September 2008 Archives
Wide receiver David Ausberry been virtually invisible recently but could get a larger role after being a non-factor so far.
``We need him, I anticipate we'll get more than 51 snaps in this game,'' offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said.
USC lost more than a game. Patrick Turner and Joe McKnight lost their beards. So in some respects, the loss was worth it.
Quarterback Mark Sanchez is nursing a sore ankle and but said he is OK.
``I'm starting to know how Matt (Leinart) and John David (Booty) felt,'' Sanchez said.
Pete Carroll called out freshman linebacker Chris Galippo during today's team meeting because he will start if Maualuga is unable to play.
Linebacker Rey Maualuga just saw the doctors and he remains uncertain for the Oregon game.
``I'll try my best and if I don't make it, I'll support the team,'' Maualuga said.
Erin Andrew, Mike Riley, Reggie Bush . . . all part of the questions and answers.
Here's Mike Belloitt's press conference today with the L.A. media.
Why does USC have more problems with 41-and-25 point underdogs than top 25 teams?
``Every team is ready to give their best shot against USC,'' offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said.
I never got around to mentioning how stressed out some media/officials were at halftime in the pressbox at Reser Stadium. The calm facade broke down real fast with USC trailing 21-0 and panic was the official mood.
Allen Bradford had three plays called for him, supposedly, but Mark Sanchez audibled the first one, Bradford got held up by a falling lineman on the second and Joe McKnight kept the ball on the third.
Did everyone forget this is the week Oregon's cheerleaders visit the Coliseum? After all, it's not like the actual game means anything.
OK, let's try to answer those Mexican mouthpiece and rougher crowd questions one more time.
Pete Carroll said offensive lineman Zack Heberer could be ``out awhile'' with a sprained toe. Alex Parsons would replace him.
Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson will get more playing time at wide receiver and the tailback rotation might change, depending on the game plan. Obviously, Stafon Johnson could see an increased role.
We were told it depends on whether USC wants to hammer an opponent (Johnson, C.J. Gable) or attack them with speed (Joe McKnight). I asked why you wouldn't always want to hammer an opponent but didn't really get an answer.
Oh, and the backup quarterback job is open again! Shocking!
Clay Matthews will start against Oregon. Either at defensive end in place of Everson Griffen, or at strongside linebacker, if Brian Cushing needs to move to middle linebacker to replace Rey Maualuga.
Matthews is making too many plays for the coaches to ignore him.
Chris Galippo will start at middle linebacker if Maualuga cannot play and he performs well this week in practice. Maualuga's MRI revealed a sprain but he said he is day-to-day right now.
Pete Carroll said the Oregon State game broke down on the edges.
``Everson (Griffen) struggled at times. Clay (Matthews) was pretty good. He needs to play more.''
He said the blowouts over Virginia and Ohio State did not prepare the defense to stop the run.
``We had no regular runs in those games because those teams fell behind so early,'' Carroll said. ``We might have been rusty.''
An NFL assistant coach called me to offer his opinions after watching the USC-Oregon State game.
``USC does some unusual things. They have their outside linebacker line up inside the No. 3 receiver, not outside like you are supposed to, which means you can get outflanked by the receiver
``It's almost like they're saying, we're better than you and we'll rely on our athletic ability.
``They also align the free safety right in the middle of the field, so the quarterback knows if they are in zone or man-to-man coverage. And they can't have an 8-man box with their formation, only a 7-man, if they need to stop the run.
``It's like they're saying, `Our athletes are just better than you.' ''
I saw ESPN was running a question today asking if ``USC got too much love'' from the poll voters for being ahead of Georgia. What do you think?
Who is satisfied with the explanations for the loss?
Apparently, the Pac-10 has some type of show hosted by the above-pictured Sarah Karges. We've never seen it. But if you have let us know. It might be a rare right move by the Versus Conference.
We're in full answer mode if you want to ask a question in the Open Forum.
Pete Carroll said late last night he would not answer any more questions about Oregon State. I hope the rest of the media gets the memo when they show up for practice today.
It was also a tough weekend for Caesar-crony Jurgen Klinsmann, as Bayern Munich lost to Hannover, 1-0.
Pete Carroll on the linebackers against Oregon State: ``They had a rough time.''
If you haven't asked a question, go to Thursday's posts and ask in the Open Forum.
Instead of fretting a loss to Oregon State, perhaps USC fans should instead look back at the number of times the Trojans could have lost but didn't simply because of Reggie Bush.
The Stanford game in the 2004 unbeaten season is a prime example, with Bush's 33-yard zig-zagging punt return setting up the winning touchdown in a 31-28 victory. He also scored a touchdown on a 17-yard run in the first half.
That same year, USC held off UCLA 29-24 with Bush gaining 204 yards and touchdown runs of 65-and-81 yards.
USC coach Pete Carroll did not deny Bush erased a lot of shortcomings on Sunday night.
``We were so dynamic offensively it made up for problems,'' Carroll said. ``A lot of it was Reggie.''
Rey Maualuga stopped by the football offices to visit Pete Carroll tonight wearing a big brace on his sprained knee. He sprained the medial-collateral ligament. There is no swelling and he can squat without problems. He will undergo an MRI today.
``We don't know yet (if he will play this week),'' Carroll said.
USC quarterback Mark Sanchez said many of the things that went wrong against Oregon State are not serious errors.
`There are a lot of mistakes we can clean up with one practice,'' Sanchez said.
Safety Taylor Mays said he is scheduled to get another x-ray for his bruised chest but feels fine.
``I'm straight. I got hit in the chest and coughed up blood,'' Mays said. ``I'm all right. I can breathe now.''
The decision to make Garrett Green the backup quarterback rewarded a consummate team player, but was it also a sign of hubris? Did USC become so confident that it felt it could make a stunning decision on the depth chart just because it was flying so high that it did not matter? It was just Oregon State, after all.
But what would really have happened if Mark Sanchez got hurt with USC trailing 21-0? We'll never know.
Some questions as USC starts preparing for Oregon.
1. Can Mark Sanchez lead USC to a comeback victory?
2. Was the defensive front seven overrated by the ``experts?''
3. Is the offensive line suddenly a question mark again?
4. Does Stafon Johnson deserve more playing time?
In case you missed it earlier, I spoke to a an NFL scout who saw the USC-Oregon State game.
USC's defensive line got plenty of blame for failing to stop Oregon State tailback Jacquizz Rodgers, but an NFL scout who watched the game said the Trojans' linebackers were equally to blame.
``The way USC's defense is set up, the linebackers are supposed to fill the gaps and make those tackles,'' said the scout, who did not wish to be identified. ``It's too easy to say the defensive line wasn't doing its job. The linebackers are supposed to be All-Americans, and they didn't have a great night either.''
Here's the latest ballot for the Associated Press Top 25 poll.
BCS guru Jerry Palm does not think the Pac-10's problems will necessarily hurt USC.
Pete Carroll said USC was perplexed at Oregon State, even at halftime.
``There was a little difference of opinion,'' he said. ``I asked, `Did they feel they were stronger, tougher and more aggressive than you thought?' Some said yes, some said no. They didn't have it nailed.''
Meanwhile, Virginia coach Al Groh is killing USC. Duke snapped a 25-game losing streak with a resounding victory over the Cavaliers. How bad an opponent were the Cavaliers to play this season? With or without Peter Lalich.
Ed Orgeron indirectly helped USC today. He got fired at Ole Miss, which hired Houston Nutt and allowed the Rebels to snap a nine-game SEC losing streak with an upset of Florida. As we mentioned yesterday, there are many losses ahead for SEC and Big 12 teams.
Does Georgia lose tonight for the trifecta?
Here's the grades on the first loss of the season.
USC coach Pete Carroll on Joe McKnight's effort at punt returns.
``He misjudged one and had to get away from the other one,'' Carroll said. `` other one just a short kick to his left. He really couldn't get to the ball.''
``As I look at it, it was missed opportunity to get started right,'' USC coach Pete Carroll said. ``We'll have to fight our way back.''
USC coach Pete Carroll said he tonight he plans no changes for the tailback rotation.
``We're not changing, it's not necessary,'' Carroll said.
Carroll said linebacker Rey Maualuga will have an MRI on Monday on his sprained knee. Linebacker Brian Cushing has a broken bone on his hand and will wear a cast. Safety Taylor Mays has a bruised chest. Offensive lineman Zack Heberer has a sprained big toe.
"We're so quick to jump on the bandwagon," Trev Alberts, the former Nebraska star, now an analyst for CBS College Sports told the Associated Press. ``Maybe we thought a little too much of USC.
"It almost looked like they were going through the motions. (The USC coaches) didn't have their team ready to play.''
What happened to the tight-end position? It's certainly worth more than two receptions a game, especially with Blake Ayles around.
``We just weren't ourselves. We've had games even with veteran groups where we came out flat, like the '05 group going down to 21-3 to ASU.''
-- USC quarterback Mark Sanchez
I was unimpressed with the play-call on a third-and-20 situation in the fourth quarter from the USC 14 with Oregon State ahead 21-14. Mark Sanchez threw a short pass to Joe McKnight, who gained 13 yards. I felt the play showed a lack of confidence in Sanchez, so I asked offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian about the play.
``We were only down one score and we needed some punting room,'' he said.
Just like it was way too early to proclaim USC the best team in the country, it's similarly much too soon to say the Trojans are out of the BCS title race.
The SEC and Big 12 frontrunners have much tougher schedules and many potential losses ahead, so USC could move back into the top two by winning the rest of its games. Remember, that devastating loss to Stanford didn't knock USC out, it was the loss to Oregon.
That said, USC's real concern should be to diagnose how it got blown off the line of scrimmage by Oregon State and whether it can happen again. That's the biggest BCS obstacle at the moment.
Even though Oregon State tailback Jacquizz Rodgers gained 186 yards, a West Coast head college coach who watched the game said the key to the victory was the Beavers' passing game.
``They schemed perfectly to USC's zone defense,'' the coach said. ``USC didn't seem to play any man-to-man. Or very little. That really hurt them.''
The locker room was not especially downcast after the game, which might surprise some people. Perhaps it was because USC realized it got outplayed. Or that everyone wanted to forget it immediately.
One thing that cannot be forgotten is that Mark Sanchez is showing a tendency to throw critical interceptions in the fourth quarter of tight games.
Do you think 710-AM radio hosts Mason and Ireland will be calling me for another visit to their show to admit they were wrong for chastising me about voting Georgia No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll?
Some of USC's recent losses (Oregon State in 2006, Stanford in 2007, Oregon in 2007) were directly the result of turnovers. But this is more disturbing because USC got blown off the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. When did this last happen? Pete Carroll's first year? The Paul Hackett era?
For the recruiting addicts who count how many top 100 players the Trojans can accumulate, USC just lost to a team with a 5-11 quarterback and a 5-7 tailback.
Oregon State Jacquizz Rodgers said he never received a recruiting letter from USC.
Jacquizz Rodgers' 186-yard rushing performance is 12th on the USC opponent list, which dates from 1946. Second on the all-time list is Ken Simonton's 234-yard performance for the Beavers in 2000, which played a part in snapping Oregon State's 26-game losing streak to the Trojans. The opponent single-game rushing record is held by Curtis Enis, who rushed for 241 yards against the Trojans in 1996.
How many yards did USC lose because the punt was either not caught or at least not caught on the bounce and cost the team yardage?
Is this where I resurrect my ``USC will not win a national championship without Norm Chow'' line?
``That wasn't us out there,'' USC quarterback Mark Sanchez said. ``I don't know who it was. I want to spit the bad taste out.
``It's not one person even though I feel like it's my fault. ``We all had our share. Coach Carroll was adamant about that.''
``I don't even know if we weren't focused or what it was,'' offensive lineman Jeff Byers said. ``We had a great week of practice. I never saw this coming.''
``We just couldn't tackle the guy,'' Pete Carroll said. ``We weren't ready to do what we needed to do. We weren't functioning.
``Our inability to stop Jacquizz Rodgers, I'm beside myself.''
``I was really surprised how they ran on us,'' defensive end Kyle Moore said. ``We missed a lot of tackles. People did not fall in the gaps. We didn't play well at all, especially on the defensive line.''
It's crunch time and also time for the readers to comment. Was that another fumble by Joe McKnight?
Jacquizz Rodgers is just the 10th player ro rush for more than 100 yards in the past 77 games.
Looks like it could be another drama-filled second half at Reser Stadium. The Trojans scored on their first two possessions and its 21-14 with 2:56 left in the third quarter.
Doesn't USC supposedly have four great quarterbacks? So why not snap the ball to them on every play? Or does that not generate enough attention for an ESPN game?
I don't know how many times I can write that the defense is totally perplexed by Oregon State. And it's almost a two-man attack from Rodgers and Rodgers. Fili Moala, the No. 1 pick in next year's draft, is getting manhandled by the Beavers and Kyle Moore is faring no better.
But here's another issue. All the running backs not named Joe McKnight last had significant game action a month ago against Virginia. And they look rusty.
That play with Joe McKnight needs to be eliminated. And that's also why we continually rail about fumbles.
Did anyone imagine this score? Or that the defense would look so helpless. Again, it's early, and Pac-10 games are always dangerous. But USC looks anemic defensively.
Time to mothball that Joe McKnight-as-QB play now. You can list your own here, as the defense continues to get pushed around.
You can bet you will hear tonight from somebody that Oregon State tailback Jacquizz Rodgers was too small to see and tackle. It's the standard excuse when you can't stop a small back.
It's very early but is this what you want the nation to see?
USC's defense is getting pushed at the line of scrimmage by Oregon State. Oregon State? And little Jacquizz Rodgers is going wild.
That's two horse-collar tackles for those of you keeping score on the defense.
Now it's C.J. Gable's turn on a short-yardage third down play. Looks like Joe McKnight is not a short-term guy quite yet. Gable breaks a couple tackles but doesn't get the first down. Another punt.
USC suddenly discovered Stafon Johnson for an opening series, since it needed a yard on 3rd-and-1, but the play didn't work.
There are a lot of empty seats in the corners of the upper deck, one side of which is reserved for USC fans.
Erin Andrews just arrived at Reser Stadium and immediately was asked to pose for several pictures. The game can now proceed as scheduled.
I'm setting this up now, but if you have questions related to the game, you might want to wait until tonight. One question per person please.
The 2006 Oregon State upset was not the first time a Beavers team stopped a major USC streak. In 1933, in Portland, Oregon State's 11 "iron men," as they would go down in school lore, played the entire 60 minutes with no substitutes, holding Howard Jones' Trojans to a 0-0 tie. That ended USC's 25-game win streak, USC's longest winning streak before Caesar showed up.
Tonight's game was originally not supposed to take place. Before 2006, Pac-10 teams missed one conference opponent each year. USC had been scheduled to miss the Beavers for four consecutive seasons (2005-2008).
When the NCAA added a 12th game, the Pac-10 decided to schedule all conference teams. The first consequence of that for USC was the 2006 upset loss to the Beavers.
There was some rain this morning but it's cloudy and there is a little sunshine right now. There's been a lot of buzz about the Maurice Simmons sentencing around the hotel today.
Oregon State coach Craig Robinson was on our flight up here for the game. Robinson, as you probably know, is the brother-in-law of presidential candidate Barack Obama.
He is also a former Ivy League Player of the Year and just coached two seasons at Brown, which is also in the Ivy League.
With that background, I asked Robinson if he was ready to compete against the ``scumbags of the Pac-10.'' (Hey, time is short. I need to cut to the chase).
But then I realized he worked on Wall Street before getting into coaching, so I think he'll survive just fine.
Robinson was friendly and quite knowledgeable on a variety of topics. He will be interviewed at halftime of tonight's game on ESPN.
Linebacker Brian Cushing said his hamstring feels ``95 percent'' recovered. But he said he will wait until tomorrow to decide his status for the game.
USC's team buses are currently driving to Corvallis for the team walk-through at Reser Stadium. And it is raining.
This week California must uphold the Pac-10's rep against Colorado State of the Mountain West.
``(It's) not so much for the conference, as it is for ourself," said Cal coach Jeff Tedford.
USC recruit Maurice Simmons was sentenced to four years in prison today. His attorney originally sought to delay today's hearing to provide more time to build a case against a lengthy sentence but the hearing went as scheduled.
There's a growing debate about what happens if USC, Oklahoma and an SEC team go undefeated and whether the Trojans' membership in the Pacific-10 Conference will hurt its chances?
Whatever would happen, wouldn't you rather be USC than the other two teams? How do you think they feel knowing they have to win the rest of their games in real conferences (go play at Texas or Florida or Georgia) while USC plays in a conference where you can't even circle a game at the moment as one the Trojans might lose.
Here's the last of the Open Forum questions. And we start it all again Friday!
Looks like we haven't seen the last of Virginia quarterback Peter Lalich. Maybe he will be at Thursday's USC-Oregon State game. Or give the Beavers some pointers on the Trojans' defense. Maybe he could be the first quarterback to play against USC for two different schools in the same season.
But seriously, Lalich made a great choice following the draconian tactics that saw him booted from Virginia. Does anyone think USC would have kicked him out?
After three years, wide receiver Patrick Turner's showing signs of being an impact receiver.
We sought a clarification tonight on Garrett Green's role if Mark Sanchez were injured?
``If it was a month, we might look at it differently,'' Carroll said. ``Right now, he's the first guy in. We want the guys (on offense) to finish as fast as they can and Garrett can do that.''
What if Sanchez were out for a quarter? ``We'd see what happens,'' Carroll said.
For those keeping score at home, Aaron Corp is officially the No. 3 quarterback. That means Mitch Mustain is now fourth.
Here's Pete Carroll on the backup quarterback situation:
``In the short‑term situation, if Mark has to come out of the game for a couple plays or something like that, fix a shoulder pad or something, Garrett goes in, we think we can stay the same the best by doing that. If we had a long‑term situation where the quarterback was out for a while, we'll adjust from there.''
Is ``long-term'' a series, a quarter or a game?
Here's Oregon State coach Mike Riley's press conference today.
Questions about the offensive line and Mozique McCurtis.
I told Mark Sanchez he should pretend to be injured for a play against Oregon State just to make sure Garrett Green is really the No. 2 quarterback. Plus, it would give Green a chance to take a snap in a real game.
If you want to scroll (way) down to the Open Forum, you can still ask a question.
Several fans have complained that the USC-Ohio State game drew an uglier-acting crowd.
Who says a bye hurts you in the polls?
The Massey Ratings , apparently impressed with USC's performance during the bye week, moved the Trojans up 19 spots to No. 1. Behind USC are Utah, Boise State, Wisconsin, and Georgia.
The ColleyMatrix remains a USC skeptic, placing he Trojans at No. 14. Utah is No. 1, followed by Wisconsin, Alabama, Vanderbilt, and Nebraska. Billingsley and Sagarin already had the Trojans No. 1.
Here's a question about Brice Butler and T.J. Bryant.
A group of USC alumni is trying to get the state of Virginia to produce a USC license plate. The state does make about 30 out-of-state colleges, including Notre Dame.
The State DMV requires pre-paid applications for 350 vehicles before it will approve the program and they are currently at around half that mark. Plate fees are $25 per year, plus another $10 annually for a six-character "vanity" message.
Information after the jump.
USC is now giving away seats in the pressbox. Here's your chance to sit in the highest seats in the Coliseum!
After Monday's practice, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian was asked who would replace Mark Sanchez if he got hurt against Oregon State.
``We'll decide tomorrow,'' Sarkisian said.
About 10 minutes later, Pete Carroll announced that Garrett Green was officially the No. 2 quarterback. I asked Sarkisian about this contradiction in answers.
``I defer to my boss,'' he said, acknowledging that he didn't want to say Green was No. 2 until Caesar did.
Shaquille O'Neal was at the Galen Center today filming a commercial. Maybe he can replace the hole left by RouSean Cromwell?
So why did Garrett Green officially leapfrog Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain today as the backup to Mark Sanchez?
Here's a couple possible reasons:
``I didn't perform well last week in practice,'' Corp said.
As for Mustain, he's been in a bit of a funk since becoming the No. 3 quarterback about a week before thinking he had a shot to start against Virginia.
We got behind because of server issues, but they seem cleared up now. We hope.
We've had some server issues today. Surprise, surprise.
Is the play-calling better this year?
Here's Florida tailback Emmanuel Moody on not fumbling the ball, something that was an issue when he was at USC.
"We play in the SEC, where a turnover can cost you the whole game,'' he said. ``We're playing to win and protecting the ball is a big part of our game plan.''
Moody also spoke Monday about why he chose Florida.
"I had a good feeling in my heart. Florida was on a high, coming off a championship, so I wanted to check them out. The people of Gator Nation had a lot to do with it.''
Moody gained 55 yards against Tennessee.
"The offensive line was just pancaking people,'' he said. ``They made the lanes available for me to run through. From there I just tried to run hard. It felt great."
Only one song girl question here. And someone asks if being in the Versus Conference affects recrutiing.
There's always time to answer a recruiting question.
One of the questions here concerns legendary radio host Jim Healy.
And away we go as everyone wants to ask questions about the nation's No. 1 team.
Here's an interesting article where Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid analyzes a coaches' copy of the 1958 NFL Championship game between the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts, dubbed the ``the greatest game ever played,'' and compares the football to today's game.
Former USC star Frank Gifford was also a star for that Giants team, and Reid said Gifford was one of the few players in that game who could play in the NFL today.
Freshman wide receiver D.J. Shoemate received more snaps than usual with the first team during Sunday's practice.
``We're trying to find ways to get him more involved,'' Pete Carroll
No. 4 QB Garrett Green got to work with the second team today as a reward for strong performances in practice.
``We're giving Garrett a good look,'' USC coach Pete Carroll said. ``We're going to keep the competition open. Garrett's not out of it. He's done a nice job under the circumstances.''
Green, who strained his knee against Ohio State, is wearing a brace but said it does not affect him. He hurt his knee on the kickoff team. Carroll said if he wasn't hurt, he would have played against the Buckeyes.
``It's definitely more fun,'' Green said of being the backup. ``It's night and day between the (scout) team and the real offense. (Scout) team is great but it's not football.''
USC coach Pete Carroll used one of his favorite topics, the NFL, as a guard against a let down during Sunday's team meeting.
``Look at how many 2-0 teams struggled today,'' Carroll said. ``When they were 1-0, they didn't know how good they were. Then they start thinking about it after two wins.''
Will be held at Cromwell Field on the FieldTurf. It's really going to be a typical Thursday practice because of the short game week.
USC added a first-place vote in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and lost a first-place vote in the coaches' poll.
Here's this week's ballot for the Associated Press Top 25 poll.
It's a good thing the human polls will be two-thirds of the BCS formula because the Versus Conference is doing USC no favors with its strength of schedule. Ultimately, it should not matter but in the old days, the computer geeks would be working overtime to figure out how that SOS would be affected.
Werder Bremen stunned 5-2 win at Bayern Munich and embarassed the defending league champs in front of its own fans to give Pete Carroll's admirer, Juergen Klinsmann, his first taste of defeat as a Bundesliga coach.
He is still doing much better than Greg Robinson, however.
Former USC tailback Emmanuel Moody actually got nine carries for 55 yards against Tennessee. And he didn't fumble. Florida's got five straight games without a turnover.
USC stars Brian Cushing and Taylor Mays ignore training table and get food delivered to their door every morning.
Matt Barkley threw another three interceptions last night although he faced a talented Corona Centennial defense. He also passed for 412 yards. He showed a lack of touch forcing some short passes, however, and his mobility was less than impressive.
It just seems like everyone is named Simmons. USC guard Marcus Simmons will be out 8-12 weeks following surgery to remove a bone growth from his left leg that resulted from complications over last season's ankle injury.
Freshman offensive guard Khaled Holmes has lost about 25 pounds since the start of training camp and is currently 296 pounds.
It is worth mentioning that converted defensive lineman Derek Simmons is currently among the top eight offensive lineman in terms of the playing rotation. That's a huge leap forward for someone who is learning the position.
If the switch were made last spring, he might be challenging for a starting spot right now.
A reader emailed that ESPN ran a promo that said Mark Sanchez will be, ``live on set'' from College GameDay. Really? In Auburn? Does he know Erin Andrews won't be there?
Pete Carroll will be at more than one high school game tonight. One he will definitely attend is Mater Dei-Centennial. If you see him at another game, post here.
I liked the answer to this question for Pete Carroll so much, I used it my notes in Friday's paper.
Q: I noticed in the past two games that the offense has started using the shotgun formation with some frequency this year for the first time in recent memory (at least compared to past seasons). This never seemed to happen with Carson or Matt and only very, very rarely with John-David.
Why were we reluctant to use the shotgun with previous offenses (or QBs), and what's prompted the change with this one?
Several players missed practice, including defensive end Kyle Moore (back spasms), wide receiver Patrick Turner (pulled thigh muscle), wide receiver Damian Williams (ankle) and fullback Stanley Havili (hamstring).
Williams and Havili did not practice this week. Pete Carroll said Williams would be questionable if USC had a game this week.
Offensive guard Derek Simmons also played against Ohio State but is not listed in the participation chart.
Offensive lineman Jeff Byers was the first player singled out by Pete Carroll during highlights from the Ohio State game because he pancaked two Buckeyes players on one play. But Byers did not want the attention.
``I'd rather he didn't show it,'' Byers said. ``I don't play for that.''
Of course, USC coaches never care about the rankings. But offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian could not resist mentioning my AP ballot in a meeting this week, which he sheepishly admitted after I asked him about it Wednesday.
I resisted this comeback from a former Daily News colleague: ``I would have voted USC No. 1 if Norm Chow were the offensive coordinator.''
USC linebackers Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga will be in-studio for Fox's college football kickoff show at 11 a.m. with analyst D'Marco Farr. This is a national show, so it cannot be as insufferable as the Lexus Gauntlet show.
Dominguez linebacker Marquis Simmons was in the USC locker room after the Ohio State game and said he remained committed to the Trojans. There was speculation he might waver after his brother, Maurice, was convicted of robbery last month.
Here's Cal coach Jeff Tedford's view on the Versus Conference's 3-7 performance.
"I wouldn't expect to see this again from our conference, with this magnitude. It was just kind of a weird weekend."
The coaches say they are trying to keep Mitch Mustain's morale up despite being No. 3 on the depth chart.
Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said even though he played Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain briefly against Ohio State, he really wanted to get No. 4 quarterback Garrett Green into the game.
``He's deserving of playing time too,'' Sarkisian said. ``But we only ran 62 plays. It's hard to get (guys in) when you're only running 62 plays. We'd like 80 plays.''
Newly arrived tailback Curtis McNeal struggled early in practice, including fumbling, but then had a nice run near the end of practice. He's quick and small, so he gives a different look to the backfield.
``Curtis is different than the other guys we have,'' USC coach Pete Carroll said.
Tailback D.J.Morgan of Taft High School in Woodland Hills committed to USC. He is a junior.
USC wanted to open the student gates 30 minutes early for the Ohio State game. But for some reason it did not happen. With the line winding around the Coliseum, the fire marshal finally ordered the student gates to be opened.
Forward Tyler Honeycutt of Sylmar committed to UCLA today. No surprise. He's been expected to select the Bruins since the early summer. Of course, he waited to make his decision after he got to attend the USC-Ohio State game.
Someone is willing to bid $775 for a Pete Carroll-autographed Ohio State game football. Maybe some of that money can buy a couple extra seats for the elderly lifetime pass players who require a second person to attend a game.
Cornerback Shareece Wright plead not guilty at his arraignment hearing today for a felony charge of resisting a police officer at a party in Colton. His pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Oct. 29.
Freshman defensive end Malik Jackson said he played against Ohio State. We went off the USC-provided participation chart, which did not list him. So Jackson's actually played in both games this season.
Arizona State's loss to UNLV caused ESPN GameDay to cancel plans to televise from Sun Devils Stadium and will now go to Auburn vs. LSU.
Oregon coach Mike Bellotti on the Pac-10's 3-7 weekend.
"That affects all of us. It affects how we're perceived. We all read that stuff. There's not a lot to say. The only way we can answer that is on the field."
Time to submit a question for Pete Carroll. Last week's questions were good if you want to resubmit them. Deadline is noon Thursday.
Oregon State coach Mike Riley was asked if the extra time (12 days) will help prepare for USC.
``It might take 12 months,'' Riley said.
Oregon State might get quarterback Sean Canfield for the USC game. He was the original starter last year but got hurt and was replaced by Lyle Moevao.
"He was throwing some comebacks, some deep 'in' routes the other day, which I hadn't seen him throw since last year,'' Riley said.
Here's one reason Stafon Johnson received only four carries against Ohio State and for some reason, Joe McKnight's concussion is only being described as migraines.
With UCLA losing to BYU 59-0, it once again highlights what might be Pete Carroll's most impressive accomplishment: His worst loss at USC is 11 points (27-16 to Notre Dame, 2001) and it is the only game he ever lost by double figures.
Tailback Joe McKnight did not practice today because he is still bothered by migraine headaches. He is apparently sensitive to light.
Freshman Nick Perry worked at strongside linebacker in his first practice since getting cleared. He was moved because USC's depth is an issue since Clay Matthews is preferred at defensive end.
Here's a question about the script used at the start of a game.
Four of the six BCS computer polls are out and USC is No. 1 in two of them: Sagarin and Bllingsley.
In Colley Matrix, the Trojans are ranked at No. 17. Colley's top five are Nebraska, East Carolina, Wisconsin, Auburn, and Vanderbilt. Ohio State is No. 62, just two spots above No. 64 UCLA.
USC actually tumbled 16 spots in Massey, to No. 20. USC trails one-loss UNLV (16), Virginia Tech (10), and West Virginia (8). Massey's top five are East Carolina, Wisconsin, Uah, Nebraska, and Wake Forest.
Billingsley's computer apparently was not put off by Ohio State's loss; the Buckeye's actually climbed to No. 5 from No. 7 in Billingsley, leapfrogging LSU in the process. UCLA also went up in defeat, rising to No. 23 from No. 26 despite the loss to BYU. Part of this is no doubt due to the fact that Billingsley, and the other computers, are not allowed to take into account margin of victory in their BCS calculations.
I would encourage everyone to read the first question in this portion because it concerns an athletic tradition at USC.
The other two voters who did not rank USC No. 1 were sportswriters from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette and Winston-Salem Journal.
Is it too soon to wonder who will start at safety next season?
Here's the latest on mercurial recruit Randall Carroll. His top three schools are remarkably similar to my own.
Here's the podcast from my exchange with Mason and Ireland regarding my top 25 ballot. Things start around 8:37 mark.
Who did you see on the sidelines Saturday?
USC offered a scholarship to Anthony Barr, a junior tailback from Loyola High School in Los Angeles. He could be the top tailback in the state next season. And his father and uncle were Notre Dame tailbacks, so right now it is considered a long shot he will go somewhere else.
USC is the Football Writers Assn. of America team of the week. As Jim Healy might play, ``Ah wonderful, ah wonderful, ah wonderful.''
We are pleased to announce we are adding a new sponsor: Roman Signal Flags by Caesar.
They promise to provide a realiable source of communications for fans at the Coliseum home games for the remainder of the season.
AT&T just kicked off its All-America Player of the Week program, which lets fans vote via text message for the best college football player each week. Four finalists are announced on Sunday mornings during ESPN's "SportsCenter," and fans have until Wednesday to make their pick. This week, USC's Mark Sanchez is one of the nominees. Fans can text VOTE to 51234 to opt in for the chance to vote for Mark this week.
Just don't try to vote at the Coliseum because you will not have AT&T service.
I received a hilarious email this morning from a fan claiming the Coliseum video screen sound trailed the picture because the speed of sound travels slower than light.
Oh really? Then how do the other six stadiums I visit every year for road games master this marvel of technology?
I've heard from many people complaining about the cell phone reception inside and outside the Coliseum. This is especially problematic if you are meeting someone at the game or picking up tickets, etc.
Perhaps with the 10 AT&T banners hanging around, decent cell service should be expected.
A colleague emailed to say after watching the game on TV, Rey Maualuga stepped out of bounds on the 5-yard line in his interception return. He said you clearly see a piece of white chalk flying up, not to mention his foot touching the line.
Did it matter? No. But what happens if these guys are making a crucial decision in a league game?
There have only been six games in NCAA FBS history that have finished with a 3-2 score. The latest before Saturday night's Auburn-Mississippi State game was a 3-2 win by Clemson over Duke on Oct. 16, 1965 in Durham, N.C.
Is it too late for the Pac-10 to add BYU as its 11th member?
Questions are getting answered today. I knew it was a big game Saturday when I ran into Erin Andrews and Brent Musberger asked me who is leading the Bundesliga.
Here's the USC-Ohio State grades.
If you did not ask a question in the current Open Forum, here's your chance. One question per person please.
Pete Carroll on the Pac-10's bad day.
``Unbelievable. Unbelievable. I can't even imagining that happening.''
Here's what Pete Carroll had to say about Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
``They were determined to do it. It wasn't the game, it was the game plan. I thought it was really impressive. He did a nice job. We were hawking that ball and went after him and we never really hit him.''
Will he be a big factor when the teams play next year in Columbus?
``Heck yeah, he will. He'll be a big factor.''
Tailback Joe McKnight was OK today after experiencing a migraine headache last night.
Offensive tackle Tyron Smith got into the game, which means he will not redshirt. D.J. Shoemate, Drew McAllister, Uona Kaveinga, Blake Ayles, Jurrell Casey and Armond Armstead were the other true freshmen to play.
Everson Griffen and Clay Matthews rotated at defensive end. Here's their stats:
Griffen: 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss.
Matthews: 6 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass breakup.
Katie Longawa, a USC student majoring in print journalism, was among those seriously injured in the Metrolink crash on Friday.
She is currently in the ICU at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission HIlls. She is expected to recover from her injuries, but may need to remain in the hospital for the next few weeks.
For those wishing to send a note, please write:
Katie Longawa
Providence Holy Cross Medical Center
15031 Rinaldi St.
Mission Hills, CA 91346
If last year was known as the year of the parity and upsets, is this going to go down as a year of mediocrity?
Look at the lack of balance in today's AP poll, which has five SEC teams in the top 10. The first time in SEC history that five teams from the league have been ranked in the same AP Top 10 poll.
Based on total number of available points in this week's poll (20,800 / 64 voters x 325 points / 25-24-23, etc.), the SEC has 29.6 percent of this week's points (6150 of 20,800 points).
Lost amid the blowout of Ohio State was the wipeout of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. Insert your own punchlnes.
Which reminds me, the Fat Booster was seen on the sidelines yesterday although I did not notice if he was allowed in the team area.
Did anyone really notice that was a new video board at the Coliseum? And why was the sound two seconds behind the picture? On the bright side, none of you are complaining about the song girls today.
With Ohio State's Chris Wells injured and unable to play yesterday, it continued a string of top tailbacks unable to meet the call against Trojans in the past two years.
Oregon State's Yvenson Bernard, the Pac-10's No. 6 all-time leading rusher, missed two straight games against USC while Arkansas star tailback Darren McFadden was recovering from an injury in 2006. You could throw in the 2005 Hawaii game, played before quarterback Colt Brennan was named a full-time starter and Virginia losing starting quarterback Jameel Sewell, who threw for 2,176 yards as a sophomore.
USC tailback Marc Tyler was a frequent passenger on the Metrolink train that collided with another train Friday afternoon.
Former Ohio State coach John Cooper gave USC assistant coach Pat Ruel his impression of the game in the Coliseum tunnel.
``I don't know. It's a tough call. I can't make that statement.''
-- Linebacker Brian Cushing on whether this is the best team he's played on at USC.
The Pac-10 went 0-3 0-4 against the Mountain West Conference today. And who thinks this conference is better than the SEC?
Ohio State had a string of 141 games of scoring at least a touchdown snapped tonight. The last time the Buckeyes failed to score a touchdown was Nov. 23, 1996 in a 13-9 loss.
Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor on what he wants to take from the game.
``I don't want to remember any of the plays,'' he said. ``I just want to move forward.''
Any comments?
Here's Pete Carroll: ``This is a great win for us but it doesn't mean an more than the others. Joe (McKnight) really answered the call for us, really securing the ball and making something happen.''
USC leads 35-3 with 8:37 left. Can't Aaron Corp get in earlier than this? What happens if Mark Sanchez gets hurt, it would be nice for Corp to have a quarter of action.
There were a lot of Ohio State fans spread through the general seating areas usually consisting of only USC fans. Someone sold their tickets for this game.
``Today's game was the most physical performance I have ever seen from our team.''
-- That's not from anyone at Ohio State, but BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall.
There was a nightmarish scene today when fans, whose tickets say Gate 33 on them, tried to enter at the recruit gate, which also has signs that say Gate 33. It created an immovable herd that created a logjam of people trying to go forward and backward after they were denied entrance.
Elsewhere, the tunnels were clogged long before kickoff with people trying to enter the stadium.
Thanks for coming Buckeyes, it's 28-3 with 5:57 left in the third quarter, and no, this game did not offer any suspense. See you in 2009.
That Pac-10 crew could come in for scrutiny from Jim Tressel after the game for those two holding penalties that wiped out a near-touchdown and touchdown.
That brand new Coliseum elevator broke down repeatedly during its first public day of operation.
USC leads comfortably 21-3 although the stats are much closer. Perhaps because Rey Maualuga returned an interception 48 yards for the touchdown.
Things are going pretty close to form. Todd Boeckman is very average.Terrelle Pryor is giving the Trojans problems (a year from now will be really interesting) and Mark Sanchez threw his customary interception to end the half.
Where is Stafon Johnson? One carry so far. So much for tailback by committee.
Between Chris Wells' injury and Shareece Wright's legal problems, there was plenty of drama leading up to the game.
Jim Tressel said Chris Wells will not play against USC.
"He's been getting treatment 15 times a day," Tressel said. "I guess if looks could kill he fought me. I just told the team because it's important our guys know what we thought we should do."
Ohio State freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor is a bit of a wild-card factor in tomorrow's game but is it unfair to put emphasis on him?
Imagine a year ago that USC planned to play Aaron Corp in the third game of the season.
The NCAA Clearinghouse approved the transcripts of Nick Perry and Curtis McNeal and each is enrolled in classes and expected to practice Tuesday.
Here's another question from the Open Forum that gets answered a bit early.
A reader predicts a Petros Papadakis-Mark Willard encounter here.
Some questions need to be answered before the USC-Ohio State game.
The LAPD is going to have any extra detail to deal with ticket scalpers at the game. Somehow I still think it will be hard to walk 20 feet without running into someone selling tickets.
Here's this week's question submitted by a reader to Pete Carroll. If your question was not selected, you can send it again next week.
It's time to pick the score of the big game. Manchester United 2, Liverpool 1. Oops. The other big game.
USC 31, Ohio State 24.
It seems like USC's speed could be a problem for the Buckeyes, who do not appear faster than the Michigan teams that came out for the Rose Bowl.
But maybe 18 returning starters will allow this game to sort of live up to the hype.
Former USC basketball player Davon Jefferson signed with the Maccabi Haifa Heat in Israel.
The status of Chris ``Beanie'' Wells was not a high priority for every USC player.
"I don't really care," safety Kevin Ellison said. "If he's in there, good for him."
Asked by a reporter about "Beanie's status," Ellison said, "Who? Who's
Beanie?"
USC and Ohio State played a rare Friday night game in 1959. Who won? Why was it on Friday? And who did Ohio State coach Woody Hayes punch after the game?
Here's ESPN's Cris Carter, the former Ohio State wide receiver, on the game: "I think it's a huge opportunity for Ohio State in regards to what people say. They're matched up on a national stage and it's very critical that they show well.
Nick Perry's case remains unchanged tonight. He needs to be cleared by tomorrow. Curtis McNeal received preliminary approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse but since then things have not progressed. He also needs to be approved by tomorrow.
There's a lot of chatter in NFL coaching circles that Raiders coach Lane Kiffin could get fired very soon.
Four of the six computer polls used in the BCS rankings are out. USC is No. 1 in two of them (Sagarin and Billingsley) and No. 4 in a third (Massey).
However, in the fourth, the Colley Matrix, which uses a complex mathematical formula and only data from this season, USC is ranked No. 36.
Colley's top five: Wake Forest, Utah, Nebraska, Arkansas St., and Wisconsin. Ohio St. is No. 42.
Did USC start 12 players on offense against Virginia?
The Virginia stat crew lists Joe McKnight and C.J. Gable as the starters, because they were on the field for the first play. But USC's press release this week lists Stanley Havili as starting the Virginia game instead of McKnight.
You might remember McKnight caught an 8-yard pass on the first play of the game. So we'll side with Virginia.
USC's last regular season loss to a ranked team, when USC was ranked No. 1, was to No. 7 Alabama, 21-20, at the Coliseum on October 8, 1977. Rob Hertel's 2-point conversion pass to Mosi Tatupu was intercepted by Barry Krauss, with 35 seconds remaining.
The Trojans got a measure of revenge the following year, when a No. 7-ranked USC defeated a No. 1-ranked Alabama, 24-14, at Birmingham.Â
We hear freshman offensive tackle Matt Kalil will now redshirt. No decision yet on Tyron Smith, who USC would like to get some playing time this season.
Here's Keyshawn Johnson's thoughts on USC.
"They had some disappointment here in the last couple years in terms of finishing the job. ... They have to win this football game to move toward the goal of winning a National Championship. Teams like Ohio State, that come into the Pac-10 Conference, a highly visible college with a very good football program, you get a lot of points for beating a type of team like that.
``A question in the past has always been, 'Is the schedule tough enough for USC?' Having a Virginia team and now an Ohio State team that they'll play, and the Pac-10 teams that they'll meet up against throughout the year, it will show what kind of football team and program it continues to be."
Former USC wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson: USC, 35-10
Former Ohio State wide receiver Cris Carter: Ohio State, 21-17
Nick Perry needs to be cleared, fly to Los Angeles and start attending classes by tomorrow or he will not be eligible for this season.
Ohio State beat Youngstown State 43-0 but the following week, South Dakota State beat Youngstown 40-7. So maybe USC should play South Dakota State this Saturday.
Wide receiver Vidal Hazelton (sprained ankle) practiced but his status remains uncertain.
``I'm not going to rush it,'' Hazelton said. ``I'd rather miss a game and play the rest of the season.''
``He's not 100 percent,'' offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian added.
Reserve safety Will Harris sprained his ankle Wednesday and his status is uncertain. Linebacker Brian Cushing said his sore hip felt fine Wednesday. A teammate hit Cushing with his elbow or knee during a walk-through Tuesday. Cushing said he will get the cast of his wrist today. He had a bone chip in the wrist.
I have not heard a single talking head/blowhard yet who does not think USC will do anything less than blow out Ohio State. I have not made a prediction yet but it's always dangerous when a groupthink forms (especially when Anthony Davis is allowed on TV).
It's early in the season, but a dull performance against Ohio and rout of a team that beat Richmond 16-0 seem to have firmed up the ``analysts'' opinion. Among those is CBS analyst Spencer Tillman, who said USC ``looked like world beaters.''
Jim Tressel recalled Ohio State tailback Chris Wells telling him and an assistant earlier this week, " 'I'm ready to carry 45 times on Saturday'. He's not going to carry 45 if he's not effective. His effectiveness will be, in large part, based upon what the other guys do. If they block people, he can be effective, If they don't, it will be harder."
Washington's school mascot, the malamute Husky named Spirit, missed the BYU game because of a shoulder injury. A school spokesman said that Spirit stepped in a hole while chasing a squirrel.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel also said he won't be afraid to use freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who's been receiving spot play in the first two games, against USC.
"The only thing that holds back a freshman from playing in my mind is if they don't understand what we're doing and, therefore, their physical abilities can't take over," Tressel said. "And the thing I've been impressed with with Terrelle is he understands what we're doing, so he'll have opportunities."
But what about those high-school fumbles?
I tried this out in the spring and liked it, so here's a chance to submit a question for Pete Carroll. I'll post the winning question before the Ohio State game.
USC recruit Byron Moore of Narbonne faces fellow wide receiver Shaquelle Evans of Inglewood on Friday night. Remember Evans is believed to favor UCLA although I recently mentioned USC is making a strong push for him.
The average ticket price on StubHub.com for the USC-Ohio State game is $405.
But look how much cheaper the other home games are right now. You can see the Oregon cheerleaders for $104!
Ohio State - $405 avg.
Oregon - $104 avg.
Arizona State - $123 avg.
Washington - $96 avg.
California - $130 avg.
Notre Dame - $246 avg.
USC center Michael Reardon underwent hip surgery and will be sidelined for at least six months. Reardon tried to play through the pain during training camp before surgery was required.
One thing to note is that virtually every USC athlete who had hip surgery the past three years (including Jeff Byers) eventually required a follow-up operation that sidelined them even longer.
USC's defense is on high alert because a high-profile Buckeye might be prone to fumble.
Two field goals were blocked during Tuesday's practice.
``We had some new guys on the line,'' Pete Carroll said. ``That didn't look good.''
Linebacker Brian Cushing suffered a possible hip pointer during warmups today and left practice early. Pete Carroll said someone bumped into Cushing but others said no one touched Cushing.
Kyle Moore suffered back spasms but said he would be OK. Vidal Hazelton's ankle injury improved and he did participated in part of practice. He will see how he feels tomorrrow to determine his availability.
Here's quotes from Jim Tressel's press conference today.
StubHub.com claims the USC-Ohio State game is the best-selling regular-season college football game in its history. It ranks No. 3 when you throw in bowl games and national-title games.
That said, the ticket web site said more than 3,000 tickets remain available on its website.
Who plays USC and Troy in the same season? Ohio State, of course.
``The same way we prepare for USC, we want to prepare for Troy,'' Buckeyes cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said. ``This is the most important one because it's the next one.''
Former USC defensive lineman Chris Barrett is attending classes and trying to get his degree. You might remember Barrett was academically disqualified in 2007 for his final year of eligibility and then had his scholarship taken away by Pete Carroll.
Apparently,all is now forgiven.
USC and Ohio State's All-Americans found common ground last spring against one of college football's bullies.
: Wide receiver Vidal Hazelton's sprained ankle remained an issue.
``Vidal's ankle is pretty sore,'' Pete Carroll said. ``He's not running yet.''
If Hazelton is sidelined, sophomore wide receiver Damian Williams will start.
Here's Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins on being an underdog against USC.
``I wouldn't put anybody as an underdog,'' Jenkins said. But for me, we're hungry. We're going to play like an underdog. Trying to be an attacker. We know USC will have the same mentality.''
Here's one on who should have been hired following Norm Chow's departure.
You can park at Staples Center for $25 and take a shuttle to the game.
Here's the details:
Ohio State tailback Chris ``Beanie'' Wells did some work on the sideline but did not practice today with the rest of the Buckeyes.
A Pac-10 crew will work the USC-Ohio State game. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
See if you can figure out what's wrong with this statement sent out by ESPN?
``Guests on The Heard, simulcast on ESPNU, will include USC coach Pete Carroll (11 a.m. Wednesday), USC coach Jim Tressel (12:10 p.m. Wednesday), Marcus Allen (noon Tuesday), former Buckeye Bobby Carpenter (11:40 a.m. Thursday), former Trojan Ronnie Lott (12:40 p.m. Thursday), former Trojan Rodney Peete (11:10 a.m. Friday), and former Trojan Keyshawn Johnson (12:10 p.m. Friday).''
Looks like the Fat Booster is making a comeback in the questions dept.
USC president Steven Sample is receiving a founders medal from the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.), which bills itself as the world's largest technical professional society.
In its press release honoring Sample, it states, ``Sample was a senior scientist at Melpar Inc., where his research resulted in patents for digital controls, which have been licensed by consumer appliance manufacturers for use in microwave ovens and other consumer appliances throughout the world.''
Perhaps he can use some of his expertise to get the soft-serve ice cream machine to work at the Galen Center this season.
Who has not received a request for tickets to this week's game?
Did you know this is the first USC-Ohio State sellout at the Coliseum even though the series dates back to 1937?
This segment is brought to you by Roman Meal bread. For our oldtimers, which was better, Roman Meal or Helms Olympic bread?
USC opened up a 10.5-point favorite over Ohio State but then it dropped to nine points.
Pete Carroll and Jim Tressel are different. Carroll went to see the movie, ``Traitor'' last week while Tressel says the last movie he saw was ``Jaws.''
Matt Cassel starts for New England. Matt Leinart sits for Arizona. Who knew three years ago?
Caesar attended Friday night's Loyola-Mira Costa game, where tailback Anthony Barr, the son of former Notre Dame tailback Tony Brooks, was the star attraction despite being only a junior.
Ohio State's last victory over USC was in the 1974 Rose Bowl, more than 34 years ago. And Ohio State's last win over USC at the Coliseum? A 21-0 shutout back in the 1946 "Howard Harding Jones Memorial Game."
Even though Ohio State fell to No. 5 in the rankings, this will still be the highest ranked Buckeye team to face the Trojans since 1980 Rose Bowl, when USC defeated a top-ranked Ohio State team 17-16, on Charles White's late one-yard touchdown run.
That touchdown capped a memorable drive when White rushed for 71 yards on USC's 8-play, 83-yard drive.
Prior to that drive, USC coach John Robinson told assistant coach Paul Hackett over the headphones, ``if you call any pass plays, you're fired.''
Here's this week's ballot for the AP Top 25 poll.
1. Georgia
2. Florida
3. Ohio State
4. USC
5. LSU
6. East Carolina
7. Oklahoma
8. Missouri
9. Texas
10. Auburn
11. Kansas
12. Wisconsin
13. Arizona State
14. BYU
15. South Florida
16. Texas Tech
17. Wake Forest
18. Alabama
19. UCLA
20. Florida State
21. West Virginia
22. Fresno State
23. Oregon
24. Utah
25. Georgia Tech
Ohio State 26, Ohio 14. No, that's not the one we're talking about.
Try this one: Virginia 16, Richmond 0.
Did you know Vidal Hazelton and Ohio State tailback Chris Wells were once roommates?
Former USC defensive coordinator Bill Young's Miami defense held Florida to nine points in the The Swamp with less than three minutes left in the third quarter. Young coached at USC from 1998-2000.
Looks like Greg Robinson will be coaching elsewhere next season. Maybe he can become UCLA's defensive coordinator if DeWayne Walker gets a head-coaching job.
Did the tickets go down at all for next week's game after Ohio State's lackluster victory over Ohio?
Weekend warning: Carroll gave his usual speech to the Trojans about avoiding trouble with the weekend off.
``This is a long break here,'' he said. ``We have to do it well. We made a big deal about these days and using them. We lose control of the guys for a couple days.''
Oh wait. It's volleyball. Can you see the Coliseum from here? Does the TV work?
An alert reader passed along this link on the Song Girls. At least we can't get blamed for this one.
It's never too soon to look ahead. Here's the road games in 2009: Ohio State, Washington, Cal, Notre Dame, Oregon and Arizona State.
Makes this year look like a breeze.
I've been told one reason Mater Dei QB Matt Barkley threw four interceptions in his first game against Carson was because of the high-risk, go-for-broke pass plays called in the game, which put considerable pressure on him.
Someone else said he hurt his knee the week before the game. OK, that's two excuses.
I've been asked for several weeks to name three recruits who would commit to USC. I said I would answer this during the bye week. Here we go.
It's a recruiting weekend, so Caesar will attend the Los Angeles Jordan-Locke game this afternoon at 3 p.m.
USC concluded its morning practice with the first team barely beating the scout team 10-7. Quarterback Mark Sanchez struggled with a pair of interceptions, though one came on a tipped pass.
``I wasn't nearly as sharp as I needed to be,'' Sanchez said. ``Today was not my best day.''
Here's a tailback that lists USC among his top choices, even though it's not listed in his bio.
Former center Matt Spanos was on campus tonight. He was recently cut by the Miami Dolphins but is looking for another team. Offensive lineman Drew Radovich was placed on the injured reserve by the Minnesota Vikings.
In a change from form, tailback Broderick Green leveled linebacker Rey Maualuga, although it looked like Maualuga wasn't quite going full speed on the play.
``I gave him his 10 seconds of fame,'' Maualuga said.
When No. 1 USC plays No. 3 Ohio State, will it be bigger than the No. 1 USC vs. No. 2 Oklahoma game in 1981 at the Coliseum?
That game will be hard to top for drama, as USC won 28-24 when quarterback John Mazur threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Fred Cornwell with two seconds left.
USC is 4-0-1 when it is ranked higher in the AP poll than Ohio State. The tie came in 1949. The wins were in 1947, 1959, 1989 and the 1973 Rose Bowl.
Mark Sanchez said even though Virginia rarely rushed more than three players, he isn't worried about making a huge transition when he faces Ohio State.
``We practice against our regular defense, which runs similar things to Ohio State,'' Sanchez said.
``They shouldn't have scored the seven points.''
-- USC defensive end Kyle Moore on the Virginia game.
The Seattle Times had a panel, including former coaches Don James and Jim Lambright, choose the all-time top 10 quarterbacks in the history of Washington.
Here's the list: 1. Warren Moon. 2, Bob Schloredt. 3, Marques Tuiasosopo. 4, Mark Brunell. 5, Don Heinrich. 6, Billy Dough Hobert (as the Fabulous Sports Babe used to call him). 7, Sonny Sixkiller. 8, Chris Chandler. 9, Steve Pelluer. 10, Tom Flick.
Who would you pick for USC's all-time top 10?
Scott Stephens got credited with the tackle on usc's second kickoff of the third quarter instead of Jordan Campbell. Cary Harris was credited with a pass breakup on the second play of Virginia's third drive in the first quarter.
USC defensive end Christian Tupou said he's not feeling sympathetic toward his brother, who plays at Oregon, taking $100 from an agent.
Linebacker Luthur Brown practiced and felt pain-fre e after being out a month with a sore back. Offensive tackle Matt Kalil is day-to-day with a hyperextended knee and appears a likely redshirt candidate at this point.
The sentencing hearing of USC recruit Maurice Simmons was continued until Sept. 24. The district attorney's office recommended a sentence of four-to-six years. Simmons was found guilty of two felonies and a misdemeanor in connection with a street crime.
Paulette Wells, the mother of Ohio State tailback Chris Wells, said her son wants to play this Saturday.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, Paulette Wells said her son is "very optimistic" about playing. "You know him," she said. "He doesn't want to sit for a week and be rusty [for USC]."
Washington coach Ty Willingham is 11-26, 6-21 in the Pac-10 and 1-9 against the other Northwest teams.
Just a final word on getting that stat change on the final touchdown of the USC-Virginia game. Virginia's stat crew ruled Mitch Mustain's pass to Marc Tyler a lateral, which made it a 10-yard run in the stats.
USC got it changed to a 10-yard touchdown pass on Monday. What's impressive is I watched USC officials bully the USC stat crew a couple years ago on more than one occasion to get the play changed in the stats.
But particular kudos are in order here because another school's stat crew changed its call. That's what happens when you are the No. 1 team in the nation.
And remember, it doesn't really matter if Tyler was behind the line of scrimmage or not on the video. What matters is whether the referee ruled it a lateral at the time. Because only a game official decides if it is a fumble if Tyler dropped the pass.
Mark Sanchez was named the O'Brien quarterback of the week, which is given out by the Davey O'Brien Foundation.
USC is 66-5-2 in games when they are ranked No. 1.
This is the 82nd time USC has been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll (excluding pre-season polls). USC is fourth on the all-time list, behind Notre Dame (89), Oklahoma and Ohio State (86 each).
USC basketball recruit Demetrius Walker has transferred from JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano to St. Mary's High in Phoenix, Ariz.
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel on fans' concerns over the foot injury to Chris ``Beanie'' Wells.
"Tell them to worry more about Gustav and Rita and those kinds.of things," Tressel said. "Beanie's going to be fine."
A couple true freshmen were used exclusively on special teams against Virginia: Safety Drew McAllister was on the kickoff team while wide receiver D.J. Shoemate was on punt return.
Former USC linebacker Dallas Sartz was recently cut by the Seattle Seahawks but could be re-signed before the start of the season. Former USC fullback David Kirtman was also cut by Seattle but signed with the Chargers.
Steve Sarkisian liked USC's ``physical play'' against Virginia and he was not just referring to the offensive line.
Here's some USC reaction to being the No. 1-ranked team in the nation in both top 25 polls.
USC got Virginia to change its final touchdown from a run to a pass. That means quarterback Mitch Mustain gets credited with a 10-yard scoring pass to tailback Marc Tyler
Virginia's stat crew ruled the touchdown a run during the game because it said the pass occurred behind the line of scrimmage.
We told you about Rey Maualuga collapsing at the Charlottesville Airport from dehydration after the game. Maualuga said after practice he thinks part of the problem was he took two Vicodin before the game because of the pain in his broken finger.
Offensive lineman Matt Kalill hyperextended his knee, the same knee he previously injured in high school, but he is expected to be OK.
Two players who got into the Virginia game with little fanfare were offensive tackle Martin Coleman, who was hurt last season and redshirted and offensive lineman Steve Gatena, who played at Air Force and UC Davis before transferring to USC for graduate school.
Elmer Willhoite, a 1952 All-American guard on the USC football team, died on Aug. 19 in Hawthorne, Nev. He was 78.
Here's the press release on him.
USC is tied in a 52-way tie for No. 3 in the Massey rankings, which are part of the BCS formula. Temple and Rice are tied for No. 1.
A reader expressed disappointment in the Open Forum with the new Laker girls. Again, we think they should have gone with a former song girl.
Here's a great, new rankings system on Syracuse football. Maybe we can start a USC version.
No, we didn't forget the rest of the Open Forum questions. By the way, we didn't see the Fat Booster, to answer a question in the reader comments from over the weekend.
Here's our new Top 25 ballot for the AP poll.
1. Georgia
2. Florida
3. Ohio State
4. USC
5. LSU
6. Oklahoma
7. Missouri
8. West Virginia
9. Texas
10. Auburn
11. Kansas
12. Wisconsin
13. Arizona State
14. BYU
15. East Carolina
16. South Florida
17. Texas Tech
18. Wake Forest
19. Alabama
20. UCLA
21. Bowling Green
22. Florida State
23. Fresno State
24. Oregon
25. Miami
Rey Maualuga needed a team of doctors and trainers to treat him at the Charlottesville Airport.
Forget about Greg Robinson (0-1, naturally) or Ed Orgeron, etc. Two of Pete Carroll's former assistants (Norm Chow, DeWayne Walker) just beat Tennessee without their top tailback or tight end and with their No. 3 quarterback. And they used to work at USC. Oh well.
``He came out and did an unbelievable job, and nobody thought he was going to do so well, but he proved them wrong.''
-- USC linebacker Rey Maualuga on Mark Sanchez.
Florida coach Urban Meyer (sort of) exlplained why Emmanuel Moody had just three carries against Hawaii.
``Emmanuel Moody had an ankle issue early, not a significant one I found out later,'' Meyer said.
Freshman defensive end Malik Jackson had a sack and forced a fumble in his college debut.
So why was he headed to Fresno State before USC jumped in and took him?
``A lot of schools thought I wasn't going to qualify, I guess,'' Jackson said.
Recent Comments
Trojan Hoarse on Morning Buzz: SnoreBeagle1904Chumps: I'm surprised you're able to even read, let alo ...
Trojan Hoarse on Post-Practice Report: May God Bless Michael Lev from the OC Register...this is how you monit ...
Trojan Hoarse on Post-Practice Report: Jethro - You make an extremely valid point, but be honest.... how can ...
How does Scott Wolf keep his job? on Morning Buzz: "It should be duly noted..." What a buffoon. So, Reggie Bush's parent ...
BruinRob on Post-Practice Report: @gotroy22, you're so full of shit it's not even funny, take a look at ...
Jon on Morning Buzz: Nice non-response BruinRob. I won't pile on and call you an idiot aga ...
marvgoux on O'Neill On Stewart: What a strange long trip USC basketball has been. ...
Jon on O'Neill On Stewart: If Wolf weren't so chummy with KO, this would have come out sooner. C ...
BruinRob on Morning Buzz: @NJ trOJan, it should be duly noted that USC was using an ineligble pl ...