Film Analysis

I believe it is Pinkard? I could look it up, but...

It's a lot easier to play man-to-man when you've got Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson rushing the passer. That was the biggest difference '03 and '04 to '05.

Cornerbacks said last year that they were being taught to "keep everything in front of them" and not to "break on the ball". One cornerback seemed not to be happy with it.

Whatever the thought or reasons were it didn't work out well. USC's secondary, especially it's corner play SUCKED. People saw Vince Young and thought he had turned to superman, but the truth is EVERY qb could throw to their hearts content. I thought Fresno State had Montana back there for a moment. Heck Aaron Rodgers at Cal actually believed he was Montana in 04-05 after playing SC until reality set back in. And to be honest, USC's defense had better individual play, (especially at safety) the years before but the same thing, moderately efficient passers could take them apart. Brady Quinn ought to send USC's secondary coach thank-you cards for making him the early Heisman front runner.

Carroll may be the greatest Head coach in college football. Or maybe Norm Chow the greatest OC and Ogeron and Holt had a solid defensive scheme that Carroll couldn't implememnt?). For a two time champion Carroll may have a lot to prove in the next couple of years. There is more talent at USC than any other football team in the nation (if the recrui9ting rankings for the past four years have been right) so there's no excuses. Fight on!

My memory might be fading from last year, but I believe there were several season ending injuries in the secondary. With new recruits and a healthy returning group, they will be fine.

Pete once announced he wanted to turn USC into "Conerback U". He hasnt even come close. The best secondary he had was the one he inherited from Paul Hackett.

The truth is Pete did not recruit well in 2003 - 2004 at cornerback. I think that's all going to change. we'll see the diffrence next year. And yeah I agree that the pass rush was not as good last season, but again that will change with a healthier linebacker corps and if Jeff Schweiger can be a force. Heck they'll probably line up Keith Rivers as an End for speed to rush the QB this year.

Some of the posts here are amazing if they are actually by SC fans. Pete Carroll has done a great job with the defense. Last year there were ton of injuries in the secondary and with the linebacking corp. Anyone that makes the statement that PC has a lot to prove needs to have their head examined. Get real.

FYI-last time I checked SC beat Cal in 2004. So what if Aaron Rodgers wants to throw five yard passes all day. If he can't get it in the endzone it really doesn't matter.

With Mays,Perez,and Bradford all big time players all competing for playing time at safety, Pinkard may end up back at CB again on many occasions. The best LB corps in the country, an extremely strong and deep safety corps, the CBs should be way better than just fine. The Trojans should also be able to apply massive pressure on the QB this season, making the entire defense one nasty unit. Having Schwaiger,and Sartz both back at full strength, I'm not too worried about the defense..including the CBs.

The thinking was that the high-powered USC offense could basically score at will against the opposition's defense. So why not employ a bend but not break defense to make the less efficient offenses drive 80 yards every possession?

Also the SC Defense seemed to use alot of basic packages in the first half that were succeptible to yardage gains by good QB's. I think we all saw the aggressive D in the 2nd half of most games or when they got up by 3 TD's and went for the kill.

I don't believe that PC is the D coach he would like all of us to think. PC is the "CEO" of coaches that recruits and works the dinner circuit better than anyone (I've ever seen). So I'm very glad to see Holt back as the D coach.

That said, I think with all of the rotations that happened last year, this year's secondary will probably turn out to be the best in the nation. Young, fast, and experienced.

Every NCAA coach in the nation is waiting for the big USC fall this year, and I don't think it will happen. I fully expect USC to get to the big show by beating a #2 rated ND in Nov!

USC will be in Arizona in Jan 2007 playig a #1 rated OS (who will beat Texas this year).

Fight On! :-)

this coach is right-on. troys DBs big problem area.

look for Vidal Hazelton to step in right away at Corner as USC has no one else noteworthy.

Cal's dbs so strong this year.

SC is so week at safety that Pinkerd had to be moved back. i just don't see any talent at CORNER.

usc DBs were bad last year. pete is getting soft in his play calling for the defense - no doubts.

I think DaveatSC is confusing corner play with the entire secondary. USC is safety U (and hopefully when the linebackers have their say this year it may be Linebacker U). As for corner play, well as the comment said, it sucked. Speed and height wise there was no reason. Maybe there IS a problem with cornerback coaching. And pressure by the front four on the d-line hasn't been great but as someone said, Holt and Ogeron were gone and Pete was crazy busy. Without blitzing which has been effective when used, the defense has been mediocre. But this year I hope that will change. I won't comment on life post Chow because I think it is too early. Kif and Sark have been working like mad I'm sure, after the loss in the Rose Bowl. I think those two are in the hot seat and Holt has already proven himself. Pete has done his job perfectly. He's the Head Coach not the secondary coach. And being the HC is a lot more than dinners and recruiting.

SC defense will be just fine. PC has recruited the cream of the crop in the secondary this year and his track record for recruits has been phenomenal. Yeah they are young and inexperienced, but so was Sean Cody once , and Darnell Bing, Reggie B, Matt L, and on and on...Pinkard, Thomas and others are back from Injuries ( I remember at one point we had to go to the fourth string CBs and at least 3rd string Dbs because of injuries)also, we lost a slew of LBs also to injuries so we had basically a reserve/rookie D for the most part and yet they won 12 in a row and came close to betaing a healthy Texas! can you imagine a REAL starting D playing together? Dont know about anyone else but I am excited....Sorry USC_89 I do believe in PC , SC and the D. Untill they flop I am a believer........

Props to you Scott, see if you can get more NFL coaches views on the Trojans, because as in 'The Art of War'; it's wise to always be vigilant for weakness and learn where to strenghten yourself.

To say Pete Carroll is not a defensive coach is a little puzzling. He, along with his mentor Monte Kiffin, was one of the architects of the Tampa Bay cover 2 defense. Ed Orgeron was a great great defensivel line coach, but he will tell you he learned defensive philosophy from Pete Carroll. Pete Carroll's philosophy on defense are:
1. Stop the run-first and foremost
2. Do not get beat deep
3. Get the Ball.

If you look at Texas he did everything except number 3. VY ran from the pocket all day, but Texas did not run between the tackles or the tailback wide with any proficiency. They did not get beat deep.
USC did not get the ball, but they did force about 4-5 fumbles, Texas just recovered them. This does not include a fumble that SC recovered that replay officials mistakenly overturned.
SC's defense did not play well, but they accomplished their objectives except get the ball. If they got half of the fumbles they caused SC wins by 3 touchdowns.
VY was the difference, but SC was the more physical team and the more physically talented team.

I totally disagree with anyone who says Pete is not a good defensive coach. Don't you see him holding the defensive playbook?

Hopefully people are realistic and admit that USC has a lot to prove. I agree that Kif and Sark are on the hot seat. I think anyone who plays football video games could have called the offense last year. This year it's going to be more about teaching and executing. If Kif and Sarf can't do that, then we will really know how important Chow was to this team.

Fight On!

Good to see the bandwagon is big enough to support all the fairweather posers. Pete Carroll is the only defensive mind on the USC staff. Holt!? Are you kidding? he's never been a DC except at Idaho, a job he only got after riding Petes coattails, and you saw how that turned out. Quit your pissin and moaning unless you think you can lose Eric Wright, Terrell Thomas and win 12 games with John Walker at CB. Morons. No ungrateful morons.

Forget the corners for a second. Averell Spicer, a 6'2 265 lb. guy ran a 11.2 in the 100 meters, 61-8 in the shot put and 170-0 in the discus throw. 11.2 100 meters? King Kong dancing ballet! This guy is both a hard worker and a unique and crazy freak of nature (in a very good way). Clone him and make a team of SuperTrojans.

Who is this Spicer? Sounds like a true freak, luv it. can't remember him though...

Hey Dave,

Defensive end. http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/spicer_averell00.html

They say he's grown about two inches, picked up five lbs., got more solid and FASTER! He is as fast as a corner now in a flat out sprint! On the downside, the NFL is drooling. In all my years running and following track and football there has never been anyone with this sort of size and speed. I don't just want to see him play, I want to watch him run a 100m- how must that look?

I hope trainers take special care; that much speed and weight can be hell on tendons and joints if he is left to run all out consistently in practice. But in games...

Thanx John, my head is spinning from the talent on this team. If Spicer can run an 11.2 100 meters at 265 lbs. then that beats running backs like Jerome Bettis for that size. And he's still young -- good God, what if in a couple years he got to 285-295lbs., at that speed? Give him the ball as a fullback. Or put him with Powdrell in the backfield and the Trojans will have a true Two-Ton weapons system, with speed!

Spicer is still behind Sedrick Ellis at the nose tackle spot. If you think he is a freak wait until you see Marvin Austin or Eversen Griffen if they make it to campus.
Austin is premier recruit in country and is 6 3 300 pounds and was timed at 4.69 in the 40. Griffen is 6 4 265 pound defensive end who ran the 40 in 4.46.
If SC gets these 2(and they have a great chance) SPicer will not be the freak on his own defensive line.

freekobe, john, props to you all, that was going to be my next question, what their 40 yd times were. I cannot believe what I am seeing considering their size. A 300 pounder running a 4.69 in the 40 should be studied by science. I missed out on my scouting homework so thanx for helping out guys...

scout has Austin's 40 at 4.9, rivals at 4.83
scout has Griffin's at 4.55, rivals at 4.46

definitely two big ugly lightnin rods! putting pressure on the QB and the run game.

I'm with you guys. I still don't think you fully comprehend the feat of running an 11.0 for a guy at 265 lbs.

Forty times are questionable. You run them on different surfaces, you have handtiming and there is now a electronic starting mechanism, (but not an ending one) to measure when a guy starts a "major movement" thus negating reaction time, it is such a short distance you can't get a very good idea of the difference between athletes...

I can understand why people who don't follow track don't understand this guy's feat. USC's roster of receivers recently have read like the national 100 meter high school record list. California being ground zero for track and field does this too. You hear 10.5's thrown around when that would make you one of the 40 fastest kids in the world.

Ex: Devon Hester 5'10 and 185, at U Miami ran a best of 10.6 in college and ran a 10.85 in high school and he was considered on of the speediest kids in the nation. There is simply NO ONE, pro athletes included, running an sub 14 at 265 much less an 11.2 and now an 11. Lots of D-1 receivers want to be that fast! It is like a tank keeping up with Porsches in a race. Austin, griffen, or Ellis may be better football players but they are not in the same planet as far as speed.

Football being so physical it can't last. Enjoy it while it's there.