• Officially, if the depth chart remains as is, USC will have 11 returning starters in 2010, plus four other starters who have previous starting experience.
• The offensive backfield is loaded with experience, as Matt Barkley and fullback Stanley Havili combine for 47 starts. Allen Bradford has one start at tailback (he also started two games at fullback in 2006), while C.J. Gable has 11 career starts at the position.
• The right side and middle of the offensive line (Kristofer O'Dowd, Butch Lewis and Tyron Smith) will all return in 2010, and the left side of the line (Matt Kalil and Khaled Holmes) will be completely new.
• Wideout David Ausberry, who was injured for most of the second half of last season, was inadvertently left off the depth chart. He'll most likely work his way into the rotation at split end along with Brice Butler and Jordan Cameron.
• The receiving corps officially has just one returning starter in Ronald Johnson, but Rhett Ellison started four games at tight end in 2009 and David Ausberry started six games at wideout before getting injured halfway through the 2009 season.
• The defense should have five returning starters in addition to four other projected starters with prior starting experience.
• The middlemen on the defensive line -- senior tackles Christian Tupou and Jurrell Casey -- have a combined 34 starts.
• The three projected starting linebackers -- Devon Kennard, Chris Galippo and Malcolm Smith -- all return from 2009.
• With an entirely new secondary, the defensive backfield will feature a lot of fresh faces, though Shareece Wright (four) and Drew McAllister (one) have recorded starts in previous seasons.

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.

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.

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 NFL draft after the Trojans play a bowl game later this month.

Fullback Stanley Havili said Wednesday he would not be among them.

"I need to come back," he said.

Havili, who suffered a midseason shoulder injury that sidelined him for two games and slowed him for two more, surprisingly was projected by the Sporting News last month as a possible late first-round pick in the April draft.

Havili was unmoved.

"I have a lot of developing to do," he said. "I need to show parts of my game that I haven't been able to show yet."

Obviously Havili is the best fullback we have. But he has some injury issues in his career so he needs to get as much experience as he can before making the jump. He has all the tools, blocking, receiving and big capability but  there have been a few time that he has had trouble holding onto the ball at critical moments.

Havili's returning for another year gives Matt Barkley a little more stability as he settles into his second year as the starter.

The bigger question on offense will be Damian Williams...

USC's regular-season finale against Arizona on Saturday will be the last Coliseum appearance for Trojans seniors.

It might also be receiver Damian Williams' final home game.

"I've kind been like, 'Wow. It could be,' " the fourth-year junior said Monday. "But right now, I'm just focusing on getting through the season. After the bowl game, we'll sit down and make some decisions."

Last January, Williams had considered making himself available for the NFL draft, especially after quarterback Mark Sanchez decided to turn professional.

But Williams returned and has been the Trojans' most dynamic player. He has caught 50 passes, six for touchdowns, and also has returned two punts for touchdowns.

Williams, though, has suffered several injuries, including a hamstring strain that slowed him against Oregon and a high-ankle sprain that sidelined him against Stanford.

So Williams, who will graduate this month, again will consider entering the draft.

DWill is in the same boat as Mark Sanchez was last year. He is set to graduate so he technically can move on. The question is is he ready?

There is no question he can make plays...he is/was the favorite target of both Barkley and Sanchez and he has been the #1 receiver on this team the past couple of seasons. When he wasn't in the dynamic of this offense changed considerably. This is a hard one to call, though I think he is gone. Being slowed by injury and having a true freshman QB running the offense may have decreased Williams' production this season but there is no question he can play. I think his draft evaluation will be the determining factor.

What about Everson Griffen?

USC junior defensive end Everson Griffen says he’s not thinking about the 2010 NFL Draft.

At least not yet.

Griffen, who has been projected by various draft sites as possible first or second round pick should he forgo his senior season, said he will evaluate his options after the season.

"I really don’t know yet," said Griffen, currently third in the Pac-10 in sacks (8). "We still have two more games left. Let’s focus on the last two games and I really haven’t thought about it yet. I’ll talk it over with my family but right now I’m just focused on these last two games and see where I’m at and then go from there."

Griffen has been the most puzzling player on this team.

He is a tremendous talent but his head and drive have always been questioned. Jethro Franklin has done a great job at getting his head screwed on straight but not without some lapses (see the Notre Dame game). SC has some decent depth at DE but it is hard to let such a tremendous talent, albeit still a little raw, leave before it is fully developed.

Joe McKnight commented this last week...

USC junior tailback Joe McKnight is leaning toward returning for his senior season.

McKnight, who is closing in on 1,000 yards, hasn’t completely made up his mind but said if he had to make the decision "today or tomorrow" he would come back to school.

I haven't heard an update on this, so I will assume that he is staying...

Anyway more later...

- - -

Here are some links...

Coach Carroll on Garrett Green - TrojanWire

Joe McKnight gets another opportunity to shine against Arizona -- latimes.com

USC defense shows Jekyll-and-Hyde personality - LA Daily News

USC's potential newcomers could make sudden impact - LA Daily News

USC defense faces challenge in Foles - The Orange County Register

Preview: Arizona at USC " The Trojan Empire

Week 14 Game Matchup: Arizona Wildcats VS. USC Trojans | All Pac 10

The offense still sputtered, but it was enough to win the game and that's all that matters. Matt Barkley's 48 yard touchdown pass to Damian Williams late in the 4th quarter capped off a great win over the crosstown rivals. Rick Neuheisel's arrogance and refusal to accept a merciful loss offered by Pete Carroll and USC completely backfired on him. You want to play some football, Ricky? You got it!

The UCLA Bruins were a touchdown away from tying the score for most of the game, and they could have taken pride knowing they hung in there until the final minutes of the 4th quarter. Now the Bruins have nothing to take pride in, thanks to Rick Neuheisel poking a stick at the wasp nest that is Pete Carroll and the USC Trojans. Even the Toilet Bowl is no guarantee for these little cubbies. At least USC is going bowling and their dominance over the finest Westwood has to offer continues.

And basketball, once a source of refuge for the bRuins after a crappy football season, is now a sore subject. UCLA hoops is a laughing stock and to consider them the best team in Southern California is a tasteless joke. Whatever you do, please do not mention Cal State Fullerton or Long Beach State when talking about UCLA basketball.

But come on, it's UCLA! Things are not all bad, right? After all they are the first to 100 NCAA Championships. Even though most normal college sports fans care about the successes of football and basketball and to a lesser extent in baseball, let them take pride knowing their women's cross country team or their men's synchronized diving team just won another NCAA title. It's enough to make you not care.

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.

More keys and injury updates after the jump

Here is a quick run down on some injured Trojans.

The Good News:

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.

Ankle sprains keeps Williams on sideline [ocregister]
Dispatch from Howard Jones [uscripsit]

The Trojans will need to play well in all phases to successfully defend the Coliseum turf against 3 tough opponents (Stanford and Arizona are ranked and in the Rose Bowl race and you have the crosstown rivalry with UCLA). If they are able to win the final three, another trip to Pasadena is still very much alive. If they struggle, a match-up with Oklahoma in the Sun Bowl is easily be in the cards.

The Pac-10 is extremely strong this year and any 1 of 5 teams would represent the conference very well against a top 15 team on a neutral field. This type of quality is why a team with two losses in conference could play in the Rose Bowl.

Notes and Analysis for the Water Cooler and IM Chats:

Barkley in a slump: Matt Barkley was 7-22 for 122 yards against Arizona State. If you take away the short pass to Damian Williams that was turned into a 75 yard touchdown, Barkley was 6-21 for 37 yards. In the second half against Oregon, he was 5-16 for 49 yards. Did Raider quarterback Jamarcus Russell take over for the Trojans?
Hopefully the offensive coaches are doing some self scouting to help Barkley make adjustments to his tendencies. Opposing defensive coaches have enough film on Barkley to truly dissect his game and it is showing. Arizona State has a great defense but his throwing numbers were awful considering Cal QB Kevin Riley threw for 351 yards the week before.

*More Barkley, offensive line, Williams injury after the jump

In the past, one could review the game and say the Trojans were just unlucky or if they played with a little more discipline they would have won. Not this time. If anything, the amount of injuries the Trojans suffered on the defensive side of the ball is a clear indication of how manhandled they were by the Oregon offense.

Saturday's game against Arizona State will provide great insight into the psyche of both the coaching staff and the players. Was the Oregon game just a set of unfortunate circumstances they can easily put behind them and continue Pete Carroll's perfect November record and put themselves in contention for a BCS bowl game? Will the Trojans fight though injury issues like they have in years past and put together a great performance or will the shaken confidence of a defense that has given up over 1500 yards of offense in 3 games lead to a debacle in Tempe?

Arizona State is not going to make it easy on the Trojans. They are led by the best defense in the Pac-10 and are fighting for Head Coach Dennis Erickson's job. This is also the second of back-to-back road games for the Trojans which are always tough.

However, this is a game the Trojans should win and be able to gain some confidence and swagger back on the defensive side of the ball. ASU has one of the worst offenses in the Pac-10 and doesn't possess a game-breaker close to the ability of Jacquizz Rogers, James Rogers or LaMichael James.

Keys to the game...

1-Trojans need to pass to set up the run: Cal Quarterback Kevin Riley threw for 351 yards last week in a narrow 23-21 victory over ASU. ASU does a great job of applying pressure and making it difficult to run with one of the best run defense's in the country. The Trojans should come out throwing the ball to send an early message to ASU's secondary which is susceptible to mid-range throws.

Once ASU's defense is worried about the pass, the Trojans should have success running the ball with McKnight and especially Bradford provided his knee is okay. Bradford fits the mold of Stanford tailback Toby Gerhart who ran for 125 yards against ASU.

More keys after the jump plus an injury update...

• DE Armond Armstead (wrist): Probable

• WR David Ausberry (calf): Out

• RB Allen Bradford (knee): Probable

• LB Chris Galippo (neck): Probable
• 
DE Everson Griffen (toe): Probable

• FB Stanley Havili (shoulder): Probable
• 
LB Jarvis Jones (neck): Questionable

• S Drew McAllister (hip): Out

• TE Anthony McCoy (ankle): Questionable

• RB Joe McKnight (ankle): Probable
• 
DE Nick Perry (knee): Questionable
• 
LB Malcolm Smith (shoulder): Out

• WR Damian Williams (glute): Probable

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)…