Trojans didn’t make an impact in the passing game. Grade: B

WRs/TEs – The Return of RoJo was a hit with the fans as it only took the lightning fast WR only one game to get his legs back. RoJo caught (6) passes for about 100 yards and a spectacular diving TD grab. Damian Williams was solid, and TE Anthony McCoy had a TD catch but left the game early after spraining an ankle. Grade: B +

OLine – This unit was very good in both run blocking and pass protection. They helped SC to 229 yards on the ground, and Barkley was not sacked once. C Jeff Byers and LG Butch Lewis did an outstanding job. Grade: A minus

Defense

DLine – A frustrating game for this group. Even though they had (2) sacks, the Beaver passing scheme and quick trigger QB prevented many more. Guys like Nick Perry and Everson Griffen were just one step away from blowing up a passing play several times. Grade: C

LBs – The worst game for this unit this year. MLB Chris Galippo and crew had a tough time corralling OSU RB Jacquizz Rodgers in the 2nd half both in running and receiving. Beaver RB and TE receptions over the middle turned into even more yards with a couple of missed Trojan tackles. OLB Malcolm Smith led the group with (10) tackles. Grade: D

DBs – The Trojan secondary was busy trying to break up the Beaver passing game. Unfortunately, they were unable to create turnovers and had to settle for making the tackle after a short reception. CB Kevin Thomas and S Taylor Mays led the team in tackles with (11). Grade: C minus

Special Teams

Kicking/Coverage/Returns – One of the bright spots of the night, the combination of Damian Williams’ key punt return for a TD and punter Jake Harfman averaging 44 yards per boot made this special teams effort a solid one. Grade: B plus

Coaching

The offense continues to come around with personnel additions on the OL and at WR making the team more balanced. The offensive coaches are becoming very comfortable going for it in different down and distance situations. Defensively, the coaches need to figure out how to keep a lead. More aggression is necessary when SC has a team down, and rushing 7 or 8 players should replace dropping 7 or 8 players into coverage when the opponent resorts to the passing game to make the game close. Grade: C minus

Prediction Winner:

J-Man rings it up!

Trojans Come Home to Face Oregon State

2009-10-24T02:25:00.000-07:00

It’s been awhile since the Trojans played at home in the friendly confines of the Coliseum. And they get to exact a little revenge in the process against the Oregon St. Beavers.

The Beavers, you’ll recall, upset the Trojans last season in Corvallis behind the Rogers brothers (Jacquizz and James). Well, the Rogers boys are back, and SC will have to be prepared to stop them.

Here’s how the game shapes up:

Oregon State

Offense – RB Jacquizz Rogers leads the offensive charge for the Beavers averaging 116 yards per game rushing. QB Sean Canfield has been extremely efficient, completing 68% of his passes for 8 TDs against 4 INTs. WR James Rogers is also dangerous in the passing game, collecting 43 passes this season to lead the Pac 10. The OLine is not as good as it was last season. This unit has given up 19 sacks on the year, ranking 9th in the conference.

Defense – Oregon St. plays fast on defense, led by the underrated LB Keaton Kristick
Who leads the team in tackles, INTs, and TFLs. The DLine, however, doesn’t put a lot of pressure on the passer. They rank last in the Pac 10 in sacks with only (4) on the season. That pass rush weakness has led to difficulty in the secondary defending against the pass. The Beavers’ DB unit has given up 275 yards passing per game, and (11) TD passes so far this season.

USC

Offense – QB Matt Barkley has improved every game he’s started this year, and he could have a big game against the porous Beaver defense. RBs Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford will look to put their stamp on the game behind an OLine that now has Jeff Byers starting at Center and OG Butch Lewis joining the starting unit. Soph. fullback DJ Shoemate will also start in place of the injured Stan Havili. Look for WRs Damian Williams, returning starter Ronald Johnson and TE Anthony McCoy to find a lot of room in the Beaver secondary.

Defense – The challenge stopping the Rogers brothers starts up front with the DLine, and NT Jurrell Casey in particular. The DLine must force the hard to find and tackle Jacquizz Rogers to “dance” to find a hole, and the LB unit led by Chris Galippo must “clean up” before Rogers can hit the second level. Strong safety Will Harris will help by playing close to the line of scrimmage as well. Free safety Taylor Mays will need to shade over to Beaver WR James Rogers area to keep an eye on the crafty offensive playmaker.

Prediction:

USC – 31

OSU – 17

Trojans Out-Gun Irish, 34 – 27

2009-10-23T23:34:00.000-07:00

Another trip to South Bend . . . another SC win. That’s eight consecutive wins for the Trojans over their intersectional rivals. And it feels good.

SC got out to a big lead, but the referees and a little bit of a defensive let down made it close at the end. But the Trojans prevailed, and got out of town.

Break down time!

Offense

QB – This Barkley kid is a keeper. Matt Barkley performed well on the big stage again going 19 – 29 for 380 yards, with (2) TD passes. The only blemish was an ill-timed INT in the 2nd half. But overall, Barkley showed his poise and precision to lead SC to the win. Grade: B+

RBs – Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford combined for 120+ yards rushing, and had some signature runs helped SC on scoring drives. Grade: B

WRs/TEs – Terrific game for TE Anthony McCoy who finished with 153 yards on 5 catches. WR Damian Williams caught (2) TD passes and finished with 106 yards receiving on 4 receptions. Even WR Brice Butler got into the act with a couple of clutch catches for first downs. Grade: A

OLine – A solid job by this group, that provided good pass protection for most of the day. Running the sweep proved to be a successful play for the OLine that got the tough yards when they needed to. Grade: B minus

Defense

DLine – Stellar effort for the DLine that garnered 5 sacks in the game, led by DEs Everson Griffen and Nick Perry who had two apiece. NT Jurrell Casey had an astounding 10 tackles. The Irish also only gained 82 yards on the ground primarily as a result of this unit’s effort. Grade: A minus

LBs – A bit of an up and down game for the LBs. MLB Chris Galippo shined when stopping 3rd and 4th down short yardage running plays by the Irish. But the group was also out of position on a few successful running plays by ND in the 2nd half.
Grade: C +

DBs – See LB commentary. While breaking up a few passes, the Trojan secondary surrendered its first two TD passes of the year. Safety Taylor Mays led the group with 10 tackles. Grade: C

Special Teams

Kicking/Returns/Coverage – No big plays from this group, but no major breakdowns either. A fake FG by the Irish was not sniffed out by the Trojans . . . but it was an illegal play the refs just missed. What a surprise. Grade: C

Coaching – The offensive game plan was very good. Highlighting TE Anthony McCoy in the seams of ND’s defense worked like a charm. The defense was great in the first half, but gave ground in the second half. The coaches relied on the front (4) DLine to pressure the Irish QB a little too much, and ND was able to throw down field with some success. Grade: B minus

Prediction Winner:

B-Dub takes the cheese!

Trojans Journey to South Bend

2009-10-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

This is a game Dr. Phil would love. Notre Dame is 4 -1 by the skin of their teeth this season, and is looking to find out if they are for real or a fake by how they perform against SC. The 4 -1 Trojans are looking to keep the momentum going after improving noticeably as an offensive team the last few games.

So by the end of the game, which team will feel validated or crawl into the fetal position? Let’s breakdown the psyche of each team:

Notre Dame

Offense – QB Jimmy Clausen is finally having a season that matches the hype. With 12 TDs and only (2) INTs thus far, Clausen has been very efficient completing passes at a 67% clip. Helping Clausen is the appearance of a running game in the person of RB Armando Allen who’s run for 365 yards at 5.1 yards a pop. WR Golden Tate has been Clausen’s primary target with (33) receptions, and the playmaker the Irish rely upon. And 6’6 TE Kyle Rudolf has also proven to be a reliable target in the Red Zone and on 3rd downs.

Defense – It hasn’t been pretty for the Irish defense who rank 100th in Total Defense in college football. The defensive backfield led by Safety Kyle McCarthy has given up big yards, and the opponents have also been able to run the ball against the Notre Dame front (7). DE Kapron Lewis-Moore and his DLine mates have not been able to get much penetration this season, putting pressure on linebackers Brian Smith and Manti Te’o to try and make tackles at the second level.

Special Teams – The Irish do have an excellent FG kicker in Nick Tausch who has made 10 – 11 tries. The punt and kickoff return teams, though, have not been very helpful in generating good field position for the Notre Dame offense.

USC

Offense - At this point in the season QB Matt Barkley is no longer playing like a true frosh. His growth has been rapid, but he’ll have to repeat his performance at CAL this Saturday in South Bend. Barkley will be helped by a running game that is humming along with Joe McKnight (400+ yards rushing @ 7 ypc), and an OLine that is starting to assert itself after facing “8 in the box” due to SC’s passing game struggles earlier this year. Playmaking WR Damian Williams is playing fantastic football and will be a tough cover for the Irish DBs. And look for not-so-secret weapon Fullback Stan Havili to be heavily involved in the passing game.

Defense – The SC DLine that leads the nation in sacks behind DEs Everson Griffen, Nick Perry and DT Jurell Casey, is licking it’s chops to get after the pass happy Irish. OLB Michael Morgan has made a habit of getting into the opponent’s backfield, while Safety Taylor Mays is playing at an extremely high level. I expect SC to turn up the heat “blitz-wise” as the game moves along in hopes of forcing some turnovers by the Irish QB Clausen.

Special Teams – This unit is starting to gel with punter Jake Harfman averaging over 40 ypp, and the return game behind punt returner Damian Williams giving SC’s offense good field position or scoring. Look for the smallest Trojan, Curtis McNeal, as he will join CJ Gable on kickoff returns.

Prediction:

USC – 27
Notre Dame - 13

Trojans Trap the Bears, 30 – 3

2009-10-06T23:04:00.000-07:00

Now that was Trojan football!!!

This total domination of CAL was a total team effort that keeps USC in contention for the Pac-10 crown and much more during this crucial October run. It’s wise not to bet against Pete Carroll and the Trojans when it comes to a big game. And they got the job done again.

Grades for your reading pleasure:

Offense

QB – The education of Matt Barkley continued as he put in another solid effort on the road. Passing for 283 yards on 20 – 35 attempts were only a part of the story. Helping SC convert 3rd downs with down-field passes shows Barkley’s increasing confidence and skill. He did have one INT that led to a CAL field goal, but took care of the ball in all other situations. Grade: B

RBs/FB – Joe McKnight stepped up big time with a 20 carry for 119 yard effort with (2) TDs. Allen Bradford also chipped in 53 yards on 12 carries. FB Stanley Havili contributed with a long reception for 56 yards. Grade: B +

WRs/TEs – It was the Damian Williams show once again, as he pulled in 8 rec. for 101 yards. Brice Butler and David Ausberry hauled in a couple of catches apiece. The TEs contributed some big plays, not only combining for 4 catches for 66 yards, but also blocking very well in the running game and down-field. Grade: B

OLine – Another very solid effort for the big uglies upfront. They led SC to 174 yards on four yards a pop on the ground. And they only gave up one sack against a very good CAL front (7). Grade: B

Defense

DLine – Another nice game from the Dline. They controlled the line of scrimmage from start to finish. DE Everson Griffen is playing consistent football, garnering (4) tackles and a sack. This group helped hold CAL to only 86 yards rushing. Grade: B +

LBs – The LB unit combined for (17) tackles, (2.5) TFLs and (2) sacks – a superb game. MLB Chris Galippo broke up three passes, and substitute OLB Shane Horton was very active with (7) tackles. Grade: A minus

DBs – Taylor Mays' INT in the end zone to stop a CAL TD on the Bears' first possession set the tone for the game. He also made (10) tackles, including quite a few at the line of scrimmage on CAL RBs. CBs Josh Pinkard and Kevin Thomas chipped in with a combined (7) tackles. Grade: A minus

Special Teams

Kicking/Coverage/Returns – After a rocky start, the special teams unit finally looked special. FG kicker Jordan Congdon went 3 for 3 on FGs, and punter Jake Harfman averaged 40 yards per punt with good hang time to help the coverage team. But the dagger came from PR Damian Williams with the spectacular 66 yard punt return for a TD. Grade: A

Coaching

The coaching staff is starting to put it together. Offensively, SC is starting to look cohesive and comfortable in its play-calling. Red zone offense, however, needs improvement as SC settled for FGs on 3 of its 4 trips in that area. Defensively, it was the status quo – great stoppage of the opponents’ run game, and pressure on the passer to make passing difficult. The extra focus on avoiding penalties also paid off as SC only had (5) for the game. Grade: B

Prediction Winner:

JMW does it again!

Fellas, a nurse from Carson, CA is killing us . . . what’s going on here?!

Showdown at CAL

2009-10-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s time to ask the question: Will the real Trojan football team please stand up?!

We know about the growing pains of SC’s offense, but the Bears are coming off an embarrassing blowout loss to the Oregon Ducks. Both of these teams have one loss, and realize this game will determine who’s a contender, and who’s a pretender.

There’s simply no other way to look at it - it’s put up or shut up time. Let’s break it down:

CAL

Offense – RB Jahvid Best is the straw that stirs the drink for CAL. He’s the Pac 10’s leading rusher at 116 ypg, and a home run threat. But what type of game CAL has offensively may rest on the arm of QB Kevin Riley. Riley has decent stats (57% passer with 5 TDs and 0 INTs), but he couldn’t make a play last week when Oregon focused on Best and put the game in his hands. CAL’s OLine let Riley down too by allowing (5) sacks and (6) QB hurries. Bear WRs Verran Tucker and Marvin Jones are solid receivers, but the Bear passing game is not nearly as effective as when they had #1 WR Nyan Boateng who was lost to injury in game two of the season.

Defense – This unit has not lived up to the high expectations they had at the beginning of the year. There is great personnel at every level – DE Tyson Alualu, LB Mike Mohamed and CB Syd’Quan Thompson – are all active players and all conference candidates. But the defense against the run has been shaky, and teams are effectively using play action pass attacks against them. Giving up (42) points to the Ducks last week has left this unit with a bad taste in their mouths.

USC

Offense – Another big test for QB Matt Barkley and the Trojan offense. We know Barkley is not afraid of hostile environments, and he looked very good last week vs. Wazzu. The question is: Will the Trojan offense get out of its own way, and not kill itself with turnovers and untimely penalties?

SC’s ability to pass down-field is greatly enhanced with Barkley, and despite the loss of Stafon Johnson, RBs McKnight, Bradford and Gable should be able to take up the slack. This game is also the toughest test for the OLine since the Ohio St. game. Their ability to open holes for the RBs and protect Barkley (CAL is 2nd in the Pac 10 in sacks) is a key to the game. Playmaking WR Damian Williams will face some good Bear CBs, but he’ll have to be a factor for SC to win.

Defense – SC’s defense has played at a high level all season. There’s no time to let down now . . . especially against CAL’s run game. The Trojan DLine and LBs have excelled against the run game, and pressured passers very well. Their focus will no doubt be on CAL RB Jahvid Best – but watch for backup Shane Vereen, who is also a very good player. And after having an easy game last week, the Trojan DBs will be tested by a solid group of Bear WRs.

Prediction: This has the makings of a barn-burner, even though the score may low.

USC – 20

CAL - 16

Trojans Beat Cougars, 27 – 6

2009-10-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

A masterpiece . . . it wasn’t. But the Trojans did what they had to do, and showed some signs of improvement in beating the Washington State Cougars. But while it was a bounce back win for the Trojans who got off to a quick start, some old chinks in the armor revealed themselves yet again.

Let’s go to the grades:

Offense

QBs – Matt Barkley is back, and the difference was obvious right away for the Trojan offense. Although not at 100%, Barkley’s willingness to throw downfield resulted in two deep TD passes that helped get SC out to a 20 – 0 lead. Overall, Barkley went 13 – 22 for 247 yards. Backup Aaron Corp got a few snaps and promptly fumbled leading to Wazzu’s only score and an end to the Trojan shut out. Grade: B

RBs – The Trojans spread the wealth among RBs, with Allen Bradford making a strong impact with 6 carries for 55 yards (9.2 ypc). Joe McKnight and Stafon Johnson added TD runs for the Trojans. Grade: B

WRs/TEs – Damian Williams was the star of the show with 5 receptions for 100 yards, and a spectacular hook up with Barkley for a deep TD pass. The only blemish for Williams was a fumble in the 2nd quarter that stalled a Trojan drive. The only other contribution was a nice TD catch by WR Brice Butler. Grade: B minus

OLine – This unit had another solid game. They led the way for 150+ yards rushing and only gave up one sack. OG Alex Parsons, in particular, had a nice game and is having a strong season. Holding penalties were a problem, and put SC in bad position in the 2nd quarter of the game. Grade: B minus

Defense

DLine – SC’s DLine was lights out. Wazzu could not run or pass due to a ton of pressure from the Trojan front four. The DLine accounted for 4.5 sacks, and helped SC hold Wazzu to only 85 yards rushing. Grade: A

LBs – OLB Michael Morgan had an outstanding game with 2.5 sacks. Jordan Campbell led the way with (8) tackles, and LBs Shane Horton and Chris Galippo chipped in with a combined (11) tackles. Grade: B +

DBs – CB Josh Pinkard came up with a clutch INT near the goal line, and CB Kevin Thomas had a sack. But otherwise, this group was not tested very much as Wazzu could only muster 144 yards through the air due to SC’s pressure on the QB.
Grade: B

Special Teams

Kicking/Coverage/Returns – On the positive side, SC may have found its punter. Jake Harfman averaged 46+ yards per punt. On the down side, SC missed an FG, as Jordan Longdon came up short on a 43 yarder due to messed up timing. For the second consecutive game, Damian Williams had a 25+ yard punt return. Grade: C

Coaching

With QB Barkley at the helm, the offensive coaches felt much more comfortable being aggressive in the passing plays - but may be a little too much, as SC could have run at will. Play-caller coach Bates is still searching for the elusive run/pass rhythm that can make SC’s offense go. Big negative issues are the penalties and turnovers which stopped Trojan drives in the 2nd quarter. Defensively, SC couldn’t have played much better with it’s first teamers. The 2nd/3rd team defense gave ground, but would have preserved a shutout if not for an offensive team fumble that gave Wazzu the ball back in the waning minutes of the game. Grade: B minus

Prediction Winner: Payback . . . bow down!

The Cougars Visit the Coliseum

2009-09-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Somebody has to pay for SC's poor performance last week, and it might as well be the Washington State Cougars. The Cougars have been a downtrodden team the last few years, and come into this game 1 - 2, with losses to Stanford and Hawaii.

But this is still an important game for SC. The Trojans have to work on some things, and have a clean game all the way around. Better execution and quarterback play on offense are essential for USC to start climbing back up the ladder to elite status. It starts tonight.

Washington St.

Offense - Wazzu is another Spread team that has used two QBs, Kevin Lopina and Marshall Lobbestael. Neither QB has lit it up as they've combined for only 3 TDs and 5 INTs. The RB unit was hurt by the loss of James Montgomery for the season. Dwight Tardy takes over, and he has rushed for 117 yards in three games this year. WRs Jared Karstetter and Daniel Blackledge lead the team with (11) receptions apiece.

Defense - This unit is in bad shape. The Cougars rank 119th in total defense, giving up 537 yards per game. The pass defense ranks last in the country (120th), and the run defense isn't much better ranking 92nd. Safeties Xavier Hicks and Chima Nwachukwu have been extremely busy, leading the Cougars in tackles with (20) apiece.

USC

Offense - QB Matt Barkley is back, but not at 100%. Hopefully, he will be healthy enough to take some shots down-field and get the SC offense going against a porous Cougar defense. The running game should flow well behind an offensive line that has been very good this year. Expect a lot of RBs to play in this game. After last game, the WRs Damian Williams and David Ausberry would like to get a work out against the Wazzu CBs who get knocked over by a stiff breeze.

Defense - After three games of solid defense, this unit is looking to pitch a shutout versus the Cougars. The DLine should be able to get excellent penetration, and the DBs are looking to have a bounce back game after a sub-par effort last week. The LBs have been really good all year long behind Chris Galippo and Mike Morgan.

Prediction Time:

USC - 41
WSU - 0

Trojans Suffer Dawg Bite, 16 - 13

2009-09-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

Unbelievable. Not that the Trojans lost, but how they lost. Turnovers, poor quarterback play, suspect coaching calls . . . you name it. Losing this one hurt because after the very first offensive possession, this didn't look like Trojan football at all.

Here's the ugly truth:

Offense

QB - Well, this was pretty bad. This was Aaron Corp's chance to get it done, and the situation just overwhelmed him. Corp started out fine, going 6 - 7 for 43 yards in the 1st quarter. But then the kid came un-glued - short armed passes, pass thrown into double/triple coverage, and no desire to look down-field to make a play. Corp finished 13 - 22, for 110 yards and (1) INT . . . which easily could have been (4) INTs. Grade: F

RBs/FBs - Again, this group started off well. But then fumbles by Stafon Johnson, Joe McKnight and Stanley Havili played a crucial role in SC's offensive troubles. Despite rushing for 250 yards on 7+ yards per carry, this group put the ball on the carpet too much. Inexcusable. Grade: D minus

WRs/TE - These guys did not get much of a chance with SC's QB troubles. The unit had a paltry 6 receptions for 68 yards. Grade: C

OLine - The OLine was on point from the beginning opening huge holes in the first half behind the right side - Alex Parsons and Tyron Smith. Not only did they lead the way for 250 yards rushing, but they did not give up a sack in the game.
Grade: A

Defense

DLine - Another good game for this unit who recorded (4) sacks on the game, led by DE Nick Perry with two sacks. Washington rushed for only 56 yards on the game due in part to the DLine's penetration. Grade: A minus

LBs - Solid games from OLB Michael Morgan (3 TFLs) and MLB Chris Galippo (8 tackles to lead the team) were key to keeping UW QB Jake Locker locked up for the most of the game. OLB Malcolm Smith chipped in with (6) tackles. Grade: B

DBs - A sub-par game for this group considering their past high level performances. The DBs (Kevin Thomas in particular) were victimized on a couple of long passing plays on 3rd down. The Trojans did not allow a passing TD, but the Huskies throw for 237 yards. Grade: C minus

Special Teams

Kicking/Coverage/Returns: SC's kicking game is slowly, but surely improving. Punter Billy O'Malley averaged 41 yards per punt, and FG kicker Jordan Congdon was 2 - 2 on FGs. Punt returner Damian Williams also gave the Trojans a spark with a 29 yard punt return in the 2nd half. Grade: C+

Coaching

Really suspect offensive play calls in this game. With Corp completely frozen, SC did not use the run game enough. And the mismanagement of the FG try at the end of the first half (calling a running play with 11 secs. left and no timeouts) was brutal . . . and devastating. Defensively, the gameplan to bottle-up UW QB Jake Locker was good. But a decision not to blitz on UW's 3rd and 15 play with the game basically on the line was also devastating. Grade: D

Prediction Winner:

Nobody. There were no winners in this game.

Trojans Enter the Dawg Pound

2009-09-18T22:37:00.000-07:00

The USC Trojans are singing that Willie Nelson classic, “On the Road Again”, as they venture up to Seattle to face a re-energized Washington Husky team. All of the drama surrounds the match up of former students vs. teacher, as former Trojan assistant coaches Steve Sarkisian and Nick Holt square off against Pete Carroll.

But the drama doesn’t end there. SC will have former first string QB Aaron Corp at the helm, and UW stadium can be a tough place to play. Can the Trojan take care of business, or will the Dawgs bite finally be bigger than its bark?

Let’s check out the matchups:

UW

Offense – The straw that stirs the drink for the Huskies is QB Jake Locker. A dual threat QB, Locker is slowly but surely improving his passing completing 60% with 5 TDs and 1 Int. He’s a good runner, as well. RB Chris Polk has provided some help in the running game, averaging 85 yards per contest. The receiver the Huskies count on is James Johnson who has a couple of TD catches this year.

Defense

The Husky defense is led by an active LB unit. MLB E.J. Savannah leads the team in tackles with (19), and OLBs Donald Butler and Mason Foster is an under-rated player with a nose for the ball. Upfront, DEs Daniel Te’o Nesheim and Cameron Elisara are pretty good pass rushers. Safety Nate Williams is the best DB in the Husky secondary.

USC

Offense – With QB Matt Barkley injured, Aaron Corp gets his chance to run the Trojan offense. Also a dual threat QB, Corp is a smooth player who moves the chains with smart decision making. Trojan RBs McKnight, Johnson, Bradford, et. al. will get plenty of opportunities as its always easier to run the ball in a noisy stadium. The WRs/TEs are chomping at the bit to have a break out game – could it happen here? The Huskies are a dismal 96th in the country in pass defense.

Defense – This unit has been excellent overall. The defensive line will once again have to play disciplined football to corral Husky QB Locker – led by DE Everson Griffen. DT Jurell Casey has been a monster so far in ’09. MLB Chris Galippo and OLB Mike Morgan have been extremely active, and CB Josh Pinkard and crew will have to be ready as Husky QB Locker has stayed in the pocket to pass more this year.

Prediction Time:

USC – 31
UW - 13

2009-09-15T23:44:00.000-07:00

Dang . . . that was close! We said it was a clash of heavyweight college football programs, and the Trojans got the 15th round KO with one last offensive drive that will go down as a classic.

It doesn’t get much tougher: Ohio St. in the ‘Shoe . . . 106,000 screaming fans . . . trailing 15 – 10 . . . 1st and 10 at your own 15 yard line. . . with a true freshman at QB.

No problem for Matt Barkley and the Trojans.

So how did Barkley do it? Just when did the Trojan OLine finally take over the game? And is a stellar defensive effort by USC being overlooked? These questions and more are answered below . . . so let’s go to the grades!

Offense:

QB – The stats ain’t pretty for Barkley (15 – 31, 195 yards and an INT). He started the game a little shaky with some balls thrown behind receivers, and he missed some TD opportunities throwing the ball just out of bounds to Damian Williams and David Ausberry. But he came through when it counted. One of his spectacular throws was a 25 yarder in between defenders to TE Anthony McCoy on the final drive. Grade: B minus

RBs – Not a lot of running room in this game. But the Joe McKnight/Stafon Johnson combo rushed for 110 yards on 4 yards per carry, and got the tough yards when needed the most. Johnson rushed for 2 TDs. Grade: B

WRs/TE – The connections in the passing game just weren’t made to have a serious impact on the game. Damian Williams led the team with (5) catches for 51 yards. Success in this area would have really loosened up the 8 man “in the box” defensive formations Ohio St. was using. Grade: C minus

OLine – It was expected that SC had a significant advantage offensively in the trenches. It didn’t turn out that way during the game. According to OLine coach Pat Ruel, the Buckeyes used a defensive front four alignment that SC had not seen before. But they SC figured it out on the last offensive drive, and blew Ohio St. off the ball. However, SC only rushed for 118 yards on the game. Grade: C minus

Defense

DLine – Terrific game by this group. DT/NT Jurell Casey and DE Everson Griffen combined for (11) tackles, (2) TFLs, and a key sack that pushed the Buckeyes out of FG position that could have iced the game. Grade: B+

LBs – MLB Chris Galippo came through with an INT that led to SC’s first TD, and added (5) tackles for good measure. OLB Mike Morgan had a terrific game with (7) tackles, including (2) TFLs. Even LB Luthur Brown got back into the mix in goal line defensive situations. Grade: B+

DBs – In the first half, Safety Taylor Mays made a critical error in coverage that eventually cost SC a TD. But he did come back to make (8) tackles. CBs Josh Pinkard and Kevin Thomas were good against the pass, and contributed (7) more tackles between them, and a pass break up. Grade: C

Special Teams

The kicking and return units have yet to be special. Long snapper Cooper Stephenson air-mailed a deep snap to the punter for a safety, and punter Billy O’Malley has yet to get over the 40 yard per punt average (he only hit the 37 yard mark vs. the Buckeyes). To top it off, FG kicker Jordan Congdon banged the cross bar on a 44 yard attempt. He did nail a 23 yarder later in the game. Grade: D

Coaching

Offensively, the SC coaches were scrambling to crack the Buckeye code on defense. Give Ohio St. credit for a nice scheme and inspired performance, but I thought SC kept itself in 3rd and long situations by not running on first down enough. Defensively, the game plan to bottle up QB Terrelle Pryor mostly worked. Pryor hit a couple of nice passes in the first half, but then was frustrated by the Trojan defense for the majority of the game. Grade: C

Prediction Winner:

Mrs. Payback turned out to be the most reasonable one among us, and gets the W.

So what did you guys think? Post your "Comments" in the link below.

Trojans Go to the 'Shoe for Showdown with Buckeyes

2009-09-11T23:36:00.000-07:00

This is why college football is fun. Two heavyweight teams . . . under the lights. . . 100,000+ fans.

USC crushed its first opponent San Jose St., while Ohio St. survived a serious scare from Navy. None of that matters now. Both teams will be jacked up to play the highlight game of the year so far. The winner will be the team that executes the best.

Let's get 'er done!

Ohio St.

Offense – For the Buckeyes, it starts and ends with QB Terrelle Pryor. A massive 6’6, 240lbs who can run, and is getting better at passing the ball with accuracy and consistency. Tailbacks Dan Herron and Brandon Saine will team with Pryor to pose a good running game. WRs Dane Sanzenbacher and DeVier Posey lead the receiving corp, and the OLine is solid with Center Michael Brewster anchoring the line with Jim Cordle at Tackle.

Defense – The Buckeyes had a lot of change over since last season. The DLine has the most returners with DE Cameron Heyward leading the charge up front. MLB Ross Homan mans the middle of the defense, and active Safety Kurt Coleman and CB Chimni Chekwa are the Buckeye’s best players in the secondary.

Special Teams – RB Brandon Saine and Lamarr Thomas are good return men on kickoffs, while WR Dan Sanzenbacher holds down punt return duties. The kicking game is good – FG kicker Aaron Petrey had a 50 yarder last week vs. Navy and was 3 – 3 on FGs. Punter John Thoma averages 44.5 yards per punt.

USC

Offense – Every week is a test for QB Matt Barkley, and Saturday night at the ‘Shoe is a tough one. Once again, it’s about protecting the ball and getting it to the playmakers. The RBs (McKnight, Johnson, Bradford and Gable) could be the stars of the show, behind an OLine that gets Center Kris O’Dowd back in the starting lineup. FB Stanley Havili should be the “not so secret weapon” that Ohio St. can’t cover, as well. WR Damian Williams and TE Anthony McCoy will need to help Barkley out with good games.

Defense – Corralling Buckeye QB Pryor will be no easy task. It starts with the DEs Everson Griffen and Wes Horton “staying at home” and not falling for the Read Option fake to the RB allowing Pryor to sprint to the outside. DT/NTs Jurell Casey and Christian Topou will have to control the middle as Ohio St. will run up the gut. It’s a big game also for OLB Malcolm Smith and the LBs who have to make sure tackles and play “downhill” football. Safeties Taylor Mays and Will Harris can be big helps to stopping the run game.

Special Teams – SC needs a better game out of its Punter Billy O’Malley who averaged less than 35 yards per punt. Kickoff return specialist CJ Gable should get some opportunities as the Ohio St. doesn’t get many touchbacks from its kickoff team.

Prediction:

USC – 31
Ohio St. - 10

Trojans Crush Spartans, 56 - 3

2009-09-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

Well, it took a little while, but once the Trojan steamroller started moving, it left a trail of destruction the SJSU Spartans won't soon forget. USC moved into the Barkley era with a blowout victory, and answered a few questions along the way.

And now, let's grade 'em:

Offense

QBs - After a slow start, Barkley passed his first test with solid numbers of 15-19, 233 yards and a TD pass. Most importantly, he had no turnovers, no fumbled snaps, and didn't waste any timeouts because he was flustered. Aaron Corp got some mop up time and looked smooth on 4 for 4 passing and a TD pass. Grade: B

RBs/FBs - This was the RB unit's game to run wild. Joe McKnight, Allen Bradford and Marc Tyler each had spectacular long runs, and Stafon Johnson chipped in with (2) TDs. Stan Havili also had 3 receptions, and blocked very well on some long TD runs by the RBs. FB DJ Shoemate also had a TD catch. Grade: A minus

WRs/TEs - The WRs did a nice job of taking some short receptions and turning them into long runs. Damian Williams and TE Anthony McCoy led the way with 3 receptions. The only negative for the group was a fumble by McCoy in the first quarter.
Grade: B

OLine - The blocking at the point of attack and down-field was beautiful to see. Behind the big uglies, SC rushed for 342 yards. Grade: A minus

Defense

DLine - Great day for the young DLine that collected (5) sacks. DT/NT Jurell Casey was active, and redshirt freshmen DE Nick Perry tallied two sacks, while DE Wes Horton recovered a fumble. True frosh DE Devon Kennard had five tackles, including 1.5 TFLs, and JC transfer DT Loni Fangupo made his presence felt on the inside. Grade: B+

LBs - Nice game for the new posse. MLB Chris Galippo led the team in tackles with (9) including three TFLs. OLB Malcolm Smith was especially active, breaking up a pass while collecting 1.5 TFLs. True frosh Jarvis Jones also made his presence felt with (5) tackles. Grade: B+

DBs - These guys weren't tested much. Safety Taylor Mays, and CBs Josh Pinkard and Kevin Thomas supported the run defense well tallying (14) tackles, while holding SJSU to only 112 yards through the air. Grade: B

Special Teams

Kicking - Punter Billy O'Malley needs to improve upon his 34 yard average, but new kickoff specialist Jake Harfman impressed with three touchbacks. The return and coverage units were solid, with one spectacular hit from DJ Shoemate on the kickoff team. Grade: C+

Coaching - Coaches Carroll and Bates did a nice job of giving QB Barkley what he could handle, and easy options to choose from in the passing game. But as usual, a QB's best friend is the running game, and SC ran often to sprint away from SJSU. The defense did it's normal thing: Dominate. SJSU accounted for a measley 121 yards in total offense. Grade: B

Game Balls:

Offense - Offensive Line (Brown, Lewis, Byers, Parsons, Smith)
Defense - MLB Chris Galippo
Special Teams - FB DJ Shoemate

Prediction Winner: J-Man takes the cheese!

Trojans Face Spartans in the Coliseum

2009-09-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

We're baaaack . . . for game one baby!

The 2009 season is about to jump off with more story lines than a Hollywood screenplay. But this ain't the movie "300" or "Gladiator"! This is Trojan football versus the San Jose State Spartans in the legendary Coliseum.

Let's get it crackin'!

San Jose State

Offense

It was a tough season for the Spartan offense in 2008. They only averaged 18 points per game, less than 100 yards rushing per game and less than 200 yards passing per game. But the hope is that returning QB Kyle Reed is another year older and wiser, and the offensive line is tougher after getting a couple of injured former starters back. Running back Patrick Perry returns after missing all of 2008, plus speedy Brandon Rutley will be a big part of the Spartan attack after gaining about 400 yards last season. WR David Richmond (72 catches, 7 TDs in '08) will be the big play receiver on the outside.

Defense

The Spartan defensive line was very solid in 2008, but they need to replace a couple of good players this season. Linemen Carl Ihenacho will be the leader, returning from a big 2008 in which he had 18.5 TFLs and 7 sacks. The linebackers are the strength of the defense with leading tacklers Travis Jones and Justin Cole manning the middle. The secondary is rebuilt and young. Safety Duke Ihenacho will lead the back four after posting 5 INTs in 2008.

Special Teams

The kicking game is up in the air for the Spartans as they have to replace their FG kicker with either a true frosh or JC transfer. Punter Phil Zavala is back, but must improve on a 36 yard average. The return game will be led by RB Brandon Rutley who averaged over 26 yards per return on kickoffs.

USC

Offense

The Barkley era begins! The first true frosh to start at QB in Trojan history goes to work on Saturday, and Matt Barkley is the guy. What must he do? Job numero uno is protect the football ... then spread the ball around to the athletes at RB, WR, and TE. The OLine is veteran and terrific (even without center Kris O'Dowd). Joe McKnight will start at RB, but Stafon Johnson, CJ Gable and Allen Bradford will all get carries. WR Damian Williams is a proven playmaker, and TE Anthony McCoy is ready for a big season after a strong Fall Camp.

Defense

SC doesn't rebuild, it reloads. And the defense is reloading with new starters in the front (7), but a veteran and talented secondary. DE Everson Griffen returns for what should be a big year. MLB Chris Galippo leads the LB core with new starting OLBs Malcolm Smith and Mike Morgan. Safety Taylor Mays patrols the DB unit that will strike fear into every opponent they face.

Special Teams

SC replaces it's FG kicker with Jordan Longdon, a transfer from Nebraska who is very accurate 40 yards and under. Billy O'Malley takes over the punting duties, with Jake Harfman kicking off after Trojan scores.

WR Damian Williams is the new starting punt returner, while CJ Gable assumes the familiar role of kickoff returner. Gable will be joined by redshirt frosh jitterbug, Curtis McNeal.

Prediction:

USC - 31

SJSU - 3

Trojans Skin Nittany Lions, 38 - 24

2009-09-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

Trojans Face Penn State for the Roses

2008-12-31T00:15:00.000-08:00

Its probably fitting . . . two teams who were just one play away from playing in the national championship game will face one another in the Grandaddy of Them All - the Rose Bowl.

USC and PSU meet in a clash of traditional titans in Pasadena on Jan. 1st, and on paper, this looks like a good one.

Let's break it down Rose Bowl style:

Penn State

Offense: QB Daryl Clark is the straw that stirs the drink for PSU. He comes into the game completing 60% of his passes, and throwing for 17 TDs vs. only 4 INTs. He can also scramble for yards, running for nearly 300 yards on the year. RB Evan Royster also ran up 1200+ yards behind an OLine led by first team All American A.Q. Shipley. At the WR position, Derrick Williams gets the publicity as the Nittany Lions' best playmaker, but its Deon Butler who leads the team in receptions (43) and TDs (7).

Defense: PSU's front seven is led by All American DE Aaron Maybin who led the Big Ten in sacks with (14). DT Jared Odrick is also a handful at 6'5, 305lbs - and was an All Big Ten first team selection. MLB Navarro Bowman is an active player who led the team in tackles, while the secondary is led by CB Lydell Sargent.

Special Teams: WR Derrick Williams is also a dangerous punt and kick returner. Willias has 1 punt return for a TD, as well as 2 kickoff returns for TDs this season. FG kicker Kevin Kelly is also "money" on field goals of 40 yards or less, going 15 - 15 on the season. On field goals of 40+ yards, Kelly is less successful connecting on only 4 - 8 (50%). Punter Jeremy Boone averages 42 yards per punt.

USC

Offense: QB Mark Sanchez is coming off solid performances the last quarter of the year, and will need to continue to play mistake free football vs. a very disciplined PSU. RBs Johnson, Gable and McKnight will have to take care of the ball, and may find success on the perimeter with their speed. If the OLine can handle PSU DE Maybin off the edge, then they can provide enough protection for Sanchez to look downfield to the receiving corp of Damian Williams, Ronald Johnson, Pat Turner and TE Anthony McCoy. Those guys could have a big day, as SC's pass routes are different than what PSU is used to seeing (although missing FB Stan Havili does hurt SC's passing game.)

Defense: SC's vaunted front seven will face a PSU team that will attack them straight up. The Trojan DTs in particular (Moala, Topou and Casey) will have to occupy PSU's OLinemen and allow LBs Maualuga, Cushing and Maiava to flow to the ball carriers. Safety Will Harris will be a big help in run support, while CBs Cary Harris, Kevin Thomas and Josh Pinkard will have to guard some very capable PSU WRs who may try to do what no team has been able to against SC's back four: go deep.

Special Teams: This game represents an opportunity for SC's kick returners Ronald Johnson and CJ Gable to make big plays. PSU only has 12 touchbacks on kickoffs this season, so Johnson and Gable will get some returnable kicks. Punt returner Joe McKnight is back in the lead role here, but must take care of the ball above all else. The punt and kickoff coverage units for the Trojans must be sharp against PSU's Derrick Williams.

Prediction:

USC - 31

PSU - 10

USC Takes Care of UGLA . . . 28 - 7

2008-12-30T22:43:00.000-08:00

Like a weekly chore . . . such as taking out the trash . . . USC took
care of business against the UCLA Bruins for the 7th time in 8 years in
workman-like fashion.

Only a Trojan turnover gave the Bruins a chance to score. But other than
that, it was Trojan business as usual in locking up another BCS Rose
Bowl appearance.

The grades:

Offense

QB - Mark Sanchez was pretty efficient on his way to 18 - 33 for 269
yards and (2) TDs. He did have one interception on a great play by a
Bruin CB, but Sanchez also made good decisions by running for yardage
himself rather than forcing balls downfield. Grade: B

RBs/FB - Joe McKnight led this unit with 99 yards on 15 carries with a
TD. Stafon Johnson also chipped in with 47 yards on the ground and a
short yardage TD. Frosh Marc Tyler looked good again in the late going
with a couple of good runs. The only demerit for the night was an early
fumble by CJ Gable that led to a Bruin TD. Grade: B

WRs/TE - WR Pat Turner capped off a very solid season with 5 catches for
81 yards and a TD. And Damian Williams once again proved he is a
playmaker by racking up 68 yards on only 3 receptions (22 yards per
catch), including a nifty red zone TD. TE Anthony McCoy's role increased
as he caught 4 balls for 50 yards - but he'll have nightmares about the
one he dropped - a sure TD on a seam route. Grade: B+

OLine - Real good game for the big uglies upfront. The Bruin front 7 was
intent on not allowing SC to run the ball, but the Trojan OLine still
led the way to 209 yards of rushing. They also did not allow any sacks
or QB hurries. The only way UGLA got to the QB was on late hits.
Grade: A minus

Defense

DLine - The DLine controlled the line of scrimmage from the outset, helping to limit the Bruins to only 43 net yards rushing. Fili Moala and Christian Topuo, in particular, did a nice job in the middle. Grade: B+

LBs - The trio of Maualuga, Cushing and Maiava were all over the line of scrimmage, and combined for 12 tackles and 3 pass break-ups. Grade: B+

DBs - This unit wasn't tested much as UCLA QB never had enough time to look downfield and only passed for 89 yards. In fact, the Bruin's best play was a trick play (WR pass) that Taylor Mays and crew didn't make the hit on. They also had a few chances at INTs that they didn't come up with , and that was the only negative. Grade: B

Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler had his worst day as a Trojan missing on 3 field goals that kept the score from being a complete blowout. Stafon Johnson also wasn't able to get anything going on punt returns as Bruin punter did a nice job of angling his punts. Grade: D minus

Coaching - The game plan offensively was solid. SC's missed FGs kept the score lower than it should have been, but there were some nice play calls like the reverse to Joe McKnight that led to the first touchdown. Defensively, there was nothing UCLA could do to sustain any drives against the Trojans. Except for the Bruin trick play, nothing else worked. Grade: B+

Game Balls:

Offense - RB Joe McKnight
Defense - LB Rey Maualuga
Special Teams - None

Prediction Winner: DMoody was all over the final score.

USC and UCLA Square Off . . .

2008-12-02T19:34:00.000-08:00

UCLA coach Neuheisel threw down the gauntlet before the season by proclaiming that the Trojan dynasty in LA was over! So despite UCLA's 4 - 7 record, SC must put this dude in his place . . . Trojan style!!!

Its breakdown time:

UCLA

Offense - QB Kevin Craft should officially change the name on his jersey to "Pick Six". He's thrown a whopping 19 INTs to only 7 TDs, while completing only 56% of his passes. Under his guidance, the Bruin offense ranks 110th in college football.

UCLA's offensive line and running backs, however, have been no help to Craft. The OLine has led the Bruin rushing game to a paltry 86 yards rushing per game, and given up 35 sacks. Oft-injured running back Kahlil Bell is the leading rusher with 394 yards on the season on 2.8 ypc with 7 TDs.

WR Terrence Austin leads the team with 49 receptions, but he only has 1 TD catch on the year. Other solid WRs include Taylor Embree and the 6'5 Dominique Johnson who have combined for 70 receptions this season. TE Ryan Moya is a frequent target for QB Craft - he has 3 TDs and 38 receptions on the season.

Defense - This unit has kept UCLA in plenty of ball games this year, primarily with a pass defense that ranks 2nd in the country (158 ypg) CBs Alteraun Verner and Michael Norris have done a solid job in coverage breaking up nearly 30 passes between them.

UCLA's run defense hasn't been good statistically, giving up 166 yards per game (8th in the PAC 10). But the Bruin defensive line is solid. DTs Brigham Harwell and Brian Price have chalked up 19 TFLs and 5.5 sacks this season. DEs Akeem Ayers and Korey Bosworth are both light, but they have decent quickness. Bosworth leads the team in sacks with 7.5. Active LB Reggie Carter leads the team in tackles this season.

Special Teams - WR Terrence Austin is solid as both the punt and kickoff return man. He has not returned a punt or kickoff for a TD this year, though.

The kicking game is strong. K Kai Forbath is one of the most accurate FG kickers from distance - making 19 - 22 FGs, including 5 of 6 from 40+ yards. Punter Aaron Perez is averaging 44.5 ypp.

Hidden Stat: UCLA is (-11) in the turnover margin department giving up the rock 28 times this season, while gaining only 17 turnovers.

USC

Offense - After a nice string of turnover-less games, QB Mark Sanchez had (2)INTs last week. He bounced back well after those mistakes, but needs to take care of the ball vs. UCLA, and not give them extra possessions.

The Trojan running game is humming right along at 205 ypg. But SC must be ready to adjust if UCLA run blitzes their LBs up the middle and moves a safety into the "box" (a la 2006). Running and/or passing plays on the perimeter to guys like Joe McKnight and Ronald Johnson will be a must if this happens.

IMO, SC will also see some man-to-man coverage on productive WRs Damian Williams and Patrick Turner. UCLA's pass defense has been excellent, and they are comfortable leaving their CBs on an island with WRs.

Defense - At the top of nearly every defensive category in CFB, SC's front (7) is licking their chops watching UCLA game film. The Trojan defense should overwhelm a Bruin OLine that doesn't protect their QB nor open running lanes.

Turnover prone QB Craft also holds onto the ball too long going through his progressions resulting in sacks. So I would expect Bruin OC Chow to move the pocket for Craft, and give him quick 3-step drop passing plays.

The Trojan CBs and strong safety (Will Harris) will need to be "up" in pass coverage to take away those short passing routes, and make Craft look for his 2nd and 3rd receiver options. By that time, DE Kyle Moore, DT Fili Moala and DE Clay Matthews should be closing like a vice on Craft.

Trojan LBs (especially strong side OLB Brian Cushing) will need to be physical with Bruin TE Ryan Moya to not allow him a clean release off the line of scrimmage. And the LBs also need to watch a decently mobile QB Craft on scrambles (remember, Bruin QB Cowan hurt SC in that regard in 2006).

Special Teams - I look for Trojan punt returners Stafon Johnson or Joe McKnight to have plenty of opportunities in this game. The kickoff returners (Gable and RoJo) . . . not so much.

K David Buehler has an amazing (43) touchbacks on kickoffs this year. And hopefully, punter Greg Woidneck will get good hang time on his punts, if he continues to kick them only 37 - 39 yards.

Hidden Stat: The Trojan pass defense has only given up (3) TDs through the air this year in 11 games.

Prediction:

USC - 34

UCLA - 3

USC Hammers Notre Dame. . . 38 - 3

2008-12-01T23:08:00.000-08:00

There's only one phrase for Notre Dame this days . . . Eeessshh! They are not competitive anymore against good teams. The USC Trojans made the Irish look like the JV squad once again this year.

Notre Dame was never a threat on offense or defense, and the Trojans were workman-like in their dismantling of the once proud Irish football team.

Let's get to the grades:

Offense

QB - Mark Sanchez had his ups and downs in this game. He was 22 - 31 for 267yards with (2) TDs. But he also had two INTs in which he failed to read the defense properly. The positive was that Sanchez didn't let those two mistakes bother him. He showed good command throughout the game. Backup Mitch Mustain also threw an INT on an underthrown pass. Grade: C

RBs/FB - Another good game for the RBs. Joe McKnight was the difference maker in this game with a scintillating 55 yard TD run for a TD. Gable and Johnson also had short TD runs. The surprise of the night came from Marc Tyler who ran very well in the second half for 59 yards on 7 carries (8+ ypc). Grade: B +

WRs/TE - Another solid game for the WRs. Damian Williams and Pat Turner led the team with 7 and 6 receptions, respectively, and each had a TD catch. TE Anthony McCoy also had a couple of grabs as he slowly gets worked into the offense.
Grade: B

OLine - This unit controlled the Irish front 7 very well. They led the way to 175 yards rushing. QB Sanchez was sacked twice, but the OLine did not really struggle in any area. Grade: B

Defense

DLine - The Trojan DLine gave Notre Dame fits. NT Christian Topou was active early, and DT Fili Moala had 1.5 sacks in the game. True frosh NT Jurrell Casey continues to improve as he forced a fumble on a nice play. This group helped keep the Irish to only 71 yards rushing in the game. Grade: B +

LBs - This unit is clearly the best in the nation. Not just because of the starters like OLB Kaluka Maiava who had an INT and led the team in tackles with 5. But because of the depth, with reserves like OLB Michael Morgan who had a sack and recovered a fumble. Reserve OLB Malcolm Smith also had the hit of the night crushing an Irish ball carrier. Grade: A minus

DBs - CB Cary Harris got things started right with an INT on the ND's first possession, and this unit played very well in run support. Beyond this, this group was not challenged by the Irish downfield. Grade: B

Special Teams - No big plays from the return teams on this night. But there were no mistakes either. Punter Greg Woidneck only had a 32 yard average on his punts, but many of them were kicked from mid-field where you don't want deep ones.
K David Buehler continues his strong season going 1 - 1 on FGs and nailing 4 more touchbacks on kickoffs. Grade: B

Coaching - Offensively, the gameplan was solid. SC had some nice design schemes in the red zone that freed up receivers for a couple of TD catches. SC ran the ball early in possession which is what I like to see. The team scored 24 first half points on the Irish, and ended the game early.

Defensively . . . the beat goes on. The Trojan front 7 harassed ND QB Clausen all night long and sacked him 4 times. SC pretty much played straight up defense with nothing exotic. There were no CB blitzes or DEs dropping into coverage. There was no need. The Trojans held Clausen to 41 yards passing on the night and intercepted him twice. Grade: A

Game Balls:

Offense: RB Joe McKnight
Defense: LB Kaluka Maiava
Special Teams: K David Buehler

Prediction Winner: Payback is in the building!!!

The Irish are Comin'

2008-11-26T22:08:00.000-08:00

Its Notre Dame week! And it doesn't matter whether either team is having a good or bad season, the week leading up to this game is special. College football's greatest intersectional rivalry has stood the test of time, and has produced some of the game's greatest moments.

The 6 - 5 Irish stumble into the Coliseum just playing for a little pride after a humiliating loss to Syracuse. Few give them a chance to win, or even stay close, to the Trojans. At 9 - 1 on the other hand, USC simply looks to keep the train moving by disposing of Notre Dame with their eye on bigger BCS fish to fry. Adding to the Trojan intensity will be the fact that is "Senior Day", the last home game for several Trojan seniors.

So can the Irish overcome their recent malaise and make a game of it?

Let's get to the break down:

Notre Dame

Offense - QB Jimmy Clausen is not returning home to Southern California in the fashion that he wanted to. Definitely improved over last year, Clausen has completed 60% of his passes for 2700+ yards with 20 TDs. However, 15 interceptions have hurt his cause. The Irish running game has not been a friend to Clausen, either, as the top three rushers produce less than 4 yards per carry. Running back Armondo Allen leads that unit with 596 yards on the season.

WR Golden Tate is clearly the playmaker for this Notre Dame squad. Tate has gotten deep often this season, and produced 888 yards on 50 receptions for almost 18 ypc and 7 TDs. TE Kyle Rudolph has chipped in with 24 receptions to give the Irish a bit of a threat over the middle of the field.

The offensive line is also better than last year, but its still inconsistent as they have not been able to open any holes for a running game that produces a paltry 119 yards per game.

Hidden Stats: Notre Dame has really struggled scoring in the red zone this year. At 115th in the nation, the Irish only convert (TDs or FGs) at a 68% clip once they get the ball inside the opponents' 20 yard line. Turnovers have also been a problem, as the offense has coughed up the ball 25 times this season - 90th in the country.

Defense - Even with well-regarded defensive coach John Tenuta joining the Irish staff, this unit has struggled in key areas and at critical moments. The defensive line struggles to get pressure in the passing and running games. Their defense has only produced 17 sacks in 11 games (85th in the country), and they rank 113th in the country in tackles-for-loss. DT Pat Kuntz is the veteran of the defensive line, and leads the unit with 3.5 sacks.

Linebackers Maurice Crum and Harrison Smith are good players who man the middle of the Irish defense. Safety Kyle McCarthy leads the team in tackles with 96, and CB David Bruton has snagged 3 interceptions on the season.

Special Teams - "Do it all" WR Golden Tate also returns kicks and punts for the Irish. FG kicker Brandon Walker has only made 13 - 23 FGs. Walker is only 8 - 17 on FGs of 30 yards or more.

USC

Offense - QB Mark Sanchez is not putting up big numbers lately, but he is taking care of the ball very well. In the last three games, Sanchez is 44 - 65 for 541 yards and 6 TDs with 0 interceptions. The running game moved to center stage with CJ Gable, Stafon Johnson and Joe McKnight sharing the ball, and making a lot big plays lately.

Trojan WRs Patrick Turner, Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson should find space in the Irish defensive backfield. The Irish cornerbacks are tall, but not very physical and can be beaten off the line of scrimmage.

Behind an Trojan offensive line that is playing consistently now, the Trojans will have opportunities in both the running and passing game against Notre Dame. All they'll have to do is read the defense, and take what's given to them.

Defense - The Trojan defense has got to be licking it chops when it sees the Irish offense. Defensive ends Kyle Moore, Clay Matthews and Everson Griffen should be able to put great pressure on the QB from the edges as they are too quick for the Irish offensive tackles.

The trio of LBs (Maualuga, Cushing and Maiava) should be able to fill the gaps well against the Irish running backs. But they'll have to guard against being overly aggressive, because the Irish may try to take advantage of their initial quickness with screen and draw plays, especially on third downs.

The SC defensive backs have handled anything thrown their way this year. They'll have a special threat to handle in Irish WR Golden Tate. When looking for a big play, the Irish offense will look to go deep down the sideline to Tate. You can bet Trojan Safety Taylor Mays will be aware of Tate's whereabouts on every play.

Special Teams - Kickoff returners CJ Gable and Ronald Johnson had big games last week. But they may not have a chance to follow it up as its a good bet that the Trojan defense will keep the Irish out of the end zone most of the game. Punter Greg Woidneck had his best game of the season against Stanford, and Kicker David Buehler has been solid all year long.

Prediction:

USC - 42
Notre Dame - 3

Trojans Steamroll Cardinal . . . 45 - 23

2008-11-25T23:17:00.000-08:00

Well, there was no upset for the ages this time. But it wasn't an easy early for the Trojans as Stanford showed plenty of fight once again. All is right, however, with the universe as the Trojans turned loose its three talented running backs on the Cardinal and never looked back.

Let's grade this puppy:

Offense

QB - Mark Sanchez had a quiet, but efficient game throwing for only 136 yards. He had (2) TDs, though, and most importantly (0) INTs. The start was rough for Sanchez, as Stanford anticipated SC's desire to expose their weak CBs. But again, Sanchez made no big mistakes. Grade: B

RBs/FB - A stellar night for the Law Firm of Gable, Johnson and McKnight. We wrote in the preview that if the RBs could get past Stanford's usual five man defensive front, there'd be plenty of running room. And there was. CJ Gable ran with speed and determination for 86 yards on 14 carries with some big plays. Stafon Johnson led the team with 115 yards on 8.2 yards per carry and (2) TDs, while Joe McKnight gashed the Cardinal for 72 yards on 9 carries. FB Stan Havili chipped in with a couple of receptions, including a 50 yard TD catch and run. Grade: A

WRs/TE - Not a lot of opportunities for this unit, as Sanchez only threw the ball (17) times. Damian Williams led the way with (4) receptions and a TD catch, and Patrick Turner snagged three balls. Grade: B

OLine - After a rocky start in the first quarter handling the rush of Stanford's un-balanced DLine, the OLine got its footing when SC turned to the running game on the very first possession of the 2nd quarter. They opened holes that lead to 282 yards rushing on 6.6 ypc, but also gave up (3) sacks in the game. Grade: B

Defense

DLine - After getting no penetration vs. the Run or Pass game of Stanford in the first half, this unit finally got it together in the 2nd half and hassled the Cardinal QBs into several incompletions. The unit (led by Fili Moala and Clay Matthews) finished with 4.5 TFLs and a sack, but Stanford's RBs & QBs rumbled for good yardage in the first half. Grade: C minus

LBs - Similar to the Dline, the LBs could not scrape outside fast enough to stop the Cardinal sweep and stretch running plays in the first half. But in the second half, they did a much better job. Rey Maualuga led the team with 9 tackles, and one TFL. OLBs Kaluka Maiava and Brian Cushing combined for 13 tackles, with Cushing snagging an INT. Grade: C +

DBs - The Trojan DBs were not tested much at all, but CB Josh Pinkard had a nice game with 8 tackles, one TFL and a pass break-up. Safety Will Harris also contributed 8 tackles. Grade: B

Special Teams - FINALLY . . . CJ Gable took a kickoff to da house!!! And Ronald Johnson almost had as well on a 75 yard return. The Trojans racked up 230 yards in returns for the game.

Punter Greg Woidneck had his best game of the year averaging 42.5 per punt, and nailing two inside the 20 yard line. Kicker David Buehler also had (4) touchbacks on kickoffs, and hit his only FG of the game. Grade: A

Coaching - Offensively, the coaches plan to expose the weak Stanford pass defense didn't go so well. And after three empty possessions in the first quarter, SC leaned on the run game beginning in the 2nd quarter and steamrolled the Cardinal defense.

SC's defense, or lack thereof in the first half, may have been the most surprising thing about the game. SC knew that Stanford could only run the ball . . . and yet the Cardinal still ran the ball down SC's front 7's throat in the first two quarters. The bulky Cardinal RBs (and even the QBs) actually ran to the outside for over 100 yards in the first half, resulting in three long scoring drives. Adjustments were made, though, and by the second half the defense began to get more pressure on the Stanford QBs, and get the Cardinal offense off the field on third down plays. Grade: C

Game Balls:

Offense - RB Stafon Johnson
Defense - CB Josh Pinkard
Special Teams - CJ Gable

Prediction Winner: DMoody chalks up another win!

The Trojans Visit Stanford on the "Farm"

2008-11-14T00:12:00.000-08:00

One thing is for sure . . . the Stanford Cardinal will not sneak up on SC this year. Last year's monumental upset by Stanford occurred in a perfect storm: un-motivated Trojans, QB breaks finger and five turnovers. Will that (or anything like it) happen again . . . I highly doubt it.

Stanford, at 5 - 5, is a decent team, however. They are undefeated at home, and rely on a strong running game. But the question is . . . will they be able to run against a hot SC defense? And the Trojan offense may get a break this week against a Cardinal secondary that gives up a ton of yards.

Let's break it down:

Stanford

Offense - When you talk about Stanford, you start with the running game. Running behind a Cardinal OLine led by center Alex Fletcher, RB Toby Gerhart has been a horse rushing for 932 yards on 5.5 ypc and 13 touchdowns. RB Anthony Kimble is also solid, and has run for 650+ yards on (6) ypc.

QB Tavita Pritchard has not been real productive. He doesn't throw much, averaging only 121 yards through the air with (9)INTs vs. (9)TDs, ranking him last in the Pac 10. WRs Ryan Whalen and Doug Baldwin lead the receiving corp combining for (52) receptions and four TDs. The Cardinal offense has been extremely efficient in the red zone this season, scoring 95% of the time (27 TDs and 6 FGs in 35 opportunities inside the oppponents' 20 yard line).

Defense - The Stanford 3 - 4 defense has been up and down this season. Ranking 8th in the Pac 10 in total defense, the Cardinal have been especially bad against the pass giving up about 250 yards per game. But the LB unit is strong, led by Bo McNally and Pat Maynor. DE Tom Keiser leads the DLine unit with (6) sacks, on a defensive unit that leads the Pac 10 in total sacks with (30).

Special Teams - Freshman punter David Green is doing a nice job averaging 40 yards per punt. And Kicker Aaron Zagory has connected on 12 of 14 FGs this year. WR Doug Baldwin doubles as the punt returner, and Jeremy Stewart is the primary kick returner averaging 23 yards per kickoff.

USC

Offense - A Trojan offense searching for a rhythm could find it versus the Cardinal defense that gives up a lot of yards and points (about 25 per game). QB Mark Sanchez could have a big game against a porous Stanford secondary. But he must get rid of the ball quickly to avoid sacks from the effective Cardinal rush.

The Trojan RBs could also find ample running room in the "second level", if they can get past the (5) Stanford defenders typically on the line of scrimmage. And there's no doubt that SC's WRs have favorable matchups against the Cardinal CBs. But look for FB Stanley Havili and TE Anthony McCoy to see opportunities in the passing game as quick outlets for Sanchez.

Defense - The Trojan defense will seek to set the tone by stopping a Cardinal rushing attack that averages 207 yards per game. MLB Rey Maualuga and Company will have to switch gears after facing the speedy RBs of the CAL Bears, and prepare for bruising Cardinal RBs Gerhart and Kimble who can move the pile. The Trojan defensive tackle rotation (Fili Moala, Christian Topou and Jurrell Casey) will play a huge role in stopping the Stanford running game by holding their ground up the middle.

Special Teams - Can SC's return game finally make a big impact by taking one "to da house"? It hasn't happened thus far. And perhaps punt returner Stafon Johnson should just secure the ball after dropping one in the previous game. SC's kickoff returners Ronald Johnson and CJ Gable just don't get any opportunities as opponents don't score enough to even kick the ball off to them. And that probably won't change in this game.

Kicker David Buehler has been good on FGs and spectacular on kickoff touchbacks (35 so far this season). But punter Greg Woidneck's punting average is not good (36 yards net), although he has been hitting a few inside the opponent's 20 yard line.

Prediction:

USC - 33

Stanford - 10

Trojans Shut Down CAL . . . 17 - 3

2008-11-10T22:25:00.000-08:00

If there is a better defense around than SC's . . . I haven't seen it. The Trojan D completely shut down a very good CAL offense, and led the way to a 17 - 3 victory over the CAL Bears.

The SC offense, however, still hasn't found its rhythm against the last couple of good teams they've faced. Penalties and mistakes remain a bugaboo, and continue to short circuit offensive drives for the Trojans. But with a defense that's barely giving up anything, SC continues to win.

Let's grade 'em out:

Offense

QB - Mark Sanchez had a solid game. He finished with (2) TD passes on 18 - 29 for 238 yards. The big stat was ZERO interceptions against a very good CAL defense. Sanchez made solid decisions with ball in terms of taking what the defense gave him. Grade: B

RBs/FB - Trojan RBs ran very hard on their way to 170+ yards. CJ Gable led the way with 79 yards on 10 carries, followed by Stafon Johnson who collected 60 yards. Joe McKnight made his return with 51 yards on 7 yards per carry, but had a key fumble that stalled one of SC's offensive drives. FB Stan Havili chipped in with 3 receptions for 27 yards, and blocked very well. Grade: B

WRs/TE - This group had kind of a quiet game. Damian Williams led the group with (4) receptions for 67 yards, and Pat Turner had another TD reception but caught on (2) balls in the game. TE Anthony McCoy had his best day as a Trojan with (4) catches for 53 yards. Grade: C +

OLine - A mixed night for SC's OLine. On one hand, they opened up some nice holes in the running game that led to 173 yards rushing and nearly (7) yards per carry for the running backs. But they also gave up (3) sacks to CAL, and a few penalties on OLinemen stalled some drives. Grade: C

Defense

DLine - The Trojan DLine had to have a strong game to stop CAL's explosive running attack . . . and they did just that. The group had (15) tackles, (5) TFLs and (2) sacks. They also did a great job of occupying CAL's OLine allowing the Trojan linebackers to flow to the Bear running backs unblocked to make tackles. DE Kyle Moore continued with his very good year with (2) TFLs, including a sack. Grade: B +

LBs - The Trojan linebackers continue to be a nightmare for opposing offenses. MLB Rey Maualuga led the team with (10) tackles (seven of them solo) and OLB Brian Cushing added (9) tackles, (2) TFLs, including a sack. Grade: A minus

CBs - Taylor Mays had a spectacular game for the Trojans. He broke up (4) passes, including two deep attempts with spectacular hits. Trojan cornerbacks Cary Harris, Kevin Thomas and Josh Pinkard also had solid games, with Pinkard collecting an INT. SS Will Harris also made his presence felt with (5) tackles and a tipped pass that led to a Trojan interception. Grade: A minus

Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler made his only FG of the night, and had two touchbacks on (4) kickoffs. But punting continues to be an issue for Greg Woidneck. He averaged only 27 yards per punt with a long of 35 yards. PR Stafon Johnson also had a less than stellar night, fumbling a punt, but luckily recovering it before any damage was done. Grade: C minus

Coaching - Let's start with the defense this time . . . SC's schemes and mix of DLine stunts and CB/LB blitzes harassed the CAL QBs into a 15 - 31 passing night for only 138 yards. Add on the fact that a couple of defensive INTs were taken away on questionable penalty calls. The Trojan defense leads the nation in scoring defense giving up only 6 pts per game . . . that will get it done.

Offensively, the Trojans are not in rhythm. They had very good running success, and Sanchez made good decisions. But small mistakes with penalties and McKnight's fumble stalled drives. Give CAL's defense some credit too, they are tough to score upon - they are #1 red zone defense in the Pac 10. But SC should have put up one or two more scores. Grade: C

Gameballs:

Offense: QB Mark Sanchez
Defense: Safety Taylor Mays
Special Teams: Kicker David Buehler

Prediction Winner: Big XII - nailed the opponent score (3 points)

CAL Comes Marching In . . .

2008-11-06T00:19:00.000-08:00

This is a big one . . . as it usually has been between USC and CAL the last few years. With one loss in conference, both teams are trying to stay in position for a run at the Pac 10 championship.

The Bears are a team that presents balance on offense, but more importantly for them, they are playing some defense this year. The Trojans feasted on a pasty in UW last week, and are rested on both sides of the ball. Which team will blink first?

Let's break 'em down:

CAL

Offense - The saying goes that "two heads are better than one", and CAL is trying that notion by rotating between QBs Kevin Riley and Nate Longshore. Either could start against SC, and both have put up solid numbers combining for 154 - 280 for 1,832 yards with 18 TDs and 7 INTs. Riley is more mobile, but is also coming off of a concussion in last week's win over Oregon. The Bear RBs Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen have been very productive, both averaging over 5.5 yards per carry. Best and Vereen are fast, but not big. Best has battled injuries this year, and is nursing a sore foot but should play vs. SC. CAL's receiving unit has been led by TE Cameron Morrah who leads the team with (21) receptions and six TDs. The OLine is a little banged up, but is getting a few players back. Center Alex Mack is thought of as the best in the Pac 10.

Defense - Using a 3 - 4 scheme, CAL's surprising defensive unit is led by a very good LB unit with Zack Follett, Mike Mohamed and Worrell Williams who are very active in both rushing the passer and stopping the run. The DB group has also been productive leading the conference with 17 INTs. Starting CBs SydQuan Thompson and Darian have combined for (4) INTs and (17) pass breakups. The DLine group, however, may be a bit of a weak link this weekend. They are banged up in the middle with starting NT Derek Hill questionable for the SC game.

USC

Offense - Big game for Mark Sanchez. He'll have to contend with a CAL defense that has confused a lot of QBs into throwing INTs. Sanchez's decision-making will be huuuuuge in this game. Taking the easy pass, and not getting flustered if he does make a mistake will be key to leading SC's offense. The RB group welcomes back Joe McKnight, and that can take some pressure off by moving him around and making the CAL D adjust to SC's formations. The WR vs. CB matchups in this game will be great. SC's rushing game will be important to keep CAL's pressure from the edges off of them, especially cuz CAL is banged up in the middle of their DLine.

Defense - SC's D is on a roll, and will have to focus on banging around CAL's fast, but not physical RBs (Best and Vereen). Stopping the run is key for SC because CAL is not very prolific throwing to its WRs. CAL will probably try to take advantage of SC's quick pursuit with screen passes on 2nd and 3rd downs, so MLB Rey Maualuga will have to be alert to keep the Bear RBs from operating in space. Dealing with QB Riley's mobility within the pocket could also pose a challenge for the Trojan defense.

Prediction:

USC - 31
CAL - 13

USC lays UW down easy . . . 56 - 0

2008-11-03T23:52:00.000-08:00

It didn't take long in this one. The Huskies should have mailed this one in to save some money on the trip down to So. Cal. The once proud program that was Washington is no more. The Huskies offered no resistance as they were thrown to the Trojans in the Coliseum and trounced 56 - 0.

SC did what they wanted to . . . when they wanted to . . . and in the process may have gotten their offensive mojo back.

Grades:

Offense -

* QB - This was an easy game for Sanchez - WRs were wide open - but importantly Sanchez didn't miss any of them on his way to a 15 - 19, 167 yard performance with (2) TDs and no INTs. His comments after the game about keeping his emotions in check and executing may signal a more even-keeled player for the Trojans' stretch run. Grade: A minus

* RBs/FB - It was CJ Gable's turn to be the star as he ran for 108 yards on 10 carries, and looked quicker than he has in a while. Stafon Johnson chipped in with 40 yards. Marc Tyler also got some great work, getting 16 carries for 86 yards in the second half. Grade: B +

* WRs - Patrick Turner had a terrific stat line with (6) catches for 100 yards ant 2 TDs. It was a light day for everyone else, but it was good to see reserve TE Rhett Ellison catch a couple of balls on the night. Grade: B

* OLine - The Trojan OLine didn't face much resistance from the Husky DLine. Plenty of reserves played, as the Trojans racked up 297 yards rushing, and didn't give up any sacks on SC QBs. Grade: A minus

Defense -

* DLine - The starting group easily passed the test offered by UW's feeble running attack. The starters gave way to the backups who actually allowed some drives, and need to play more physically. Grade: B minus

* LBs - MLB Rey Maualuga played fantastic football, leading the team in tackles and also intercepting a pass. Reserve Chris Galippo chipped in with another pick perserving the Trojan shutout, while OLB Malcolm Smith added (6) tackles. Grade: A minus

* DBs - SS Will Harris came through with an excellent game along the LOS and in coverage, racking up (6) tackles, including 2.5 TFLs. Reserve Drew McCallister picked off his second career INT, and other youngsters like CB TJ Bryant and Marshall Jones got in some good work in an extended period. Grade: B +

Special Teams - * PR Stafon Johnson looks better and better returning punts. He took one for 25 yards as his longest gain. Kick David Buehler got a workout, kicking off (9) times with four touchbacks. Grade: B

Coaching - Everything SC tried offensively worked. Mixing the run and pass, SC spread the ball around in the first half, before running the ball exclusively in the 2nd half. A good game to grade a bunch of reserves in film session as they may be needed later this year. Defensively, the squad is locked in about as well as a team can be. The team is looking good on 3rd downs and getting opponent offenses off the field, and you gotta like the way the 2nd/3rd team defense preserved the shut out once again. Penalties, however, remain a bugaboo for an extremely aggressive unit. Grade: B

Game Balls -

Offense: WR Patrick Turner
Defense: SS Will Harris
Special Teams: PR Stafon Johnson

Prediction Winner - J-Man comes through again.

Punchless UW visits the Coliseum

2008-11-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

You've heard of the phrase "dead man walking" . . . well the Washington Huskies are a "dead team walking". This once proud program has fallen on hard times yet again as head coach Ty Willingham has been given the heave ho effective at the end of the season. Winless through seven games, the Huskies haven't had much go their way all year . . . and being thrown to the lions in the Coliseum will be just one more kick in the stomach.

SC, winners of their last four in a row, is looking for a rhythm offensively, and to keep the dominance going defensively. UW comes at a perfect time for a team looking for an identity on offense. Mark Sanchez has been inconsistent the last couple of games . . . the Huskies offer an opportunity to get back on track.

Washington

Offense - After losing their starting QB and best player Jake Locker early in the season, RFr. Ronnie Fouch has taken over the QB duties, and just tries to manage the game. Fouch's stats, though, are pedestrian as he is completing just 49% of his passes, and the Huskies are averaging a paltry 16 points per game. Frosh RBs David Freeman and Terrance Dailey, combine with soph WRs De'Andre Goodwin and Alvin Logan to make up what has to be the youngest offensive skill position group in the Pac Ten. Ironically, UW does have the best 3rd down conversion rate in the Pac Ten at 50%.

Defense - UW has trouble stopping the run and the pass. They give up 235 ypg rushing, and rank last in the Pac Ten in total defense. They don't get any pressure on the passer as they only have (5) sacks through seven games. UW does have a couple of good players in DE Daniel Teo-Nesheim, LB Mason Walters and CB Vonzell McDowell - but the Huskies simply don't have enough of them.

USC

Offense - UW's terrible defense offers QB Mark Sanchez a chance to get back on track. He should be sharp this game, and maybe running the ball first will help Sanchez establish a good play action passing rhythm. The RBs should have a good game because the OLine should have no trouble opening holes for them to run through. I also anticipate the WRs getting going over the middle, and the TEs will be open in this game.

Defense - Key defender S Kevin Ellison will be missing (out for 2-4 weeks), but it shouldn't matter in this contest. Replacement Will Harris will be fine, and the loaded SC defense should look to tee off early and often as the UW offense cannot run the ball. MLB Rey Maualuga has been stellar the last few games, and that should continue as he will be in the Huskie backfield all game long. The reserves should be in by 3rd quarter.

Prediction:

USC - 45

UW - 3

USC beats Arizona . . . 17 - 10

2008-10-30T23:24:00.000-07:00

Once again, the Trojan defense led the way to another win over the Arizona Wildcats. The offense, however, looked like it forget to board the plane for Tucson. Offensive mistakes kept this game close, and gave the Wildcats to get lucky and try to steal the game. But the Trojan defense would have none of it . . . and SC escaped the desert for its 6th win.

Grades, grades, grades:

Offense

QB - At this point, Mark Sanchez is not having a good run. Overthrows, missed reads and a tendency to go for the risky, big play rather than taking the easy pass to move the chains is costing Sanchez big time - and costing the Trojans points. His stats were respectable at 21 - 36 for 216 yards and a TD. But he threw an INT, and just made bad decisions throughout the game. Sanchez's play (between the ears) has to improve. Grade: D

RBs/FB - Rarely have I seen an RB play with more heart than Stafon Johnson did last Saturday. Leading the team in rushing at 87 yards on 19 carries only told part of the story. His blocking and key first down runs were clutch. Neither CJ Gable nor a gimpy Joe McKnight were able to get anything going. FB Stan Havili, however, killed 'Zona in the passing game as he caught (5) balls for 67 yards and a TD. Grade: B

WRs/TE - Decent game for this unit who's stats would have been better if not for some poor decisions and overthrows by Sanchez. Damian Williams led the group with (5) receptions for 77 yards. Grade: C

OLine -Nothing spectacular from this group. They did lead the way for 151 yards on the ground, and at one point opened some holes for Stafon Johnson to run through on a key drive. Gave up (3) sacks - a couple of which I wouldn't consider their fault. Grade: C +

Defense

DLine - The DLine played pretty well. They had (5.5) TFLs, including (3) sacks combined from Griffen, Matthews and Moala, and kept the 'Zona running game to about 100 yards. Frosh NT Jurrell Casey is looking very good.
Grade: B +

LBs - Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing continue to lead this group, filling holes and causing general havoc. They were late on a couple of run plays, but generally kept the Wildcat RBs in front of them. OLB Kaluka Maiava pitched in with (5) tackles, as well. Grade: B

DBs - CB Kevin Thomas is beginning to make this a habit - he had another INT, and played solid football in coverage. The same goes for Josh Pinkard and Cary Harris. 'Zona QB Willie Tuitama only had 88 yards passing. Safety Taylor Mays was laying the wood, stopping a couple of Wildcat RBs with vicious hits . . . just the way an SC safety is supposed to. Grade: A minus

Special Teams - PR Stafon Johnson had a couple of excellent returns in this game, but also made a mistake fielding a punt inside the ten yard line. Punter Greg Woidneck shanked one punt and Kicker David Buehler made a 43 yarder, but missed a 30 yarder on FGs. Grade: C minus

Coaching

Offensively, the troubles centered around Sanchez's decision making. At times, you could see the coaching staff imploring Sanchez to make the easy play instead of going for the big play. At some point, I believe the coaches should give him simpler plays to calm down and develop a rhythm. SC did get the ball to the FB in the passing game, which had been missing for a little while. Also, the sequence of plays bothers me. Instead of running on 1st down and putting SC in a nice 2nd and mid range situation where they can run or pass and set up 3rd and short yardage - SC passes a lot on first down and puts itself in low percentage 3rd and long plays too much. can't be happy with the execution in the game. The defense executed the scheme about as well as could be expected against a balanced offense like Arizona. I liked the rotation on the DLine that kept guys fresh. Grade: B minus

Game Balls:

Offense: RB Stafon Johnson
Defense: DT Fili Moala
Special Teams: PR Stafon Johnson

Prediction Winner: DMoody - rings up a winner by correctly predicting a close game.

Trojans Take on Arizona

2008-10-23T22:22:00.000-07:00

The Trojans finally get back to playing Pac 10 football next Saturday (sorry Wazzu - that performance was pitiful) with a matchup against the Arizona Wildcats. The Cats are 5 - 2, averaging 40 ppg, and present the most balanced offensive team the Trojans will have faced thus far this season.

But now they face probably the nation's best defense in USC . . .
somethin' has got to give. Let's break down this key Pac 10 matchup:

Arizona

Offense- Wildcat #7 QB Willie Tuitama is one of the most improved players over the last few years. He emerged a better player last year under Arizona
OC Sonny Dykes new spread passing game, and now is in very good command
with 15 TDs and only 3 INTs. Just as important, the Cats have a running
game with #5 Nic Grigsby (650 yards on 6ypc) and backup Keola Antolin
(149 yards vs. CAL).

The WRs are good, led by #10 Mike Thomas who's been a nice player for a
long time, with Terrell Turner and Delashaun Dean rounding out a
productive trio that's produced 90 receptions for about 1200 yards.

The "not-so-secret" weapon of this offense is #48 TE Rob Gronkowski - a
terrific player with size who will go deep downfield to make plays.
"Gronk" leads the receivers in yards per catch (16), and scoring (6
TDs).

The OLine is solid in the run and passing games, giving up an average of
about (2) sacks a game and clearing the way for a good running attack
that averages 150+ yards per game at 4 yards per carry.

Defense - The 'Zona DLine is led by #42 DE Brooks Reed who has (3) sacks on the year, but that group as a whole doesn't get much penetration vs. the run or the passing game. An issue for the 'Cats is that the DLine is not big at all -the heaviest player is 280lbs - the others are in the 260-270 range.

The LBs are led by a couple of active players in #33 Ronnie Palmer and
Sterling Lewis. Lewis leads the team in tackles, and Palmer leads the
team in TFLs this season.

#32 Safety Nate Ness is the leader of the defensive backfield - he's got
(2) INTs on the year, and the CBs Devin Ross and Marquis Hundley have
broken up a combined (15) passes with (3) INTs.

Special Teams - The kicking unit for Arizona has been very strong this year. Kicker Jason Bondzio has made 8 - 9 FGs, and has not missed a PAT on the season (37 - 37). Punter Keenyn Crier has been strong averaging 43 yards per boot.

WR Mike Thomas doubles as the punt returner and has been very good, averaging 15 yards per return (2nd in the Pac 10), and he has (1) return for a TD.

USC

Offense - SC's offense get some players back this week (OT Butch Lewis
WR Vidal Hazleton and RB Joe McKnight) so they'll be at full strength
against an Arizona defense that has put up some good numbers (ranked
19th in total defense nationally). But the Arizona front (7) can be run
against, as other teams have pushed the light Wildcat Dline around for
big yardage. USC should be able to have success running the ball.

QB Mark Sanchez and the Trojans need to get off to a good start by
scoring and converting 3rd downs to keep the Arizona offense off the
field and change their game plan to rely on passing the ball to keep up.

Defense - This is an excellent matchup for a Trojan defense that has been playing lights out (giving up only 7.8 ppg). Arizona's offense is
balanced, so the LBs will have to be good against the run and pass. And
the Trojan DBs will have to keep an eye out for 'Zona TE Rob Gronkowski
going deep on 2nd downs, and as an outlet on 3rd downs.

The DTs (Moala and Topou/Spicer) will have to clog up the inside running
lanes as Arizona mostly runs up the middle for the spread option, "I",
and single back formations.

Special Teams - The kicking and coverage units have been solid. Still waiting for a big return play from these units. But Joe McKnight was back in practice taking a lot of punts . . . we'll see if he's got his mojo back, and takes the place of the solid Stafon Johnson.

Prediction:

USC - 38

UofA - 13

SC Runs Past Wazzu . . . 69 - 0

2008-10-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

In reality, Washington St. should not have played this ballgame. They should have mailed in a respectable losing score and not risked (nor embarrased) their players. I mean, you saw it people . . . SC threw ONE pass in the 2nd half. They tried to let the Cougars tackle them, and they couldn't do it.

This is actually the toughest game ever to grade . . . but here it goes:

Offense

QB - QB Mark Sanchez hasn't seen this many open receivers since high school. He completed 15 - 20, for 250+ yards with 5 TDs by halftime. It was shooting fish in a barrel. It was so easy that I'm going to have to give him a de-merit for a couple of bad passes. Grade: A minus

RBs/FB - Three 100+ rushers is super rare, but that's what Gable (109), Johnson (112) and Green (121) did. Brod Green started out tentative, but then realized no Cougar wanted to tackle him, and he looked like "Earl Campbell" in the 2nd half. Fullback Stan Havili looks like he's getting back to normal with (5) receptions, and backup Adam Goodman had some good blocks. Grade: A

WRs/TE - Again, the WRs met no resistance, but they didn't drop any balls either. Ronald Johnson and Patrick Turner led the way with two TDs pass receptions apiece. TE Anthony McCoy did his best "Fred Davis" impression with a determined TD catch and run. Unfortunately for backups Patterson, Ausberry, and Carswell, SC had mercy on the Cougars in the 2nd half and only got one pass thrown their way. Grade: A

OLine - Despite having a sub at OT (Nick Howell), SC dominated the trenches. Howell had (18) knockdowns, and the Trojan OLine knocked out the Cougar front seven for 362 yards rushing on 7ypc, and gave up no sacks. Grade: A

Defense

DLine - This was a game for the reserves. The starters knocked a few people down, and got out of the game. Backup DT Armond Armstead was the star with (4) tackles, including two TFLs. The DLine only allowed (88) yards rushing, but couldn't get any sack action cuz Wazzu only threw the ball (9) times. I will downgrade the unit because DE Malik Jackson didn't keep containment on a reverse that led to one of the Cougars few positive offensive plays. Grade: A minus

LBs - This group was really active early. MLB Rey Maualuga dominated the Cougars' first two possessions with (5) tackles before he took a seat with fellow starter Brian Cushing who forced a fumble in his own right. And then it was backup Chris Galippo's turn. He looked tentative his first defensive possession, but got it going as the game went on. Galippo and fellow reserve OLB Malcolm Smith combined for (8) tackles and (2) TFLs. Grade: B+

DBs - The game couldn't have been easier for this group - with only (9) passes to defend - it was tough for SC's excellent D-Backs to get opportunities. But they found a way to make a few plays. CB Josh Pinkard forced and recovered a fumble, and reserve safety Will Harris had an INT that he returned for 28 yards. Grade: B

Special Teams

I'm still waiting for a big play from the return team . . . and it didn't happen. Plus SC had a PAT blocked for the only negative play of the first half as the Trojans got out to a 41 - 0 first half lead. On the positive side, Kicker David Buehler had (9) touchbacks out of eleven kickoffs, and punter Greg Woidneck averaged 49 yards on his (2) punts. Grade: C +

Coaching
Offensively, the team was sharp early. We saw OC Sarkisian stick with his game plan of mixing it up with the pass and run. And the team did a nice job of playing with intensity the entire game despite only running the ball in the second half. On defense, the coaches played "straight up" with no blitzes. Needless to say, a lot of backups got time and the coaches used this game as an opportunity to see some key reserves like frosh OT Tyron Smith and DT Armond Armstead. The brightest spot for the coaching staff had to be the lack of penalties - SC only committed (2), an offensive holding call and a defensive offsides - and that's major progress for a team that is last in the conference in that category. Grade: A

Game Balls

Offense - QB Mark Sanchez
Defense - LB Rey Maualuga
Special Teams - K David Buehler

Prediction Winner: J-Man got SC's score exactly right . . . Dang!

USC Travels to face Washington State

2008-10-18T00:16:00.000-07:00

The Trojans venture up to the Palouse to face Washington St. in Pullman, Washington. A trip many SC players admit is the worst in the Pac 10. But this is a business trip for USC. We're getting in, and we're getting out as fast as we can with a win over the hapless Cougars.

If there's one thing you can say about about Wazzu this year . . . its that they are consistent. They rank at or near the bottom of every statistical category. It has simply not been a fun year for the 1 - 6 Cougars.

Let's go to the breakdown:

Washington State

Offense - Wazzu has lost three QBs to injury at different points this year, so its simply a matter of who is healthy enough to take the field. The (un)lucky this week is Kevin Lopina, who only completes 54% of his passes, and has thrown (0) TDs but (5) INTs on the year. A banged up RB Dwight Tardy is a solid player, and so is WR Brandon Gibson who is the team's best player with (38) receptions on the year. The offensive line, however, has been a disaster. They've given up a Pac 10 leading 24 sacks in (7) games, and have only provided enough push in the running game for the RBs to average 2.6 yards per carry.

Defense - LB Greg Trent leads this unit that has had a hard time stopping teams from running the ball - giving up 250+ yards per game. Wazzu also doesn't put any pressure on the passer - last in the sacks in the conference with only (6) after seven games. CB Chima Nwachukwu leads the Cougar secondary that is not too bad - they have (7) INTs on the year.

Special Teams

The kickers are solid, but the punt and kickoff coverage units are horrible . . . dead last in the Pac 10.

USC

Offense - Wazzu should be the perfect tonic for what ailed the Trojan offense last week. QB Sanchez is coming off of his worst performance as a starter, so the wide open spaces of the Cougar defense that gives up 45 points per game should be a sight for his sore eyes. But Sanchez shouldn't have to do too much with his WRs who are also coming off a subpar game. The OLine (even with OT Nick Howell subbing for the ill Butch Lewis) and the running game behind CJ Gable and Stafon Johnson (Joe McKnight will not play) should click against a Cougar defense that gives up 250 yards a game.

Defense - There's no time to let up for this unit that holds opponents to only 9 points per game. SC's DLine should be able to control Wazzu OLine, and put a lot of pressure on the QB. The starting LBs (Maualuga, Cushing and Maiava) are banged up, but the rotation of young guys like Malcolm Smith, Mike Morgan, Chris Galippo, and Jordan Campbell should keep the unit fresh enough to clean up any mess the DLine doesn't handle. And all you can say to the DBs is, "keep doing what you are doing." But this stellar group led by safety Kevin Ellison will have to watch the short stuff to Wazzu WR Brandon Gibson, and the deep stuff to speedy WR Jeshua Anderson.

Special Teams - I'm waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting. Could this be the day SC gets a TD from its return teams. There's no better opportunity for PR Stafon Johnson and KR Ronald Johnson/CJ Gable against the poor kick coverage teams of the Cougars.

Prediction:

USC - 51

WSU - 3

Trojans Shut Out Sun Devils . . . 28 - 0

2008-10-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

Well, it wasn't a masterpiece, but it was a win. The Trojan defense dominated, and the offense sputtered, but the result as satisfactory. ASU never really had a chance, even though USC took awhile to apply the death blow.

The grades:

Offense

QB - Mark Sanchez would probably like to forget this one. 13 for 26, for 179 yards, with (3) INTs and only (1) TD threw the air marked his worst performance to date stats-wise. The gimpy knee may have been a factor in some of his throws, and one of the picks wasn't Sanchez's fault. But nonetheless . . . burn the tape.
Grade: D

RBs/FB - Joe McKnight ran for 143 yards with a 13 yard per carry average. It was a few big runs that carried the day for him, while CJ Gable and Stafon Johnson chipped in with 50 yards combined. Fullback Stan Havili is still nursing a sore neck so he wasn't involved much at all. Grade: B

WRs/TE - The first game that the WR unit has looked human. Both Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson dropped catchable balls (one that turned into an INT), and only Williams scored a TD. TEs Blake Ayles and Anthony McCoy corraled (3) passes, a couple for first downs. Grade: C minus

OLine - Spotty day for this group. They led the way for 210 yards rushing, but short yard plays are a problem up the middle and there was very little consistency although ASU really stacked the line of scrimmage sometimes. There were also two sacks against Sanchez in this game. Grade: C

Defense

DLine - This group played strong at the point of attack. ASU only got 75 yards rushing, and didn't allow the Sun Devil QBs a lot of time to do anything. Senior DEs Clay Matthews and Kyle Moore, plus DT Fili Moala have really stepped up their game accounting for (10) tackles, and 1 1/2 sacks. Grade: A minus

LBs - Another solid game from this group. Everyone is banged up, but still playing well against the run and pass. Maualuga and Cushing accounted for (15) tackles, and Mike Morgan added (5) more as he is playing well. OLB Jordan Campbell played a lot in this game as Kaluka Maiava sprained an ankle. Grade: B

DBs - Outstanding game for this group. Safety Kevin Ellison has been magnificent in run support, and equally as good in pass coverage. He had (7) tackles, including (1) TFL and (2) pass breakups. CBs Kevin Thomas got a pick six, Cary Harris forced a fumble and intercepted a pass, and even true frosh TJ Bryant got into the act with his first career INT. The ASU QBs completed less than 45% of their passes for a paltry 154 yards. Grade: A

Special Teams

Gotta give it up to DT Fili Moala who blocked two FG attempts to preserve the shut out. He received Pac 10 special teams player of the week for his efforts. Otherwise it was a quiet day for the return and coverage teams. Grade: B

Coaching

Offensively, the coaches can't be happy with the execution in the game. Dropped passes nullified some good plays, and SC was missing is secret weapon in fullback Stan Havili. They have to find a way to get better in short yardage situations in the running game to keep the chains moving and demoralize the opponent. On the opposite end, the defensive coaches could not have been happier. The offense put them in some bad situations, but they didn't give up an inch. One memorable defensive play call was a cornerback blitz on 3rd down that knocked ASU out of FG range - gutsy, aggressive call. Penalties, however, continue to haunt this squad. Maybe making defenders who commit personal fouls crawl the length of the field during games will help . . . maybe? Grade: B minus

Game Balls:

Offense: RB Joe McKnight
Defense: Safety Kevin Ellison
Special Teams: DT Fili Moala

Prediction Winner: Payback . . . although nobody was close.

ASU Limps into the Coliseum

2008-10-10T20:04:00.000-07:00

Before the season began, the SC versus Arizona State contest was supposed to be the game that decided the Pac 10 championship. Instead, it’s a battle for conference survival for both teams.

ASU is in a total tailspin - losers of their last three consecutive games (UNLV, Georgia, and CAL), the Sun Devils are struggling on both sides of the ball. SC, as we know, cannot afford another conference loss. But the Trojans bounced back from a defeat at Oregon St., with an impressive win against Oregon. So who will emerge the survivor in this must win matchup for both teams?

Here's the tale of the tape:

ASU

Offense - The news didn't get any better for ASU this week as they found out that starting QB Rudy Carpenter is very doubtful for the game. His replacement, Danny Sullivan, is 1 - 8 for -1 yards and no TDs on the season. The running game may not be of any help either. ASU is last in the Pac 10 rushing the ball at only 85 yards per game. Neither RBs Dimitri Nance nor Keegan Herring average (4) yards per carry. Which leads us to the OLine - a unit that has struggled to open running lanes and protect the QB (12 sacks given up in 5 games). The WR unit is solid with Mike Jones and Chris McGaha, but these guys have only two TDs between them on the year.

Defense - The DLine struggles to put pressure on the passer, with only DE Dexter Davis able to consistently get into the backfield (Davis has 4 of ASU's 6 sacks). The strength of the defense is the LB unit - both Mike Nixon and Travis Goethel are solid tacklers. Safety Troy Nolan and CB Omar Bolden lead the SunDevil secondary.

Special Teams - So far Punter/FG Kicker is the MVP for ASU this year. He is averaging 42+ yards per punt, and is 8 - 10 on FGs on the season. Kyle Williams is a good combo returner as he doubles as the main punt and kick returner for the SunDevils.

USC

Offense - SC has a little QB limbo going itself - odds are, however, that Mark Sanchez will be recovered enough from a bruised knee to start for the Trojans. Mitch Mustain, who had a solid outing vs. Oregon, waits in the wings if Sanchez is unable to go. The RB unit is starting to define its roles with Stafon Johnson and CJ Gable starting to step up in the running game, with Joe McKnight becoming effective as an RB and receiver out of the backfield. The WRs just need to keep doing what they are doing. Pat Turner, Damian Williams and RoJo have been fantastic catching the ball and making plays. And once again, the OLine can end this game quickly if they impose their will in the trenches and help SC get out to an early lead. ASU will try to pressure the QB early, so the Tackles Butch Lewis and Charles Brown will need to play well - especially against DE Dexter Davis.

Defense - SC has a nice rotation going on the DLine with veteran know-how and young legs. They should be able to plug up the struggling ASU running game, and make new QB Danny Sullivan feel nervous in the pocket. LB Rey Maualuga resumes his starting spot at MLB, and the LB unit should have a great game vs. the run and pass. SC should also see a continued dominance by the DB unit. Safeties Kevin Ellison have played extremely well this year, and the CBs may finally get a few ball thrown their way against ASU's solid receiver corp.

Special Teams - We'll keep saying it until it happens . . . Can a brotha get a kickoff return for a TD??!!
RoJo and CJ Gable are the guys that have to get a least one this year. And in a good move, Stafon Johnson will probably replace Joe McKnight as the punt returner.

Prediction Time:

USC - 51

ASU - 7

Trojans Roast Ducks . . . 44 - 10

2008-10-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

Now that's more like it! Trojan domination on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Bouncing back with a good performance was important as opponents thought they saw blood in the water from the Trojans. But they were wrong. This team is capable of making a run at another great season.

Here's the breakdown . . .

Offense

QB - Mark Sanchez came through with another big game completing 19 - 28 passes for 332 yards with (3) TDs and zero interceptions. The only demerit was a fumbled snap that gave the Ducks possession deep in SC territory. But Sanchez accomplished his mission - show leadership, confidence, and playmaking to lead the team. QB Mitch Mustain came in to show a few things. Although he had an INT, he did lead a solid drive with clutch third down conversions and then a bomb for a TD to WR David Ausberry. Grade: A minus

RBs/FB - Trojan RBs banged out 4 yards a carry and 155 yards running very well on the perimeter. Stafon Johnson had the highlight run with a 22 yard multi-cut back run that sent Duck fans to the exits. C.J. Gable continues to run well with 49 yards on 10 carries, and Joe McKnight really hurt the Ducks catching passes out of the backfield and from the WR position. I also liked the quick handoffs to FB Stan Havili in short yardage situations. Grade: B

WRs/TE - The consistency the WR unit is showing is impressive. Another strong performance from Patrick Turner who had 5 catches for 77 yards and a TD. Both Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson burned the vaunted Duck secondary for deep scores, and David Ausberry jumped into the act with the longest bomb of the night - a 60 yard TD catch and run. TEs Anthony McCoy and Blake Ayles didn't get a lot of opportunities in the passing game, but they are blocking well. Grade: A

OLine - A good night for this group after the debacle up in Corvallis. Oregon came in with (17) sacks, but the SC OLine held the Ducks to just one sack late in the game. Substitute starter at Guard Alex Parsons did a nice job in his debut, as SC kept the Duck defense off balance by opening running lanes for the RBs for 155 yards rushing. Grade: B

Defense

DLine - An active game for the DLine unit. They finished with (20) tackles, (3) sacks, and a ton of QB hurries to control Oregon's offense which had come into the game as one of the best in the nation. DT Fili Moala and DE Kyle Moore were especially good after the first series when the Ducks were able to move the ball. Young bucks like sophmore NT Christian Topou and true frosh Jurell Casey also played well. Grade: B +

LBs - Solid game from a mixed bunch. With Rey Maualuga out, Brian Cushing moved to MLB and OLB Michael Morgan got a chance to start. And after taking a little time to adjust, they made plays behind the active DLine. OLB Kaluka Maiava had (8) tackles and Morgan had (7), both doing a nice job of shutting down cut back lanes for the Oregon RBs. Cushing also broke up (2) passes. Grade: B

CBs - A terrific game from sub-CB Josh Pinkard. He forced a key turnover just before the first half ended that basically gave SC an insurmontable lead. Safety Kevin Ellison was key in supporting the run defense and led the team in tackles with (9). CBs Cary Harris and Kevin Thomas also played well supporting the run defense, and true frosh safety Drew McCallister garnered his first career INT. Grade: B +

Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler continues to be a consistent force making all (3) of his FGs and garnering several touchbacks on kickoffs. PR Joe McKnight continues to struggle with punts, so it looks like RB Stafon Johnson will take his place in that role because he did well. The kickoff and punt coverage was once again very good. Grade: B +

Coaching - Offensively, the variety in the run/passing game was right where the coaching staff wanted it. Nearly every skill position was involved, and SC knew to run the ball against Oregon's Cover (3) defense, and pass the ball against the Ducks frequent man to man coverage. After the first couple of Duck possessions, the Defense zeroed in on the inside running game the Ducks tried to establish and shut it down. From there it was a matter of bottling up the short passing game which SC did with good DLine pressure and coverage from the CBs/Safeties. The personnel moves (Matthews, Morgan and Topou starting) worked out well also. Grade: B +

Gameballs:

Offense: QB Mark Sanchez

Defense: Defensive Line

Special Teams: Kicker David Buehler

Prediction Winner: J-Man takes it!!!

Oregon Charges Into the Coliseum

2008-10-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

Its Bounce Back week for the Trojans against a hot Oregon team. And these Ducks don't fly or swim . . . they run. And run they have for big rushing yards and a 4 - 1record. Although they've lost their first, second, and third string QBs to injury, the Ducks have been able to rely on a strong running game and a risk-taking defense to stay afloat.

Will the Trojans, who had a tough time with Oregon State's running game, be able to stop the Quack's running attack?

Oregon

Offense - Duck QB J. Masoli has thrown less than (50) this year for 4 TDs and no INTs. He basically has one mandate - hand the ball off to excellent RBs in JC transfer LaGarrett Blount and Jeremiah Johnson who are averaging nearly 190 rushing yards per game. WR Jaison Williams leads the WR unit, but doesn't get a lot of action until the Ducks get into the red zone. And the other WR starter is former SC player Jamere Holland. Oregon's OLine not only does a great job run blocking, but they also protect the QB only giving up (4) sacks in five games this year.

Defense - The Duck defense can be summed up in one phrase: All or Nothing. They take risks that sometimes pay off and sometimes do not. They lead the Pac 10 in sacks with (17), but the defense is also ranked dead last in the red zone (teams are 16 out of 16 scoring TDs or FGs against them). Their front (7) is good against the run (second only to SC giving up 100 yards per game), but the back (4) are only middle of the road against the pass giving up 10 TDs and 200+ yards per game thru the air.

USC

Offense - All eyes will be on the OLine. They will be facing an Oregon front seven that gambles and blitzes (17 sacks so far), so communication amongst the OLine will have to be great. QB Mark Sanchez's leadership and confidence will be key . . .he's got to get SC in a rhythm. And he must avoid throwing that 1 INT per game that he's thrown in the last three. RB Joe McKnight just has to put his last forgettable performance out of his mind, and FB Stan Havili needs to get the ball in the passing game again. The other RBs must put their head down and go forward even if a hole is not there. Positive yards to keep drives going is a MUST. To the WR/TE group: Keep doing what you are doing.

Defense - This is a huuuge game for SC's DLine who must get off to a good start. They got ambushed in Corvallis . . . That can't happen in the Coliseum. The Oregon OLine is formidable and will be tough. DT Fili Moala was touted as a pre-season all american . . . this is the game he can prove it in. The LB unit has been shaken up due to MLB Maualuga's injury, so Cushing moves to the middle and Mike Morgan finally gets his starting shot at OLB. Safeties Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays will have to help support the run game, and CBs Cary Harris and Kevin Thomas will need to be alert for the occasional deep pass.

Prediction:

USC - 31

Oregon - 17

Oregon St. shocks USC . . . Again . . . 27 - 21

2008-10-02T22:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess it shouldn't be a shock by now. Playing in Corvallis is just a bear. This is the second defeat in three games up there, and the last win was a come- from- behind victory. So SC needs to figure out a way to have only home games with Oregon State.

Hold your nose for this breakdown . . . the stench can still be smelled:

Offense -

* QB - Looking at Sanchez's stats, one might say he had a good game - 18-29 for 227 yards passing with 3 TDs and 1 INT. But upon further review, he decision-making was shakier than in passing games as he tried to force a few balls downfield instead of taking the easy pass to keep the chains moving. And then he threw the game killing INT from his own end zone. Grade: B minus

* RBs/FB - A tough and uneven night for these guys - Joe McKnight had his worst game as a Trojan, fumbling and running without authority. Stafon Johnson and CJ Gable did okay, but probably didn't get the ball enough. And where was Stan Havili in the passing game? Did Oregon St. take away his threat or did SC just not call his number? Who knows? Grade: D+

* WRs - Another good game from this group. Damian Williams finished with just under 100 yards on 6 catches, plus scoring on a TD on good effort. Pat Turner and Ronald Johnson turned in solid performances as well combining for (7) catches and both catching TD passes and running good routes. The TEs, however, only caught (2) balls, mostly due to staying back to pass block. Grade: B+

* OLine - Wow . . . I don't think anyone expected this OLine to be overwhelmed by an Oregon St. front seven that was practically all new. But that's what happened. SC's Tackles were out-quicked, and the interior line opened very few holes leading to a paltry 86 rushing yards for the game. They were attacked, but didn't attack back. Grade: D minus

Defense -

* DLine

- The first half from this group was a total mess. DTs Fili Moala and Averil Spicer (who also had two personal foul penalties) had a tough time as Oregon St. rushed for 6 - 8 yards up the middle of SC's defense preventing SC from getting off the field on third down (Oregon St. converted 5 of 7 third downs in the first half). The DEs also did not do their part to stop the run game, as they were easily blocked by slot WRs in motion on some of Oregon State's running plays. Grade: D

* LBs - Rey Maualuga had his first bad game of the year. He was too slow in filling the hole on Oregon State's run game, so his (12) tackles to lead the team was misleading. OLBs Kaluka Maiava and Brian Cushing combined for (2) sacks and (2) pass breakups. They also combined for (19) tackles - unfortunately many of them were downfield. Grade: C minus

* DBs - Although not tested much, this unit played well. At one point, safety Kevin Ellison took over on some possessions in the second half collecting 9 tackles, half a sack, and breaking up two passes. Despite being hurt (bruised chest) Taylor Mays had (6) tackles, and CB Cary Harris collected another (7) tackles. But subbing CB Kevin Thomas just missed making a huuuuge play when a possible INT went off his hands and into a Beavers hands for a TD. Grade: B

Special Teams -
* The kicking teams didn't have much of an impact on the game, but the punt return team was devastating. In fairness to PR Joe McKnight, there were swirling winds, but he fumbled twice (losing one of them) and then did not catch punts that rolled deep into SC territory leading to bad field position for the Trojan offense. Grade: D

Coaching - Offensively, the rhythm of the running and passing games were "off" from the get-go. Oregon St. attacked the line of scrimmage, and zoned up on passing downs, and that combo confused SC. It wasn't until the second half that SC attacked Oregon St. downfield and it worked. But through a critical stretch, SC punted on four possesions and then had the big turnover from Sanchez. Defensively, SC couldn't figure out the Beavers' OLine blocking scheme in the first half. But the coaches did adjust (probably tearing a new one into the DLine) in the second half, forcing Oregon State to punt on (5) straight possessions. Unfortunately, the offense could not capitalize fully. Grade: D

Game Balls - None
Prediction Winner - None

2008-09-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

Here we go . . . the real season (the Pac 10 season) begins this Thursday night against Oregon State Beavers in Corvallis, Oregon. And forget about what you've heard, it doesn't matter how bad the other Pac 10 teams have performed so far this year. They will come to play when SC is in town.

Oregon State is 1 - 2 on the year with a blow out win last week over Hawaii, but losses to Penn St. and Stanford. Here are the key players and stats for the Beavers:

Oregon State

Offense - QB Lyle Moeavo is having an above average season thus far, throwing for just over 300 yards per game with 6 TDs on a 61% completion rate. However, he has thrown (4) Ints and been sacked 4 times in 3 games. Moevao's main receiver targets are WRs Shane Morales and Sammy Stroughter who have (22) and (21) catches apiece, and combined for (5) TDs. The running game is lead by true frosh Jacquizz Rodgers who at 5'7 is hard to find and tackle. Rodgers is averaging almost 90 yards rushing per game. The OLine is the key to the Beavers' productivity as protecting the QB is job one. This unit is hoping for the return of their injured best blocker - Jeremy Perry - who's availability will be a gametime decision.

Defense - The defensive unit takes a step down from last year's outstanding group. In '08, the Beaver defense is only 8th in the Pac 10 against the run, as both Penn St. and Stanford rushed for over 200 yards against them in losses. And the "red zone" defense is horrible - offenses have put up (8) TDs and (1) in 10 opportunities once they get inside the 20 yard line on Oregon St. The unit also doesn’t get a lot of pressure on the passer - 8th in the conference in sacks with only four. LB Greg Laybourn is the most active player, leading the team in tackles. DLineman Victor Butler leads the charge up front collecting (3) TFLs thus far this season, and CB Keenan Lewis is the best of the DB unit with (1) Int and (4) passes defensed.

Special Teams - The kicking game for the Beavers is terrible. K Jason Kahut is 2 - 5 (40%) on the year, and misses anything over 30 yards. Kahut also doesn't have any touchbacks on kickoffs this year. The punting and coverage team is worse - ranking last in the Pac 10 with a net of 31 yards per punt. The one bright spot on special teams for Oregon St. is dangerous punt returner Sammy Stroughter (he took one to the house vs. SC in 2006), and kickoff returner James Rodgers has the Beavers at 2nd in the Pac 10 averaging 25+ yards per return.

USC

Offense

- Oregon St. represents another nice test for QB Mark Sanchez - Corvallis can get loud, foggy and weird, so Sanchez will have to keep his bearings and again be the DISTRIBUTOR and take care of the ball. SC's running backs with McKnight, Johnson, Gable et. al. could have a huge game because of the Beavers' weakness stopping the run. And look for SC's improved WR unit to benefit if the running game is clicking - Damian Williams, Pat Turner, Vidal Hazleton and Ronald Johnson will be able to strike in intermediate and deep pass routes with effective play action fakes to the running backs. The Trojan OLine should do very well against the front (7) of Oregon St. since the Beavs don't play the run real well, nor do they get a lot of pressure on the QB.

Defense - Because of the efficient Beaver passing game (#1 in the Pac 10), getting a good pass rush is important for the Trojan front (7). But USC's DLine and LBs must be careful. I believe the Beavers will try and use SC's quick up-field rush against them by running screen plays and draw plays with RB Jacquizz Rodgers. So Rey Maualuga and the rest of the LBs must play smart. I would expect Beaver QB Moevao to be in "3 step drop" mode for much of the game to pepper SC's DBs with the short passing game all game long. So the Trojan Dline can help by getting their hands up at the line of scrimmage.

Special Teams - Punt returner Joe McKnight might finally break through with a TD return because the Beaver punting game is so weak. And SC's kickoff return unit is the loneliest group on the Trojans. They rank last in the Pac 10, but its misleading because they have only had (3) opportunities to return a kickoff. The Trojan defense is so good, they don't allow the opponent to score a TD or FG, and therefore kickoff to Trojans Ronald Johnson and CJ Gable. So RoJo and Gable will have to make the most of their opportunities vs. the Beavers cuz the Oregon St. kickoff specialist does not put the ball in the end zone on kickoffs.

It's go time!

Prediction:

USC - 38

Oregon St. - 7

USC Rolls Over Ohio St., 35 - 3

2008-09-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

It was billed as the "Collision at the Coliseum" - the matchup between traditional, top five rated USC and Ohio St.

And then boom . . . just like that . . . it was over by halftime.

For the Ohio St. Buckeyes it should have been named the "Calamity at the Coliseum". The Trojans beat the Buckeyes in every way possible - on the ground, through the air, forcing turnovers and playing what Pete Carroll likes to call "Trojan Football".

Let's grade this puppy.

Offense:

QB - Mark Sanchez got it done at a high level again. He was efficient and protected the ball for the most part going 17 - 28 for 172 yards with 4TDs and 1 INT. He missed a couple of throws, but his decision making and check downs are just emaculate. You can tell he learned a lot from his (3) starts last year, and he's applying all of the lessons. Grade: A -

RBs - Joe McKnight started off the game hot, and played really fast. He led the group with 12 rushes for 106 yards. Johnson, Gable and Bradford also ran well, and pass blocked OSU's defensive blitzes extremely well. FB Stan Havili got things started with a TD catch and run, plus led the the team in receptions. Grade: B+

WRs/TE - Damian Williams is solidifying himself as the "go to" receiver with 2 TDs and (3) catches for 49 yards. Patrick Turner had another solid game - no drops. There were a couple of mis-communications between WR and QB, but nothing big. True frosh TE Blake Ayles caught a TD pass, and is now a regular part of the TE rotation. The WR/TE unit also did a nice job of blocking the entire game. Grade: B

OLine - All questions have been answered . . . the Oline is good. Against a pretty good Dline, this group paved the way for 164 rushing yards and only gave up (1) sack - and that was QB Sanchez's fault for not getting rid of the ball on a scramble. This group is athletic and tough. Grade: B+

Defense:

DLine - This group gained control of the game as it went along. After a long drive that led to an OSU FG on their second possession, SC's Dline got constant pressure on the Buckeye QB (3 sacks) and stuffed the running lanes. DT Fili Moala ended up with a sack and several good plays against the OSU running game, and DE Clay Matthews forced a fumble on another sack. Grade: B+

LBs - The best unit in the country proved it with another stellar performance. Rey Maualuga had the highlight "Pick Six", and Brian Cushing led the team in tackles with (10). Grade: A -

DBs - Safeties Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays played the passing lanes well, and supported the run defense. Ellison had an INT and Mays came up with (7) tackles. CBs Cary Harris and Shareece Wright got kind of lonely cuz they weren't tested for most of the game. Grade: B

Special Teams:

No big plays here, but no mistakes either. Kicker David Buehler clocked a couple of touchbacks, and the kickoff and punt return coverage was very good not allowing dangerous OSU KR Brandon Saine and PR Ray Small any room whatsoever. SC's return teams did not break anything, although field position for the Trojans was good all game long. Grade: C+

Coaching:

Give 'em credit - with two weeks off the coaching staff had SC well prepared. The offensive game plan kept OSU off-balance, and a couple of scoring plays flat out had the Buckeyes out-schemed and/or confused. The defensive coaches made the proper adjustments that shut off any gains that OSU was making with QB Terrelle Pryor and the running game. And they forced QB Boeckman into numerous mistakes. Grade: A -

Game Balls:

Offense - QB Mark Sanchez

Defense - Defensive Line

Special Teams - Punt/Kickoff Coverage Teams

Prediction Winner: Payback

Clash of the Titans: SC vs. Ohio State

2008-09-12T09:33:00.001-07:00

Regular season games don't get any bigger than this. Two of the perennial giants of college football square off in the venerable Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Where's announcer Keith Jackson when you need him? Only he could do justice describing this game.

SC is coming off a bye and a domination of Virginia, while the Buckeyes are licking their wounds from a close call with Ohio U. and an injured star running back. But be careful of approaching wounded animals . . . Ohio St. has nothing to lose with their backs up against the wall. Will the Trojans take care of business?

Let's break it down . . .

Ohio State:

Offense - QB Todd Boeckman returns to lead the offense. A big guy at 6'5,240lbs, Boeckman posted solid numbers with just over 2300 yards passing(63% completion rate) with 25 TDs and 14 INTs last year. But five of those pickscame in big game losses to Illinois and LSU. Boeckman will line up behind a huge OLine that returns (4) starters,including OT Alex Boone. Boeckman has looked average thus far this year in two cupcake wins. The OLine is a better run blocking group, than it is a pass blocking unit. They will be tested severly by SC's front (7). Chris "Beanie" Wells makes it all go for the Buckeyes, rushing for 1,600+ yards in 2007. But with an injured foot, he's a game time decision. Look for Dan "Boom" Herron, Maurice Wells and Brandon Saine to rotate in if Beanie can't go. The WR corp also returns solid performers Brian Robiske and Brian Hartline, plus the speedy Ray Small. Robiske and Hartline are both 6'3, caught 50+ balls last year,and combined for 17 TDs. But they too, have been average this year, and performed poorly versus Ohio U. last week.

Defense - This unit led the Big 10 in both rushing and pass defense evenas a young group in 2007. They return All American leaders LB James Laurinitis(120+ tackles in '07) and CB Malcolm Jenkins (4 picks in '07). But the departure of DE Vernon Gholston and his (14) sacks leaves a question mark regarding the Buckeyes' ability to put pressure on the passer in'08. No other returning DLinemen had more than (2) sacks last year. Only DE Thad Gibson has shown the ability to get edge pressure thus far this year. LBMarcus Freeman and Safety Anderson Russell are underrated, but important players for the Buckeye defense.

Special Teams - The Buckeye kicking game is solid, if not spectacular. Punter AJ Trapasso averaged more than 41 yards per punt, and FG kickerRyan Pretorius made 78% of his FGs (including 6 of 7 over 40 yards). The return game has a good, speedy punt returner Ray Small who took one to the house to seal the win over Ohio U. last week. The kick return game will feature RB Brandon Saine.

USC:

Offense - After lighting it up vs. Virginia, QB Mark Sanchez is looking and feeling good. He's in command of the offense as a distributor, and he'll need to continue to make great decisions against a Buckeye defense that is strong up front, and fast in the back (7). SC will continue with the (4) RB rotation, but will probably ride the hot hand if it emerges among McKnight, Johnson, Bradford and Gable. Pass blocking by the RBs will be important in this game, as OSU will bring the LBs on blitzes. And look for secret weapon FB Stan Havili to create matchup problems for the Buckeye defense. Two words for the WRs - No Drops. They got it done against Virginia, but SC needs an encore performance this Saturday from this unit.

Defense - Release the hounds! SC's front (7) should be too much for the OSU OLine. But SC's DTs must stop the OSU run game first. OSU will try to line up and get physical with the straight ahead run game - that's a key for them to be competitive in this game. But SC's DBs need to be alert too - OSU will try a deep pass or two early to set the tone, and make the safeties think pass first, rather than crashing the line of scrimmage in run support. SC has shown the propensity to blitz up the middle with Maualuga recently . . . expect more of that to make the sometimes shaky OSU QB nervous.

Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler has been solid, but punter Greg Woidneck must do better. Woidneck only averaged 38 yards per punt in week one, and now he has to make good OSU punt returner call some fair catches if possible. Rule number one for SC's kickoff and punt returners: Protect the football at all costs . . . hear that Joe McKnight?

Prediction Time . . . get them in!!!

USC - 33

OSU - 10

Trojans Pound Cavaliers 52 -7 in Virginia

2008-09-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze. Whenever the Trojans open the season on the road, they look like they are in mid-season form. That was the case for USC as they dismantled an over-matched Virginia Cavalier squad that is still looking for the truck that hit them.

SC was sharp in nearly all phases (surprising even Trojan fans), and the preparation couldn't have been better despite several injuries during Fall Camp that left the offense with a lot of question marks. But the Trojans answered those questions with ease will dropping 52 points on the road in Charlottesville.

Let's grade this puppy:

Offense

QB - MarkSanchez almost played a flawless game. He was poised, patient, and opportunistic hitting on 26 - 35 passes for 330+ yards and 3 TDs. The only blemish were an INT on a ball thrown behind the receiver. And the knee injury? What knew injury?

Grade: A minus

RBs/FB - It was a cast of thousands here. (5) RBs scored TDs, and they all ran well. SC needs to run the toss sweep a lot more, cuz McKnight and Gable are money on those plays. As a group, this unit averaged six yards per carry.

Grade: A

WRs/TE - A terrific start for this group. No drops, baby . . . that will get it done. Damian Williams looked comfortable finding holes in the defensive zones and led with (7) receptions. Patrick Turner struck for two big plays and a TD. RoJo showed toughness on catch taking a big hit, and then came back and struck deep for a TD reception. TE Anthony McCoy also started the game off with two nice receptions for first downs.

Grade: A

OLine - The biggest question mark here turned into the biggest answer. The big uglies got it done giving up no sacks, and leading the running game to 200+ yards. Tackles Butch Lewis and Charles Brown had great games protecting in the passing game.

Grade: A

Defense

DLine - Interesting deal here . . . not a lot of stats from Moore, Moala, Spicer and Griffen in terms of tackles and sacks. But they did so their job in this game by occupying the Virginia OLine and allowing the LBs to blitz unchallenged. DE Clay Matthews was around the ball a lot accounting for a sack and a couple of fumble recoveries. They'll have to do more vs. Ohio St., however.

Grade: C

LBs - MLB Maualuga was a disruptive force all day long, and OLB Cushing was terrific in pass coverage. OLB Kaluka Maiava led the team in tackles with six, including a TFL. Youngsters Malcolm Smith (3 tackles) and true frosh MLB Uona Kavienga (TFL for 5 yard loss) also made some nice plays.

Grade: B plus

DBs - Outstanding game. SS Kevin Ellison started things off with a couple of pass break ups (should have been INTs) on Virginia's short passing game attempts. Cary Harris blanketed any deep ball tries, and CB Kevin Thomas had a nice INT in the second half. As usual, the DBs came up and delivered blows vs. the running game.

Grade: A minus

Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler was nails again with a FG, and several touchbacks on kickoffs. But punter Greg Woidneck only averaged 36 yards per punt, and PR Joe McKnight made a bad decision to field a punt and fumbled. McKnight did have a nice 18 yard punt return early in the game, however.

Grade - C

Coaching - What can be said? No staff does a better job of preparing these players to get off to a good start on the road. We've seen SC use its variety and sophistication on offense to utterly confuse OOS defenses every year. They did the same on Saturday. The defensive scheme really shut off the short passing game that Virginia wanted to use early, and forced Virginia's QB to have to make quick decisions.

One area that needs to be figured out is the the penalties. Virginia's only TD came almost entirely from successive SC penalties on excessive celebration, a late hit, and a pass interference. A balance needs to be found on encouraging enthusiasm and aggression with smart play.

Grade: A minus

Game Balls:

* Offense - OLine (Lewis, Byers, O'Dowd, Herberer and Brown)

* Defense - DE Clay Matthews

* Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler

Prediction Winner - JudoMan . . . picked the SC point total from out of the blue.

Trojans Open Season in Virginia

2008-08-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

The 2008 season is here! And not a moment too soon.

The USC Trojans battled an off-season filled with some injury and uncertainty, but now all of that is behind them. A healthy QB in Mark Sanchez, exciting running backs and a stifling defense

looks to power SC to another BCS bowl win and maybe more. And it all starts in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 30th.

So without further delay . . . drum roll please . . . Its breakdown time!

Virginia Cavaliers:

Offense - An offensive unit that saw its 2-year starting QB dismissed from school this past off-season is now led by QB Peter Lalich - a sophmore who saw limited action last year and who has never started a game. He'll be backed by two solid running backs in Cedric Peerman and Mikell Simpson - an inside/outside combination that helped lead Virginia to 9 wins in 2007. The WR unit also gets a huge boost with the return of playmaker Kevin Oglesby. The TE spot is a key weapon for the Cavs, and John Phillips will be a frequent target of QB Lalich. The OLine unit has a couple of experienced Tackles in pro prospect Eugene Monroe and Will Barker. But the interior Guards and Center are new as a starting unit, and may hold the key to the Cavs' offensive effectiveness.

Defense - The Cavs rebuild their 3-4 defense with an all new starting three on the DLine. But the LBs are vets, led by MLB Jon Copper and OLB Clint Sintim who is the team's returning sacks leader. The DB unit has a rangy CB in 6'2 Ras I-Dowling, but a short CB on the other side in Mike Brown who only measures 5'9.

USC Trojans:

Offense - The return of QB Mark Sanchez from a minor knee injury was a huge shot in the arm to an offensive unit that was uneven in Fall Camp. Its Sanchez's team to act as a distributor to RBs like Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson, CJ Gable and Allen Bradford. The WRs will have a large rotation, and vets like Vidal Hazleton and newcomer Damian Williams have a chance to give Sanchez confidence by catching everything. The OLine is not inexperienced, but their time together has been short. Leader OG Jeff Byers added stability with his return late in training camp, but talented new starters like Charles Brown and Zach Herberer must prove their worth.

Defense - This unit could be devastating. Speed, skill and bone crushing hits are this unit's calling cards. Vets like DT Fili Moala and DE Kyle Moore are leaders on a DLine that is awaiting the coming out party of talented youngsters DE Everson Griffen and new NT Averil Spicer. The LBs are illegal - and Cushing, Maualuga and Maiava are probably the best unit in the country. All of this said, the DB unit is actually the deepest unit on the team with safety Kevin Ellison as the QB of the defense.

Outlook - Like all first games of the year, there is a lot that will be learned. Virginia will find out if the three new starters on its interior OLine will be ready against tough opponents. The Cav QB Lalich will have to figure out a way to make smart decisions and not turn the ball over vs. SC's defense. Look for the Cavs to employ a ball control offense with short throws to WR Oglesby and screens/swing passes to RB Simpson, as well as up the gut runs with RB Peerman. The key is to keep QB Lalich in the shotgun and keep his uniform clean for as long as possible. On defense, the Cavs will have to support its new DLine with strong LB play to get pressure on SC's QB.

SC is looking to learn what its offense is capable of efficiency-wise. Areas to watch are the run game up the middle behind O'Dowd and Byers, as well as SC's ability to strike downfield to the WRs. And on what could be a slick and wet playing field, QB Sanchez's mobility and ball protection on snaps should be scrutinized. SC is looking for a clean game - low penalties and no turnovers would make everyone happy. These things in combination with SC's defense should give SC a solid opening day win.

Prediction:

SC - 27

UV - 6

Trojans Romp Past Illini, 49 - 17 in Rose Bowl

2008-01-10T22:04:00.000-08:00

Now that was Trojan football. It wasn't supposed to be a close game, and it wasn't. The Trojans took control from the beginning offensively and defensively, and the Illini never knew what hit them.

The Trojans had leads over the Illini of 21 - 0, 35 - 10 and finally 49 - 17, and made a statement that once again USC is one of the strongest teams in the country when all is said and done.

You gotta love these kinds of breakdowns:

Offense -

QB - J.D. Booty had another efficient game, and came away with a second consecutive Rose Bowl MVP award. He finished 25 - 37 for 255 yards with 2 TDs and 1 cheap Int (VHazleton fell down on the play). Big ups to former high school QB and current WR Garrett Green for delivering a strike to Desmond Reed for his first TD pass on a nice trick play. Grade: B+

RB - The trio of Washington, McKnight and Johnson rushed for 304 yards. That will get it done.

McKnight was also dangerous on passing plays with 6 receptions, and FB Stanley Havili caught 4 passes for 63 yards. PCarroll also made sure Herschel Dennis scored his one and only TD of his six year Trojan career. Grade: A

WR/TE - Really quiet day for the WRs - they only caught 5 passes on the day - although David Ausberry caught a nice TD pass late. TE Fred Davis led the Trojans in receiving again with 7 receptions and scored a TD. Grade: C +

OLine - We said the Big Uglies up front would have an advantage over the Illini DLine - and they came through leading SC to nearly 350 yards rushing, and gave up only 2 sacks.

Grade: A minus

Defense -

DLine - DE Lawrence Jackson led this unit with 3 TFLs with a sack. Don't be fooled by the statistically quiet day for DTs Ellis and Moala (combined 3 tackles), because they occupied Illini OLinemen to allow the Trojan LBs to make plays against the spread option. Grade: B+

LBs - What a game for this unit! Rey "Mad Dog" Mauluga was a beast with 3 sacks, an Int, and causing general mayhem. Kaluka Maiava, Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing forced key turnovers, while Thomas "Hit Man" Williams led the unit with 6 tackles. Only a lapse by Keith Rivers (led to an Illini 79 yard TD run) prevented a perfect grade for this unit.

Grade: A minus

DBs - A really solid game by this group. The passing yardage of 300 by the Illini is misleading cuz they were down by multiple TDs for most of the game and had to sling the rock. CB Cary Harris had a magnificent game, leading SC in tackles with 10, collecting an Int, recovering a fumble, breaking up a pass, and scoring 1 TFL. Terrell Thomas and Kevin Ellison also joined the fun collecting 3 TFLs between them. Grade: B

Special Teams - K David Buehler garnered 5 touchbacks on kickoffs, and even punter Greg Woidneck had 4 punts downed inside the 20 yard line, preventing the Illini from getting any favorable field position. Grade: B+

Coaching - Offensively, the game plan was great. SC plowed the Illini with the run game and made excellent use of the TE and FB in the passing game - something Illinois just couldn't handle. Even the trick play for a TD to Desmond Reed was set up perfectly. So except for a little lull late in the 2nd quarter, the offensive gameplan and execution was on point.

Defensively, SC was prepared for the spread option attack, and shut down the run game except for the lapse mentioned above. Giving PCarroll a month to prepare with a healthy defense just isn't fair - they may have to change the rules and give SC only 2 weeks to prepare for bowl games. Grade: A minus

Game Balls:

Offense - RB Joe McKnight/QB J.D. Booty

Defense - LB Rey Maualuga/CB Cary Harris

Special Teams - K David Buehler

Prediction Winner: J-Man comes through with a win to end the season.

The Granddaddy - 2008 Rose Bowl Edition

2007-12-25T13:01:00.001-08:00

Here we go . . . the Rose Bowl. And its time to get back into the swing of things.

This is familiar territory for the Trojans - another BCS bowl appearance with a Rose Bowl title at stake. For Illinois, this appearance is a welcome surprise to a season that has seen a resurrection for their program.

So will the Trojans be hungry? Will the Illini just be happy to be here?

Let's break it down:

Illinois

Offense: The Illini are a spread option team that has averaged 31 pts per game. And the straw that stirs the drink is QB Isaiah "Juice" Williams. A talented runner and developing passer, Juice threw for just under 1500 yards with 13 TDs and 10 INTs on 57% passing for the year. Their passing offense finished last in the Big 10 conference. The strength of the team is the run game which was #1 in the Big 10 averaging 266ypg. It is led by a terrific RB in Rashard Mendenhall. Rashard compiled over 1500 yards on the year (6 ypc) and was 1st team All Big 10. QB Juice Williams contributed nearly 800 yards rushing, as well. The WR unit was led by frosh Arrelious Benn, a strong player off the line who caught 49 balls on the year. Benn also returns kicks and returned (1) kickoff for a TD this year. The OLine is a terrific run-blocking group led by first team All Big 10 selection, guard Martin O'Donnell. The OLine also gave up the fewest sacks (11) in the league.

Defense: The defensive unit held opponents under 20pts per game, and although they were stout against the run (only allowing 114 ypg - 3rd in conference), they gave up some yards in the passing game - nearly 250 ypg to finish 9th in conference play. The DLine is led by DT Will Davis who compiled 9.5 sacks on the year. 1st team All Big 10 and all american LB J. Leman is the leader of the defense. DBs Kevin Mitchell and Vontae Davis led the team in INTs with (5) and (4), respectively.

Special Teams:The Illini have a very accrurate FG kicker in Jason Reda who nailed 15 out of 16 FGs for the year, but the punter is not that good, only averaging 37 yards per kick. Kyle Hudson handles the punt return duties, but has not made a big impact. Arrelious Benn, however, averages 30 yards per kickoff return.

Signature Win this Season: A 28 - 21 upset victory over Ohio St. at the Horseshoe in Columbus, keyed by a surprising 4 TD passes from QB Juice Williams.

Signature Loss this Season: A 10 - 6 loss on the road vs. the Hawkeyes. Iowa held the Illini to only 137 yards on 3 ypc.

Last Time Illinois was in the Rose Bowl: The Illini were beaten 45 - 6 by UCLA and QB Rick Neuheisal and WR Karl Dorrell

Last Time USC and Illinois Met: The Brad Otton and Sammy Knight led Trojans smashed Illinois in Champagne, 55 - 3 in 1996.

USC

Offense: QB J.D. Booty finished the year strong, running the offense efficiently and committing very few mistakes in the last four games in particular (8TDs & 1INT). The Rose Bowl is the scene of one of Booty's greatest performances, snagging the MVP last year after passing for 375 yards in a win over Michigan. This year's game could see a repeat of the aerial attack as Illinois is not strong vs. the pass (ranking 9th in the Big 10). SC's running game will see a return of a healthy Stafon Johnson, although Chauncey Washington is battling a strained leg muscle that may be healed by gametime. We'll see plenty of Joe McKnight and Stanley Havili in the running and passing game as they closed the regular season strong. The TEs/WRs will get some work this game - TE Fred Davis can expect double coverage, so WRs Turner, Hazleton and Ausberry will be involved from the start. The OLine should have a good game in this one, especially if Sam Baker and Chilo Rachal are anywhere near 100%. The big uglies for SC matchup
very well against the DE strengths of the Illini DLine.

Defense: SC's DLine vs. the very good Illini OLine will be a matchup to watch closely. SC's DEs will have to be disciplined vs. the spread option attack of Illinois. In addition DTs Ellis and Moala will have to occupy blockers to allow the LBs to make tackles near or behind the line of scrimmage. The Trojan LBs will have to make sure tackles as well against strong runners in QB Williams (225lbs) and RB Mendenhall. The DBs will not be challenged much by the Illini outside passing game to WRs - they run alot of slants, quick hitters and crossing routes, but the safeties in particular will have to watch the slot WR running up the seam in the middle of the field. One observation - Illini QB Williams tends to float any ball thrown over 20 yards - so the DBs may get some opportunities at some INTs.

Special Teams: Kicker David Buehler has been solid on kickoffs and FGs all year, and he'll need to get some touchbacks to negate Illini KR Arrelious Benn. The return game of SC can provide a boost if KR Ronald Johnson and PR Joe McKnight can get loose.

Signature Win this Season - A 44 - 24 pasting of ASU on the road on Turkey day.

Signature Loss this Season - A 24 - 23 loss to heavy underdog Stanford at home.

Last Time in the Rose Bowl - A 32 - 19 victory last year that included a second half bombing of a very good Michigan team

Prediction:

USC - 38

Illinois - 13

The Year in Review

2007-12-11T12:27:00.000-08:00

The 2007 season was an up and down adventure for the Trojans. The year started off with the rumble of player transfers, and then injuries to key players and units took their toll in October. But by the end of the year, the Trojans came out smelling like a rose with an undefeated November and December that put them back among the elite in college football.

The roller coaster included high points in big nationally televised wins at Nebraska and Arizona State, and the lows were losses to heavy underdog Stanford at home and at Oregon. But ultimately, SC accomplished its stated goals in any given year: Beat Notre Dame, Beat UCLA, Win the Pac 10 title, and go to the Rose Bowl. Its hard to complain when those things happen.

Let's hand out the regular season grades and awards:

Offense:

QBs- JD Booty did not have the great season he was hoping for. New starting WRs with a season-long case of the dropsies, and a mid-season injury causing him to miss three games were the main culprits. But he put some really solid performances together the last (4) games (8 TDs, 1 INT), and still had 20 TDs against 9 INTs for over 2,100 yards (62% completion rate) on the year. Mark Sanchez got some valuable experience starting three games at a crucial time. He showed the skill level and mobility that will make him a prime-time player in the years to come, but also showed the inexperience reading through progressions that comes with a first time starter. Grade: B minus

RBs/FBs

- Chauncey Washington finally had a healthy season with weight loss and added muscle, and SC relied upon him all year. He finished with nearly 900 yards on 5 yards per carry. Stafon Johnson showed what he could do early, and was on his way to a big season until a foot injury derailed him. A healthy Johnson was the best RB on the team and he finished with 569 yards (6 ypc) despite missing (4) games. Joe McKnight just got better as the year progressed. Ball security was an issue, as with all frosh, but the big time playmaking in the running and passing game was apparent. And Stanley Havili was Mr. Versatility - running, blocking and serving as a weapon in the passing game. He suffered through the dropsies during the year, but his threat as receiver gave SC's offense a whole other dimension. Grade: B +

WRs/TE - What a year from Fred "Mackey Award Winner" Davis. He led the team in receptions with (55), and was un-guardable the entire year. The WR unit was a disappointment, however. Pat Turner finished with 48 receptions, but was not consistent in catching the ball or playmaking, especially early in the year. Vidal Hazleton made excellent strides this year and really played well. David Ausberry did not make the impact anticipated from his great Spring and Fall camps. He dropped quite a few passes and did not read defenses well to get open consistently. Ronald Johnson, however, looks like a playmaker in waiting. Grade: C

OLine - Yeoman's work from this unit. Injuries were a constant theme, as three starters went down mid- season. But All Conference selections Sam Baker and Chilo Rachal led the team to 185 yards on the ground per game, and only gave up (15) sacks. The healthy year turned in by Jeff Byers was a great story, and solid performers Spanos and Radovich helped the cause. The future is also bright with players like Kris O'Dowd and Butch Lewis playing well when their number was called. Grade: B+

Defense:

DLine - Tremendous performances this year from this unit that helped SC finish 2nd in overall defense nationally. NT Sedrick "The Beast" Ellis, was a nightmare for interior OLinemen collecting 8.5 sacks. DE Lawrence Jackson also played at an All American level, especially in the last 4 games of the year, garnering 9.5 sacks. DE Kyle Moore was a playmaker early with a couple of INTs and knocking down passes, before an arm injury slowed him down. Fili Moala was an overlooked contributor, while youngsters Everson Griffen and Averill Spicer introduced themselves to big time football. Grade: A minus

- This group turned in a very good year. All American Keith Rivers was a force against the running game, and MLB Rey Maualuga led the team in tackles and "snot bubble hits" . And while Brian Cushing was slowed by an ankle injury, he still made plays when on the field. Backup LB Kaluka Maiava had a terrific year playing the run and pass aggressively. And reserves Clay Matthews and Luthur Brown also made solid contributions. Grade: B +

DB - Despite not having a lot of INTs, PCarroll stated that this may have been his best secondary. CB Terrell Thomas really stepped up as a leader, and had some key INTs at the end of the year. S Kevin Ellison was finally recognized as one of the best by garnering 1st team All Pac 10 honors. Cary Harris and Taylor Mays were also very good in coverage denying any big plays deep and playing the run aggressively. CB Shareece Wright is an up and comer who will continue to make strides in coverage, but really made his mark with physical play. Grade: B

Special Teams: Kicker David Buehler did a very good job on FGs this year. He was money inside the 40 yard line, and ended up 16 - 19 on the year. On kickoffs he did a good job considering that the the ball was moved back five yards this year. Punter Greg Woidneck did not have a stellar year avergaing 38 yards per kick. That's not bad, but he wasn't able to knock many within the 10 yard line or really give SC a field position advantage.

Kick returner Ronald Johnson ended up averaging 25 yards per return finishing among the top returners in the PAC 10. On punt returns, SC did not gain a significant advantage here, but Joe McKnight got acclimated to that position, and that bodes well for the future. Importantly, there were no turnovers by the return units all year long. The coverage teams were solid, with only one breakdown on kickoff coverage at ASU. Grade: C +

Coaching: It took awhile for offensive coaches to establish the RB rotation, and injuries to key personnel and execution (dropped passes) prevented a whole lot of rhythm in the passing game. The staff probably should have relied on the running game more during the year since it was the team's strenghth. And penalties and turnovers were a problem for most of the year. But the offensive numbers on the year were strong - 185 on the ground and 230+ through the air per game. Interestingly, SC was very good offensively in the 2nd and 3rd quarters outscoring their opponents 227 to 80. On Defense, finishing 2nd in overall defense in college football is fantastic, and the gameplans to stop teams generally worked over the course of the games. The only downside was the generation of takeaways did not pick up steam until later in the year, and of course, 4th and 20 vs. Stanford will haunt everyone for a little while. Grade: B

MVPs:

Offense: TE Fred Davis
Defense: NT Sedric Ellis
Special Teams: K David Buehler

Predictor of the Year: Payback - on the strength of an unprecedented run of predictions at the end of the year . . . Payback takes the home the hardware.

Road Warrior of the Year: Ricky Bobby - the good ole' boy traversed through rain and wild fires to get to SC games this year.

Trojans Win War for Roses, 24 - 7

2007-12-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

It is done. The USC Trojans have risen from the ashes and climbed the ladder back into elite status with an easy victory over the UCLA Bruins, 24 - 7.

The Bruins, depleted at QB, were fed to lions at the Coliseum and never really had a chance against a dominant Trojan defense. And the Trojan offense, while not completely efficient, relied upon its strength in the running game to over-power the Bruins.

Let's tally up the grades:

Offense:

QB - JD Booty played a solid game. He was 21 for 36 and 200+ yards with a TD pass, and once again his WRs dropped 3 or 4 passes that hurt his stats.

Grade: B

RBs/FB - Strong game from the running backs as Washington, McKnight and Johnson all had over 70 yards rushing. McKnight could have had a huge day if not for stepping out of bounds on a sideline run that could have been a 70 yard TD run, and fumbling later in the game after a 30 yard run. FB Havili made a critical running mistake early that cost SC a first down pickup, but rebounded by catching the ball well. Grade: B

WRs/TE - What can be said . . . Fred "The Truth" Davis was dominant in this game as he has been all season - (6) catches and a clutch TD reception to add to his resume as the best TE in college football. The WRs didn't perform as well. Several dropped passes, including a 3rd down killer by David Ausberry, haunted this unit that has not strung together consistent performances this year. Grade: C+

OLine - Another strong effort as SC leaned on this group to keep the Bruin pass rush off Booty, and clear the way for rushing yards. They did both to the tune of giving up only (1) sack, and bulldozing the Bruin DLine for 231 yards. Grade: A minus

Defense:

DLine - Another masterpiece. The DLine absolutely controlled the line of scrimmage, and although they had no sacks, they accounted for (3) TFLs and only allowed 52 yards rushing by the Bruins. DT Fili Moala had 1.5 TFLs for the game. Grade: A minus

LBs - A terrific overall game for this unit. Rey Maualuga did a nice job filling gaps and led the team in tackles with (8). Thomas "Hit Man" Williams made 5 tackles, forced a fumble and broke up a pass. Kaluka Maiva had a sack and another TFL, while Brian Cushing and Keith Rivers both made impacts forcing an additional fumble and disrupting the passing lanes. Grade: A

DBs - Solid game. The Bruins did get a TD pass and one longer pass against the CBs, but the Bruins never got into a great rhythm. The CBs were active at the line of scrimmage as Shareece Wright had a sack and Terrell Thomas had a TFL and followed that up with an interception later in the game. Grade: B

Special Teams - FG kicker missed an attempt, but nailed a 46 yarder. And the return guys were solid, but unspectacular. Punter Greg Woidneck, however, finally nailed a punt inside the 10 yard line, and had another fair caught at about the 11 yard line. Grade: C+

Coaching - It was redemption time for the offensive coaches who didn't do a good job last year of making adjustments in this game. But this year they got it done. They went to the running game just enough for 231 yards, although they probably should have leaned upon it even more. In general, they kept the Bruin defense off balance. Defensively, the Trojans executed the way they wanted to - stuffing the run game, and then pressuring the Bruin QB garnering (4) sacks. Grade: B +

Game Balls:

Offense - TE Fred Davis

Defense - LBs Rey Maualuga and Thomas Williams

Special Teams - Punter Greg Woidneck

Prediction Winner: Payback (Who else?)

The Game for the Roses - Bruins Visit The Coliseum

2007-11-27T15:22:00.001-08:00

After a rocky mid-season, the Trojans have fought their way back to a chance for the Roses. And now only the Bruins stand in the way, with their own (long) shot to play in the Rose Bowl.

Its Championship Saturday folks . . . no other buildup is needed.

The Bruins literally limp into the Coliseum not sure who's healthy or experienced enough to play QB, but with a defense that has been battle tested. The Trojans are peaking at just the right time on both sides of the ball. But despite the condition of both teams, this RIVARLY game takes on a life force of its own . . . and the team who's WILL is the strongest on game day ends up being the winner.

Let's break it down:

UCLA

Offense - The Bruins have (3) QBs to choose from . . . and yet, no QBs to choose from. Ben Olson, Pat Cowan and Ossar Rashaan are injured or woefully inexperienced to some degree - the bet is that Olson with his bad knee, 50% completion rate, 7 TDs and 6 INTs will at least start the game - but who finishes is anybody's guess. The running back situation is hardly any better, but at least the solid Chris Markey is back and should receive the majority of carries, with Craig Sheppard spelling him. WR Brandon Breazell leads the receiving corp, and is probably the Bruins best playmaker at this point with 46 receptions for 713 yards. He's also the trick play guy as he seems to get the ball on a reverse, stop, and then try to throw a pass downfield to another receiver every big game for the Bruins. The OLine has only been okay - part of that has to do with the revolving QB door behind them - as the offense is ranked 9th or 10th in the conference in scoring, passing and total offense in the Pac 10.

Defense - not very big in the front (7), but they use their speed, hustle and positioning to make plays as the #4 team in the Pac 10 in total defense. DE Bruce Davis leads the DLine in trash talk and sacks with 9.5 this year, while the rest of the front four is make-shift. LBs Christian Taylor and Reggie Carter are particularly active vs. the run, helping the Bruins rank third in the conference against the run game. The CB tandem of Trey Brown and Al Verner is not big, but they have been particularly productive - garnering (4) INTs apiece and combining to breakup 29 passes this year. Safeties Horton and Van like to support the run defense, but often leave their feet to make tackles - not good as the last line of defense.

Special Teams - the strength of the team. Kicker Kai Forbath is clicking at an 85% rate, and has been integral to the Bruin offense. KOR Matt Slater has been a secret weapon this year, as he has returned (3) kickoffs for TDs and ranks #1 in the Pac 10 in return avg. (30 yards). Punter Aaron Perez averages a nice 43 yards per kick, as well.

USC

Offense - JD Booty and the offense have been humming on all cyclinders the past few weeks, keeping defenses off balance by running and passing the ball well. Once again, Booty must limit turnovers giving the Bruins NO cheap opportunities. The run game will have flexibility to run inside and outside with Washington, Johnson and McKnight - and I would love to see more toss sweeps to complement the bread and butter inside counter running plays. The Bruin defense will probably "bracket" TE Fred Davis to limit his chances, but if the Trojan WRs can have another efficient game - no drops, stay upright for yards after catch and block downfield - the Bruins will be in trouble. SC's mostly healthy OLine vs. the Bruin DLine will be the battle ground - the controller of that line will determine whether this game is a Trojan blowout or a close game.

Defense - No matter what QB the Bruins trot out there . . . that individual is in trouble. The SC DLine has been feeding in opponents' backfield for most of the season, but especially in the last three games racking up (13) sacks as a unit. Its been "mission accomplished" as far as stopping the run game - and it will be no different vs. UCLA. Similar to the ASU game, the Trojan LBs need to be prepared for Bruin draw plays and screens to RB Chris Markey as an escape from the intense SC pressure. The Trojan DBs will also need to stay disciplined as UCLA typically goes deep a few times a game, with a trick pass play thrown in there.

Special Teams - The KO coverage teams can't afford a breakdown as with ASU - the Bruins' Matt Slater is really good on KORs and UCLA could use a cheap TD from their special teams to stay in the game. RoJo, however, can continue to help SC's offense with good returns as well. (Interesting note - UCLA has failed to notch a touchback on KOs this year.) DBuehler has just been money on FGs this year, and his scoring has kept the pressure on opposing offenses.

What to Watch For: This game kind of boils down to SC's offense vs. UCLA's defense - so I'm going to pay close attention to:

* 3rd Downs - UCLA's defense has made a living getting offenses off the field on third downs (ranking 1st in the Pac 10), while SC's offense is converting 3rd downs at about a 45% clip (basically tied for first in the conference)

* The Red Zone - SC's offense has been spectacular in the kill zone, scoring over 87% of the time - 1st in the Pac 10. UCLA, on the other hand, ranks 2nd in the conference in Red Zone defense. Their defense has kept the team in ball games due to its ability to keep teams off the scoreboard inside the 20 yard line.

Prediction:

USC - 34

UCLA - 10

Trojans Devour Sun Devils, 44 - 24

2007-11-26T15:35:00.000-08:00

Now that's what I'm talkin' about! There's nothing better than going to someone's house and pounding all of the food and drink in sight . . . and then bailing.

That's exactly what the Trojans did on Thanksgiving night. SC's offense scored on nearly every possession in the first half, and the defense put hammer down on ASU's run game, and especially the QB. And so somewhere between the third helping of turkey and dessert, the game was over.

Let's go to the grades:

Offense:

QB - J.D. Booty played his best game of the year - (4) TDs and another one rushing with 375 yards in a dominant performance. And it wasn't just the completions, it was the smart decisions to throw the ball away when nothing was there that made the night a masterpiece. Once again, Booty was on the road and threw (0) INTs . . . that's how you win. Grade: A+

RBs/FB - Solid performance, especially in the second half when SC decided to burn clock. CWashington had about 80 yards, with McKnight and Johnson spelling him. McKnight was especially effective on 3rd down in the passing game. Havili not only didn't drop a pass, but he caught a TD and crucial 3rd down pass as well. Grade: B+

WRs/TE - What a difference catching the ball makes . . . no drops from the WR corp and big time yards after the catch. This game represented the most complete performance this unit has had all year. TE FDavis balled out once again with a sweet 4th and 2 TD run and catch that sent the ASU faithful to the exits. He finished with 5 receptions for 119 yards. Hazleton was big not only catching the ball, but blocking too. Turner, Ausberry and RoJo also contributed with timely receptions. Grade: A

OLine - Really good game for this unit. They played physical, and protected Booty in the passing game (only giving up one sack - Butch Lewis missed his man), while paving the way for a solid running game. Grade: B+

Defense

DLine - This group brought the pain. LoJack had (4) sacks, forced a fumble and set a Trojan record for TFLs with (5.5) for the game. Sedrick Ellis was so scary the referrees were throwing flags for nothing. And frosh EGriffen chipped in with (6) tackles and a sack. The DLine shut down ASU's run game completely - ASU's RBs ran for 51 yards on 24 carries (and most of that came during garbage time). Grade: A+

LBs - Good, solid game. Kaluka Maiava subbing for KRivers, played well and led the team in tackles with (10). Thomas Williams also chipped in with (6) tackles, and Rey Maualuga inflicted some pain ASU's players won't soon forget. Grade: B

DBs - This unit gave up some yards through the air, but that was because ASU needed to throw a lot. They broke up (3) passes, though, and didn't give up any deep plays for TDs. TThomas had the one bad play of the night with a PI when he could had an INT. Grade: B

Special Teams:

Kicking/Coverage - Great job by DBuehler with (3) made FGs and several touchbacks on kickoffs. A couple of bad plays, though, giving up a TD return on a kickoff and giving up a blocked punt. RoJo set SC up nicely with a kick return, and no mistakes on PRs. Grade: C

Coaching - SC's offensive staff crossed up ASU by coming out with the aerial attack early (ASU thought SC would run the ball early and often a la CAL). They got Booty in a rhythm, and even called a brilliant play to TE FDavis on a 4th and 2 play. Like we said in our review, ASU would run screen plays to the RBs and WR underneath routes - but SC kept all of that in front of them and brought pressure that rattled ASU's QB. Grade: A

Game Balls:

Offense - QB J.D. Booty

Defense - DE Lawrence Jackson

Special Teams - K David Buehler

Prediction Winner: B-Dub (breaks up Payback record prediction streak)

Trojans Prepare for ASU

2007-11-17T19:40:00.000-08:00

Fred G. Sanford would have said it best, "Ohhh Elizabeth . . . I'm comin' to join ya' honey . . . this is the BIG one . . . USC vs. ASU."

The Trojan run through November ends with a Thanksgiving tilt in Tempe, Arizona with the ASU Sun Devils. And this game sets up the winner to be in good position to win the Pac 10 championship (with an eye on Oregon's recent troubles, of course). USC will be as healthy as its been since the beginning of the season, and is used to these types of big games.

But after a review of these two teams, you'll find that they are very evenly matched offensively and defensively. And besides the usual keys of limiting turnovers and execution, this game has a "who wants it more" feel to it.

Let's break it down:

ASU

Offense: The Sun Devils are led by QB Rudy Carpenter, a talented passer who comes into the game with 20 TDs and 8 INTs, but also a sprained thumb on his throwing hand. The running game is led by RB Keegan Herring (77 ypg) since the season ending injury to high profile back Ryan Torain. The WRs are not spectacular, but they are very solid with (4) guys collecting over 25 balls this year - led by Chris McGaha's 41 receptions and Mike Jones' 18 ypc average. ASU's OLine anchors a very balanced attack that leads the Pac 10 conference in time of possession - but they have a glaring weakness - they are last in sacks, giving up over 4 per game.

Defense: A very underrated group that ranks in the top three in nearly all of the major defensive categories within the Pac 10. Most importantly, they are tied for first in Takeaways. The DLine is led by Dexter Davis who has 8.5 sacks, and LB Robert James is a very active player. But the strength of the defense might be the defensive backfield - SS Troy Nolan has 5 INTs and ASU ranks only behind SC in terms of pass defense efficiency. There has been one problem area - Red Zone defense. ASU is last in that category in the Pac 10, as teams have scored on the Sun Devils nearly every time they get inside the 20 yard line. The good part for the Sun Devils is that their turnover prowess has prevented teams from getting inside their 20 yard line a lot.

Special Teams - ASU boasts the best FG kicker in the league in Thomas Weber, clicking at a 95% rate (19 - 20). And Kyle Williams and Rudy Burgess have been very solid punt/kickoff return men for the Sun Devils.

USC

Offense: We know the deal for QB JD Booty - no INTs and play efficiently. When that happens, SC's offense maintains possession of the ball, and doesn't hurt itself. The running game will have to show up big time again. Having a healthy Stafon Johnson to go with a hot CWashington should be a plus. The WRs will face some good DBs in this game, so they may not be spectacular, but all they have to do is CATCH the ball - no drops, please. More trench warfare for SC's OLine - once again, they must impose their will in the running game, and keep Booty's jersey clean. FB Stanley Havili and TE Fred Davis will be looked upon for the mismatches vs. ASU's back seven defenders.

Defense: The DLine can make some hay in this game on the pass rush, as the ASU OLine does not protect the passer well - LoJack and EGriffen will get some opportunities off the edge. But as usual, it starts with stopping the run game. I think SC's LBs should expect some RB/WR screen plays to RB Keegan Herring and Rudy Burgess from ASU as they will try to escape SC's pass rush. SC's DBs are kind of the unsung group of this defense, and they face another good challenge. TThomas' and KEllison's leadership will be called to the forefront again vs. ASU's solid WR corp.

Special Teams: The coverage and return units have played well this year. RoJo is getting closer and closer to busting a KOR. DBuehler has been really solid, but GWoidneck is not getting good distance on his punts. Watch for JMcKnight on punt returns . . . I got a feelin'.

Prediction Time:

USC - 27

ASU - 16

Bow Down to True Trojan Fans

2007-11-13T23:14:00.000-08:00

These are the faces of true, but definitely nutty, Trojan fans gutting it out in the bowl of soup called CAL stadium:

From left to right - Mrs. Big EZ, Mrs. Payback, Payback, Bayou Brown (Hari), Big XII, B-Dub and Lil' B-Dub. Photographer - Big EZ

Fight On!

Trojans Outlast Bears, 24 - 17

2007-11-13T22:32:00.000-08:00

What a win! Talk about coming through in the clutch . . . on the road, hostile crowd, and playing in monsoon-like weather conditions - the Trojans got the job done.

CAL always plays SC tough and seized the momentum a few times in the game. But SC kept coming back, even after a few mistakes and missed opportunities, to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and keep the BCS dream alive.

Let's go to the grades:

Offense

QB - The numbers for J.D. Booty were pedestrian - 11 for 20, 129 yards and 1 TD pass - but he threw zero INTs in tough weather conditions - and that was key. He missed on a bomb to an open RoJo in the first half, but his 3rd down scramble and throw to PTurner for the game clinching first down on SC's last possession was clutch. Grade: B minus

RB/FB - Chauncey Washington had the game of a lifetime - 29 carries for 220 yards, 7.4 ypc. SC had to run the ball well, and C-Dub carried the team even after a big fumble at the goal line . Stafon Johnson also picked up a key first down in the second half, as well as scored the winning TD on a 3 yard scamper. SHavili caught a short TD pass, but also dropped a gimme (what else is new). Grade: A minus

WR/TE - A bit of a quiet night, as the weather conditions dictated the game. But TE FDavis and WR PTurner came through with big catches in the second half. Grade: C +

OLine - A good night for these guys. SC ran the ball down CAL's throat even when they knew it was coming. They also kept Booty from being sacked. OT Butch Lewis is doing a good job in place of AA Sam Baker. Grade: A minus

Defense:

DLine - Not a whole of stats from this group - they faced an excellent OLine from CAL and a really good RB in Justin Forsett (171 yards rushing on the night) whom they were unable to trap in the backfield. Sedrick Ellis and LoJack had 6 and 5 tackles, respectively. Grade: C

LBs - Tough tackling night for these guys. Forsett's bowling ball - like running and the rainy conditions on turf made it difficult to wrap up and get good footing. TWilliams, BCushing and BMatthews each had a TFL, though. Grade: C minus

DBs - Very good performance. They gave up one pass TD and started off shaky tackling-wise, but once again held the explosive WR unit for CAL in check. TMays had (3) pass break-ups, while KEllison had an INT. CB TThomas came up with a huge INT and sack. Grade: B

Special Teams:

Kicker/Returns - RoJo put together two good kickoff returns to give SC excellent field position, while DBuehler nailed a 28 yarder. Grade: B

Coaching: The offensive coaches stuck with the running game which was exactly what they needed to do with this team, and in that ugly weather. Defensively, the coaches were able to rattle CAL's QB a few times with timely blitzes. And then SC's guys just made a few plays to win it. Grade: B

Game Balls:

* Offense - RB Choo Choo Washington

* Defense - CB Terrell Thomas

* Special Teams - KOR Ronald Johnson

Prediction Winner - Payback (the dude is unstoppable right now!)

Trojans Face CAL in Long-Awaited Battle

2007-11-08T15:31:00.000-08:00

Well, it ain't the showdown we thought it would be.

No one predicted the Trojans and Bears would have a combined (5) losses by the time they faced one another this Saturday. But the game still holds huge ramifications for SC. A win keeps the door open for a possible 1st or more likely 2nd place finish in the Pac 10.

CAL comes into the game losers of 3 of their last 4 - the lone win coming last week in a squeaker over Wazzu 20 -17. The USC game represents the Bears last chance at a respectable victory in the 2007 regular season.

Here's the breakdown:

CAL

Offense - One of the biggest surprises of the year has been CAL's lackluster passing game. QB Nate Longshore has been mediocre with 11TDs and 8INTs on the year even with the best WR unit in the conference in Desean Jackson and Lavell Hawkins. A troublesome area for CAL's offense has been scoring in the Red Zone where they are ranked 9th in the Pac 10. The running game, though, has been very good with RB Justin Forsett hammering out 1000 yards over 9 games with a 4.8 ypc. The OLine is very stout - they've only given up 8 sacks in pass protection this year, while opening holes for Forsett to run through.

Defense - The defensive unit has been just okay. They rank "middle of the road" in nearly every defensive category within the conference, and give up 25 points per game. A weakness is the DLine pass pressure - CAL is last in the Pac 10 in sacks. The LBs are solid led by Anthony Felder and Worrell Williams - both of whom are ranked in the top five in tackles in the conference. The secondary is led by safety Thomas Decoud, and athletic cover man and sure tackler.

Special Teams - Desean Jackson is the most dangerous punt returner in the league, and has (1) TD this year. The field goal unit, however, is shaky - making only 60% of their tries with Jordan Kay handling the duties.

USC

Offense - The rules are simple for QBs playing on the road - no turnovers and keep your composure. QB J.D. Booty will be charged with these duties in Strawberry Canyon. The running game will need to be a big help - CWashington, SJohnson and JMcKnight need to have good ballgames. The OLine has the advantage vs. CAL's DLine which doesn't pass rush or play the run very well. TE Fred Davis may also create a favorable matchup with the CAL LBs who play the run well, but they are vulnerable in pass coverage.

Defense - It will be "trench-warfare" when SC's good DLine matches up against a really solid OLine for CAL. Pass rushing will be a challenge for the DLine, but so will stopping CAL's run game and RB Forsett. SC's LBs will have to tackle very well to keep Forsett from getting loose in the secondary - but they should do well - CAL's offense is very straight-forward. The DBs will also have a challenge with the Bear WRs. Will SC dare to go "man to man" often with WR Desean Jackson? It will be very interesting.

Special Teams - Every score will count on the road, so K David Buehler will have to continue to play well. And it would be nice to get a cheap score from the return men as CAL's coverage units are not that good.

Prediction Time:

USC - 30

CAL - 17

Click "COMMENTS" below to enter your prediction and game analysis.

USC Shuts Down Oregon State, 24 - 3

2007-11-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

We'll take it . . . that's what everyone was saying as they left the Coliseum after the Trojans dispatched of the Oregon St. Beavers 24 - 3. It wasn't perfect, but it felt good to see the Trojans win convincingly for a change as the game was over by halftime.

Oregon St. was not a team to be taken lightly, even if they were missing a key to their offense (RB Yveson Bernard). And the Trojans didn't underestimate them, coming out aggressively defensively and avoiding killer mistakes on offense to start the "November Run" with a much needed victory.

Here's how the Trojans graded out:

Offense:

QB - The return of QB Booty to the offense was mixed. With (2) TD passes and no INTs, it represented exactly what the offense had to do. But he did have a fumble, and the offense scored zero points in the second half on a few missed opportunities to score, including one over-throw by Booty. Grade: C minus

RBs/FB - CWashington ran very well for 60 yards, and scored a TD on a screen play that we thought would work against OSU's heavy rush. SJohnson didn't get as many carries as thought, but he was productive. Joe McKnight got the most carries and had quite a few negative yards, while SHavili is really struggling with dropped passes. Grade: B minus

WRs/TE - This unit had another up and down night. FDavis and VHazleton had 5 catches apiece, and Turner came down with a nice TD catch. Once again, however, there were some dropped passes and sloppy routes running during the game. Grade: C minus

OLine - This unit did the job against a very aggressive pass rushing and run stopping Beaver defense. They only gave up two sacks, and one of those was QB Booty's fault. And 100 yards rushing may not seem like much, but its double what the Beavs normally give up. So they can improve, but the running holes were apparent for CWashington many times. Grade: B

Defense:

DLine - Well, we posted before the game that this group could pitch a shut out . . . and they almost did. A great game for the DLine as EGriffen dominated his man for (3.5) sacks. The rest of the group helped to hold the Beavs to less than 100 yards rushing and passing. Grade: A

LBs - Solid game from this unit. They jumped in on the sack parade, and really only had one bad play - missed tackles on a 50 yard run on OSU's first possession. Cushing, Rivers and Maualuga combined for 17 tackles, while TWilliams was particularly active with a sack and a broken up pass. Grade: B

DBs - Ask for an INT . . . and ye shall receive one. CB Terrell Thomas jumped a pass route for an INT and led a DB unit that contributed to a total of (8) broken up passes. And it was good to see CB Shareece Wright playing at full strength again. Grade: B+

Special Teams - DBuehler missed a long FG attempt, but nailed another. The punting needs to improve under Woidneck - 36 ypp - and he can't seem to nail one inside the 10 yard line. The return game was solid.

Grade: C

Coaching - SC's gameplan offensively was good for the Beavs' very aggressive front (7). Missed opportunities in the form of dropped passes and overthrows, though, caused SC to put up a goose egg in the second half. However, they need to run more sweeps with McKnight and Johnson, because they pick up 8 - 10 yards almost every time they do. The defensive plan was executed nearly flawlessly. They took advantage of OSU QB Canfield's slow reads with man coverage by the DBs - and that allowed the SC's front seven to get pressure to the tune of 9 sacks.

Grade: B

Game Balls:

* Offense - RB Chauncey Washington

* Defense - CB Terrell Thomas and DE Everson Griffen

* Special Teams - KR Ronald Johnson

Prediction Winner - Payback (the dude is on a roll)

Oregon St. Visits the Coliseum

2007-11-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

Its back to work for the Trojans as the OSU Beavers come to town riding a three game winning streak. The Beavers are a solid team, especially defefensively, and they present a solid test for a Trojan team trying to right the ship heading into the November stretch run.

Here's the run-down on the matchup.

Oregon State

Offense - The Beavers QB Sean Canfield has had an up and down year. He led the team to a big win over CAL, but has been inconsistent in other games. He has 8 TD passes, but 13 INTs on the year. The Beavs best player, RB Yveson Bernard, is questionable for this game due to a shoulder sprain. He's third in the Pac 10 in rushing and the Beavs' offense revolves around him, so it would be a huge loss if he's unable to go. The Beavs lost their best WR for the year (Sammy Stroughter) so they turn to TE Howard Croom to move the ball through the air lately.

Defense - The strength of the team, this "No Name" defense ranks 2nd in the Pac 10, and leads the conference in sacks (33 in 8 games!) Plus, the OSU run defense is number one in the Pac 10 only allowing 54 yards per game. The pass rush comes from the edges as OSU has three DEs in the top ten in sacks in the conference this year. In addition, the Beavs get very solid LB play from the underrated pair of Joey LaRoque and Derrick Doggett. LaRoque spends a lot of time in the opponents' backfield with (8.5) tackles for loss. DBs Keenan Lewis and Brandon Hughes lead the back four unit, combining for 5 INTs between them.

Special Teams - Alexis Serna is a solid (seems like 15th year) FG kicker for the Beavs. The return game, however, has been ineffective since the loss of Sammy Stroughter - the team ranks 9th and 10th in KO and Punt returns, respectively.

USC Trojans

Offense - This game will be won in the trenches. OSU can stop the run and rush the passer. OTs DRadovich and BLewis will have to bring their "A" game as OSU's pass rush is really productive off the edges. JD Booty returns and will have to be sharp in the passing game because OSU loads the box to stop the run, but gives the QB very little time to pass. We could see even more of those WR hitch passes to escape that pressure - but also look for SC to use stop and go routes to WRs and RB screen passes to make OSU pay for selling out at the line of scrimmage. Stafon Johnson is back for a big role in the running game, so it will be interesting to see if he has any holes.

Defense - How much more can this unit do? Well, the DBs could get some INTs from the Beavs inconsistent QB. The Beav offense is pretty vanilla, so the SC defense could pitch a "shutout" if they are on their game. But it will be a struggle once again if offensive turnovers, penalties and punts keep them on the field all night long. NT SEllis and SS Kevin Ellison are playing AA ball right now.

Special Teams - DBuehler has been solid all year, and so have the coverage teams. Plus Joe McKnight and RoJo are settling in to their duties as punt and kickoff returners. Sooner or later, they'll deliver some long returns.

Prediction Time:

USC - 27

OSU - 10

Ducks Quack on SC, 24 - 17

2007-11-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

Broke . . . busted . . . and disgusted. That's the only way to describe the USC Trojans as they shot themselves in the foot over and over again in Autzen Stadium on the way to a 24 - 17 loss.

The Trojans had opportunities, but were unable to capitalize on most of them that came their way.

In the biggest game of the year, the Trojans acted like a duck (especially offensively) . . . and laid an egg.

We'll name this grade session - Reality Bites . . .

Offense:

QB - Mark Sanchez faced his toughest test and had a few good moments and respectable stats - 26 - 41 for 277 yards and (2) TDs. But missed reads and (2) INTs in the second half killed SC drives to tie the game. When you are on the road, you can't turn the ball over, especially in the red zone. Grade: D+

RBs/FBs - SC had one of its lowest rushing outputs of the season at the wrong time - only 101 yards, averaging 3 yards per carry. That won't get it done. And to add insult to injury, FB Havili coughed up the ball in the red zone. Inexcusable. Grade: F

WRs/TE - Big game (finally) for the WR unit. They benefited from the extra attention the Duck defense paid to TE Fred Davis. PTurner came alive for 7 catches for 107 yards and a nice TD, plus Hazleton added 8 catches and Ausberry had a TD catch. Grade: B +

OLine - Talk about not "stepping up". This unit did nothing but hurt the Trojans - from Chilo Rachal's dumb personal foul on the opening drive after a Duck turnover to Drew Radovich's holding penalty that called back a 60 yard TD run - the mistakes were devastating. Grade: F

Defense:

DLine - Sedrick "The Beast" Ellis is putting together one of the great years in recent memory - (12) tackles with 2 TFLs and a sack is incredible activity from a nose tackle. LoJack posted another (11) tackles. The unit helped hold the best offense in the country to season lows in points, rushing and total offense. Grade: B

LBs - A mixed game for this unit. They made some mistakes reading the ball fakes the Duck spread option offense presents. But they were active with (31) tackles among the starting guys - Rivers, Maualuga and Cushing. Grade: C +

DBs - This group played a solid game. The Ducks only had 157 yards passing for under 10 yards per catch. Safeties Ellison and Mays combined for (17) tackles and (2) TFLs. Grade: B

Special Teams

Kickers/Returners - Kicker DBuehler was solid with a 30 yard FG, and he banged a couple of KOs for touchbacks. Punter Woidneck didn't have a great average (36 yards), but did have a punt downed inside the 20. The return game didn't make any big plays, but they didn't make any mistakes either. Grade: C+

Coaching - This was a huge game going into a hostile environment against a very good team. The offensive coaches nursed the offense along, but couldn't overcome key turnover mistakes with a great call or two. The defensive side did what they wanted to do - Oregon had no big plays - and were held in check points-wise. But they weren't able to force QB Dixon into any mistakes like they have in the past. Grade: C minus

Game Balls - None (SC lost . . . no soup for anyone!)

Prediction Winner - None (SC lost . . . but Payback picked the final score in reverse)

The Showdown . . . USC Faces Oregon

2007-10-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

Well, it doesn't get any bigger than this . . . at least right now. The Trojans travel to Autzen Insane Asylum to face a hot Oregon Ducks team.

The season hangs in the balance for USC who is fighting to stay in the BCS bowl picture - and a loss at this point would be devastating to SC's BCS rankings. Oregon already choked a game away to CAL and is fighting to maintain its lofty BCS rating (#5). A perennial "also ran"in the national/conference picture, Oregon knows its season is on the line as well. A win over SC would make Oregon legit around the country.

Let's break this puppy down:

Oregon Ducks:

Offense - This offense is humming with the number one rushing game in the country. QB Dixon is finally taking care of the ball, as the team leads the conference in turnover margin. Dixon is also passing efficiently, completing 69% of his passes with 16 TDs and only 3 INTs. Offensively, the team has lost a couple of WRs and even a key RB in the last two weeks, but they keep putting up points. RB Jonathan "Snoop" Stewart is having the AA year everyone expected, leading the Pac 10 in rushing with almost 1,000 yards in seven games. WR Jaison Williams will be the go to guy downfield.

Defense - Although this unit is middle of the road in all of the main defensive categories, they get really stingy in the red zone. They have given up the fewest TDs when opponents get inside their 20 yard line in the Pac 10. So they bend, but don't break. Safeties Matthew Harper and Patrick Chung lead a defense that is not really strong in the front seven, but again locks down when they have to.

Special Teams - Kicker Matt Evenson is solid on FGs making 9 of 12. Kick returns are handled by Snoop Stewart who averaging 30 yards per return and leads the conference.

USC Trojans:

Offense - It doesn't get any bigger for QB Mark Sanchez who will probably start his 3rd game of the season. COMPOSURE and NO TURNOVERS will be Sanchez's buzz words as he is known for getting a little too hyped up which will only feed the animals at Autzen stadium. The running game will be key as "running to set up the pass" should be the order of the day. OG Chilo Rachal comes back to help, and a set RB rotation of CWashington, SJohnson and JMcKnight will have to be super productive. TE Fred "The Truth" Davis will again have to put on his cape and be Superman for the passing game. Hopefully, the WRs can help out by hanging onto 3rd down passes which will keep drives alive.

Defense - Oregon's unstoppable running game meets the immovable force in SC's run defense now ranked 3rd in the country. The key for SC is the DEs (LoJack, KMoore and EGriffen) - they must stay outside and contain the spread option running of QB Dixon . . . let the LBs and DTs handle the inside running of Stewart. The Safeties (KEllison and TMays) will also have to be sharp because the passing game of the Ducks is surprisingly efficient on short and intermediate routes.

Special Teams - this unit could be a difference maker for SC if the Trojan offense stalls. Good field position is a must, so the return game must be on point: NO MISTAKES, MR. McKNIGHT.

FG kicker DBuehler can also keep SC scoring if Oregon's defense continues its great red zone play.

Prediction Time:

This one is tough, but . . .

USC - 24

Oregon - 17

USC Mauls the Irish, 38 - 0

2007-10-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

When asked when he knew the Trojans had control of the game defensively, Trojan safety Taylor Mays replied, "Right after the first series, Weis didn't try to do anything." Maybe that was because Weis knew his Notre Dame team couldn't do anything.

In a game that represented a last gasp of pride, the Irish collapsed under their own ineptitude, while the Trojans searched for and found an offensive identity in South Bend this past Saturday.

Let's go to the grades:

Offense:

QB - Mark Sanchez looked much better in his second start, with solid reads and no turnovers. The inexperience showed in a few of his plays (throwing behind receivers and wreckless care of the ball) that better teams would capitalize on. But the end result was 21 - 38, 235 yards with 4TDs. We'll take that all day. Grade: B+

RBs/FBs - No one cracked 100 yards, but Chauncey Washington, Joe McKnight and the return of Stafon Johnson highlighted a strong running game . . . piling up 230 yards on the ground. McKnight busted a 50 yard TD behind great OLine blocking, and Allen Bradford made an excellent catch and run play to score a TD. FB Havili was effective in short yardage running plays and catching the ball. The only downer was a fumble by veteran Herschel Dennis.

Grade: B+

WRs/TE - TE Fred "The Truth" Davis continues to be the primetime playmaker in the passing game. The one-handed, twisting TD catch was spectacular. PTurner and DAusberry were solid, and VHazelton's 50 yard score was proof positive that he's a playmaker in waiting, although though ND's DBs looked like high schoolers chasing after him. Grade: B

OLine - Terrific game for the OLine, as the reserves Butch Lewis and Tiny Malu really stepped up. They blocked well enough to garner about 230 yards on the ground, and kept the pressure off of rookie QB Mark Sanchez for the majority of the game. Grade: B+

Defense:

DLine - This sounds like a broken record, but the DLine unit is balling. (3) sacks by DLinemen and limiting ND to just 45 yards rushing (only 80 yards when you exclude the loss yardage due to sacks), is a good day's work. Sed "The Beast" Ellis terrorized the ND backfield for 1.5 sacks, and DE Kyle Moore tied for the lead in team tackles with (6). Grade: A minus

LBs - Solid effort here. Good to see LB Luther Brown run the field and make (6) tackles, while BCushing looked pretty mobile in his first game back from injury. Even Mad Dog Mualuga shook a hip pointer to make two sacks, and Kaluka Maiava chipped in with five tackles. Grade: B

DBs - This unit wasn't challenged much in the passing game, but got an All American performance from safety Kevin Ellison - who had five tackles, and INT and (2) pass breakups. CB Cary Harris also forced a fumble. Grade: B

Special Teams - A solid game of kicking, coverage and returns. No major mistakes by the return guys, and DBuehler hit his only attempt of the game - a 30 yarder at the end of the first half. Grade: B

Coaching - ND is a super weak team, but the Trojan offense did look like they established once and for all what they do well . . . run the ball. After three frustrating possessions to start the game, SC hit the running game hard and worked short and intermediate passes off the play action. That's the formula for success with this 2007 Trojan offense. The defense had no trouble with the country's worst offensive team. A scheme was hardly necessary against a team that basically mailed it in early. Grade: B+

Game Balls:

Offensive: QB Mark Sanchez

Defensive: Safety Kevin Ellison

Special Teams: Kicker David Buehler

Prediction Winner: Two in a row for Payback (by one point over Big Rob)

USC and Notre Dame Square Off in South Bend

2007-10-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

It's Notre Dame week, people!

It ain't the matchup we hoped for . . . an undefeated Trojan team facing off against a winless Irish team, but that's the way it goes. But at least this ND team has been so bad this year that Charlie Weis is actually LOSING weight.

Anyway, SC is slowly trying to regain strength after some debillitating injuries, while the Irish are making a QB switch. The only real guarantee is that the Notre Dame stadium grass will be high.

Here's the breakdown:

Notre Dame

Offense - Could they be any worse? Ranked 111th in total offense (dead last in the nation in rushing) the Irish have been hilarious to watch . . . sometimes having trouble even snapping the ball to the QB. The OLine is horrific, giving up 23 sacks in the last 4 games. The Irish have asked QB Evan Sharpley to stem the tide, as he has actually improved since taking seven sacks himself in ND's first game of the year in about two quarters of work. We will probably see Jimmy Clausen play, however. The running backs are pedestrian to subpar, and with no weapons or experience at WR, the TE John Carlson qualifies as ND's best offensive weapon (22 rec. with 1 TD)

Defense - the ND defense ain't much better than the offense. The best player on the DLine is Trevor Laws, but as a unit they can't stop the run, nor do they get pressure on the QB. One of the more overrated players of our generation, safety Tom Zbikowski, leads a defensive unit that ranks 93rd in total defense.

Special Teams - the FG kicker, Walker, doesn't make anything over 30 yards, and the return game is average. Freshmen Armando Allen and Golden Tate return kicks, and Zbikowski handles the punt returns.

USC

Offense - it looks as if QB Mark Sanchez will get his second start behind an OLine that is trying to incorporate reserve LT Butch Lewis and RG Tiny Malu. This unit should still be able to run the ball with CWashington and JMcKnight against a very weak ND run defense. The WRs just have to come through in this game - Patrick Turner where are you?! TE Fred Davis is a "go to" player vs. the slow ND linebackers.

Defense - ND is tailor-made for the Trojan defense. The team ranks 5th vs. the run, and the DLine should have no problems putting pressure on the ND Oline and QB. ND will probably go to the short passing game (like everybody else) because SC should shut down the poor Irish running game. Even with Mad Dog Mualuga out or playing very sparingly, MLBs TWilliams and LBrown should be able to handle things. One key is for returning LB BCushing to lock down the Irish TE on passing routes.

Special Teams - the return game finally got a jolt from JMcKnight. But he'll have to be smarter on punts than he was vs. Arizona in a hostile environment like ND stadium. Look for kick returner RoJo to get loose this game. DBuehler has been solid this year, but the high grass will be a different surface for him to get used to.

Prediction Time:

USC - 31

ND - 6

Trojans Outlast 'Zona, 20 - 13

2007-10-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

Before the season started, no one would have predicted that the most important game of the year would be Arizona. But it was. SC had to win no matter what, and they finally got some clutch offensive and defensive plays when they needed them. It wasn't pretty, but pretty went out the window a long time ago.

Let's get to the grades:

Offense -

QB - Much like the backup QB for Stanford, Mark Sanchez survived the first three quarters to make a few good plays in the all important 4 quarter. His stats, 19 - 31 for 130+ yards, 1TD and 2 INTs, weren't really the issue. SC needed a win, and he contributed. Grade: C+

RB/FB - CWashington had a terrific first quarter TD run, but not too much else, and JMcKnight contributed a 50+ yard run in the 4th quarter. It was hit and miss, even in short yardage situations, with no real rhythm established. Grade: C+

WR/TE - Fred "The Truth" Davis is the most reliable playmaker in the passing game, and he proved it again with the game winning TD catch. The WRs continue to feel there way around with no marked impact on the game. Grade: C

OLine - Dang . . . this unit is beat up. Even the indestructible one . . . Sam Baker . . . limped out of the ball game. But they did not play badly. Certainly they didn't dominate for the run game (140+ yards rushing), but they kept Sanchez upright and did a serviceable job with 3 and 4 reserves in the game at the same time. Grade: C+

Defense -

DLine - Good game. They allowed only 22 yards of rushing in 16 carries. DE Kyle Moore may have had the biggest play when he knocked down an Arizona pass at the line of scrimmage on a 3rd down play with SC only leading 17 - 13 in the 4th quarter. DE Everson Griffen also had his first sack of the year. Grade: B+

LB - Another solid game for the LBs. Mad Dog Maualuga got hurt, but Luther Brown did a good job filling in. Keith Rivers and Thomas Williams were all over the field. Grade: B

DBs - This unit did a nice job against a team that came in with an all out passing game attack. 'Zona got about 230 yards in the air, but only for 7 yards per completion. CB TThomas and S KEllison were extremely active. Ellison had 9 tackles with a forced fumble. Grade: B

Special Teams: Nothing to write home about, but PR Joe McKnight provided the spark that lifted the Trojans out of the doldrums with a 50+ yard punt return right when SC needed it the most in the 4th quarter. The Trojans took the lead on the next play. Grade: C+

Coaching: Challenging day for the offensive coaches as they were dealing with backup players at important positions on OLine and at QB. The playcalling gave QB Sanchez some interesting choices and he clearly missed some reads before the snap and in his progressions, but the coaches returned to the running game in the 4Q that set up the win. On defense, SC bottled up the Wildcats with the tried and true formula of stopping the run first, and turning the 'Cats into a a one dimensional team. Grade: B minus

Game Balls:

Offense - TE Fred Davis

Defense - S Kevin Ellison

Special Teams - PR Joe McKnight

Prediction Winner: Payback (by one point over RickyBobby)

The Wildcats Come to Town

2007-10-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

Alright . . . let's get on with the rest of the season. Its game number six, but its really Game One A.S. (after Stanford), and the Trojans need to get back to playing good football in all facets of the game.

There's some intrigue to this one as Trojan QB Mark Sanchez will step in for an injured J.D. Booty. And Arizona comes in a little down about their season, but they may have played their best game of the year vs. Wazzu last week as they beat the Cougars 48 - 20. So one team is coming off a devastating defeat, and the other their best victory . . . who will impose their will on the game?

Arizona

Offense: The great offensive experiment in the desert may slowly be paying dividends. Arizona has gone to a passing offense behind QB Willie Tuitama, and at least his stats are better than in previous seasons. He's got 15 TDs vs. 7 INTs, while completing 61% of his passes. 'Zona is also leaning on its true freshmen to produce: RB Nicholas Grigsby had a breakout game of 186 yards rushing and TE Rob Gronkowski caught 5 balls for 115 yards and a TD last week. Veteran WR Mike Thomas has been the main beneficiary of 'Zona's new wide open attack - he has 38 receptions and 6TDs.

Defense: This unit is not as good as they thought it would be. Once an upper-echeleon unit in the Pac 10, the 'Zona defense is now middle of the road or worse in every defensive category. And they haven't played great offensive teams. LB Spencer Larsen and DB Antoine Cason lead the defensive unit for the Cats.

Special Teams: Antoine Cason is a dangerous punt returner with one return of 70 yards for a score. The kicking game is strong for Arizona - the punter is the best in the Pac 10, and the FG kicker is solid making 10 - 13 FG attempts.

USC

Offense: QB Mark Sanchez saddles up as a first time starter this Saturday. He's talented, but shouldn't be made to carry the load vs. Arizona. Distributing the ball in the short passing game, and running the ball will most likely be the gameplan for the Trojans this weekend. The OLine with two backups and a couple of walking wounded will have to "man up" and protect the new QB, as well as open holes in the running game. TE Fred Davis is playing like an All American, so he should see his share of opportunities.

Defense: The unit has played very good ball all year (except for the infamous 4Q vs. Stanford) and will need to turn in another one vs. Arizona's passing game. The DLine can be disruptive by getting their hands in the passing lanes and not giving QB Tuitama enough time to look downfield. The Safeties and LBs will need to make the 'Zona WRs pay for crossing the middle, and will have to keep an eye on the TE. The CBs will be tested on the outside all game long. Terrell Thomas will have to take Cats WR Mike Thomas out of the game.

Special Teams - The word "special" doesn't apply to this unit. A contribution has to made from the return game sooner or later. A big return or TD would really help the Trojan offense and team spirits right about now.

Prediction Time:

USC - 27

Zona - 13

Trojans Up-Ended by the Farm, 24 - 23

2007-10-11T16:47:00.000-07:00

This wasn't supposed to happen. The grave was dug, the only question was whether Stanford would walk into it, or be thrown in.

Instead, it was the Trojans who were pushin' up daisies on this night.

How could this happen!? Well, it was the old story - overconfidence, injuries to key players and a some lack of playmaking made for an upset special.

Let's get this grading over with!!!

Offense:

QB - It was a terrible night for Booty. Although a broken finger and mistakes by WRs were a detriment to his performance, he's still the captain of the ship, and the ship sank. And it was mostly due to his (4) INTs in the second half. Grade: F

RBs - The Trojans were limited, but CWashington and HDennis ran okay averaging 4.0 ypc

for nearly 120 yards combined. But they couldn't break into the second level very often for very big gainers. Stafon Johnson was really missed. Grade: C +

WRs/TE - When you look at PTurner's catch total - nine - you'd think he had a big game. But the opposite was true . . . he had a couple of big drops, including a 3rd down drive killer in the first quarter and a drop on the last drive that could have helped SC win the game at the end. Once again, TE Fred Davis was dominating - 5 rec. for 152 yards, including a 60 yard TD catch and run. But even he also had a costly fumble after a 20 yard catch. VHazelton chipped in with four recpetions, but is far from being a weapon at this point. DAusberry is nowhere to be found. And RoJo finally got deep for a 47 yard TD. Grade: C minus

OLine - Well, this beat up unit had a rough day. Spanos and Herberer did not have banner days as replacements, and the line got beat by Stanford blitzes for four sacks. Now it was mostly because SC became one dimensional in the 4th quarter with the pass, but the OLine was only average in run blocking as well. Grade: C minus

Defense:

DLine - Sedrick "the Beast" Ellis had three more sacks to add to his All American resume. The rest of the DLine combined for 13 tackles which was good. But none of that came in the clutch.

Grade: B

LBs - Rey Maualuga turned in another good game, leading the Trojans in tackles with 10, including a sack. KRivers and KMaiava had solid games with 6 and 5 tackles, respectively.

Grade: B

DBs - A good performance, until the last 5 minutes of the game when it counted. How you let a team pass for a first down on 4th and 20 I'll never know. And it was SC's best - Terrell Thomas - who got beat in coverage. And then came the fade pass over MMcCurtis for the winner . . . disgusting. The funny thing is that this unit broke up a season high (8) passes, and TMays even had an INT. But again, none of this occurred when the Trojans really needed it.

Grade: C minus

Special Teams

Kickers/Returners - DBuehler missed a PAT . . . and wouldn't you know that its the game margin of victory for Stanford. Returners - no impact. Grade: D

Coaching: The offensive gameplan again tried to force the passing game, in my opinion, to disastrous results. The struggles of Booty coming into the game should have led them to run right over a team that was ranked just about last in every defensive rushing category. Instead, the game was put into Booty's hands, and it failed. Not having key players with speed was a big problem, but teams have worn Stanford down by just pounding them . . . SC decided not to do it. The coaches flat out took Stanford for granted. On defense, the team played well. But the staff has to be concerned about the players not putting the game away when they had the chance to. They've got to challenge some seniors to make plays to keep this kind of debacle from happening again. Grade: D

Game Balls: None - there were some good individual performances by FDavis and RMaualuga. But game balls after a game like this just can't be given out.

Prediction winner: Congrats D-Train . . . you were the closest in this stinker.

Stanford Prepares to Meet Maker

2007-10-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

Does this look like a man who knows what he's doing?

No coach in recent history made as much of a splash as Jim Harbaugh did when he attacked the Big Dog of the Pac 10 conference (USC) as soon as he was hired. Speculating on Pete Carroll's future and announcing that his program was "afraid of no man" was not a great way to win friends and influence people as the new kid in town.

But now the trash talk has stopped . . . the season started, and Harbaugh and the Stanford Cardinal limp into the Coliseum to face the Trojans losers of their last (3) games - all by 38 pts. or more. Harbaugh is Mr. Humble now, with nothing but good things to say about the Trojans . . . too bad that won't stop SC from throwing Harbaugh to the lions on this coming Saturday. Let's break this feeding down . . .

Stanford

Offense: The Cardinal come in without starting QB T.C. Ostrander who suffered a seizure a few days ago. That means Tavita Pritchard steps into the role only having thrown (3) passes in his career. Known as a good athlete, Pritchard may have to do all the running himself as the Cardinal rushing offense ranks 9th in the Pac 10 averaging only 116 ypg behind RB Anthony Kimble and a few others. The WRs are the strength of the team with Mark Bradford, Evan Moore and deep threat Richard Sherman . . . but will QB Pritchard be able to find them?

Defense: Simply put, the Stanford defense can't stop the run. They rank last in the conference giving up nearly 200 ypg. They will be missing their best DLineman in Ekom Udofia who is injured. LB Bo McNally is the leader of the unit with team highs in tackles and INTs. He will be very busy on Saturday.

Special Teams: The FG kicker missed two FGs in Stanford's loss to ASU last week, and is a little shaky. The return game for Stanford is average.

USC

Offense: After a subpar game last week, SC's players and coaches will be paying serious attention to detail in this game. Thanks to (16) penalties last week, SC ranks last in the category in the Pac 10, so mistakes must be limited. SC's offense will be able to run or pass vs. the Cardinal, so we'll see a little of everything. QB Booty just needs to get his timing and touch back and limit the turnovers. The WRs also need to run sharp routes. The running game will be interesting to watch as Stafon Johnson probably will not play, Gable is out for the year, plus Chauncey Washington has a sore shoulder. So ABradford, HDennis and JMcKnight should get the majority of carries in this game behind an OLine that will have new starters at center (MSpanos) and right guard (ZHerberer).

Defense: It will be time for SC's defense to pin their ears back and tee off on the Cardinal offense who shouldn't be able to do anything. Stanford's offense ranks last in first downs (and that was behind the starting QB!), now they face the best defense in the Trojans with a backup QB . . . it will be ugly. Look for SC's DLine and LBs to have a big game and force some turnovers.

Special Teams: Watch for new kick returner Ronald Johnson to break one in this game. And Joe McKnight should get some opportunities to return punts once the game is out of hand . . . which should be by the second quarter.

Prediction Time:

USC - 52

Stanford - 3

Escape from Seattle . . . SC wins 27 - 24

2007-10-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

It doesn't get any more frustrating than SC's performance against Washington . . . actually it does . . . SC could have lost.

But it was just one of those days where everything that could go wrong seemingly did. Turnovers, penalties, bad execution, and questionable play-calling all played a part in this sub-par performance by the Trojans.

SC definitely brought its "D" game, especially offensively, to Seattle . . . so they'll be some tough love given out to some units of the team in this grade breakdown:

Offense:

QB - Well, JD Booty probably had the worst film session he's had since he's been at SC, the day after the game. The missed "reads", interceptions, and lack of proper touch on his throws were killers. He started off well, and then went downhill as the game progressed and finished completing only 54% of his passes with 2 INTs. Grade: D

RB/FB - Another very good performance. Both Stafon Johnson and Chauncey Washington finished with over 100 yards rushing. They broke tackles and got to the second level of the defense consistently. FB Stanley Havili had his first sub-par game, dropping a pass that would have been a TD. Grade: B +

WRs/TEs - The game started strong here. WR Patrick Turner is definitely hitting stride with 6 catches and a TD in the game. But 5 of those catches came in the first half. And any kind of downfield chemistry between Booty and the other WRs (Hazleton and Ausberry) is just elusive right now. TE Fred Davis was a terrific weapon once again. Grade: C minus

OLine - Another strong performance despite losing two key OLinemen (O'Dowd and Rachal) on the same play no less. They helped produce another 200 yard plus rushing game, and QB Booty was only sacked once, and that was on a naked bootleg. Grade: B +

Defense:

DLine - Good game. We said in our preview that SC's DLine had to keep contain on UW's QB and the DLine played their lanes well for the most part, and shut down UW's overall run game (only 100 yards). They only had one sack, but you aren't going to get a bunch vs. a guy like Locker, so give the DLine credit for having (3) tackles for loss in the game. Grade: B

LBs - Rey Maualuga had his best game with 10 tackles, and the unit as a whole held Locker down pretty well. In our preview we said to play QB Locker "like a running back", and the LBs did a nice job holding him to 50 yards on 2.8 per carry, when he was averaging 90 yards per game and over 6 yards per carry coming into the game. Thomas "Hit Man" Williams also had a nice INT on UW's first drive. Grade: B +

DBs - Despite not giving up anything (Locker was 13- 28 with an INT and only 90 yards passing) this unit had too many pass interference and late hit penalties that kept UW drives alive. Grade: C

Special Teams

Kickers - David Buehler was 2 for 3 on FGs and kicked the ball well on kickoffs. SC's punter had a punt blocked, though, after a high snap by Will Collins.

Returners/Coverage - The returners could have done more vs. a weak UW special teams unit. RoJo was a surprise kickoff return starter after Gable was scratched due to injury. He did okay, along with Desmond Reed on punts. The coverage units were solid, with Terrell Thomas making a huge play stripping the ball away and making the recovery on a UW punt return.

Grade: C minus

Coaching - Interesting deal here:

I thought the gameplan on offense and defense was good. The "in game" adjustments were bad, at least offensively. SC saw some opportunities downfield in the passing game, but when the players showed they couldn't execute thoe plays consistently, the offensive coaches should have gone back to the bread and butter Run Game which was working.

Defensively, the gameplan worked. UW's offense didn't get anything on SC's defense, that they weren't given by SC's offensive turnovers and a bad special teams play. But SC's defensive players were a little over-zealous in some cases, resulting in penalties. The defensive coaches may have pumped them up a little too much to get in good hits on the running QB, etc. Grade: C minus

Game balls:

* Offense - RB Stafon Johnson

* Defense - LB Rey Maualuga

* Special Teams - CB Terrell Thomas

Prediction Winner - B-Dub (Guessed the opponents scored correctly)

Post your game observations in "Comments" link below . . .

Trojans Enter Dawg Pound

2007-09-26T23:53:00.000-07:00

The Trojans venture up north to rainy Seattle to take on the Huskies in a match up of teams headed in opposite directions. After a couple of good wins, the Huskies have lost two straight to ranked teams (Ohio St. and UGLA). USC, on the other hand, is rounding into form with increasingly impressive victories. Here's how these two teams shape up:

Washington -

Offense: Redshirt Frosh QB Jake Locker is the straw that stirs the drink for the Huskies. An adept rusher (90+ yards per game), Locker ranks last in passing in the Pac 10 only completing 53% and has 6 INTs to go with 6TDs (four of those TDs coming last week vs. UGLA).

WR Marcel Reese is a huge target at 6'3, 240lbs, and RB Louis Rankin are the other players UW depends upon to make plays. UW really depends upon Locker to set the table with designed running plays, and then he'll suddenly step back and pass the ball displaying a strong arm (think a west coast version of Florida's QB Tim Tebow.)

Defense: The Huskies rush the passer well from the edge with two DEs Gunheim and Te'o Manheim ranking in the top ten in the Pac 10 in sacks (3 apiece). However, the already porous run defense may have to play without leading tackler LB E.J. Savannah who has suffered from shoulder/neck stingers lately.

The secondary has played pretty well overall - they rank second in the Pac 10 in pass defense. CB Roy Lewis is the anchor, but the other CB Vonzell McDowell is just a true frosh and was taken advantage of deep in their game with Ohio St.

Special Teams: What special teams? This unit for UW is horrible, ranking last or near last in every category of coverage, returns and kicking. The Huskies have put starting RB Rankin back on kickoff returns just to stop the bleeding there, as they have (4) fumbles by their return men.

USC -

Offense: The Trojans are starting to find some balance in their run/pass games. QB Booty is starting to find a rhythm with his WRs/TEs who stepped up big vs. Wazzu, and the RBs have been very solid all year. This game may see SC grind UW down on the ground because the Husky run defense is weak - giving up 175 yards per game.

The SC OLine has been feeding at the trough especially behind Byers, O'Dowd and Rachal. In the passing game, OTs Baker and Radovich will have to be quick and fundamentally sound, because the UW DEs come off the edge very well.

Defense: Here's the deal . . . play Husky QB Jake Locker like an RB initially. SC's DLine will have to be disciplined and stay in their lanes - especially the DEs (LoJack, Moore and Griffen) who need to keep outside containment on Locker. And of course, the LBs will need to drop in their lanes on the pass, with one eye on Locker leaving the pocket.

UW may try to come out throwing short passes (doesn't everybody) just to fool SC regarding Locker's rushing ability. But if SC can get an early lead, Locker will be forced to pass downfield, and that plays into the hands of the defense who will confuse Locker schematically and add to his rising INT total.

Special Teams: SC can make some hay here, as the UW kickoff man, Jared Ballman, is terrible. UW ranks last in kickoff coverage in the Pac 10 mainly because Ballman hasn't kicked the ball beyond the 15 yard line. Kickoff returner CJ Gable can expect at least one opportunity to break a big one in this game. SC's coverage units should be wary of new Husky KR man Rankin, as he is pretty fast.

Prediction Time:

USC - 45

UW - 7

Post your prediction below under the "Comments" link . . .

Tailgatin' Trojan Style

2007-09-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

The 4thand9 Crew gets ready for the SC vs. Washington State blow out.

Click on picture to enlarge: Left to Right - Dwight, Tiffany, Sharnell, Big Rob, Jacqueline and Payback - Jordan (kneeling)

Read game recap below . . .

Trojans Bury Cougars 47 - 14

2007-09-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

Look . . . up in the sky . . . its a bird . . . its a plane . . . no, its just big Fred Davis making catch after catch to help SC dominate Wazzu. The Trojans put the Cougars away with a decisive 27 - 0 run mainly in the second quarter, and never looked back. It was a total team effort as the passing game made strides, the running game kept humming, and the defense turned in another strong effort. Let's take a look at the grades:

Offense -

QB - JD Booty had his best outing of the year with 4 TD passes. He spread the ball around and bought time in the pocket really well to stay alive and find receivers downfield. The only blemish was an INT in tight coverage. Sanchez also got a few reps, completing a couple of passes, but also throwing a pick. Grade: B +

RB - Chauncey Washington ran physical while gaining 84 yards on 11 carries. C-Dub was most impressive breaking tackles when he got to the second level, scoring 1 TD on the night. Stafon Johnson looked impressive once again displaying a low center of gravity, breaking tackles and showing terrific acceleration. Even Joe McKnight finally looked like he was feeling comfortable at RB - slippery is the word for McKnight as defenders seem to slide right off of him. Grade: B +

WR/TE - SC came out determined to establish the passing game, throwing 12 of the first 14 plays. TE Fred Davis was the main beneficiary with (9) catches and 2 TDs. Patrick Turner looked good snagging six balls and Vidal Hazleton added a TD on a vintage SC WR slant route in the red zone. Grade: B

OLine - Another solid effort by this group as SC rushed for 200+ yards again. They continue to open holes at the LOS to allow the RBs to get to the second level and make people miss or break tackles. The inside trio of Byers, O'Dowd and Rachal are just cleaning people out . . . while Radovich and Baker hold down the edges, only giving up one sack in the game. Grade: B+

Defense:

DLine - Another good game pressuring the passer and completely shutting down the run game for the front four - Wazzu gained only 64 yards on 27 carries (2.4 ypc). LoJack is officially back! He registered two sacks, while Kyle Moore got another INT, as Wazzu was pre-occupied with The Beast (NT Sed Ellis). Grade: B+

LB - Keith Rivers is The Man - and 14 tackles (9 solo, 2.5 tackles for loss) is all you need to know. Maualuga, Matthews and Thomas "Hit Man" Williams all made their presence felt. Cushing played, but tweaked his ankle again for the only bad news. Grade: A minus

DB - This group did a solid job versus a team with a very good passing game. Only a couple of lapses led to big gains for Wazzu, but those were sporadic. CB Terrell Thomas played physical, and CB Shareece Wright is learning what it takes to defend Pac 10 WRs. CB Cary Harris dislocated a shoulder in the first half, and his availability for the next two games is in doubt.
Grade: B

Special Teams:

Kickers/Coverage/Returns - Kicker David Buehler had one of the biggest plays of the night when he ran a Wazzu return man out of bounds on a sure TD after kickoff coverage breakdown.
Desmond Reed had a couple of pretty good punt and kickoff returns. Buehler hit an FG, but did miss an extra point for the only mishap in the kicking game. Grade: B minus

Coaching: A nice offensive and defensive game plan for the Cougs. On offense, coming out passing (12 of the first 14 plays) was probably not what Wazzu expected. And then on defense, PCarroll and crew kept a good passing attack in check. Grade: A minus

Game Balls:

Offense - TE Fred Davis
Defense - LB Keith Rivers
Special Teams - K David Buehler

Prediction Winner - B-Dub

The Palouse is on the Loose

2007-09-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

Its the Pac 10 opener, people - so let's get it crackin'.

Washington State comes to town with a hot QB and a suspect defense. The Trojans come back to the friendly confines of the Coliseum after a road grading win over Nebraska. Wazzu gave SC a tough game last year, and say they look forward to the rematch this Saturday. But they better be careful what they wish for. This SC team can be dominating, and still hasn't found its identity yet.

Here's the tale of the tape:

Washington State

Offense - QB Alex Brink comes in with a 73% complete rate and 10 TDs and only 2 INTs vs. Wisc., SDSU and Idaho. He attacked SC's cornerbacks early in last year's match up with SC, and I expect him to do the same this year. He's smart and gets rid of the ball quickly. Dwayne Tardy is a solid RB, and can catch the ball out of the backfield. The WR corp is the strength with two active players in Bumpus and Gibson. They have (6) TD catches between them. The OLine does a nice job of protecting Brink in the quick passing game. Watch for WR Jeshua Anderson (a So. Cal. kid) on the deep routes.

Defense - This is the worrisome aspect for Wazzu as they gave up 28 pts to Idaho who traded TD for TD with the Cougars for most of that game. Wazzu doesn't put a lot of pressure on the passer and has two brand new CBs on defense, so that played a big part in giving up 42 and 28 pts mostly through the air to Wisconsin and Idaho.

Special Teams - The Cougars have a solid field goal kicker, but don't do too much in the return game.

USC

Offense - Well . . . we know the running attack is humming. The Johnson/Gable combo at RB is in great sync with the OLine. But the passing game could also get on track this week vs. Wazzu because they are weak vs. the pass. WR Pat Turner looks to redeem himself, and I think SC's play calls will give him that chance. QB Booty has played efficiently, and if the OLine repeats its performance from last Saturday, the Cougs will have very little chance.

Defense - This unit will face another "quick" passing team in Brink and Wazzu this week. The CBs will again have to keep people in front of them, and the pass rush will have to be quick. But I think the defensive scheme will have to try and take away Brink's first passing option, and be prepared for him to scramble (he picked up 31 yards rushing last week.) The LBs will have to watch DTardy on screens and mis-direction as Wazzu will probably try to take advantage of SC's quick pursuit to the initial ball movement.

Special Teams - Gable takes the place of the injured VJosesph on kickoff returns, and he'll do very well. DBuehler usually kicks very well off the Coliseum grass, so expect a few touchbacks on kickoffs.

Prediction Time:

USC - 34
WSU - 10

USC Parts the Red Sea 49 - 31

2007-09-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

Now that's what I'm talkin' about! The Trojans opened up a can on the Huskers and then left town. For the second year in a row, SC was quicker and more physical than Nebraska and the score didn't tell half the story. After all the talk of a potential upset, the Huskers found out that they just need to stick to the Big 12 North Division and tractor pulls . . . leave football to the real ballers at SC.

Let's go to the grades:

Offense:

QB - Booty had a solid game. His yardage wasn't big (144), but his WRs are letting him down with drops. He came through, though, with 2 TDs and zero turnovers. That's huge on the road.
Grade: B

RBs - This was a game an RB dreams about - a commitment to the run game, and holes you could drive a minivan through. Stafon Johnson led the way with 144 yards, CJ Gable and Stan Havili had big runs, and even Choo Choo got into the act with 2 TDs. Most impressive was the patience that the RB ran with, allowing the OLine to create the holes and then explode through them. Grade - A

WRs/TE - When the leading receiver is the TE with only (3) catches, then you know the QB and WRs are not in sync yet. WR Pat Turner had a forgettable game with as many drops as catches (3), and then he threw in a fumble he recovered to boot. Ausberry had a couple of nice catches, but Hazelton and Patterson did not get any looks. A couple of deep tries to RoJo did not connect either. Grade - C minus

OLine - This was a big test for the big uglies. Loud stadium, frosh Center, and hyped Huskers? No problem. The Trojan OLine bulldozed their way for over 300 yards rushing. Byers, O'Dowd, and Rachal, especially, removed any Husker obstacles up the middle. As we predicted in our preview, the young DLine and light LBs would disappear if SC decided to run the ball. And here's another positive: no penalties. Grade: A +

Defense:

DLine - Stellar game for this group. NT Sedrick Ellis' name has officially been changed to "The Beast". DE LoJack came through with a sack and constant pressure. And then DE Kyle Moore made game changing plays by tipping a pass that turned into an INT, and then snagging one himself and returning it to the 2 yard line. They also killed the Husker OLine, only giving up about 20 yards rushing. Grade: A minus

LBs - Good game. Keith Rivers is an all american . . . but we already knew that. I liked the way Kaluka Maiva played in place of the injured Clay Matthews (broken thumb) halfway through the game. Pass coverage, however, was a little porous in the first half, but they squeezed the Husker short routes in the second half when SC closed the deal. Grade: B

DBs - By design, the Trojan corners play soft on the outside which is frustrating sometimes to watch. Cary Harris was being picked on early because of the seven yard cushion he was giving. But they played okay. Once again, they didn't give up the big play and forced a team to string together 10+ play drives to have a chance at scoring. Grade: C

Special Teams - Kickoff and punt coverage was good, but the return game continues to be lackluster. Unfortunately, Vince Joseph got hurt, but I like getting CJ Gable back there on kickoff returns as he is pretty good at it. We just ask DReed to catch the punt, which is good enough when the offense is rolling. Kicker DBuehler kicked the ball deeper and deeper as the game went along, but it didn't result in any touch backs. Grade: C

Coaching - Nobody prepares a team for an early OOC game like the Trojan staff. Its just on the money everytime. If I have one complaint, its that SC puts the 2nd and 3rd teamers in the game when they take command of a ballgame when the other teams' first teamers are still in the game. So inevitably, SC gives up a couple of cheap scores that messes up the dominant stat sheet. Anyway, great job with sticking with the run game on offense, and making great adjustments on defense. Grade: A minus.

Game Balls:

Offense - OLine (Baker, Byers, O'Dowd, Rachal, Radovich)
Defense - DE Kyle Moore
Special Teams - Kicker David Buehler

Prediction Winner - JudoMan (he almost nailed SC's point total)

Trojans Face Children of the Corn

2007-09-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

Well, let's get this season underway. No more talk, its time to get down to business on the road versus the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Trojans spent the last bye week taking another look at youngsters, solidifying spots and getting healthy. So now they venture into the "sea of red" at Memorial stadium to face a Husker team coming off a tough win over Wake Forest.

Let's break it down:

Nebraska

Offense: Our old friend QB Sam Keller leads the Husker attack. So far, he's thrown 2 TDs and 3 INTs vs. Nevada and Wake Forest displaying his old habit for impatiently throwing into coverage. The running game with RB Marlon Lucky is improved. Lucky has stayed healthy and has been the dependable back the Huskers have needed to stay balanced on offense. The wideouts are led by Maurice Purify and Terrence Nunn. The key for the Huskers in this game is their OLine - Wake Forest made it look like swiss cheese for a significant part of that game. They run block better than they pass block, so they better open some holes for Lucky or it will be open season on Keller if the Huskers become one dimensional and have to pass the ball a lot.

Defense: Nebraska replaced their entire DLine with new starters and haven't gotten any kind of push from them - they must hold their ground vs. SC's run game to have a chance. The LBs are active, but light, so they can disappear when they face teams that can run the ball well. The DBs are led by Zack Bowman who's got good size, but will have to match up against the multiple 6'3 to 6'5 WRs SC will line up with.

Special Teams: Nothing special in the kicking game, but the kickoff returner Cortney Grixby is averaging 27 yards a return giving the Huskers decent field position.

USC

Offense: The training wheels will come off the SC offense in this game. With WR Patrick Turner back, QB Booty will have one of his "go to" guys in the passing game. RBs Stafon Johnson and CJ Gable are ready, and Chauncey Washington will play as well. Secret weapon FB Stanley Havili will present the Huskers with another dimension to try and handle - they've seen the film, but will they be able to stop "Stan the Man"? The WRs group also gets back Travon Patterson at full speed, and expect a heavy dose of TE Fred Davis on roll out passes from Booty. The OLine will again start frosh Kris O'Dowd at center and most likely Drew Radovich at right OT. The Trojans ability to run the ball will be key to putting the Huskers on their heels - and then SC will rain bombs on the Nebraska secondary.

Defense: This is a statement game for SC's hyped defense: are they killers or kittens? If the DLine gets it done vs. the pass and run . . . this game will be over. The Huskers showed some vulnerability to a good pass rush, so DEs Lawrence Jackson, Kyle Moore and Everson Griffen need to make it happen. The LB unit will probably have Brian Cushing back, but they need to shut down the "delay" and "draw" plays, especially in 3rd down situations. The DBs will have a chance at some INTs with Keller forcing a few balls during this game.

Special Teams: This is a good test game for kicker David Buehler. The turf, hostile environment, and Nebraska's good kickoff returner will mean Buehler will have to be on top of his game. And it sure would be nice to take the Husker crowd out of the game with a long punt or kickoff return from Desmond Reed, Vincent Joseph or say . . . Ronald Johnson.

Prediction Time:

USC - 34
NU - 9

SC Vandalizes Idaho 38 - 10

2007-09-09T23:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it didn't take long for fans to realize that USC viewed this game vs. the Idaho Vandals as a glorified scrimmage. After scoring on its first three possessions to take a 21 - 0 lead, the Trojans substituted liberally and ran plays and schemes specifically to see how its new, younger players would handle the assignments. The result was a dominating, yet uneven performance by the nation's #1 team.

Offensive Grades:

QB - B minus

J.D. Booty had 3 TDs and 1 INT as he looked to establish a rhythm and timing with new wideouts VHazleton and DAusberry. The Booty - Haze combo looked really good, however trying to connect with Ausberry downfield and in the red zone did not happen.

RBs/FBs - A minus

FB Stanley Havili did work. He was a great option in the passing game, plus he ran the ball and blocked well. SC's RBs CJ Gable and Stafon Johnson did as they pleased in the first half and the SC running game broke the 200 yard barrier. Johnson, especially, looked fast and powerful. ABradford did not have a lot of room to run behind the reserve OLinemen in the 4th quarter.

TEs/WRs - B

Veteran TE Fred Davis caught a couple of passes, including a 30 yarder that showed off his hands and running ability after the catch. Hazleton played particularly well with a spectacular one-hand grab in the end zone - SC always has dudes who can do this. Ausberry, on the other hand, had trouble establishing a rhythm with Booty, although he showed some quicks on bubble screens.

OLine - B

Frosh Center Kris O'Dowd had a good debut - no fumbled snaps! Plus the 1st string OLine opened nice running lanes for the RBs and kept Booty clean. The reserve OLinemen, however, struggled and did not play well.

Defensive Grades:

DLine - B

NT Sedrick Ellis had a monster game, and his backup ASpicer had a sack. After adjusting to keep containment on Idaho QB bootlegs, DE Kyle Moore made a few plays - blocking a pass and recovering a fumble. No sacks, but they did force a lot of bad and hurried throws and knocked down a few passes as the Vandals were committed to getting rid of the ball quickly.

LBs - B minus

Cushing sprained an ankle early, but his replacement Clay Matthews played well. Rivers and Maualuga were solid, although they could have stopped a few running plays earlier at the line of scrimmage. Backups Mike Morgan and Luther Brown and frosh Chris Galippo and Malcolm Smith got some time - but they missed some tackles in the 4th quarter that allowed the Vandals to get a cheap TD.

DBs - B minus

Shareece Wright brought the hammer by making a few plays behind the line of scrimmage. But the unit as a whole allowed some 15 - 20 yard 3rd down completions that need to be locked down in the future.

Special Teams:

Kickers - B +

Great tribute to Mario Danelo was paid, and David Buehler lived up to his memory by nailing an FG and a few Kickoffs.

Returners/Coverage - B

Solid - Vince Joseph and Des Reed did their jobs, although I'd love to see RoJo in there on kick returns. The coverage teams didn't give up anything.

Coaching - B

Considering the number of youngsters the staff was getting a look at, plus the situational plays they ran, it was obvious the coaching staff never worried about this game and used it as a teaching/learning tool for the team. This is the only game that will happen in, however.

Prediction Winner: B-Dub takes it in a landslide (winning prediction 38 - 0)