More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP Browse more photos » With tomorrow's final regular season game at home against Arizona there a re number of story lines that we need to keep an eye on... Who Staying and Who is going? Stanley Havili is going to stay... Several USC juniors will consider making themselves available for the... more »
The offense got off to a strong start, but they were inconsistent and fumbled more than they should have, but on the bright side, coaches opened up the playbook and allowed Matt Barkley to complete some deep passes. However this offense, and the receiving game in particular, needs to play better. Trojan fans eagerly await the return of the fastest receiver, Ronald Johnson, who suffered a shoulder injury in the scrimmage game in August.
This defense is impressive. They almost held the Cougars to a shutout if it were not for Aaron Corp's fumble late in the game. Defensive back Marshall Jones and defensive tackle Hebron Fangupo each suffered season ending injuries in this game. Injuries are part of the game, and this is why it never hurts to have depth like USC does. Pete Carroll and coaching staff "stockpile" talent, and given the current waves of injuries, this is when the depth is tested.
The Skinny on SC Sports, an insightful newsletter with quick hits, insider info, and brief analysis that is always spot on, is going to be writing routine posts on TrojanWire.
The Skinny's heard from a very good source the NCAA is still about 9 to 12 months away from any type of announcement regarding USC.
After the jump find out why the Skinny thinks SC could be playing in the National Title game.
<!----><!---->Christian Tupou and his fellow defensive linemen have heard it at least once — probably more. Defensive line coach Jethro Franklin's unleashed plenty of hollering since coming back to USC, and through Sunday's practice at Howard Jones Field, it's worked. But it's not that Franklin has a short fuse; he's got a plan. Go inside for a full report... more »
Halfway there! Here’s the fifth thing we learned this spring about USC football: No. 5 — All-Pac-10 center Kristofer O’Dowd is worthy of all the hype. How can this be? How could Kristofer O’Dowd prove his value without taking a single spring snap? It seems counterintuitive, but hear me out: Sometimes we don’t realize the value of a player... more »
Jethro Franklin is returning to USC as the defensive line coach, while secondary coach Rocky Seto is taking on the additional duty of defensive coordinator and linebacker coach Ken Norton is adding the title of assistant head coach for the defense, Trojan head coach Pete Carroll announced today (Jan. 7).... more »
With national signing day less than a month away, USC coach Pete Carroll acted quickly to reshape his coaching staff, promoting secondary coach Rocky Seto to the defensive coordinator position vacated earlier this week. Carroll also announced Wednesday night that linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. would take on the additional title of assistant head coach/defense and that former Trojans... more »
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!
First defensive line coach Jethro Franklin, and now secondary coach Greg Burns, who was instrumental in recruiting for the Trojans, is setting a pirate ship sail and heading east to the Tampa Bay Bucaneers.
How much is Monte Kiffin, Pete Carroll's bro, going to poach from USC?
Hopefully this SC-ification in Tampa will help Matt Grootegoed get some playing time in the NFL. [UPDATE] Our bad. Grootegoed was actually picked up by the Detroit Lions. Thanks Larry.
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