Back surgery for Booty
Quarterback John David Booty will require surgery Friday for the herniated disc in his back, which raises questions about whether he will recover in time for the start of training camp.
Doctors estimate Booty will require about three months to recover, which means he may not be in shape to throw when training camp begins in early August.
USC coach Pete Carroll said Booty’s surgery means he won't name a starting quarterback in spring practice and will probably have to wait until the end of training camp.
``There are no rules here,’’ Carroll said. ``We’ll just keep going. Unfortunately for John David, he wasn’t able to establish himself (because of the injury). It’s going to be very competitive in the fall.
Booty is snake-bitten. Give Sanchez the rest of Spring practice, plus three months running the team's passing workouts, being the voice of leadership for the offense, and then being in better health for Fall practice, that all adds up to Booty possibly never starting a game at SC. The competition if fall camp will be intense. Sanchez and Booty will bring out the best in each other.
Three months. Let's see. That's April, May, and June.
So how do you figure he wouldn't be in shape to throw in early August, since he would have all of July--at least--to get in shape for camp?
If Sanchez wins the job, I think SC might look like a better option for high school QB Jimmy Clausen. Currently, SC is close to home for Clausen, but at SC there is no denying the fact that he would have to sit behind Booty and Sanchez for at least three seasons. If Booty wins the job (which he still might) then SC would realisticaly get two years from Booty (2006 & 2007) as the starter and then two years with Sanchez (2008 & 2009). Clausen is a supreme talent, but so is Sanchez. Barring an injury to Sanchez, Clausen will not be able to beat out Sanchez in 2007 or 2008. Thus, under this scenario, Clausen would have to wait until he's a redshirt junior in 2010 to get his shot as the starting QB at SC.
If, however, Sanchez wins the job this season, then realistically Sanchez would lead the Trojans in 2006 and 2007, Booty would be the back-up and both would leave SC at the end of the season. Booty would graduate and Sanchez might declare early for the NFL. Thus, in 2008, Clausen (as a redshirt freshman) would get a shot to win the starting job. As long as SC's offense continues to produce (and with the talent already on offense, this looks very likely) I think Clausen might prefer to redshirt one season at SC, learn the offense and then lead the Trojans as a redshirt freshman (just like Sanchez). This actually looks like a better option as opposed to leading the notre dame offense right out of high school as a freshman the year after Quinn graduates. I'm not saying that Clausen would be a lock for USC under this scenario, but if he wants to stay close to home, he would no longer have to fear sitting on the bench for four seasons if he committed to SC. Thus, Sanchez being named the 2006 SC starting QB just might work in SC's favor in recruiting Jimmy Clausen.
Please note, I DO NOT think SC should select this year's staarting QB based on what effect it might have on a potential recruit. If Booty beats out Sanchez then he sholuld be named the starting QB, Clausen be damed. I was just trying to provide little hope in the recruting battle with notre dame for Mr. Clausen's services.
Not that my opinion means anything, but if Booty's back remains questionable heading into the fall, then I would feel much more comfortable with a healthy Sanchez as a starter and Booty as the back-up than a fragile Booty as the starter and Sanchez as the back-up. Booty did leave high school early, and he is an immense talent, but if his back is not 100%, then it might be the best for the team if Sanchez leads the Trojans from day one as opposed to Sanchez being thrust into a starting role as a result of a Booty injury.
Booty has been a loyal soldier, but the sadly the kid is a bleeder. All things being equal between the QBs, I'd almost rather have Sanchez with 4 years of eligibility remaining than Booty with 2. When he came in for Matt at the end of games last year, he simply didn't impress the pants off of me. (Neither did Patrick Turner, incidentally). I think both Booty and Turner are in danger of being marginalized by the young upstarts.