Friday, August 31, 2007

Thank God for Idaho

The injury bug beast has attacked the Trojan depth chart the last two weeks. Luckily for us we start the season with a scrimmage against Idaho. Here's an injury update and an official depth chart for Saturday's game...

- After suffering a shoulder stinger, courtesy of Rey Maualuga, Patrick Turner says he is fine and is expected to start on Saturday.

- Center Matt Spanos' tricep injury will hold him out longer than what was originally expected. Carroll initially announced that Jeff Byers would start in place of Spanos. However a recent change of heart now has true freshman Kris O'dowd starting at center.

- Broderick Green suffered a stress fracture in his foot and is expected to sit out this season.

- Nick Howell is also expected to miss a considerable amount of time after discovering that his suspected groin injury was actually a hernia.

- Vidal Hazelton says his nagging groin injury is feeling much better.'

- Joe McKnight (knee) has been cleared for contact and is expected to play on Saturday.

- Marc Tyler (leg) participated in practice for the first time since we was cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse. However, I seriously doubt he will play against Idaho.

- Chauncey Washington will sit out the season opener as he recovers from a shoulder injury he suffered in the final scrimmage of fall camp. Hopefully Washington will be healthy and ready to go for the Nebraska game.

Kevin Thomas, Travon Patterson, and Hershel Dennis were also recovering from injuries. However I'm not sure whether or not they will play on Saturday.

Here's the starting lineup for tomorrow's game...

Offense

QB- John David Booty
RB- C.J. Gable
FB- Stanley Havili
RT- Charles Brown
RG- Chilo Rachal
C- Kris O'Dowd
LG- Jeff Byers
LT- Sam Baker
TE- Fred Davis
WR- Patrick Turner
WR- David Ausberry

Defense

DE- Lawrence Jackson
NT- Sedrick Ellis
DT- Fili Moala
DE- Kyle Moore
WSL- Keith Rivers
ML- Rey Maualuga
SSL- Brian Cushing
FS- Taylor Mays
SS- Kevin Ellison
CB- Terrell Thomas
CB- Josh Pinkard

Special Teams

K- David Buehler
P- Greg Woidneck
KR- Vincent Joseph
PR- Desmond Reed

Let the tailgating begin!

FIGHT ON!

BEAT THE VANDALS!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

JD Booty Video

Big shot out to our boy, Rory, over at TrojanWire for engineering this Heisman video of John David Booty. If you haven't seen the video, prepare for glory. Brilliant music choice with "TV On The Radio".


Countdown to Kickoff: 3 Days

The excitement is building as we are less than 72 hours away from the start of the 2007 season. As we continue our daily countdown to kickoff we have now reached #3. Representing #3 on our countdown is Heisman winning quarterback Carson Palmer.


Carson Palmer set the standard at USC for quarterback excellence. In his final season at USC he passed for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns leading the Trojans to an Orange Bowl victory over the University of Iowa. That season Palmer became the first quarterback in USC history to win the Heisman Trophy and was later drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the #1 overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft.

Palmer has continued his dominance on the football field. He has already twice been named to the NFL Pro Bowl, last season earning Pro Bowl MVP Honors. Palmer and his 3 amigos will attempt to improve on last seasons 8-8 record and take the Bengals back to the playoffs.

I wish Palmer the best of luck this season, except during weeks when I'm matched up against Joey's fantasy football team.

Fight on!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Get ready to Pick'em



Think you can predict the outcome of games better than Corso and Herbstreit? If so, then you are encouraged to join the USC Sports Talk College Football Pick'em group, over at Yahoo! Fantasy Sports. Match wits against your fellow Trojans, and play for pride or fun. Just go to this link and enter the following information to join our existing group:

Group ID: 27109
Password: melkiper

If, for some reason, the link did not work, then just go onto Yahoo! Sports Fantasy page and find the College Football Pick'em page. There you will choose to "Join an Existing Group", and then select "Join a Private Group." The Group ID and Password are given above. Welcome aboard guys, and there will be a prize for the eventual winner courtesy of USC Sports Talk.

Fight On!

Countdown to Kickoff: 4 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now just 4 days away from kicking off the season this Saturday at the Coliseum. There's a double-shot of Trojans wearing #4 this season, hard-hitting junior safety Kevin Ellison and the top rated recruit of the 2007 freshmen class in Joe McKnight...

Ellison (above) is arguably the hardest hitter in all of college football (although Patrick Cowan might think otherwise), but is also one of the most underrated players in the country. When people talk about USC's defense, you usually hear about the 10 returning starters or the linebacking corps that many consider the best in the country, but rarely is there ever a mention of Ellison. The Pac-10 knows about Ellison though, just ask Berkeley's DeSean Jackson, who provides stability at safety and is also a team leader.
Freshman tailback Joe McKnight came to USC with aspirations of greatness, but is still trying to grasp life as a college football player. Although he seemed to struggle quite a bit during fall camp, he never wavered or hung his head. McKnight is very talented and offers the USC offense so much versatility, and now it's just a matter of time before he catches up to the speed of the game and feels fully comfortable with the playbook. Hopefully he'll be healthy and ready to go for the Idaho game on Saturday.

Fight On!

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 5 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, it's back to school time for all us Trojans, but more importantly, we are now just 5 days away from kicking off the season against the Idaho Vandals. You guys know who made #5 special here at USC, the guy who constantly wrecked the bruins of Westwood High (see video at the end of this post) - Reggie Bush...

Bush, a.k.a. "The President," had a highly publicized and well documented college career. He helped the Trojans to Back to Back National Championships in '03 and '04, restoring the glory back at USC. The 2005 Heisman Trophy winner skipped his senior season, after one of the most incredible single season performances in the history of college football in order to enter the 2006 NFL Draft, where he was drafted #2 overall by the New Orleans Saints. Bush also won the Walter Camp Player of Year Award, the Doak Walker Award (best RB), and was a unanimous All-American. He did everything that could possibly be done in college football, except of course winning 3 consecutive national titles (damn you Vince Young). Perhaps his most impressive accomplishment (allegedly) though, at least to me, is Kim Kardashian. You be the judge...

In the unfortunate event that you were unable to witness Reggie make a mockery of Westwood, this is what you missed...

Fight On!

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 6 Days

As we continue our countdown toward the 2007 season we are now only 6 days away from the season opener and unfortunately less than two days away from the beginning of fall classes. Proudly representing #6 on our countdown is redshirt sophomore quarterback Mark Sanchez.


If John David Booty accepts the Heisman Trophy in New York this season he will undoubtedly thank his family, coach Carroll and the Trojan coaching staff, his offensive linemen, his receivers, his high school/ pop warner coach, and of course God. The one person he may forget to thank is Mark Sanchez, a person who has contributed an immeasurable amount to his greatness on the football field. Sanchez pushed Booty to edge last preseason in a competition for the starting quarterback position. Forcing Booty to perform an elite level everyday in practice to win the job. The results were quite remarkable for a first year starter.

Mark Sanchez will once again serve as Booty's primary back-up this season. Sanchez should get plenty of playing time this season as the Trojans should have the majority of their games decided by the end of the third quarter. Live game experience will be extremely important for Sanchez as he prepares himself for the battle to end all battles next season.

Next season's quarterback battle will feature both the 2004 & 2005 High School Parade All-American Player of the Year. Sanchez vs. Mustain. There will be no shortage of media attention given to this battle next season. Everyone has their opinion on who they think will win this quarterback competition. However until we see the two head-to-head in practice against the same defense, nothing can be said definitively.

Feel free to discuss your opinions here.

Everyone here knows who I proudly endorse....

Friday, August 24, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 7 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now just 7 days away from the opening kickoff against the Idaho Vandals next Saturday. Jersey #7 will be worn by 2 Trojans this season, junior CB Cary Harris and sophomore WR Vidal Hazelton...

Harris (above) returns with a year of starting experience at corner until his belt. Harris is very good in run support, but when in coverage it seems that he gives up way to much cushion. If he's going to be giving up 6-8 yard routes all game, then he needs to punish the WR's after catch and make them pay for catching the ball. I expect he'll play much better this season now that he is a year older and wiser now.

Hazelton is battling David Ausberry and Ronald Johnson for the #2 WR position across from Patrick Turner. He has a year of experience in the program already, but in my opinion, should have red-shirted last season. I understand that Jarrett missed some time last season, and an opportunity presented itself for Hazelton to step in and show that he was indeed worthy of playing time, but Coach Carroll needs to be a little more selective with his red-shirts. He saw limited action in 11 games and finished the season with 1 catch for 8 yards and 1 carry for 7 yards. I don't know about you guys, but that sounds like a waste of a year to me. Ausberry, meanwhile, did red-shirt in '06, and ended up getting valuable reps and dominating on the scout team. Now he's on track to start the opener along side Turner. Hazelton is very talented though, so hopefully he'll play with a chip on his shoulder and have a monster year.

Fight On!

UFC 74


As summer continues to wind down, we discover that kickoff weekend is only a week away. All the sweat, lactate, and blood from this off-season will reach fruition as the Mighty USC Trojans come blazing out of the tunnel next Saturday. We're almost there, guys. In the meantime, here's some MMA news for all the fight fans.


UFC 74: RESPECT

Randy Couture. Randy Couture. Randy Couture. Last time he fought, the odds were stacked against him. And look what he did. The guy is a champion for a reason, but this weekend it all ends for him as I predict Gabriel Gonzaga to shock the world. Again. While Couture has the heart of a lion, Gonzaga has the youth, not to mention, the Brazilian Jiujitsu to win this fight. For Couture to win, I believe he needs to score some takedowns and rough up Gonzaga on the ground and shake his confidence. But if Gonzaga can mount or gain top position on the ground, he proved against Mirko Cro-Cop that he can lay some serious ground and pound. Not to mention, he's got stand-up KO power. Gonzaga via submisson in Round 3.

Another interesting match should be Geroges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck. When his head is on straight, St. Pierre is probably the most gifted fighter in the world, but when its not, well....Matt "The Terror" Serra showed us what happens. Look for Kos to use his wrestling skills to score some takedowns and push the tempo. And Kos is no slouch either as he handed Diego Sanchez his first loss a few months ago. I predict St. Pierre by TKO via strikes in the 2nd round.

Also, look for Roger Huerta to destroy another UFC newcomer as Dana White builds his Latino boy to stardom. There are some other quality fights with Kurt Pellegrino, Patrick Cote, Kendall Grove, and many more. I am not particularly too excited for this card, but I think it has plenty of potential to be good. If your a gambling man, check out UFCJunkie's Performify Picks.

Have a good weekend.







Thursday, August 23, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 8 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now just 8 days away from kicking off the season against the University of Idaho in what could be the biggest blowout the world has ever seen. Wearing #8 for Trojans this season is the highly touted freshman WR Ronald Johnson, who will have some very big shoes to fill (Dwayne Jarrett's)...

Johnson (image above from yesterday's scrimmage) came to USC, despite being heavily recruited by his home state school of Michigan, because he believed he can contribute right away as a slot WR who can break a game open at any time. He has shown that he has the necessary skills to compete at this level throughout fall camp, and will get every opportunity to work himself into the starting lineup. It will be interesting though, to see how he handles the pressure of continuing the legacy left by Jarrett, who is perhaps the greatest Trojan WR since Lynn Swann.
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Dwayne Jarrett basically re-wrote the record books during his career at USC, but his finest moment might have came a couple years ago in South Bend. The #1 ranked Trojans engaged in an epic battle against Notre Dame, but found themselves trailing 31-28 late in the 4th quarter. Facing a 4th Down and 9 yards to go, (click here to relive the magic) Leinart found Jarrett for what will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest plays and finishes to a game in college football history. Who will ever forget that memorable 4th and 9 play, called "82 Sluggo Win," that eventually led to the game-winning touchdown (and the Bush push)? I sure as heck won't.

Fight On!

Update: Chauncey Washington

The LA Times is reporting today that Chauncey Washington, who was slated to start at RB this season, will miss the season opener against Idaho:
USC tailback Chauncey Washington will miss the season opener against Idaho because of a sprained shoulder.

Washington, the Trojans' leading rusher last season, said today he would possibly be out two weeks after X-rays confirmed the sprain that was suffered during a scrimmage Wednesday night.

Though this is terrible news for Chauncey, it provides a wonderful opportunity for someone (Stafon Johnson) to breakout in the Idaho game. Let it be known though, that this slew of injuries at RB continues to be a concern. For the moment, sophomores Stafon Johnson and Allen Bradford, along with senior Desmond Reed are the only available running backs. The article later says:
The Trojans are hoping that sophomore C.J. Gable (groin) and freshman Joe McKnight (knee) will be available in the coming days. Freshman Broderick Green's status was in doubt Wednesday night because of NCAA Clearinghouse issues.
Looks like USC will use a lot of multiple WR formations on September 1st, if the injuries continue to be a problem. All that means is more touches for Ausberry.

Fight On!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Scrimmage Update: Key Injury

According to Scott Wolf, starting RB Chauncey Washington left the scrimmage after an apparent shoulder injury:
Washington appears to hurt his shoulder on a run as he comes off the field favoring his right shoulder.
This is not good news, Chauncey kicked off the scrimmage with a 63 yard run and has been very impressive during fall camp. All we can do now is hope that Chauncey is okay. Following the injury, Stafon Johnson proceeded to run with the first team. Suddenly, Moody's transfer doesn't seem so insignificant anymore. Don't forget that freshman RB Broderick Green has yet to be cleared academically by the NCAA. USC is hurting at tailback right now, as seen by Alfred Rowe (who was recently converted to fullback from safety) getting extensive carries tonight:
USC is running out of backs and Rowe gains two for the reserves...Washington, Joe McKnight, C.J. Gable and Hershel Dennis are all standing on the sidelines injured. Plus Marc Tyler.
Get healthy soon guys.

Fight On!

UPDATE on Chauncey, from Wolf's Blog

Countdown to Kickoff: 9 Days

As we continue our daily countdown toward the 2007 season, we are now only 9 days away from wrecking Idaho in the Coliseum. Throughout the countdown, we have thrown the word “beast” around pretty loosely, but no one embodies the word the way David Ausberry does. This guy is a BEAST. At 6’4” and a solid 225 lbs, opposing cornerbacks are going to have to use several towels to wipe their face after they get bukkaked by Ausberry in the red zone. The redshirt freshman has been named a starter along with Patrick Turner in what will be the most dominant wide receiver tandem in all of college football. These guys are going to get big shit poppin'.

David Ausberry has had impressive Spring and Fall Camps. After being named the 2006 Service Team Offensive Player of the Year, it was only logical that Ausberry would make progress and earn himself plenty of playing time. Ausberry has had plenty of success dating back to his high school days at Lemoore (Calif.) High. He was named a 2004 Parade All-American, USA Today All-USA first team, ESPN 150, Prep Star All-Western, U.S. Army All-American Game participant, and an All-League Offensive MVP as a senior wide receiver, defensive back and punter, yes you read right, PUNTER. After this season, Ausberry will be able to add ALL-WORLD to his impressive resume.

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Photo taken from Scout.com


I had the pleasure of having Ausberry in my Sociology class last semester and his mere presence in the classroom was intimidating. He would simply dominate the room as soon as he entered and I was honored just to be in the same room with him.

All of us here at USC Sports Talk are looking forward to seeing Ausberry dominate on the football field this season. We were never able to see what Mike Williams and Dwayne Jarrett could do if they were ever on the field at the same time. Now that Patrick Turner and David Ausberry will be lining up at the same time, opposing defensive coordinators can only pray that they don’t give up more than 400 yards through the air against these guys. It might get nasty, especially with the majority of corners being short and shitty these days. I expect Ausberry to get unleashed early and often in every game so the world can see his Secretariat-like stride.

Here are some more interesting facts about David Ausberry:

Legend has it that it was David Ausberry and not Secretariat who won the 1973 Triple Crown. Ausberry won the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths seen below.

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Michael Jordan did not lead the Chicago Bulls to 6 NBA Championships. David Ausberry did.

David Ausberry can dribble a football.

David Ausberry sired the entire starting lineup of the 1927 New York Yankees World Championship team.

David Ausberry is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.

David Ausberry doesn’t sleep. He waits.

David Ausberry has two speeds: run, and kill.

David Ausberry can divide by zero.

David Ausberry floats like a butterfly and stings like a Tomahawk Cruise Missile. At Mach 3. In the face.
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End of Fall Camp Scrimmage

The USC football team will close what has been a very eventful and entertaining fall camp with an intra-squad scrimmage tonight in the Coliseum. Unfortunately, none of us here at USC Sports Talk will be able to attend due to work and time constraints, but you can follow the action over at Scott Wolf's blog who will be reporting from there live. The 1st team offense will square against the 2nd team defense and vice-versa for the 1st team defense. Let's wish for a high intensity scrimmage and for all of our players to come out of this thing healthy.

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Fight On!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 10 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now just 10 days away from the opening kickoff against the University of Idaho. There's a double shot of Trojans wearing #10 this season, senior QB and Heisman frontrunner John David Booty and junior LB Brian Cushing...

Booty is back for his second season as the Trojans starting QB. It has long been believed that all players, but especially QBs, improve the most in the time between year 1 and year 2 as starters. That is why expectations are high for Booty, who had a very solid season last year. He is surrounded by some young, but very talented playmakers that he can distribute the ball to, so hopefully offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian will open up the playbook this season and let Booty gun it. Cushing is back to his preferred strong side LB spot after spending last season as the elephant in Pete Carroll's 3-4 defense. He is coming off a dominating performance against Michigan in the Rose Bowl and will look to carry that momentum into this season.


Fight On!

12/01

The season hasn't even started but I'm hungry for revenge and for another batch of bruin burgers. They don't taste good and they smell terrible but they are easy...



I can already smell the massacre. Leonidas will fear Carroll after this battle destruction.

Countdown To Kickoff: 11 Days

UCLA gets owned by Leinart....again


With less than 2 weeks before kickoff, we arrive at #11 in our countdown, USC legend Matt Leinart. One of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of college football, Leinart set the record at USC for all-time touchdown passes and completion percentage and a stunning 37-2 record as a starter while playing for Troy. More importantly, he led SC to 2 consecutive national championships, 3 title game appearances, a ridiculous 34 game winning streak, and decorated himself as a 3 time All-American, Rose Bowl MVP, Orange Bowl MVP, Unitas Award Winner, Manning Award Winner, and celebrates what is said best by Coach Kevin O'Shea......a Heisman Trophy.


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Leinart + Carroll = Dynasty


Leinart also helped restore the swagger that USC had long been missing. Unlike the taints over in Westwood, it's not only better to be a Trojan, but more fashionable. Flaunting a star-studded entourage with the likes of Nick Lachey and Bron Heussenstamm, Leinart became a star among stars in Los Angeles. He was selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals where he has become the starting quarterback. Cheers to you , Matt. Long live Troy.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 12 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now just 12 days away from seeing the #1 team in the country get it popping against the Idaho Vandals. The number 12 has been retired at USC by one of the founding fathers of "Tailback U," 1979 Heisman Trophy winner Charles White...

Here's Charles in action against the LSU Tigers from 1979. White took a back seat to another Trojan legend in tailback Ricky Bell as a freshman in 1976, but he rose from Bell's shadow the next three years on his way to stardom. White helped lead the Trojans to the 1978 National Championship and won the '79 Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award, and was a 2-time unanimous All-American ('78, '79). For his career, White rushed for a USC and Pac-10 record 6,245 yards (according to USC Legends). Hopefully one of our guys at running back can make Mr. White proud this season.

Fight On!

Bye-Bye Jamere Holland

USCFootball.com is reporting that redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jamere Holland is saying good-bye to the football program. Holland has suffered from a number of injuries that have kept him off the football field since his arrival. Not getting the reps this fall, Holland fell behind redshirt freshman David Ausberry and true freshmen Ronald Johnson and Brandon Carswell on the depth chart. It's disappointing that we never got a chance to see Holland's speed in action on the football field. However we may still get a chance to see world-class track speed on the football field next year with Bryshon Nellum, who will be running for the Trojan track team this year as a freshmen.

It is unknown whether or not Holland will transfer to another school to play football or stay at SC and focus on track.

Fight On!

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 13 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now just 13 days away from unleashing hell on the University of Idaho. Wearing #13 for the Trojans this season is the talented sophomore running back, Stafon Johnson...
Johnson, a.k.a. "The Prince of L.A.," was the prize recruit at tailback last year, but he had a disappointing freshman season in 2006. Stafon Johnson fell to the bottom of the depth chart behind fellow freshmen C.J. Gable, Emmanuel Moody, and Allen Bradford, not because he lacked talent, but because of some character issues. He missed most of the winter and spring workouts with an injured shoulder and was falling further behind. Rumors began to circulate that Johnson would be the 1st Trojan tailback to transfer before the season, but he changed that perception in a hurry. Stafon must have done some real soul searching because he has gotten a ton of carries throughout fall camp, and has probably positioned himself into the main rotation at tailback this season. That is a prime example of Coach Carroll's philosophy of creating a competitive environment for his players. It's good to see Stafon turning the corner and buying into Carroll's philosophy, as all of here at USC Sports Talk look forward to a tremendous season from "The Prince."

Fight On!

Friday, August 17, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 14 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now just two weeks away (that's right, 14 days) from kicking of the season against the University of Idaho. Wearing #14 for the Trojans this season is Garret Green, probably the sickest athlete in all of college football...

Green, a 6'2" 205-pound sophomore, continues to be one of the more versatile players on the team. Green wants to play quarterback, but he is so athletic and is such a good football player, that Coach Carroll moved him to safety as a freshman last season. Green played mainly on special teams last year, but he appeared in 10 games. He moved back over to QB after the season and has practiced at WR during the second week of fall camp. Some of the WRs have been banged up this fall, so Green was needed there to provide more depth. He was a pleasant surprise though at Thursday's scrimmage, catching 3 passes for 34 yards. There is no doubt in my mind that Garrett Green will find a way to get on the field and contribute big-time before he leaves for the NFL.

Fight On!

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 15 Days

As we continue our countdown towards the 2007 season we are now only 15 days away from chanting, "BEAT THE HUSKERS... BEAT THE HUSKERS," after our destruction of the Idaho Vandals. Representing #15 on our countdown is a California High School Football State Champion, freshmen quarterback Aaron Corp.


Corp is a very special player. He lead his Lutheran Lancers team to a 14-1 record and a State Championship his senior season while throwing for over 2,000 yards and completing more than 70% of his passes. He also rushed for over 800 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Before Corp stepped foot on campus this summer it was all but certain that he would redshirt his freshman season. At 6'3" 185lbs. Corp needs to bulk up and add some muscle to his skinny frame before it is even safe for him to compete at the college level. After a season of practicing against one of the best college defenses ever assembled and an offseason with Coach Carlisle Corp should be ready to participate in a fierce quarterback battle with Mark Sanchez and Mitch Mustain.

The coaching staff is getting a good look at Corp this fall as his reps have increased due to Sanchez's recent thumb injury. In the first scrimmage this fall Corp was 4 for 4, throwing for 49 yards and a touchdown. He's looked good in recent practices and he should only get better as he learns the offense.

It's going to be a tough road for Corp competing against Sanchez, Mustain and possibly Matt Barkley. The good news for Corp is that he can do things that the other quarterbacks cant. For instance...

Basketball - Lutheran's Aaron Corp goes up for a reverse dunk during the Lancers' 92-62 loss to Oak Hill Academy-VA in the Nike Extravaganza on Feb. 2 at Mater Dei High School.

Moody's Departure Clears the Way for Real Backs

The LA Times is reporting that sophomore tailback Emmanuel Moody is transferring from USC. According to the LA Times Moody feels as though he has been "forgotten," due to his injuries and the depth at tailback.

Many believed that a transfer was inevitable. Especially with 10 scholarship high school All-American backs on the roster. Whether or not anyone predicted a transfer its always tough losing a player who committed himself to the university. I wish the best of luck to Moody at Oklahoma St. or wherever he chooses to transfer to.

Where does this leave USC? This is actually good news for Trojan fans. Whatever carries Moody would have received are now going to be split amongst the more talented sophomores Stafon Johnson and Allen Bradford. It's been well documented that Stafon Johnson has been lighting it up this fall. If there was a game tomorrow The Prince of L.A. would be the #2 back behind Chauncey Washington. (As it is in NCAA Football 2008)

Sports Illustrated should have waited a few weeks before they released their College Football Preview which features Trojans C.J. Gable, Chauncey Washington, and former Trojan Emmanuel Moody on the regional cover. No worries. I took the time to correct their mistakes.


FIGHT ON!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

BREAKING NEWS : Moody Transfers

The Los Angeles Times reports that tailback Emmanuel Moody will transfer to another school. The article goes into all the details surrounding his transfer, and we don't care to get into that here. USC Sports Talk and all of Trojan Nation wishes him the best of luck and health wherever he goes.

P.S. We are now down to 9 star tailbacks.

Beckham Scores First Galaxy Goal

David Beckham showed why he has the best free kick in the world tonight against DC United in the Galaxy's Superliga semifinal game. Beckham scored his first goal as a member of the LA Galaxy on a 26 yard free kick.

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This guy is a beast. He made the goalie look plain stupid on his goal seen here. Beckham also had an assist to Landon Donovan who scored on a breakaway in the 47th minute. Not a bad start for David Beckham thus far in the MLS. Hopefully he can play up to his full potential soon as he recovers from the ankle injury.

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Countdown to Kickoff: 16 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now 16 days away from kicking off another season of USC Football. We got a double shot of Trojan QBs wearing #16 this season, 5th year senior Mike McDonald and the all-world sophomore transfer Mitch Mustain...

McDonald (above) will serve as USC's holder for the 2nd straight season, and is currently the backup to senior QB John David Booty as Mark Sanchez recovers from a thumb injury sustained during the 1st scrimmage of fall camp. Mustain (below) comes to USC with an already impressive resume after transferring from the University of Arkansas. He was the #1 rated QB in the 2006 recruiting class, but transferred to USC with teammate Damien Williams following a tumultuous freshman season. He must sit this season out per NCAA rules, but Mustain is already causing a stir amongst fans. Most USC fans are split 50/50 on the race for the 2008 starting QB; there are those loyal to Sanchez, and those who are ready to anoint Mustain as the next Heisman Trophy winner (me). Whichever way you feel, it's simply amazing that USC will have 3 very good QBs, who can probably start anywhere else in the country, competing for the starting job next season.


Fight On!

You got....JACKED UP!!!

A colleague at work sent this my way. Sav Rocca, an ex-Aussie rules footballer who is now a punter for the Philadelphia Eagles, took a hit from a Raven linebacker earlier this week. I never thought I would see a hit bigger than Maualuga on Pat "Pimple-Face" Cowan, but I did. And by the way, Rocca is 6'5" 265 lbs.





His comments after the game concerning the hit...
"As soon as it happened, I was, like, where the hell did he come from?" Rocca laughed. "But it's fine. If that's the best he's got, good luck to him."
One tough mother. Thats for sure.

Tailback U

One of several regional covers for this season. Comments welcome.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 17 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now 17 days away from another exciting season of USC Football. Wearing jersey #17 for the Trojans this season is sophomore WR Travon Patterson...

Patterson entered fall camp with great momentum following his 3 TD performance in the Trojan Huddle spring game. He is very quick and is a legitimate deep threat, but Patterson will have to hold off a surging David Ausberry and highly touted freshman Ronald Johnson who are making their own case for playing time.

Fight On!

Countdown to Kickoff: 18 Days

USC Sports Talk's countdown to kickoff has now reached #18. Wearing #18 for the Trojans this year is redshirt freshman Jamere Holland. Holland has battled the injury bug since his arrival at USC last summer. Last summer he broke his collar bone and was forced to sit out the season. This summer Holland has been practicing while slowly trying to recover from a hamstring injury suffered while running track.


As possibly one of the fastest players on the team it is important that Holland get some good work in at practice. If his hamstring heels and he can remain healthy while avoiding Will Harris, Holland can be a very valuable weapon for the Trojans.

I cant forget to mention the other Trojan wearing #18 this season. Here's a hint in case you forgot.

Fight On!

Unanimous

PCBE and myself attended another Fall camp practice this morning and were again impressed with several players. Aaron Corp seems to be picking up the offense a little more each day and was completing some difficult throws today. Mark Sanchez looked pretty upbeat on the sidelines this morning as well. Vidal Hazelton sat out much of practice with an unknown injury, while Rojo took plenty of reps at slot. Again, the defense was giving the first team fits. And thats a good sign. The rumors are true about Chauncey Washington as he really has slimmed down and looks very, very smooth. It seems as though he has benefited from an excellent spring and summer, not having to worry about passing classes, and being able to condition himself better.

The geniuses over at ESPN have pulled out the crystal balls and predicted the results of the 2007 bowl season. And the results are in. USC is predicted to to win the BCS national championship game by all 12 experts, ranging from USC homer Colin Cowherd to analyst Jim Donnan. They have USC downing teams such as LSU, West Virginia, and Texas.

While we love our Traveler and being Trojans, we have to pay due to possibly the best mascot of all....compliments of EDSBS.

Ivan Maisel has penciled an All-American team and USC has the most players on it.

CNNSI has got their scouting report on USC and we're holdin it down at #1. Shocker there.

The cards are stacked in our favor with a Heisman contender at QB, a savage defense returning, and some serious blue chips at wide receiver. Not to mention, THE WIZARD at head coach.While most teams seem to fold under such pressure (cough..Ohio State..cough), USC and coach Pete welcome the challenge with open arms. While the clowns at Westwood High run around like chickens on acid, the beast slowly starts to move in for the kill, one team at a time. September 1st can't arrive soon enough as everyone seems a little anxious these days. No wonder Dennis Erickson wanted out of this game, for Idaho will surely be brought in as a sacrifice to the Gods. There will be hitting. And there will be blood. Lots of blood.

Tuesday Morning Practice Notes

Today was the second two-a-day of fall camp for the Trojans, who began working this morning at 9am in shorts and helmets. Here are a few notes from this morning's practice...

  • There's a long list of injured players that sat out practice or spent the majority of practice on the trainer's table. The list includes: Hershel Dennis, Marc Tyler, Emmanuel Moody, Desmond Reed, Travon Patterson, Mark Sanchez, Kevin Thomas, Cary Harris, Alfred Rowe, and Luther Brown.
  • Vidal Hazelton attempted to participate in today's practice however he was pulled out of practice by Coach Morton. Morton apparently didn't want him practicing on a sore knee.
  • Jamere Holland was practicing this morning. I'm hoping he will participate in the evening practice because I have yet to see him practice in full pads.
  • Position Switch: Garrett Green the former quarterback turned safety turned quarterback is now working with the receivers. Green may be the most versatile athlete on the team. I wouldn't be surprised if I saw him kicking field goals tomorrow. I almost forgot that he also participated in kickoff coverage last season as well.
  • As expected Aaron Corp received a lot of reps at quarterback today. The highlight of the day for Corp was a deep completion to Brandon Carswell down the right sideline. Or maybe it was when he scrambled out of the pocket throwing on the run to David Ausberry for a touchdown.
  • I'm not sure whether or not Shareece Wright is injured but today the second string corners were Vincent Joseph and Jim Abbott. Scary I know.
  • The defense continues to get pressure on the quarterback forcing JDB to throw the ball away or dump passes off to the tight ends.
  • Joe McKnight had a good practice displaying soft hands catching out of the back field. The play of the day for McKnight was when he out-jumped Keith Rivers to haul in a pass from Booty in the redzone.
  • Carroll spent time after practice talking to the receivers and tight ends about the importance of hand placement when making catches. Carroll used a number of receivers and tight ends to demonstrate his point as he rifled balls at them. Vidal Hazelton takes the prize for best hands.
The Trojans will return to Howard Jones at 4:00 pm. Unfortunately I don't believe anyone here at USC Sports Talk will be able to attend the evening practice.

Fight On!

Monday, August 13, 2007

David Beckham: MLS Savior or Bust

David Beckham made his long awaited MLS regular season debut against D.C United in an unimpressive performance last week. It was a sloppy game, which is pretty common in the MLS. The game was played in the rain, unlike pussy-ass baseball, and Beckham made a rather low-key debut for his first MLS regular season appearance. Beckham is still nursing a tender ankle, and as a former soccer player, hurt ankles are a nuisance when you're trying to cut or stop on a dime. I doubt we'll be able to see Beckham play up to his full potential for about another couple of weeks. When he does get healthy, I hope Beckham can show a fraction of the form he showed in his last games with Real Madrid.

David Beckham is a beast on the soccer field. He has uncanny vision and he can change a game with a single strike from his boot. His free kicks are rivaled only by Roberto Carlos of Brazil. He's also married to the stunning Victoria Beckham, which makes him one of the most envied human beings in the whole world. Very few people can say they're going to make 250 million dollars in the next 5 years, but this guy can.

With great power, comes great responsibility though... Uncle Ben was right when he uttered those words to a young Peter Parker in the first Spiderman. Beckham has been assigned the difficult task of making soccer relevant in America. This is a monumental task. Soccer is an afterthought here in America because everyone gets off to the Big Three: football, basketball and baseball. Soccer can hold its own in popularity though. Every time a European club comes to play a friendly game here in States, the game sells out immediately. Even Mexican club teams can sell out stadiums here in the U.S. The whole country gets a sudden wave of interest every 4th year for the World Cup as well. The arenas where soccer falls short are on television and coverage in the mainstream American media. ESPN doesn't give a shit about soccer unless something monumental happens. I mean, when Eric Wynalda is a lead commentator for soccer games, you know something isn't right.

Maybe Beckham can arouse more media interest about the actual game of soccer, instead of what he or his wife are wearing out in public or the usual tabloid bullshit. If Beckham can produce a handful of the plays he displays in this video in the coming years here in the U.S., then he has a good shot at making soccer explode.



Regardless of what happens, he has already made the casual fan more aware of the beautiful game with his mere marketing ability and his 80 dollar jersey, which is fucking sweet by the way.
Image Hosted by ImageShack.usImage Hosted by ImageShack.us

Sanchez out 2-4 weeks

USC backup QB Mark "The Dirty" Sanchez will be sidelined for 2-4 weeks after injuring the thumb on his right (throwing) hand at Sunday night's scrimmage. The redshirt sophomore has a "hairline crack" and there is a chance that he will miss the season opener vs. Idaho. Third-team QB Mike McDonald, who doubles as the holder on placekicks, will take over the backup role behind fellow senior John David Booty. Remember, McDonald converted a fake FG for a TD vs. Washington last season when he hit WR Steve Smith all alone on the sideline. Though McDonald is a savvy veteran and knows the offense well, he needs to take all the reps he can in practice to get ready for the start of the season. Freshman Aaron Corp is young and inexperienced, and Mitch Mustain must sit this season out after transferring from Arkansas. Fortunately, USC has a bye week before traveling to Lincoln, Nebraska in Week 3 to take on the Cornhuskers. The Idaho game is expected to be a rout, and would provided a good opportunity for Sanchez to receive valuable playing time. Sanchez needs to get a head start on his competition for the 2008 starting QB job. Let's wish him a full and speedy recovery.

Fight On!

Weekend Wrap

A great, relaxing weekend for all those at USC Sports Talk. I finally made it out to my first fall practice on Saturday afternoon, and I came away very impressed with the intensity at which practice was run. Beyond that...here goes.

Pac-Man made his first in-ring appearance at TNA: Hard Justice, but it wasn't what fans expected. Just like Thursday when he was supposed to show, but only had that 40 second promo. On Sunday, he was surrounded by police when he hit the stage. Very disappointing.

I am a huge fan of EDSBS, and if you click here and read Monday's posts, you'll see why. This has always been a favorite site of mine and I can only think of one more college football countdown that I would rather read than ours, and its this one.

Here is an article that speaks volumes about the Pac-10. Taj Gibson and O.J. gettin some love. Ignore all the assmilk about Kevin Love, by the way. Check out Doug Gottlieb's column as well.

An AP writer predicts a Texas-USC rematch in January. We win it this time. Big.

Entourage: E looks like he's got a new client for the Murphy Group.What was the verdict on Ari's wife? Anybody? Only 3 episodes left. I think I speak for everyone when I say....Fuck.

Have a happy Monday. I won't.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Tailback- Who?

USC Sports Talk asked which position battle fans are most looking forward to. The results are in and fans are overwhelmingly anticipating the battle at tailback. Here are the final results...

84% Running Back
9% Wide Receiver
3% Safety
1% Defensive End
1% Cornerback
1% Other

The battle for the #2 wide receiver spot is still wide open. It appears that David Ausberry has closed the gap on Vidal Hazelton who was named the #2 wideout after spring practice. Ausberry has impressed so much this fall that Carroll is considering starting both Patrick Turner and David Ausberry. Freshmen Ronald Johnson and Brandon Carswell have been getting a lot of reps with the injuries to Travon Patterson and Jamere Holland.

One thing is for certain about the battle between the defensive backs and that is that Josh Pinkard will be a starter. He has been working with the first team at safety and cornerback and started in today's scrimmage at corner. It's beginning to look like Mays and Ellison will start at Safety with Terrell Thomas and Pinkard at corner. Cary Harris and Mozique McCurtis will be the first DBs off the bench.

As for the battle at defensive end... there is no battle at defensive end. Kyle Moore has looked great so far this camp. Everson Griffen has been showing improvement but Moore is on another level.

After a week of practice here is how I would rank the running backs.

  1. Chauncey Washington- Is finally starting to look like the Thunder & Lightning combination that we've been waiting to see. Get your C-Dub t-shirts now because he's going to be a monster this year.
  2. Stafon Johnson- The local 5-star All-American is giving fans what they've been waiting for. Based on production, Stafon has been the best back the first week of fall camp.
  3. C.J. Gable
  4. Allen Bradford- BEAST. Enough said.
  5. Desmond Reed
  6. Emmanuel Moody
  7. Joe McKnight
  8. Broderick Green
  9. Hershel Dennis- Injured
  10. Marc Tyler- Injured
These rankings are up for debate. Comments welcome.

Countdown to Kickoff: 19 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now just 19 days away from the opening kickoff on September 1st against the Idaho Vandals. Number 19 will not be worn this season, in honor of USC's former kicker, the late Mario Danelo...

This photo was taken in 2005 after USC's dramatic victory at Notre Dame. The Trojans will dedicate this season to their fallen teammate and have painted a large 19 in cardinal and gold trim in the south end zone of the Howard Jones practice filed to pay tribute.

R.I.P. #19

Fight On!

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Countdown to Kickoff: 20 Days

As we continue on our daily countdown towards the 2007 season, we are now 20 days away from watching the Trojans knock some heads against the Idaho Vandals. The number 20 has been retired at USC in honor of the school's first Heisman Trophy winner and current Athletics Director, Mike Garrett...

Garrett's Heisman Trophy award in 1965 began a tradition that earned USC the moniker "Tailback U." He paved the way for future Trojan greats O.J. Simpson, Anthony Davis, Ricky Bell, Charles White, Marcus Allen, and Reggie Bush. I don't know very much else about Garrett's playing career, but I do know that he was responsible for the hires of Head Football Coach Pete Carroll and Head Basketball Coach Tim Floyd. The Trojans are in good hands and will soon match Florida by holding national championships in both sports in the same year.


Fight On!

Saturday Morning Practice Notes

The USC football team will conduct 4 days of two-a-day style practices during fall camp. On those days the team will have a morning practice at 9am and then return in the afternoon at 4pm. Saturday is the 1st two-a-day session of camp, and here are a few notes from the hour and a half long morning session, in which the players wore helmets and shorts...

  • The team continued to work on special teams, and today the focus was on the punt coverage and field goal units. Junior kicker Dave Buehler had a solid workout, showing good accuracy and a strong leg. I didn't get a total count on his attempts, but his only miss came when he hit the right upright from at least 40 yards out. It is obvious that Buehler has the skill necessary to be an efficient kicker at this level, the only question is if that incredibly clutch 49 yard kick he made against UC-Berkeley last season was an aberration or a sign of things to come.
  • The offensive star of the morning workout, again, was David Ausberry. This guy is a fucking "beast." I know the term "beast" has been overused lately, but Ausberry is very deserving of it. It's debatable whether he's the best WR on the team, but he's by far the most impressive. Just watching him play on the practice field makes you say "Wow!" He has soft hands and is a mismatch nightmare for whichever defensive back that lines up against him. With Travon Patterson and Jamere Holland sitting out, Ausberry often lined up at split end (X), with Ronald Johnson at flanker (Z), and Patrick Turner in the slot. That's a line-up that very few teams in college football can match-up against.
  • Offensively, the first team offensive line and most of the running backs had a light session during the scrimmage type 11-on-11 team period. The focus during this period seemed to be on the passing game, as the offense went against the defense (which was rotating players regularly).
  • There wasn't any contact, as the workout was brisk and smooth, but look for that to change in the afternoon session. We'll get a better look at the defense once the team comes out in full pads again.

Update: Trojans in the NFL

Week 1 of the NFL Pre-season continued on Friday with 4 games. The New England Patriots traveled to Tampa Bay where they lost to the Bucs 13-10. Former Trojan QB Matt Cassel got some action for the Patriots, completing 4 out of 7 passes for 32 yards and rushing 3 times for 13 yards. Patriots veteran LB Junior Seau didn't see any action but another former Trojan, LB Oscar Lua, led the team with 5 tackles.

Elsewhere, the New Orleans Saints 1st team offense appeared to be in mid-season form in their 13-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Former Trojan and Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush was electrifying the few times he touched the ball and showed the versatility that made him so special last season. Bush finished with 2 carries for 15 yards and had 3 catches for 26 yards.

More games on the slate today highlighted by Carolina at the NY Giants, and Arizona at Oakland. I'll report on that tomorrow morning.

Fight On!

Friday, August 10, 2007

Friday Practice Notes

The USC football team suited up in full pads today, for this time this fall, and entertained the crowd. The team went through their usual routine of individual position drills, but lined up for some live scrimmaging for much of the 2nd half of practice. PCbestever and I were able to attend the entire practice, and he'll fill you in with his thoughts on the LBs, DBs, offensive backs and WR's. Here's what I observed from the offensive and defensive lineman, and the team session...
  • I spent most of the day watching the defensive line during the positional drills, and later the unit drills, when they combine with (and go up against) the offensive line. The focus of today's d-line drills was on defeating cut blocks (where offensive blockers dive at a defender's legs in order to get them to the ground). The younger players seemed to struggle early on, but got better as the drill progressed. The next drills emphasized hand use techniques such as swim moves and slapping a blocker's hand away. I must say, I'm very impressed with the hand speed and power of the Trojan d-linemen. The 1-on-1 battles between the offensive and defensive linemen featured some great match-ups. Starting left guard Jeff Byers in going to be nasty this season. He displayed incredible technique and physically dominated starting DT Fili Moala twice. Averell Spicer showed that he is ready to contribute at NT this season as he beat starting C Matt Spanos on the same pass rushing drill. The best battle of the drill however, was DE Kyle Moore going against All-World OT Sam Baker. Moore has a very quick first step and gave Baker all he could handle. There is no doubt in my mind that Moore will be the starter on the right side this season, as highly touted freshman DE Everson Griffen continues to learn what big time college football is all about. The o-line looks very solid and has not skipped a beat with Charles Brown filling in at RT for projected starter Drew Radovich.
  • During the 11-on-11 team scrimmage segment, there wasn't really much separation at RB. Marc Tyler and Hershel Dennis didn't practice, and Broderick Green (along with WR Brandon Carswell) wasn't in full pads, which meant more carries for the 7 other backs. Redshirt freshman WR David Ausberry was the star of the day for the offense, showing off his big-play capability with an impressive touchdown grab in the back of the end zone. Ausberry's size is a definite mismatch for any opponent, and is making a strong case for extensive playing time this season. CB Jim Abbot had the hit of the day when he leveled sophomore RB Stafon Johnson, who had broken off a nice run on the play, with a crushing tackle that got Johnson off his feat and put him on his back.
  • Joe McKnight had a sub-par workout today and, like Everson Griffen, is still getting introduced to the rigors of big time college football.
PCbestever what were your thoughts from Friday:

  • Safety Will Harris did not participate in today's practice. Apparently he suffered a stinger in his neck after yesterday's vicious hit on Jamere Holland. The coaches held him out as precaution and he should be back for tomorrow's practices.
  • Today Josh Pinkard took the majority of the first team reps at free safety alongside Kevin Ellison during the 11-on-11. When he wasn't with the first team at safety he was in at corner. Pinkard is playing very well and if he continues to play at such a high level there is no way the coaching staff will be able to keep him off the field.
  • Linebacker of the day... Clay Matthews. Matthews had a great day in practice today. He was blowing by offensive linemen in the 11-on-11 team scrimmage, batting down passes, and chasing down ball carriers.
  • Fielding punts today were the freshmen Joe McKnight, Brandon Carswell, and Ronald Johnson and senior Desmond Reed. The freshmen had difficulties holding on to the ball as Reed looked the most comfortable and consistent.

Countdown to Kickoff: 21 Days

As we continue our countdown toward the 2007 season, we are now only 21 days away from seeing Traveler gallop up and down the Coliseum as the Trojans score touchdown after touchdown. Representing #21 for the Trojans this season is junior tailback Allen Bradford. Bradford is a BEAST. Better yet, Bradford is a Renaissance Beast. He can beat you in multiple ways from multiple positions. He's quick and powerful. He can play running back, fullback, safety, linebacker; wherever he's needed he is willing, ready, and capable of ripping the opposition a new asshole.

Bradford spent last season moving back and forth from offense to defense from one position to the other as coaches tried to best figure out how to use his talents. This season Bradford will focus specifically on the running back position. After a full of spring/offseason at one position Bradford is ready to show the coaches what he is capable of. USCFootball.com had this to say about Bradford after Wednesday's practice...
Allen Bradford continues to show the best combination of size, speed and agility of anyone out there.
Everyone here at USC Sports Talk knows how much I get off to freshman DE Everson Griffen. Well this is what Bradford had to say to the highly touted freshman.

I see you Griff...


Get some!


Bitched!

The Inland Empire product should continue to impress coaches today as the Trojans suit up in full pads. More pads = more contact = more punishment.

Fight On!

Practice Update 08/10/07: During a drill where the running backs and fullbacks have to try to block blitzing linebackers Allen Bradford handled Keith Rivers, tossing him to the ground. Keith Rivers who is on the Lott, Nagurski, Bednarik, and Lombardi Award watch list.

He is a true "Monster in this Game," as his tattoo states.

Fall Camp Coverage continues...

Today is Day 5 of fall camp and USC will practice in full pads for the first time. Some of the younger players and newcomers better make sure their helmets are strapped up because we're gonna find out a lot today.

USC Sports Talk will have two representatives at practice today, which should help us provide a more detailed practice report. I'll mainly focus on the linemen, while PCbestever will get a long look at the skill positions, but we'll do our best to cover as many positions as possible. Practice is scheduled to begin at 3pm, so we'll post our report later this evening.

For a look at the fall camp practice schedule, click here (via Conquest Chronicles).

Fight On!

Update: Trojans in the NFL

The NFL's Pre-season got underway in Canton, Ohio last Sunday as the New Orleans Saints played the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Hall of Fame Game. If you didn't watch the game (like me), the Steelers won 20-7, but you didn't miss much. The starters for both teams didn't play much, maybe one possession apiece, but that's all. Former Trojans in the game included the Saints' Reggie Bush (2 carries, 8 yds.) and Troy Polamalu (no stats recorded, probably didn't even suit up).

Thursday featured two games: Cincinnati lost at Detroit 27-26, and Indianapolis lost at Dallas 23-10. Former Trojan and Heisman Trophy winning QB Carson Palmer had a nice day for the Bengals, completing 7 out of 10 passes for 93 yards. Former USC defensive lineman Shaun Cody got into the stat sheet for the Lions with 1 tackle. In the 2nd game, former Trojan safety Scott Ware played for the Colts and recorded 3 tackles and 1 assisted tackle against the Cowboys.

Friday's Week 1 Pre-season games featuring former Trojans include: New England @ Tampa Bay, Buffalo @ New Orleans, and St. Louis @ Minnesota. I'll have a roundup from those games before tomorrow morning.

Fight On, to our Trojans in the NFL!