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.
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.
Thoughts from Tuesday's practice, through the eyes of USCRipsIt...- Down two with three plays remaining in the full-pads practice, the offense cam roaring back with three straight wins to capture an 8-7 victory on Competition Tuesday and earn loads of praise from the coaches. "That's the kind of practice that gets us right," Coach Carroll said in the post-practice... more »
Nothing has been easy this season for the Trojans. It seems like every week they face another tough test on the road. This week it is the Oregon Ducks (6-1, 4-0) and their terrible uniforms. Saturday’s contest will be the fourth road game against a ranked opponent. Also increasing the degree of difficulty is the Trojans must play in Autzen stadium. Even though it only seats 54,000, it is one of the loudest stadiums in the country. And it’s Halloween, so fans will be extra lubricated and extra spooky.
To make matters worse, the past few years, the Pacific Northwest has not been friendly place to visit for the Trojans. USC has lost three straight years in the state of Oregon and we all can’t forget what happened to the Trojans when they traveled to Washington earlier this season. The weather conditions in Eugen should be dark, cold and gloomy. At kickoff the weather report is predicting 57 degrees with a 60% chance of precipitation.
So to recap, a ranked opponent playing their best football of the year, in a hostile environment, with a possibility for rain, in a high-stakes game, with tens of thousands of students dressed in costumes and extra inebriated, in a part of the of the country that the Trojans have not played well in recent years…. Does it scare you?
It shouldn’t. It should fire you up. Saturday night is the perfect opportunity to for the Trojans to come together and show the haters and doubters in the country that even though we have a freshman QB, a defense that has struggled the past two games against potent offenses and are banged up with injuries, when it comes time to strapping on the pads the Trojans always come to play in big games. How does Coach Carroll fare against ranked opponents? Pete has played 38 ranked opponents since 2001. USC is 34-4 in those games. Let’s make it 35-4.
More Thoughts of the Day and Halloween costume ideas after the jump (if you dare)…
The Trojans have survived tough road environments this year at Ohio State, Cal and Notre Dame. However, the biggest test of the year will be Saturday night at the toughest place to play in the Pac-10, Auzten Stadium, where the Trojans will battle the 10th ranked Oregon Ducks.
The Trojans will have to survive a real house of hunts with a raucous Halloween night crowd, rain and wind in the 1st half and an Oregon team that is operating at the top of its game.
The fourth ranked Trojans have not left the state of Oregon with a victory since 2005 and will have to play together and disciplined in all phases of the game to for them to leave with a victory.
5 things to keep track of plus the obvious:
1- USC’s Defensive Line vs. Oregon’s Offensive Line: Oregon’s offensive line is fairly inexperienced and has yet to play a top tier defensive line. The Trojans must get penetration early and break-up Oregon’s offensive rhythm. The key to stopping any spread attack is linebackers being able to stay home and cause havoc on the short passing game and mis-directional running plays.
The emergence of the spread offense has led defensive coaches to really focus on it in the offseason and will see if that hard work pays off on Saturday.
2- Force Oregon into obvious passing situations: The Oregon offense is very potent when they are running the ball 2/3 of the time and not forced into throwing situations longer than 10 yards. Oregon only averages 157 yards passing a game. The hurry up aspect of Oregon’s offense is based on a solid running game where they like to hand it off or throw a pass behind the line of scrimmage 85% of the time.
Oregon prefers to throw the ball less than 20 times and Masoli is a weak mid to deep thrower under pressure. Evidence of that was clear in USC’s 44-10 victory over Oregon in the Coliseum last year.
Oregon tailback LaMichael James might be the second best back in the conference behind Oregon State’s Jacquizz Rogers. He is a great cut-back runner and has the ability to make a big gain at the blink of an eye. Containing James will be the key to forcing Oregon into 3rd and long situations.
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 completed 15 of 25 passes for 202 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. In light of the interceptions, he has improved tremendously since the home opener against San Jose State. And it sure is nice having Ronald Johnson back on the field, too!
Allen Bradford rushed for a career high 147 yards and 2 touchdowns. Sharing number 21 and being a solid, bruising back, he looked liked LenDale White. Joe McKnight rushed for 65 yards on 11 carries and left the game near the end of the 1st half due to a hand injury; it is unknown what his status for next week is at the moment. With McKnight's speed and explosiveness combined with Bradford's bull-like qualities as a running back, will this tandem be Thunder and Lighting version 2.0?
Here are some of the defense "highlights" against the Beavers. USC struggled defensively against Oregon State last year, so it should have been no surprise this year considering they returned a veteran quarterback in Sean Canfield and the notorious Jacquizz Rodgers, along with brother James. Enjoy the few clips of the defense stopping the Beavers' offense. If any other team expects to beat Oregon State, it must be done with a good offense. No matter how good a defense is, it is hard to prepare for the Beaver offense.
Matt Barkley completed 15 of 25 passes for 202 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. In light of the interceptions, he has improved tremendously since the home opener against San Jose State. And it sure is nice having Ronald Johnson back on the field, too!
Allen Bradford rushed for a career high 147 yards and 2 touchdowns. Sharing number 21 and being a solid, bruising back, he looked liked LenDale White. Joe McKnight rushed for 65 yards on 11 carries and left the game near the end of the 1st half due to a hand injury; it is unknown what his status for next week is at the moment. With McKnight's speed and explosiveness combined with Bradford's bull-like qualities as a running back, will this tandem be Thunder and Lighting version 2.0?
Here are some of the defense "highlights" against the Beavers. USC struggled defensively against Oregon State last year, so it should have been no surprise this year considering they returned a veteran quarterback in Sean Canfield and the notorious Jacquizz Rodgers, along with brother James. Enjoy the few clips of the defense stopping the Beavers' offense. If any other team expects to beat Oregon State, it must be done with a good offense. No matter how good a defense is, it is hard to prepare for the Beaver offense.
Ronald Johnson is pursuing a degree in sociology at USC. This week, however, the junior Trojan wide receiver majored in chemistry. Johnson, publicly frustrated with both his role and his performance in the No. 4 Trojans’ 34-27 victory at Notre Dame, spent most of this week trying to reconnect with freshman quarterback Matt Barkley. “We’re just trying to [...]... more »
USC fullback Stanley Havili will miss the No. 4 Trojans’ game with Oregon State Saturday night at the Coliseum with a shoulder injury, USC coach Pete Carroll said after Thursday night’s practice. Ronald Johnson will start at split end in place of David Ausberry, who is questionable with a calf injury, Carroll said. Johnson played for [...]... more »
USC could make a strong claim to be "America's Team."The Trojans have become the antithesis of a provincial program, as the roster and, most notably, the starting lineup are loaded with players from around the country.Nine of the Trojans' 22 starting roles are filled by players from out of state, continuing a recent trend of USC putting non-Californians in... more »
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