Stanford comes into the Coliseum as a hot team with Rose Bowl aspirations. The Cardinal’s defeat of the 8th ranked Oregon Ducks 51-42 put the nation on notice that Stanford football can compete at the highest level and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh is one of the best young coaches in the game.
It was just two years ago that Harbaugh inherited a football program that was one of the worst in the country and used the biggest upset in college football history against USC (Stanford was a 42.5 point underdog) that year as a stepping stone to building a top 25 team.
The heart and soul of Stanford is Toby Gerhart, a 6’1, 235 pound physical powerhouse running back who is one of the best in the nation. He is one of the few backs in the country that can and will carry the ball over 30 times a game and beat defenders up. His mentality has crossed over to his teammates who thrive off playing a physical brand of football.
Another key to Stanford’s success is they play intelligently and usually will not beat themselves. The development of Redshirt Freshman Andrew Luck has been tremendous and gives Stanford the balance on offense that makes them dangerous anywhere on the field. In the past 3 games, Luck was 50-83 for 910 yards and 5 TD’s against only 1 interceptions and that included games against two top 25 teams (Oregon and Arizona) and against one of the best defenses in the conferences Arizona State.
The banged up Trojans will have to play far better than they have the past 6 quarters to leave the Coliseum with a victory. It is going to be tough as the offense will need to come to life without #1 wideout/punt returner Damian Williams (high ankle sprain) and Wide Receiver Ronald Johnson and Tight End Anthony McCoy not operating at 100%.
The Stanford defense is vulnerable to a balanced attack and the Trojans offense is not only going to have to generate at least 24 points of offense but also grind away at the game clock to rest the defense which will be involved in a very physical battle.
4 Keys to the Game:
Hold Gerhart to under 4 yards a carry: It is going to be difficult to completely shut down a back as physical as Toby Gerhart. The Trojans have to look to contain him and not allow him to frequently gain over 5 yards a carry. The Defensive Line will have to play very physical and win the line of scrimmage battle.
The shift of Defensive Lineman Devon Kennard to Linebacker could be a huge factor. Kennard looked great in practice this week and has the size and strength to handle a guy like Gerhart. He gives the undersized linebacking core a physical presence that is sorely needed in a game like this. USC coaches are very enthusiastic about Kennard's physical and mental attributes. He can be a “55” type linebacker. However, a lot is being asked of a freshman who has not played the position before.
Kicker Jordan Congdon, holder Garrett Green and snapper Chris Pousson go through early-practice field goal drills. Matt Barkley and tailback Curtis McNeal line up in the backfield during 7-on-7 period. Matt Barkley leads the Trojan offense in the final team period. Wideout Brice Butler poses for a picture with football legend Jim Brown.... more »
Thoughts from Thursday's practice, through the eyes of USCRipsIt...- With football icon Jim Brown in attendance and cool weather in the air, the Trojans sped through a brief half-pads practice on a quintessential gridiron evening under the lights. The workout closed out the on-field portion of game preparation and pushed the team one step closer to the Stanford matchup... more »
Fullback Stanley Havili practiced yesterday and is expected to start on Saturday. Havili injured his shoulder vs. Notre Dame last month.
Defensive end Everson Griffen got some work in yesterday and said that he will play on Saturday. Griffen missed the ASU game because of turf toe.
Tight end Anthony McCoy is close to returning to practice. He did some light rehab work yesterday and is going to try to practice on Tuesday or Wednesday. He is anxious to get back on the field.
The Bad News:
Our all world receiver, Damian Williams, has a boot on his ankle after injuring it against ASU. Williams leads the team in catches with 45, receiving years with 688 and five TDs. He is also the most clutch player on the team, delivering big plays (two punt returns for TDs) when the team needs them most. If Williams can’t play, look for Brice Butler to start opposite Ronald Johnson. Travon Patterson and Jordan Cameron will fill in at the third receiver spot.
It wasn't the prettiest win, but it's nice to be back in the winning column nonetheless.
Matt Barkley struggled in part due to an injury-plagued receiving corps, but his short pass to Damian Williams who took it 75 yards for a touchdown would be enough for the offense to pull out with a win. Not to mention, it's great material for a highlight reel. Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford each had quietly productive games, rushing for 78 and 67 yards respectively.
It looked as if the defense returned back to its normal form, holding the Sun Devils to 9 points. The Trojans recorded 3 interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Will Harris. Seeing more interceptions by the defense is a good sign considering they've only had a total of 3 interceptions coming into this game.
Observations from the Coliseum and a few injury updates:
Mike Riley is a great coach: Riley proved once again that he is one of the most underrated coaches in the country. Why Tennessee (Riley has southern roots) or programs that have the infrastructure to be consistent top 15 teams have not intensely pursued him blows my mind. Riley and the OSU coaching staff had the Trojans number for the second year in a row on Saturday and he made one of the best defenses in the country look very pedestrian. Oregon State never quit and was one possession away from possibly winning the game.
The Rogers brothers aren’t too bad either. . .307 total yards and 2 touchdowns against the best defense in the Pac-10…
USC game MVP’s= Alan Bradford and Jeremy Bates: Is Lendale White back playing for the Trojans? Alan Bradford sure brought back memories of the former great Trojan tailback. The Trojans are starting to develop a mini Thunder-Lightning package which is going to really help keep opponents guessing. Bradford’s bruising style of running is complemented by deceptive top end speed that allows him to break off big runs like the 46 yard touchdown run in the second half. When Bradford is running hard it gives the Trojans offense a power mentality that fires everyone up and is the perfect compliment to a finesse style of offense.
Jeremy Bates called another fantastic game. With the exception of calling a long pass play in the 4th quarter up 13 points which was intercepted, Bates mixed up his play calling brilliantly and took advantage of a porous Oregon State pass defense. Bates continued to utilize the Tight Ends while allowing the running game to get into a rhythm.
(More on Bates and other observations after the jump)
Matt Barkley passed for a career high 380 yards with a pair of touchdowns, Anthony McCoy had arguably the best game of his career, and we are all happy Damian Williams transferred to USC.
The McKnight-Bradford duo is working well for the Trojans.
The Trojan defense kept the Notre Dame offense in check. The referees assisted the Irish all the way to the end of the game, but even that wasn't enough. Statistically speaking the Irish offense, led by ostrich Jimmy Clausen, is one of the better ones in college football. The Trojan defense is lights out!
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)
History repeats itself for the Golden Bears; they enter the season with lots of hype, only to fold like a bad hand in poker. Time for them to enter hibernation!
Cal's Heisman hopeful tailback, Jahvid Bust, was held to a season-low 47 rushing yards against USC. Meanwhile Joe McKnight looked the best out there, rushing for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
Cal's quarterback, Kevin Riley, really outdid himself this time. Just when you thought his passing completion rate of 38.7% against Oregon could not get any worse, he sunk to a new low against the Trojans with a completion rate of 37.5%.
<!----><!---->With Cal more than capable of putting up points in a hurry, there is even more pressure on the Trojan offense to find the end zone early and often. We talked to receiver Brice Butler and tailback C.J. Gable about taking on the Golden Bears this weekend... more »
(Photo of Stafon Johnson Leading Conquest at the 2009 Rose Bowl by Icon Sports Media)
My three least favorite college football teams are UCLA, Notre Dame and Cal. This week we play Cal and I hope we kill them. Saturday will make or break someone's season. The game however is overshadowed by terrible off the field injury.
Stafon Johnson is one of my favorite Trojans. On the field he is smooth, steady and always reliable for a big gain or a goal line score. Off the field he leads by example. He is the spiritual leader of team. When I heard the news I was shocked, then bummed, then worried and scared, then hopeful, and finally thankful and proud. Shocked because this is the type of injury you never hear about. It was a fluke accident. Bummed for Stafon because he has so much potential. He was on track to have a great year. I hoped all his hard work would payoff with an MVP caliber season followed by an early draft selection in the spring. Worried because holy sh*t he dropped 200 plus pounds on his neck. Can you die from that? Scared because I heard he was coughing up blood and had been in surgery for so many hours. Forget about football, this was now about survival. Hopeful because USC is a great institution that takes care of its players. If Stafon was in surgery, I knew the best doctors would be working on him. Thankful that the surgery went well and he was recovering. And proud for all the love and support he has been shown. If you wish to continue that love and support you can send notes of encouragement or anything you deem appropriate to:
Stafon Johnson
USC Football
Heritage Hall 203b
3501 Watt Way
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Or you can keep Stafon in your prayers.
Now on to Cal, last year the Trojans defense dominated Cal in the Coliseum. The final score was 17-3. The Trojans D held Jahvid Best to 30 yards on 13 carries. This year Best is averaging 116 yards per game. Look for the Trojans to stack the line again and force Kevin Riley to make plays. Riley has not thrown an interception this season. He has a streak dating back to last year of 115 pass attempts without an INT. The last time Riley faced USC he was 4 of 16 for 59 yards and an INT.
Here are some random thoughts on the win: - It was a win, but a frustrating one. The 1st quarter started smoothly with a quick 3-and-out from Wazzu followed by a quick TD from SC, but then 3 holding penalties, 1 offsides, 1 personal foul, and 1 roughing the kicker happened. Let's not even talk about the 3rd quarter...... more »
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