USC quarterback Mark Sanchez said he has done some soul-searching recently. An uneven performance against Arizona two weeks ago prompted him to call the former USC Heisman quarterbacks, Palmer and Leinart. He said a sit-down last week with Roth, the USC quarterbacks graduate assistant, particularly helped him to relax this past weekend against Washington.

“Yogi Roth asked me, ‘What kind of quarterback are you? Give me one word,’” Sanchez said. “The first thing that comes to mind is I want to win. I’m a winner. That was reassuring.”

Sanchez said some of his bigger struggles have surfaced not during plays but in-between them, as he has not been able let past mistakes go and focus on the next snap.

“Treating every time I step into the huddle as a new down,” he said.

He missed receiver Patrick Turner for a potential touchdown on USC’s first play from scrimmage against Arizona and said he was in a “funk” for two drives, the second one ending in an interception. Against Washington, Sanchez completed his first five passes and 14 of his first 15.

But California, which is tied for the national lead with 17 interceptions, figures to present a tougher challenge.

“This is a big week for me to put a lot of those lessons to the test and see where I’m at,” Sanchez said. “I think I’m coming into my own in this position and this program.

“I kind of got into that pattern of playing really well one week and then playing OK. I want to string a couple of these really efficient games together. Once we do that we’ll be ready for a big-time bowl game.”

Related links:

• USC football: Carroll says BCS ’stinks’
• USC football: Quick hits from Tuesday’s practice
• USC football: Taylor Mays a semifinalist for Thorpe Award
• USC football: In Carroll’s words (with commentary)

I think it is a no-brainer that he should go pro.

Mainly because:

1. It’s a very weak year for quarterbacks in the coming draft.  Outside of Matt Stafford, who is there?

2.  Sanchez is a pro-style guy and that’s what the NFL likes.  There are very few pro-style prospects out there.

3. He’s had his share of injuries (though nothing major) and staying healthy isn’t a given.

4. It appears he will have an outstanding year statistically, aided in part by a down year for the Pac-10.  Given the difficult schedule USC must play next season (with road games at Ohio State, Cal, Oregon and Notre Dame), it might be hard to duplicate such success.

Of course, if Sanchez returns, he will be, along with Sam Bradford, among the top Heisman contenders.

From The Daily News.

Craig Fertig, a record-setting quarterback for USC's teams of the 1960s who went on to be one of John McKay's top assistants and later a broadcaster on the Trojans' TV telecast, died Saturday of kidney failure. He was 66.

Fertig had been battling poor health the past several years. He died at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach.

"He embodied what it meant to be a Trojan," USC athletic director Mike Garrett said in a release. "He was one of the great storytellers and we all loved listening to his anecdotes delivered with his well-known sense of humor. We'll miss him dearly."

Fertig was a teammate of Garrett's in 1963 and 1964, when the quarterback set eight USC passing records. Fertig was also a member of USC's 1962 national championship team.

Fertig is remembered for throwing the winning touchdown pass to Rod Sherman in the final two minutes of the 1964 game against Notre Dame to lead USC back from a 17-point halftime deficit and upset the unbeaten, top-ranked Irish.

He helped lead USC to two national titles and six championship games as an assistant coach to McKay from 1965 to 1973. After stints as the head coach at Oregon State (1976-79) and West Coast talent scout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (under McKay), Fertig in 1992 began an 11-year run as an analyst on the Prime Ticket broadcasts of Trojans' football with Tom Kelly.

Here is a little more from the LAT.

Even after his official connection with the university ended several years ago, Fertig was a welcome presence, always ready with a story or joke told in the dry wit of his former coach, the legendary John McKay.

"Craig knew everybody, and everybody knew Craig," said Athletic Director Mike Garrett, who played alongside Fertig in the early 1960s. "He was one of the great storytellers."

Fertig was a sophomore playing behind Pete Beathard and Bill Nelson on the 1962 team, which went undefeated and won a national championship. He started only one season, in 1964, but threw one of the most memorable passes in school history.

That fall, undefeated Notre Dame arrived at the Coliseum with quarterback John Huarte, who had won the Heisman Trophy a few days earlier.

The Irish built a 17-0 lead, but USC scrambled back in the second half, closing the gap to four points, then driving to within 15 yards of the end zone in the final two minutes. On fourth down, Fertig completed a slant pass to Rod Sherman for the winning touchdown.

I can just imagine his interactions with John McKay. I would also love to hear Alan Page's thoughts once he heard of Fertig's passing. There have to be some incredible back stories in a game like that.

We pass on our deepest sympathies to the Fertig Family.

Fight On Craig!

I was watching a classic replay of USC vs. Fresno State tonight on FSN Prime Ticket. It was one of the most exhilarating games that the Trojans have played in years, and Reggie Bush put on a performance for the ages. His 513 all-purpose yards practically clinched the Heisman that evening.

Petros Papadakis was calling the game, and after a young freshman named Brian Cushing jumped on a crucial fumble, Papadakis said something that struck me:

"I'm just amazed [by USC's] ability to play within the moment in football games. They don't worry about their streak. They don't worry about the Rose Bowl. They don't worry about their ranking or who they're playing. They find themselves in a tough game, doesn't matter if they're home or away, they make the plays necessary to win the football game."

A lot of e-mails have been pouring in this week about what led to USC's collapse against Oregon State. Of all the explanations, I think most of them boil down to this: USC wasn't playing within the moment.

-- Adam Rose
Photo by Wally Skalij/L.A. Times

Got a question for USC alum and Cincinnati Bengal Carson Palmer? Or just want to wish him and his elbow a speedy recovery? Tomorrow night, you can talk live with the former Heisman Winner and #1 pick:

Join Carson live tomorrow night at 8pm et/5pm pt on NIKEFOOTBALL's weekly call-in show The Huddle by calling 1-800-603-6817.

Can't make the call? Don't fret -- just email your question to thehuddle@nike.com.

Last year, USC went down as a 41-point favorite at home to Stanford.

On Thursday, USC went down as a 25-point favorite at Oregon State.

What does it mean?

It means lessons from 2007 about no gimmes in college football weren't learned.

It means a team needs to exhibit more than talent alone if it wants to compete for a national championship.

It means the Pac-10's shocking spiral into the muck of irrelevancy is complete.

The top-ranked Trojans thought they could casually wander through an evening in Corvallis, Ore., but an inspired Oregon State squad dumped them on their rear ends, 27-21.

This is the same Oregon State team, now 2-2, that got outclassed at Penn State and lost its season opener at Stanford.

This is the same USC team that looked unbeatable after bludgeoning Virginia and Ohio State by a combined count of 87-10.

But these scrappy Beavers obviously have no fear when facing the Trojans, considering they've now beaten them in two of their last three meetings.

How did this happen?

It was nothing fancy. Oregon State just ran right at USC, and the Trojans made true freshman tailback Jacquizz Rodgers look like a Heisman Trophy candidate, as he cut and sprinted for 186 yards on 37 carries with two TDs.

The Beavers offensive line, mostly mediocre through the first three games, whipped the USC front seven, a sparkly crew of future NFL draft picks.

USC trailed 21-zip at the half, but when they closed the gap to 21-14 by scoring on their first two possessions of the third quarter, it seemed like the Trojans had snapped out of their slumber and were ready to reassert themselves.

Nope.

USC produced just two first downs on its first three possessions of the fourth quarter. The third possession ended with QB Mark Sanchez missing terribly on a pass that Beavers safety Greg Laybourn returned 29 yards to the USC 2-yard line.

Rodgers jaunted into the endzone for a 27-14 lead with 2:43 left -- the PAT failed -- and Beavers fans started climbing over the Reser Stadium fences, anticipating a celebratory charge.

Sure, USC, in desperation, fought back to score a TD and float a notion of a comeback, but the onside kick failed, and now the Pac-10 figures to be bystanders while the rest of the country figures out who the leading national title contenders are.

It's hard to imagine the Trojans can win their way back into the race because they play no other teams which are presently ranked.

The only hope for the Trojans probably is a SEC or Big 12 champion with two losses. And that guarantees nothing.

This was a big tumble, and USC doesn't have the sort of remaining schedule that can set it upright again in the collective eyes of pollsters.

Ultimately, what happened Thursday night in Corvallis is this: USC proved it wasn't exempt from the Pac-10 malaise of 2008, and now the conference is decidedly on the outside looking in while the rest of the college football nation battles for spots in the national title hunt.

4. Mark Sanchez, USC, QB, Jr.

Last week: 17-of-28 passing, 172 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT; 2 rushes, minus-10 yards in a 35-3 victory over No. 5 Ohio State.
Season: 43-of-63 passing, 510 yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs; 3 rushes, minus-4 yards
Heisman-o-meter: Entering last weekend's games, the Watch was expecting to elevate Sanchez to No. 1 this week. But the Trojans' destruction of the No. 5 team in the country was such a complete effort that it's hard to make him the marked man. USC's defense controlled the game, running back Joe McKnight was the early offensive catalyst and the offensive line gave Sanchez time to throw. Of course, good quarterbacks still must take advantage of good protection, which he did. He'll need to do more of it.
Up next: Sept. 25 at Oregon State.

Here is the video that accompanied the piece...

It's early yet so I am getting all worked over it. HP does a much better job at analyzing the race but it is nice to see Sanchez getting some good pub!

Mark Sanchez reaped all the rewards of Saturday’s showdown and is now an up-and-coming challenger in the Heisman race.

He came up big when everyone was watching.  As a result, his performance will stick in the voters’ heads all season long.  They won’t know what he did against Arizona, but they’ll remember the four touchdowns thrown against Ohio State.

As long as USC keeps winning, he’ll remain in the top 3 of the Heisman race.  As to his chances of actually capturing the trophy, that will depend on what happens with the other candidates.

Sanchez does not control the race just yet, but he is waiting in the wings to do so if someone else stumbles.

Tressel said team officials would monitor Wells' condition before ruling him out for the game in Los Angeles.

Not just to help the Buckeyes chances against SC, but if 'Beanie' Wells is to have any shot at the Heisman, he has to play in this Saturday.

Tressel: Wells now doubtful for game vs. Southern Cal [USA Today]

Â
Â	John Cordes/Icon
Â	Playing behind Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, Matt Cassel never got a chance to start as a QB at USC.

Southern California coach Pete Carroll has been awaiting this game for what seems like an eternity.

No, we're not talking about USC-Ohio State.

"It's the matchup we've all waited for: Favre versus Cassel," Carroll joked with ESPN.com on his weekly conference call. "It's awesome, man."

For the first time in 3,217 days, Matt Cassel will start a game at quarterback. Not only must the New England Patriots backup replace a legend, he'll also have to face one. The Patriots visit the New York Jets in one of the most intriguing Week 2 matchups.

"He'll be ready for this thing," said Carroll, who coached Cassel at USC but never started him because of Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. "It doesn't matter who you play. It just happens to be against one of the great all-time quarterbacks, which is bringing all kinds of hype and buildup.

"He's fortunate to have this chance. He's got the chance to beat Brett Favre, which would be pretty cool."

Carroll doesn't subscribe to the popular theory the Patriots will tear sections out of their playbook to accommodate Cassel, a fourth-year pro who has thrown only 57 passes in mop-up duty.

"I'm sure that they won't have to limit what they're doing too much, but they will some," Carroll said. "It'll call for everybody around Matt to do really well, too.

"Whereas Tom Brady could bail them out and just be the phenomenal player that he was, everybody's going to have to play for them to maintain the level of success that they've had."

Carroll didn't recruit Cassel out of California's Chatsworth High, the last place he started at quarterback. The Patriots fired Carroll after the 1999 season and he didn't begin coaching USC until 2001.

By that time, Cassel already had redshirted a season and could tell snaps would be scarce at quarterback. So Cassel asked to be use as a receiver and on special teams. He actually started one game as an H-back.

"This is the first game he's going to start in a long time because he's had the misfortune of being behind Heisman Trophy winners and then in the NFL behind the best quarterback that maybe ever lived," Carroll said. "He's had to wait forever. This is a kid that never gave in to that, persevered through all of that and continues to believe in himself.

"This'll be a great chance for him. I hope he plays within himself and gives himself a chance to be a part of those players."

1. Chris Wells, Ohio State–Things are getting tricky when it comes to analyzing Wells’ chance at the Heisman. At this point, there are a ton of variables in play. First off, he is hurt. Second, most of us don’t know how healthy he will be against USC on Saturday. Third, he has gained a slight advantage in that a loss to USC could be seen as the result of his being hurt, thus increasing his perceived worth to his team. Fourth, a win over USC with Wells making a minimal contribution could hurt his perceived worth to his team (they still won even though he was hurt? He must not be that important). Fifth, he could potentially have a Willis Reed type of moment, gutting out a winning touchdown, for instance, while not necessarily performing well in the overall game due to being hobbled. Thus a premium would be placed on his guttiness in the clutch. Last, he could just end up being a complete non-factor, but I think he now has a built in excuse and so won’t be dramatically penalized by the voters for it. So, you see all the ways to look at it? The fact that there are so many possibilities is a testament to the high stakes of the game this Saturday vs. USC. Unless Wells and Ohio State have a total meltdown, I believe he is unlikely to be eliminated from the race by virtue of his injury.

That’s because after USC, the Buckeyes will move on to the Big Ten schedule and, assuming he is healthy, Beanie will pile up a ton of yardage. Even if he has a rough game against the Trojans, he is likely to come back and put up 1,700-plus yards, which would at least make him a legitimate candidate, especially if the Buckeyes are undefeated or headed for the BCS title game once again.

Last week: Injured. Season: 13 carries, 111 yards, 8.5 ypc, 1 TD

2. Chase Daniel, Missouri–Daniel is moving closer to taking the lead in the Heisman Watch. He’s been exemplary so far and the Tigers have played well. What more can you ask for? If Wells stumbles against USC, he’ll be the front runner for the Heisman.

Then, all he has to do is keep winning. No small task.

Last week: 16 of 17, 245 yards, 3 TDs, 1 int. Season: 42 of 62, 568 yards, 6 TDs, 1 int., 9 carries, 46 yards

3. Mark Sanchez, USC–Sanchez is a shaky No. 3 right now. Let’s face it, he’s had one game. But the Ohio State game is such a high-profile affair, he is in a unique situation to capitalize. After Saturday, he could be out of the race, or sitting at the top.

Just a couple of the benefits/pitfalls to being the quarterback for the No. 1 team.

Last week: Off Season: 26 of 35, 338 yards, 3 TDs, 1 int.

4. Colt McCoy, Texas–McCoy is quietly off to a nice start for the Longhorns, but he will stay a few slots back in the race until the Oklahoma and Missouri games play out. Those two games could go a long way in determining this year’s winner.

Last week: 20 of 29, 282 yards, 4 TDs, 1 int Season: 44 of 58, 504 yards, 7 TDs, 1 int, 17 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD

5. Matt Stafford, Georgia–Stafford looks to be maturing as a quarterback and is off to his best start yet. There will be no shortage of big games for him to show his stuff. For now, he’s a candidate as long as UGA is undefeated.

Last week: 18 of 28, 213 yards, 2 TDs, 0 ints. Season: 31 of 49, 488 yards, 4 TDs, 0 ints.

6. Percy Harvin, Florida–Harvin came back against Miami, but didn’t set the world on fire. He’s got one more week to show his stuff, or else the clock will run out on his Heisman hopes.

Last week/Season: 5 carries, 27 yards, 1 TD, 1 catch, 12 yards

7. Stafon Johnson, USC–Johnson had minimal impact against Virginia, but he’s got this big game against Ohio State to do his thing. While USC seems determined to make all its tailbacks happy, it will go with the hot hand when necessary. If Johnson does not break out against OSU, he’s off this list for good.

Last week: Off Season: 9 carries, 28 yards, 1 TD

8. Pat White, West Virginia–White is hanging by a thread in the race after his WVU team lost to East Carolina, 24-3. He was shut down for the most part and it looks like WVU is really missing Coach Rod. Unless the Mountaineers run the table the rest of the way, White won’t have a shot.

Last week: 11 of 18, 72 yards, 0 TDs, 0 ints, 97 yards on 20 carries. Season: 36 of 51 for 280 yards, 5 TDs, 1 int., 29 carries, 160 yards, 0 TDs.

Dropped Out: Graham Harrell–For Harrell to have a shot at winning, he had to break NCAA records for yards and TDs in a season. With just 3 TDs in two games, that looks unlikely right now.

If the Vote were Held Today

1. Tim Tebow

2. Chase Daniel

3. Chris Wells

4. Knowshon Moreno

5. Mark Sanchez

6. Pat White

7. Graham Harrell

8. Jahvid Best

9. Matt Stafford

10. Percy Harvin

But with news of Brady's season ending injury, Cassel's decade long position has been turned upside down. "Career backup" Matt Cassel suddenly has a job he hasn't had in nearly ten years: starter.

Week 2 performances that should be celebrated:

Arizona State QB Rudy Carpenter: No Arizona State quarterback has thrown for more than the 733 yards Carpenter has piled up in the season's first two games. Despite getting hit repeatedly, Carpenter completed 27 of 36 passes for 345 yards with three touchdowns in the 41-17 victory over Stanford.

California RB Jahvid Best: Some running backs never get an 80-yard TD run their entire careers. Best had TD runs of 80 and 86 yards in the Golden Bears' 66-3 bludgeoning of Washington State. Best finished with 200 yards on 14 carries and three TDs. And he's got to be on the cusp of entering the Heisman Trophy discussion.

The California defense: The Cal unit nips Arizona State's fine effort against Stanford because the Bears held Washington State to 173 total yards and three points on the road. A dominant performance for a team that appears to be coming together.