TrojanWire - Damian Williams

NFL draft: PFW breaks down Damian Williams

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:11:36 -0800

USC’s Damian Williams is No. 5 on Pro Football Weekly’s list of the top 10 wide receivers in the 2010 NFL draft. PFW projects him as a second- to third-round pick (where he’d be an absolute steal, IMO).

Here’s PFW draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki’s final take on Williams:

Summary: Thin-framed, leggy long-strider with reliable hands, advanced route running and slick creativity after the catch and as a punt returner. Played at an elite program and consistently made plays and showed up in big games. Would fit best as a flanker in a West Coast system.

More NFL draft posts:

NFL draft: PFW breaks down Damian Williams is a post from: USC

2010 Combine Updates

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:48:04 -0800

Here is how some Trojans are doing at this years NFL combine:

Joe McKnight ran a 4.47 40 yard dash. This was fifth-best among running backs. McKnight had a 10'0" standing broad jump mark and 36.5 vertical leap

Everson Griffen bench pressed 225 lbs. 32 times and ran a 4.66 40, second best time among defensive linemen.

Damian Williams bench pressed 225 lbs. 19 times, fourth best among WRs. Williams also had a 38.0 vertical leap and ran the three-cone drill in 6.79 seconds, eighth best for WRs. He also ran the 40 in the low 4.5 range.

Jeff Byers bench pressed 225 lbs. 33 times, sixth best among offensive linemen.

Anthony McCoy logged the fourth best vertical jump among tight ends with a 35.5, fourth best among tight ends. McCoy also had a 4.79 40 and 19 bench reps.

Charles Brown had a 31.5 vertical leap and 21 bench press reps.

Taylor Mays ran an unofficial 4.24 40 yard dash (video above). Most scouts clocked his 40 at 4.32 seconds. They then changed the official time to 4.43. Mays benched 225 lbs. 24 times and had a 41.0 vertical leap, second best among safeties.

Kevin Thomas benched 225 lbs 19 times, third best among cornerbacks.

Stafon Johnson courageously bench pressed 225 lbs. 13 times. To watch the video, click here.

In news outside the realm of USC, Tim Tebow is at the combine, and NFL scouts report that he is still a virgin.

Vote for the Most Classless Act of the 2009 Season

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:06:13 -0800

The Wiz is back with the most classless acts of the 2009 season. What is a classless act, you ask? It's any attempt to degrade an opponent, player or the game. It's the stuff that isn't in the summary but often gets mentioned years later after somebody extracts retribution. As they say, what goes around comes around.

At the bottom of the post, readers can vote to select the most classless act. One vote per IP address, so give it careful consideration.

Let's get to the finalists:

1. Chip Kelly, Oregon

Oregon leads punchless Washington State, 45-0, in the third quarter of an Oct. 3 game at Eugene, when the Cougars recover a fumble at the Ducks' one-yard line. It takes three plays, but quarterback Marshall Lobbestael sneaks in for a touchdown, cutting Oregon's precious lead to 45-6.

Kelly should have other things to worry about — like keeping his players out of trouble. Instead, he decides to challenge the touchdown call. Although he loses the challenge, the Ducks somehow hang on for a 52-6 victory.

Washington State's Paul Wulff says afterward, "We'll have plenty of motivation moving forward, believe me."

2. Randy Edsall, Connecticut

Connecticut defeated Syracuse, 56-31, on Nov. 28, but the Orange won't forget what happened in the final minute. The Huskies led, 42-31, and were facing fourth and 11 at the Orange 28 with 53 seconds remaining. Syracuse was out of timeouts.

Instead of calling a run play to help bring this to a merciful end, Edsall calls for a pass. Zach Frazer throws a touchdown to Marcus Easley, putting Connecticut ahead, 49-31. The Huskies would return a fumble for another score with eight seconds remaining.

Syracuse's Doug Marrone didn't comment afterward, but his postgame handshake with Edsall was described as being "uncomfortable." Orange safety called Frazer's pass "a little cheap shot."

3. Lane Kiffin, Tennessee

The first-year Volunteer coach's body of work was a classless act, from accusing Urban Meyer of cheating to his one-minute farewell press conference, featured above. But with his 4-4 team entertaining an overmatched Memphis on Nov. 7, Kiffin made several jackass decisions.

After taking a 14-0 lead less than six minutes into the first quarter, the Volunteers tried an onside kick.

Leading 35-0 late in the first half, Tennessee called a timeout when Memphis faced a third-and-eight play at the Tigers' 14.

The Volunteers went for it three times on fourth down in the first half.

The take-no-prisoners approach paid off. Tennessee built a 49-7 lead and held off a late Tiger charge for a 56-28 victory.

A smug Kiffin said afterward: "It came to me during the week that I had to make sure they felt my intensity — we're really going after this thing."

4. Jim Harbaugh, Stanford

The Nov. 14 "double nickels" game. The Cardinal were steamrolling USC, 42-21, when Toby Gerhart rumbled into the end zone. Instead of kicking the extra point, Harbaugh decided to go for two — probably because he couldn't go for three. The try failed, but Stanford tacked on one more score for a 55-21 bludgeoning of Pete Carroll's Trojans.

Carroll was not happen with Harbaugh, asking him in the postgame handshake, "What's your deal? What's your deal?"

Harbaugh retorted, "What's your deal?"

Carroll, when asked about Stanford's try for two, said: "I don't know what they were thinking with that."

Harbaugh offered this: "I thought it was an opportunity, the way we were coming off the ball, the way our players were playing — that it was the right thing to do."

5. Pete Carroll, USC

One would think Carroll would have learned a lesson about being a good sport after what Harbaugh did to him, but USC's coach failed to rise above it in his team's next game on Nov. 28. With the Trojans holding a 21-7 lead over UCLA with 52 seconds remaining, Carroll decided to stick it to the Bruins, calling for Matt Barkley to throw deep to Damian Williams. The play worked for a 52-yard touchdown and Carroll celebrated like a 13 year old at a Miley Cyrus concert.

The benches emptied and the teams nearly went at it. When things settled down, USC held on for a 28-7 victory.

Carroll and USC said afterward that Rick Neuheisel and UCLA deserved it because they were using timeouts with the verdict already decided. Of course, Carroll didn't feel the same way two weeks earlier when Stanford rolled it up on USC.

6. Max Hall, Brigham Young

The Cougar quarterback let his feelings be known after a 26-23 overtime victory over rival Utah.

"I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans. I hate everything. It felt really good to send those guys home."

Video later surfaced of Hall landing a cheap shot to a Utah player after his winning touchdown pass.

7. Mike Leach, Craig James and Texas Tech

Plenty of blame to go around. Leach allegedly put receiver Adam James in an electrical closet off the press room at Jones AT&T Stadium. That resulted in a complaint by James' dad, Craig, an analyst for ESPN. Leach was suspended and eventually fired, a day before he was due an $800,000 bonus. Leach then said Adam was a slacker and that Craig was a always calling and acting like a LIttle League dad.

Craig said he was merely protecting his son, but documents suggest he threatened the university with a lawsuit for improper treatment of a student-athlete, i.e. his son, who was recovering from a concussion. The only winners here are Tommy Tuberville, the new Tech coach, and attorneys. The fans? The heck with them! Tech just announced a hike in ticket prices for 2010!

Leach's appearance on "Friday Night Lights" was filmed in Austin on Sept. 18, the night before his team played Texas and lost, 34-24. No wonder he lost control of the team in midseason.

8. Rich Rodriguez, Michigan

You can't do this list without Rich Rod, who continues to drag this storied program to new, embarrassing lows.

No stranger to litigation (see West Virginia), Rich Rod was sued for allegedly defaulting on a real estate loan to build condominiums near Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium. One of his business partners in the failed venture is facing five felony counts and possibly 50 years in prison.

Michigan has gone to 33 consecutive bowl games until Rich Rod arrived. Now they've missed the postseason two years in a row. If that's not bad enough, the NCAA alleges that Rich Rod's program committed five potential major rules violations. Somehow, he's still the coach.

9. Mike Locksley, New Mexico

Nothing quite like punching your receivers coach in the face after a coaches meeting. That's what Locksley did, landing a blow to Jonathan "J.B." Gerald in September.

Locksley showed more fight than his team, which finished 1-11 and ranked near the bottom in nearly every NCAA offensive and defensive category.

What to watch in the Pac-10 this spring

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:28:59 -0800

Taking a look at what to watch for as teams head into spring practices, officially ringing the bell on preparations for the 2010 season.

Arizona
Spring practice starts: March 5
Spring game: April 10

What to watch:

The new coordinators: The Wildcats lost two outstanding coordinators -- Sonny Dykes on offense and Mark Stoops on defense -- and decided to replace them with four guys. Tim Kish, promoted from linebackers coach, and Greg Brown, hired away from Colorado, will run the defense, while Bill Bedenbaugh and Seth Littrell, both promoted from within, will run the offense, with an assist from new quarterbacks coach Frank Scelfo. These guys will need to develop a coaching rhythm this spring that will ensure things go smoothly in the fall.

The JC linebackers: The Wildcats must replace three starting linebackers, and JC transfers Derek Earls and Paul Vassallo weren't brought in to watch. If they step into starting spots, then guys like sophomore Jake Fischer, redshirt freshman Trevor Erno and redshirt freshman Cordarius Golston can fight over the third spot and add depth.

Foles 2.0: Quarterback Nick Foles was dynamic when he was on last year, but the shutout loss in the Holiday Bowl served as a reminder that he's not there yet. He's going to be surrounded by a lot of weapons at the skill positions, so he should be able to take another step forward this spring, even with the loss of Dykes.

Arizona State
Spring practice starts: March 30
Spring game: April 24

What to watch:

The QB battle: It's a wide-open battle between Michigan transfer Steven Threet and Brock Osweiler, though the new guy -- Threet -- is perhaps the most intriguing. Samson Szakacsy was supposed to join the battle, but his elbow problem is acting up again, coach Dennis Erickson said Thursday. The competition will be overseen by new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone, who's been handed an offense that has sputtered the past two seasons.

O-line issues (take 3): The Sun Devils' offensive line has struggled three years running, and it won't matter who starts at QB if the unit continues to get pushed around. First off, is health. Will Matt Hustad, Zach Schlink, Garth Gerhart, Mike Marcisz and Adam Tello be ready to battle the entire spring? If so, there should be good competition here, particularly with a couple of JC transfers looking to break through.

The secondary: The Sun Devils were very good against the pass last year, but three starters in the secondary need to be replaced. Both starting corners are gone -- though if Omar Bolden successfully returns from a knee injury he should step in on one side -- as well as strong safety Ryan McFoy. The good news is a number of guys saw action here last fall, so the rebuilt unit won't be completely green.

California
Spring practice starts: March 6
Spring game: N/A

What to watch:

Embattled Riley: When things go well, the quarterback often gets too much credit. When things go badly... well, you know. Senior Kevin Riley has started 22 games and has played well at times. But there's a reason he's in a quarterback competition for a third consecutive season. Will he be able to hold off a rising Beau Sweeney this spring?

Rebuilding the D: The Bears had questions on defense even before coordinator Bob Gregory unexpectedly bolted for Boise State. Five starters need to be replaced, including mainstays like end Tyson Alualu and cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson, both first-team All-Pac-10 performers. And with Gregory gone, a new -- likely more aggressive scheme -- now must be incorporated.

RB depth: Shane Vereen is the obvious starter after the departure of Jahvid Best, but Cal has, during the Tedford years, always used two backs. So who's the No. 2? Sophomore Covaughn DeBoskie was third on the team with 211 yards rushing last year, while promising freshman Dasarte Yarnway redshirted. One or the other will look to create separation.

Oregon
Spring practice starts: March 30
Spring game: May 1

What to watch:

The D-line: The Ducks lost perennially underrated end Will Tukuafu, tackle Blake Ferras and backup Simi Toeaina up front. Considering the plan is to run an eight-deep rotation, there will be plenty of opportunities for players like ends Terrell Turner and Taylor Hart and tackles Anthony Anderson, Zac Clark, Wade Keliikipi as well as 6-foot-7 JC transfer Isaac Remington to work their way into the rotation.

The passing game: The Ducks' passing game was inconsistent last year, though by season's end receiver Jeff Maehl was playing at a high level. Refining that part of the offense with quarterback Jeremiah Masoli would make the spread-option even more dangerous. The receiving corps is looking for playmakers, which means youngsters, such as redshirt freshman Diante Jackson, might break through.

Who steps in for Ed Dickson? Oregon only loses one starter on offense, but tight end Ed Dickson is a big one. David Paulson was a capable backup last year, and mercurial Malachi Lewis may be ready to step up. Expect JC transfer Brandon Williams to work his way into the mix.

Oregon State
Spring practice starts: March 29
Spring game: May 1

What to watch:

Katz steps in: Sean Canfield is off to the NFL, so the Beavers' biggest question this spring is crowning a new starting quarterback. Most observers feel the job is Ryan Katz's to lose, and the sophomore looks good throwing the rock around. Still, being a quarterback is about more than a good arm. If he falters, Virginia transfer Peter Lalich might offer an alternative.

Better defensive pressure: The Beavers run a high-pressure defensive scheme, so when the stat sheet says they only recorded 17 sacks in 2009, which ranked ninth in the conference and was 22 fewer than in 2008, you know something is wrong. The entire defensive line is back, so the hope is a year of seasoning, particularly for ends Gabe Miller, Matt LaGrone and Kevin Frahm will mean better production this fall.

The O-line grows up: The Beavers' offensive line returns four starters from a unit that got better as the year went on. Still, it yielded 29 sacks and the run game struggled at times -- Jacquizz Rodgers often had to make yards on his own. Talented left tackle Michael Philipp, who did a solid job as a true freshman starter, should be much improved. A second year playing together with underrated senior center Alex Linnenkohl also should help.

Stanford
Spring practice starts: March 1
Spring game: April 17

What to watch:

Replacing Toby: How do you replace Toby Gerhart and his 1,871 yards and 28 touchdowns? You do not. But the hope is sophomores Tyler Gaffney and Stepfan Taylor and senior Jeremy Stewart will provide a solid answer that keeps the Cardinal's power-running game churning. It helps to have four starters back from a good offensive line.

Rebuilding the D: If you toss in linebacker Clinton Snyder and end Erik Lorig, Stanford must replace six defensive starters from a unit that ranked near the bottom of the conference in 2009. The secondary is a particular concern after giving up 23 touchdown passes and a 63 percent completion rate. The hope is good recruiting from coach Jim Harbaugh will provide better athleticism in the back-half. Another issue: There was huge coaching turnover, particularly on defense during the offseason, so new coordinator Vic Fangio & Co. will be implementing new schemes and learning about what sort of talent they have to work with.

Luck steps up: This was Gerhart's team in 2009. Now it's Luck's. He might be the most talented QB in the conference. Heck, he might become a Heisman Trophy candidate before he's done. But life won't be as easy without defenses crowding the line of scrimmage because they are fretting about Gerhart. Luck will need to step up his game -- and leadership -- to meet the challenge.

UCLA
Spring practice starts: April 1
Spring game: April 24

What to watch:

Prince becomes king? The fact that offensive coordinator Norm Chow has been such an advocate for sophomore quarterback Kevin Prince should tell you something: He's got the ability. Prince flashed some skills during an injury-plagued 2009 season, and it's important to remember he was a redshirt freshman playing with an questionable supporting cast, particularly the O-line. Prince needs to improve his decision-making, and the passing game needs to develop a big-play capability that stretches defenses.

Front seven rebuilding: UCLA not only must replace six starters on defense, it must replace six guys everyone in the Pac-10 has heard of. And five of the lost starters come from the front seven, and the guys who were listed as backups on the 2009 depth chart won't necessarily inspire confidence. In other words, the Bruins will try to take a step forward in the conference with what figures to be an extremely green defense, particularly up front.

The running game? Know what would help Prince and a young defense? A better running game. The Bruins were significantly better in 2009 than in 2008, but that merely means one of the worst rushing attacks in the nation moved up to ninth in the conference. There's a logjam of options at running back -- with a couple of dynamic runners in the incoming recruiting class -- and the offensive line welcomes back a wealth of experience. It would mean a lot if the Bruins could boost their rushing total to around 150 yards per game (from 114.6 in 2009).

USC
Spring practice starts: April 31
Spring game: TBA

What to watch:

Welcome, Lane Kiffin: The Pete Carroll era is over. Enter Lane Kiffin & Co. In terms of scheme, things will be fairly consistent, seeing that Kiffin was formerly Carroll's offensive coordinator and Monte Kiffin was Carroll's defensive mentor. But there will be a period of adjustment. The guess is the hyper-intense Ed Orgeron might provide a bit of a shock to the D-linemen.

Barkley Year 2: Barkley won't have the president of his fan club -- Carroll -- around anymore. He's a true talent. Everyone knows that, even without Carroll's daily sonnets about his ability. But the numbers show he threw 14 interceptions in 12 games vs. 15 TD passes last year, so he's obviously not arrived. Kiffin runs the offense, so you can expect these two to work closely together. Barkley will have plenty of help on offense, but the talent won't be as good as it was in 2009, with six starters needing to be replaced, including his top two targets (receiver Damian Williams and tight end Anthony McCoy).

Secondary questions: All four starters from the defensive backfield are gone, including center fielder Taylor Mays. It helps that cornerback Shareece Wright, an academic casualty in 2009, will be back. He was a projected starter last fall. There's plenty of talent on hand, but last year's team proved that the Trojans don't always just plug-and-play.

Washington
Spring practice starts: March 30
Spring game: April 30

What to watch:

Unleashing Locker: The return of quarterback Jake Locker was the best news any Pac-10 team received this offseason. Locker's passing improved dramatically in just one year under coach Steve Sarkisian, so it's not unreasonable to expect him to be even better in 2010, particularly with nine starters back on offense and just about every skill player on the depth chart.

Replacing Te'o-Nesheim: Daniel Te'o-Nesheim was a four-year starter who blossomed into an All-Pac-10 performer despite almost no supporting cast. He led the Huskies with 11 sacks in 2009, which was 8.5 more than any other player. Also, opposite end Darrion Jones is gone, and the cast at the position is extremely young. Who's the next pass-rushing threat?

The Butler did it: Linebacker Donald Butler blossomed last year, earning second-team All-Pac-10 honors and leading the Huskies in tackles and tackles for loss (15.5). Toss in E.J. Savannah's failure to earn a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, and the Huskies have some questions at linebacker. Mason Foster is a sure thing at one outside position, and Cort Dennison likely will fill a second gap, but there's an opportunity for a young player to fill void No. 3.

Washington State
Spring practice starts: March 25
Spring game: April 24

What to watch:

Tuel time: Coach Paul Wulff decided that freshman Jeff Tuel was the Cougars' quarterback of the future last year, so he opted to start him instead of going with a redshirt season. Tuel showed promise in six games, completing 59 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and five picks. Most of his supporting cast is back on offense, so the expectation is the Cougars' offense could take a significant step forward this fall.

O-line intrigue: Some of the Cougars starting on the offensive line last fall didn't look like Pac-10 players. Injuries and youth made the line a glaring area of weakness, even with veteran Kenny Alfred at center. Alfred is gone, but the expectations are that last year's youth will be saltier after taking their knocks. Plus, a couple of juco additions should be in the mix for starting jobs.

Growing up: There is hope in that 19 starters are back from a team that played a lot of underclassmen in 2009. That youth should mature in 2010. And solid recruiting classes the past two seasons should offer an infusion of young promise.

HIGHLIGHTS: Allen Bradford 2009

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:51:47 -0800

Allen Bradford had a breakout year, rushing for 668 yards on 115 carries (5.8 YPC) and scoring 8 touchdowns. USC fans have always said he needs more playing time, and this year he got it. With Joe McKnight entering the NFL Draft, Bradford looks to be #1 on the depth chart heading into next season. The future looks bright for #21.

For your entertainment:

Best and worst of the Pac-10 bowl season

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:22:12 -0800

The Pac-10 went 2-5 during the bowl season, so it wasn't difficult to find many "worsts."

But there were some good things that shouldn't be overlooked.

Best performance, defensive player: Oregon's undersized but quick defensive end Kenny Rowe set a Rose Bowl and Oregon bowl record with three sacks in a losing effort against Ohio State. He finished the season with 11.5 sacks, which led the Pac-10.

Best performance, offensive player: In his final game in a USC uniform, receiver Damian Williams caught 12 passes for a season-high 189 yards in the Trojans' 24-13 win over Boston College in the Emerald Bowl. It's fair to say that Williams was USC's most consistent player over the entire season.

Worst performance, period: There was nothing good about Arizona's 33-0 loss to Nebraska in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. Nothing. Feel free, though, to look at this box score and try to find something.

Best play: With UCLA trailing Temple 21-20 in the fourth quarter, and the Owls pinned on their 8-yard line, Bruins outside linebacker Akeem Ayers -- after falling down on his initial pass-rush burst -- leaped into the air and intercepted Vaughn Charlton's pass and gamboled 2 yards into the end zone.

Worst play: Trailing 19-17 in the Rose Bowl, Oregon faced a second-and-2 from Ohio State's 18-yard line. A huge hole opened. But running back LeGarrette Blount couldn't handle a high handoff from quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. The Buckeyes recovered the fumble and dominated the rest of the game.

Worst play, II: After BYU tied Oregon State 7-7 in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, the Beavers took over at their 40-yard line. On second down, running back Jacquizz Rodgers couldn't handle a backward pass from Sean Canfield, and Matt Bauman returned the loose ball 34 yards for a touchdown. That was the first fumble of Rodgers' career, and the Cougars dominated the game from then on.

Best performance under tough circumstances: Oklahoma knew Stanford had no passing offense without quarterback Andrew Luck. So it ganged up on running back Toby Gerhart. Nonetheless, the Heisman Trophy runner-up rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries in a rugged effort in the Sun Bowl loss.

Worst pass defense: California made Utah true freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn look like an All-American in the Poinsettia Bowl. Against what was supposed to be one of the nation's best secondaries heading into the season, Wynn completed 26 of 36 passes for 338 yards with three touchdowns. He shook off an early pick-six to run the Bears ragged.

Best second-half defense: UCLA held Temple to 41 yards and zero points in the second half of the EagleBank Bowl.

Worst performance you didn't see coming: Canfield, Oregon State's quarterback, earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors this season. He has been invited to the Senior Bowl and is going to have an NFL career. Nonetheless, he had a horrible Las Vegas Bowl and was outplayed by BYU's Max Hall, who threw three touchdown passes. Canfield completed just 19 of 40 passes for 168 yards with an interception and no touchdowns, and he seemed completely befuddled by a strong wind and the Cougars' secondary.

Best unsung performance: USC fullback Stanley Havili always seems to sneak up on folks. In the Trojans' win over Boston College, he caught six passes for 83 yards with two touchdowns, including a 53-yard jaunt on a screen pass. He also had a critical tackle after one of Matt Barkley's two interceptions.

HIGHLIGHTS: Boston College 2009

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:37:19 -0800

For those of you who missed the USC-BC game or would like to watch it again, TrojanWire has you covered.

OFFENSE:

Despite missing 3 starters on offense (RB Joe McKnight, TE Anthony McCoy, and OL Tyron Smith), the Trojans did not miss a beat. Matt Barkley had one of his best performances this season, throwing for 350 yards, 2 touchdown passes, and 1 interception. Damian Williams had a career-high performance, 12 catches for 189 yards. The NFL is calling for Williams, but USC fans are calling for one more year.

DEFENSE:

The defense played tough. Jurrell Casey had a monster performance and Shareece Wright's return was welcomed and a positive impact. Wright had an interception and great pass coverage the whole night.

HIGHLIGHTS: Boston College 2009

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:37:19 -0800

For those of you who missed the USC-BC game or would like to watch it again, TrojanWire has you covered.

The Skinny: Focused Effort Propels SC Past BC

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:47:11 -0800

The Trojans ended their season on a high note with a 24-13 victory over Boston College on a cold and rainy night in San Francisco. The disciplined performance (only 6 penalties for 36 yards) while shutting out Boston College in the second half provides the Trojans the positive energy they need going into the offseason.

Here’s a quick review to the keys of the game:

Avoid Complacency: One thing Pete Carroll tends to do very well is have his teams ready to play in bowl games even when the game seems like a disappointment. Despite playing in a lower tier bowl, the Trojans played with positive enthusiasm and the coaches had the team well prepared. The team seemed to grow up a little bit by avoiding unnecessary celebratory penalties and battled through mid-game adversity, especially Matt Barkley.

Stuff RB Montel Harris early: Though Montel Harris had a great second quarter, the Trojans stopped him in his tracks in the first quarter and were able to take a 14-0 lead.
Fortunately, he fumbled near the goal line in the 3rd quarter which allowed USC to maintain the lead and eventually open up a two score advantage forcing Boston College to turn to its erratic passing offense.

Confuse the BC Quarterback: 25 year-old True Freshman Quarterback Dave Shiniskie continued to struggle against a defense focused on speed. He was 14-33 with 1 TD and 1 INT. Against Virginia Tech, North Carolina and USC, Shiniskie was 27-64 with 2 TD’s and 7 interceptions. Once Boston College had to throw the ball to try and win the game, USC hurried him into quite a few bad throws and should have ended up with 3 interceptions.

Open up the offense while running Bradford 20-25 times: Despite throwing two interceptions, this was a very good performance for Barkley coming off a very tough November. Throwing for 350 yards and two touchdowns clearly solidifies him as one of the leaders heading into the offseason. Damian Williams was the focal point of the offense with 12 catches for 189 yards, however play caller Jeremy Bates did a good job of spreading the ball all over the field as Stanley Havili, Ronald Johnson and Alan Bradford (17 carries) got plenty of touches. Havili, Johnson, Bradford and Barkley provide a great base for the offense to build on next season.

MVP’s for USC:
**Damian Williams: Unfortunately for USC fans this was probably the last game that Williams will play at USC. His performance in the Emerald Bowl solidified him as one of the top WR’s in the country and a probable 1st round draft pick in this year’s draft.

**Stanley Havili: The best fullback in the country showed why some think he would be drafted in the late 1st round if he decided to go pro. Fortunately, Havili will stay at USC next season and he should get at least 10-15 touches a game next season.

**Shareece Wright: I predicted he would have a pick and not only did he have a pick but he clearly upgraded the defensive backfield. He is a special player that could earn All-American honors next year.

The Skinny’s keys to the off-season and insider observations on the program will be out later this week.

The Skinny: Boston College Provides Tailor Made Opponent for USC

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:27:27 -0800

A focused Trojan effort should lead the Trojans to a victory over a Boston College team that plays a conservative pro-style offense, fitting right into what USC defends against the best. The Trojans also possess offensive speed, even without RB Joe McKnight and Tight End Anthony McCoy that Boston College has yet to see this year.

However, getting the Trojans to play focused and passionate in a normal bowl game will be a tall order for Coach Carroll.

Keys to the Game:

Avoid Complacency: Since 2002, the Trojans have been playing in BCS bowls so it is a foreign concept for the Trojan players to be participating in a lower tier bowl to finish the season. Typically, teams in this situation do not play with the focus and passion that is required to beat an opponent who is looking forward to knocking off a top tier program. With four losses including two where they were soundly beaten, the Trojans cannot think for a second that a pedestrian effort will win this game. Couple that with the loss of four big contributors due to academics or NCAA investigation (McCoy, Spicer, Smith and McKnight), Troy has no room for error.

On the flip side, a focused effort should result in a victory to help wash away some of the disappointment of the season.

Stuff RB Montel Harris early: Boston College Running Back Montel Harris has rushed for 1,355 yards this season and accounts for about 70% of BC’s offense when they win. He is a strong straight ahead runner who also possesses good break away speed. When Harris is running well, especially early, it allows BC to play it safe in the passing game and avoid turnovers. It will be interesting to see how SC fares against Harris. BC runs a very simple offense with uncomplicated blocking schemes which should play right into the Trojans hands. Against similar schemes this year, the Trojans were successful stopping the run but those teams didn’t possess a back like Harris.

It will be bad news for the Trojans If Harris runs the ball around 30 times and rushes for over 150 yards. . .

Confuse the BC Quarterback: 25 year-old freshman Quarterback Dave Shiniskie has had a solid year for BC throwing for 1,831 yards with 14 touchdown passes in a run happy offense. However, he has also thrown 13 interceptions and played awful against teams that mixed things up defensively and possessed team speed like the Trojans. Against Virginia Tech and North Carolina, both games that BC fell behind early and had to throw, Shiniskie was 13 for 31 with 6 interceptions and only 1 td pass. He ended up being pulled in the second half of both games. He does not do a good job of throwing the ball away against pressure and will literally throw it up for grabs at times. The BC coaches have been working with him on just taking the sack or throwing it out of bounds but the Trojans should still get opportunities at multiple interceptions if they contain the running game.

*Offensive keys to the game, players to watch and a little inside the locker room info after the break

Morning Buzz

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:50:57 -0800

Here's our story on USC wide receiver Damian Williams' future.

Williams is a true MVP

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:53:17 -0800

Late in the season Damian Williams was hobbled a bit with a high ankle sprain, missing USC's loss to Stanford. That didn't stop the junior receiver from more than doubling the number of catches and touchdowns than the Trojans second leading receiver, Ronald Johnson. Inside: USC's MVP talks bowl preparation

2009 Team Awards

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:16:18 -0800

The Trojans held their annual end-of-the-year awards ceremony at the Nokia Club Sunday night. This years MVP is Damian Williams. Williams finished the season with 58 receptions for 821 yards and eight total touchdowns. Williams has until January 15th to decide if he will forgo his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Other Trojans receiving awards were:

Most Inspirational Player: Stafon Johnson
Linemen of the year: Jeff Byers (offense); Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey (defense)
Special teams player of the year: Garrett Green
Service team players of the year: Michael Reardon (offense); Marquis Simmons (defense)
Player of the game versus Notre Dame: Anthony McCoy
Player of the game versus UCLA: Allen Bradford
Jack Oakie "Rise and Shine" Award (year's biggest hit): Taylor Mays
Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award: Garrett Green
Bob Chandler Award (underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character): Christian Tupou
John McKay Award (underclassman with the most competitive spirit): Devon Kennard
Courage Award: Josh Pinkard
Co-Lifters Award: Jeff Byers, Will Harris, Taylor Mays
Best Fan Website: TrojanWire
Favorite Thing to Look Forward to on Mondays: Song Girl Monday by TrojanWire

USC Football News and Notes 12/14 - Emerald Bowl Prep, Team Banquet and C.J. Gable News

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:49:01 -0800

So, the team is back at it this week as they go into bowl prep.

A couple of interesting story lines are taking shape as the season comes to a close.

I noted yesterday that Safety Josh Pinkard is out for the Emerald Bowl because of a knee injury. That makes things very interesting as Pete Carroll will now be giving us a small glimpse into the future as to what players may have a role in 2010.

With Pinkard out, sophomore T.J. Bryant, who has been the nickel back, probably will start. But redshirt junior Shareece Wright and redshirt freshman Brian Baucham also are in the mix.

Wright, a projected starter, is expected to be available for the game after sitting out the regular season because he was academically ineligible.

Baucham, who was ahead of Bryant coming out of training camp, returned to practice Sunday after missing several weeks because of a foot injury related to a September motorcycle accident.

I am not really sure as to just how effective Wright will be after not playing for almost four months. His loss really became apparent in the second half of the season when SC's defense started to struggle. I was not pleased that Wright did not take his classwork seriously...his not being on the team really changed the dynamic of the defense.

The question I have for everyone is academically eligible does Wright deserve to play or should he wait for spring ball? Wright definitely should not start but should he see some playing time? Playing in a bowl game to me is privilege not a given. I know he is talented but is missing the regular season enough of a punishment? It is a fine line but what is the message that needs to be sent?

T.J. Bryant already has some playing time under his belt but we really have not seen anything of Baucham after his motorcycle accident...will he be game ready?

- - -

Last night USC held their Team Banquet and handed out a number of awards...

Sixth-year senior Jeff Byers was named offensive lineman of the year, while Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey shared defensive linemen of the year honors. Senior quarterback/wideout Garrett Green was recognized as special teams player of the year. And, for the third consecutive year, Green also won the Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award for having the highest GPA on the team.

The night wasn't lacking thrills. Cedric the Entertainer performed standup comedy and linebacker Marquis Simmons led a rendition of "Lean on Me" -- along with the tear-jerking presentation of Johnson's award by Jake Olson.

Here's a look at the full list of winners from the 2009 USC football awards ceremony on Sunday night:

Most Valuable Player: Wideout/punt returner Damian Williams

Most Inspirational Player: Tailback Stafon Johnson

Linemen of the year: Center/guard Jeff Byers (offense); defensive tackles Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey (defense)

Special teams player of the year: Quarterback/wideout Garrett Green

Service team players of the year: Center Michael Reardon (offense); linebacker Marquis Simmons (defense)

Player of the game versus Notre Dame: Tight end Anthony McCoy

Player of the game versus UCLA: Tailback Allen Bradford

Jack Oakie "Rise and Shine" Award (year's biggest hit): Safety Taylor Mays

Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award: Quarterback/wideout Garrett Green

Bob Chandler Award (underclassman with outstanding athletic ability, academic achievement and character): Defensive tackle Christian Tupou

John McKay Award (underclassman with the most competitive spirit): Linebacker Devon Kennard

Courage Award: Cornerback Josh Pinkard

Co-Lifters Award: Offensive lineman Jeff Byers, safety Will Harris, safety Taylor Mays

Recognition of the 22 graduating seniors

The awards for Stafon Johnson, Garrett Green and Damian Williams are no surprise.

Speaking of Garrett Green...

Garrett Green has been cleared to hold on placements despite a torn ACL in his right knee.

How cool is that! He definitely deserves it. He has probably been the most under the radar player on this team over the past few seasons. It sucks that he won't have a bigger role on kick returns like he has had but at least he will get a chance to have a hand in his final game as a Trojan.

- - -

So, what about C.J. Gable?

No player has been as much as an enigma as Gable has during his time at USC.

He had the hot hand before going out with an abdominal injury and he had a pretty good season in 2008 until he saw the bench after putting the ball on the turf against ucla and Penn St. At times his attitude has been questioned in the press but that is hard to really know. He made some statements in the past that probably put him in the doghouse but this season he has been completely off the radar.

Last season there were some rumblings that he might go pro but he stuck it out...

But with the season almost over the questions are now being asked...will he stay or will he go?

Gable is one of several draft-eligible Trojans underclassmen who must decide by Jan. 15 whether to go pro or return to school. Unlike many of the others, Gable has played only a bit role this season after being a major contributor a year ago.

Gable started all but one game last season and tied for the team lead with 10 touchdowns. This season the redshirt junior has no starts and just 21 carries as Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford have shared most of the workload.

"It’s been frustrating," Gable said Sunday after USC’s second practice in preparation for the Dec. 26 Emerald Bowl. "Anybody would be frustrated. … Why would you play if you don’t care whether you get in or not?

"I care because I want to play. But I can’t do anything about it but keep on doing what I’m doing, which is work hard and let everybody see what I can do."

Gable made quite an impression Sunday, when, according to USC coach Pete Carroll, "he was the best guy on the field." But being a good practice player — and a good soldier after complaining about playing time last season - hasn’t translated into a greater role during games.

We have heard how great players have performed in practice only to see them disappear when game time comes around so I am not taking Gables strong performance as nothing more than just a snapshot in time.

Personally, I think he goes pro. SC will still have a glut of running backs, four off the top of my head, and that is before LOI Day where SC is in the mix for a couple of more top RB's

Here is a little more for the DN...

After rushing for 617 yards on 107 carries with eight touchdowns last year, Gable has been buried behind Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford in the running back rotation during his redshirt junior season, causing him to contemplate whether he'll return to play for the Trojans in 2010 or explore his value in the NFL draft in April.

"(In the past) I've always been basing my decisions off anger, but now I'm thinking clearly," said Gable, who has seen action in 11 of 12 games, but has rushed for only 98 yards on 12 carries with no scores.

"The most important thing is graduating. I've learned that football isn't everything. There is life after football. It's been difficult, but I just get in a rhythm in practice and I forget that I'm not playing anymore. I don't talk about it unless somebody brings it up."

Gable needs three more classes to graduate, but intends to sit down and talk with coach Pete Carroll following the Dec. 26 Emerald Bowl against Boston College in San Francisco about his future prospects.

"Allen is coming back too, but it also depends on who they might bring in," Gable said. "The only thing I know I'll benefit from by coming back is that I'll graduate. But (this year) they were better than me. The best man won the position."

Gable's mature approach hasn't been lost on Carroll, especially following the Trojans' second practice in as many days since a 21-17 loss to Arizona on Dec. 5.

You know Carroll is going to try and get him stay...but he may be in the same as Mark Sanchez. He can take those three classes and be done next semester so his commitment in my eyes is fulfilled...he has no obligation to stay once he has his degree...

It should be interesting.

2009 All-Pac-10 Team

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:38:56 -0800

(Photo of Damian Williams by Icon Sports Media)

Damian Williams, Jeff Byers, Charles Brown and Taylor Mays were all named to the All-Pac-10 first team. Williams was selected twice as a wide receiver and punt returner.

Everson Griffen, Josh Pinkard, Kevin Thomas and Garrett Green were selected to the All-Pac-10 second team. Green made the team as a special teamer.

Trojans receiving honorable mention were Allen Bradford, Jurrell Casey, Chris Galippo, Will Harris, Butch Lewis, Anthony McCoy, Joe McKnight, Tyron Smith and Christian Tupou.

To see full list of the All-Pac-10 teams click here.

Pac-10 Football Awards and All-Conference Announced [pac10]