Armond Armstead
By Michael Lev, staff writer,
USC
Ten days, 14 players and nearly 5,000 words later, we have hit No. 1 on our countdown of the 15 Trojans to watch in spring practice. But wait. There’s more. Starting Thursday, we’ll begin our position-by-position preview of spring football, including three questions (and answers) for each spot. And remember, you can follow the USC blog on Twitter at...
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By Michael Lev, staff writer,
USC
Thirteen down, two to go. The countdown of the 15 USC players to watch in spring practice is nearly complete. For Nos. 3-15, see below. For No. 1, check back in a couple of hours. NO. 2 — RB ALLEN BRADFORD Profile: 5-11, 235, redshirt senior 2009 stats: 13 games, 115 carries, 668 yards, 5.8-yard avg., 8 TDs Why...
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For the first time since 2001, the Trojans are not playing its last regular season game for the right to go to a BCS bowl. A Trojan win over Arizona in the Coliseum on Saturday puts them in the Holiday Bowl, most likely against Nebraska. A loss and they fall from a tie for 2nd in the Pac-10 standings to 6th and most likely a Poinsettia Bowl Bid which would represent a significant fall from the top of college football world.
4 keys to a Trojan victory:
Trojans must tackle well and get hands up against quick hitting offense: Arizona has the most dynamic offense in the Pac-10. It is a combination of offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes pure aerial Texas Tech style offense (former Texas Tech offensive coordinator) combined with Head Coach Mike Stoops smash mouth style of football.
The Wildcats loves to dink and dunk in a passing game that features tons of screens, bubble screens, swing passes and quick reads while also balancing the attack with a power run game behind a veteran offensive line. Arizona has 5 Wide Receiver with more than 30 catches and has adjusted to a 4 wide receiver set very well after losing All-American Tight End Ron Gronkowski to a back injury before the season.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Nick Foles, who took over starting duties in the Wildcats' fourth game has been outstanding throwing for 17 scores and just seven interceptions, while completing more than two-thirds of his passes in the Wildcats' short-game passing attack. Arizona's quick-hitting style has kept the sack totals down - the Cats have allowed just 11 sacks in 2009.
keys to victory continued after the jump...
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Here are several injury updates for Saturday's game following team doctor visits tonight:
DE Armond Armstead (wrist): Probable
WR David Ausberry (calf): Out
RB Allen Bradford (knee): Probable
LB Chris Galippo (neck): Probable
DE Everson Griffen (toe): Probable
FB Stanley Havili (shoulder): Probable
LB Jarvis Jones (neck): Questionable
S Drew McAllister (hip): Out
TE Anthony McCoy (ankle): Questionable
RB Joe McKnight (ankle): Probable
DE Nick Perry (knee): Questionable
LB Malcolm Smith...
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While watching the Trojans lose control of a football game for the first time in the Pete Carroll era and reflecting on the last 9 quarters of football USC has played, the beginning of Buffalo Springfield’s song “For What It’s Worth” started playing in my head “There’s something happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear, there’s a man with a gun over there telling me I have go to beware…”
The Trojan nation will remember where they were Halloween night 2009 for many years to come after watching a true horror movie being played out in Auzten Stadium as Oregon dominated the Trojans 47-20 and literally beat them up as the Trojans suffered quite a few injuries on the defensive side of the ball. For the first time in his SC tenure, Coach Carroll seemed to doubt his own game plan of stopping Oregon’s run offense because of a few early completions to the Oregon slot receiver early and chaos ensued.
Oregon proved they are one of the best teams in the country and Head Coach Chip Kelly has done a masterful job of getting his team to rebound from an early loss against Boise State.
It is easy to beat up on the Trojans right now and quite frankly some of it is deserved. However, if they can pull it together they still have an easy shot at another top 10 season, a potential BCS at-large bow bid and the chance to carry quite a bit of momentum into next season with a very young team. Even faint hope remains for the Rose Bowl.
We will learn a lot about the Trojans from the coaching staff down in terms of how they rebound from this type of loss over the next few weeks. The invincibility factor of the SC jersey is no longer going to give them a mental edge in 2009.
After the jump is a quick analysis of the keys to the game from Friday's Skinny and an injury report
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The E-Train is scheduled to arrive any second on Jimmy Clausen's back. His change of direction, continued pursuit and subsequent close on the Irish quarterback was beyond impressive.
Big Anthony McCoy! #22 is no Tommy Z, that's for sure; he got shredded all day.
The light shineth on this one. May we worship him for a long time to come.
If Armond Armstead doesn't block this (even though in this picture it looks like Galippo #54 is going to), your balls shrink up inside your stomach on Notre Dame's last shots inside the 10.
By far the hottest Northern Indiana will get for a couple years.
After the jump, just another glorious shot of a hard working Song Girl doing all she can to defeat the ugly, green Leprechauns, and all that is Irish. Enjoy.
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(Photo by Icon Sports Media)
This is the best Notre Dame team USC has played since the Trojans barely escaped South Bend in 2005 with a win. Quite a few experts are picking a Notre Dame victory due to the Irish being led by Heisman Trophy candidate Jimmy Clausen, the Trojans playing back-to-back road games (please note the bye in between) and this being a landmark game for the Irish program.
The experts who are predicting a Notre Dame upset must also think the Trojans are going to revert back to penalty and turnover laden football. If the Trojans keep penalties down and win the turnover battle, they will win the game. Unless the Trojans get up big early, I expect it to be a tight battle that will come down to some classic 4th quarter drives.
1-- Play Disciplined Football: #1 priority every week! Limit turnovers and penalties.
2-- Contain ND's running game: Though Jimmy Clausen has thrown 12 TD's only 2 Int's and leads the nation in passing efficiency, he will only have success against the best secondary in the country if the Trojans give up over 120 yards on the ground. If the Trojans put Clausen in obvious pass situations, he will make mistakes. The throws he has gotten away with against much lesser defenses will not happen against the Trojans.
3-- Don't Let the Golden One get loose in the Red Zone: Wide Receiver Golden Tate is having a phenomenal year. He is a big and athletic and Clausen loves to throw him fade routes and he is great at catching high passes. The Trojans need to make sure he is well covered in the red zone and force other ND players to make plays when it counts.
4-- Stay aggressive and balanced offensively: QB Matt Barkley is playing with a swagger after the Cal game and the Trojans need to take advantage of that. Barkley seems to have his hands around most of the playbook and with Ronald Johnson back, the Trojans need to stretch the field early. Even if some of the deeper throws are incomplete, it will soften the ND defense up and the Trojan running game should be able to have a great day. The Trojans should be able to run for over 200 yards.
5-- Avoid the 2nd and 3rd quarter lull: The Trojans cannot suffer some of the 2nd and 3rd quarter lulls they have had this season. The best case scenario for the Trojans is to get up early on the Irish and not let them back in the game for a 4th quarter run. The Trojans are best to avoid the 4th quarter magic that Clausen has been mastering this season.
More notes after the jump...
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First, you'd think that the Southern Cal players would be a little tense about Saturday's game. Maybe? Just a little? Uh, Nope. (I love how PeteCarrollTV goes to bars before the video ends. Dammit. Just dammit.) For the Irish to win Saturday, they're going to have to put some pressure on Matt Barkley, both with large men chasing...
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By Michael Lev, staff writer,
USC
Before we delve into the present — USC at Notre Dame on Saturday — let’s take a quick look back and ahead. The Trojans’ very recent past was a bye week that gave the coaches a glimpse at the future. Freshman safeties T.J. McDonald (right) and Jawanza Starling received a ton of invaluable reps, and it isn’t difficult to...
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Despite a very emotional week due to the unfortunate accident to Running Back Stafon Johnson, the Trojans put together its most complete performance of the year and routed Cal 30-3 in Strawberry Canyon.
On Friday, I wrote about the 5 keys to setting a “Bear” trap and the Trojans hit on all the points and proved once again that the only team capable of beating the Trojans is the Trojans themselves. When USC does not turn the ball over when it matters, commits few penalties and stays balanced on offense to compliment one of the best defenses’ in college football, it will be very difficult for any college football team to beat them.
A quick review of the keys to victory:
1- Contain Cal's running game: The Trojans held the vaunted Cal rushing attack to only 86 yards. Former Heisman Trophy candidate Jahvid Best was held to 47 yards rushing and only 5 yards receiving. The Trojans forced Kevin “I don’t like big games and throw a high ball” Riley into passing situations that he is not equipped to handle which allowed the Trojans to dominate the Time of Possession 36:46 to 23:14.
The game was basically over when Trojan Safety Taylor Mays ran down Jahvid Best from behind in the backfield in the second quarter. The statement was made that USC’s best defensive player was not going to let Cal’s best offensive player get loose.
(More analysis and some team notes after the jump)
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Three Trojans have a shot to fill in for Armond Armstead at the starting defensive end position....
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Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller News and notes around the Pac-10 as preseason camps transition toward game week. Arizona: The plot thickens at quarterback after Nick Foles outplayed Matt Scott in Saturday's scrimmage, just as it appeared Scott was going to be named the starter. Offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes told me last week that he'd likely make a call...
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