Charles Krupa/The Associated Press. As part of rookie hazing, the Patriots' Zach West, left, and Oscar Lua had their hair buzzed by veterans...
The game is bigger, faster and harder. With a whole new team and a whole new play-book, the incoming Trojan rookies are showing their youth when it comes to the NFL learning curve.
Inside: A player by player look at the Trojan rookies in the NFL.
From Wednesday's ESPN.com article,Washington Redskins: LB Dallas Sartz (strained hamstring) was sidelined morning Wednesday...Seattle Seahawks: Backup fullback David Kirtman broke his hand during practice Wednesday morning...Kirtman, a fifth-round draft choice from 2006 out of Southern California, was participating in a running plays drill with backs and linemen when he suddenly walked off the field with a trainer while holding... more »
Filed under: USC Football, Pac 10, NFL ProspectsSports Blog - The FanHouse: NFL scouts think they know him, but they're wrong ...Dallas Sartz, linebacker, USCWHAT NFL SCOUTS ARE SAYINGPro Football Weekly: Versatile performer. Can cover a tight end in the flat. Intelligent and learns quickly. Gets good depth in coverage... Read more... more »
On the list of Poor Internets Decisions By High-Profile College Athletes, we have to say, starting up a Facebook group devoted to "White Power" as a "joke" has to be rather high up there. The racist Facebook group was created by a USC football player and showed a graphic of a black baby in handcuffs. Junior linebacker Clay Matthews... more »
It's looking like highly-touted freshman Taylor Mays will take over for the injured Josh Pinkard at free safety for the Trojans. At practice Tuesday, Mays appeared to be the #1 guy -- and Coach Carroll said that while he'll use Dallas Sartz some at safety, he doesn't plan to move him there full-time.
The Trojans' defense got some shitty news today --
Josh Pinkard is officially out for the season, after an MRI on Tuesday revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Pinkard told reporters that he heard his right knee "crack" while covering a punt against the Razorbacks last Saturday night, on a play in the fourth quarter (when the Trojans were up 44-14).
Dallas Sartz, Antwine Perez, and Taylor Mays will fill the shoes of Pete Carroll's #1 Guy at free safety. Only good news -- Pinkard's injury comes early enough that he's eligible for a medical redshirt, and could return as a junior next season. He should have surgery on his knee sometime in the next couple weeks.
Pete Carroll has said that he could use 20 players on defense. Let's look at who will make up that rotation.
Starters first, in order of (our intrepretation) of Carroll's favoritism:
1. Josh Pinkard, Safety, #36
2. Lawrence Jackson, Defensive End, #96
3. Oscar Lua, Linebacker, #45
4. Dallas Sartz, Linebacker, #42
5. Chris Barrett, Defensive Tackle, #91
6. Kevin Ellison, Safety, #4
7. Sedrick Ellis, Nose Tackle, #49
8. Kyle Moore, Defensive End, #84
9. Keith Rivers, Linebacker, #55
10. Terrell Thomas, Cornerback, #28
11. Kevin Thomas, Cornerback, #15
Then the reserves (still in terms of Carroll's favor):
12. Rey Maualuga, Linebacker, #58
13. Brian Cushing, Linebacker/Defensive End, #10
14. Fili Moala, Defensive Tackle, #75
15. Kaluka Maiava, Linebacker, #43
16. Jeff Schweiger, Defensive End, #54
17. Cary Harris, Cornerback, #7
18. Thomas Williams, Linebacker, #41
19. Antwine Perez, Safety, #6
20. Taylor Mays, Safety, #29
Surely this list is debatable, but it should be a good indicator of who to watch for tomorrow. Expect the Arkansas offense to be running some no-huddle to limit SC's defensive substitutions though.
Less than a month before kickoff now.... and here is what Pete has to look forward to this season....
The entire team, with the exception of walk-on safety Justin Hart (tonsillitis), reported Wednesday.
"The Coliseum is sold out for every game for the first time ever."
"What is unique about this team is that we have the culmination of three very big recruiting years, and those classes have a sense of what this is all about already," said Pete Carroll (at Pac-10 media day).
This is the most talented USC team to play under Carroll.
ComPETE is the name of the game and there will be plenty of it to bring about the best.
Notable position battles include quarterback (John David Booty vs. Mark Sanchez), tailback (Chauncey Washington vs. Michael Coleman and a stable of incoming freshmen) and all linebacker spots (Rey Maualuga vs. Oscar Lua, Dallas Sartz vs. Brian Cushing, Keith Rivers vs. Kaluka Maiava).
Team speed?
"Somebody put a stopwatch on them recently," Carroll says, with a hint of a smile. "We think we have nine guys who run 10.7 or better (in the 100-yard dash)."
Oh, and lest we forget, the man pictured here. Nick Holt will be returning to replace Jethro Franklin in coaching the defensive line AND will be holding the title of defensive coordinator--the first other than Pete in the Pete Carroll era. You think he is good? He is better than good!
We spotted her first as an IGN Babe (may or may not be safe for work).
Erin Logan is the newest member of the USCFootball.com team. She is currently a broadcast journalism student at USC and will be contributing more interviews throughout the summer.
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