Fight On!
Showing posts with label USC Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USC Football. Show all posts
Thursday, September 10, 2009
USC - Ohio St.
Saturday, the USC Trojans travel to Columbus, Ohio against the 8th ranked Ohio St. Buckeyes. The Trojans look to continue their win streak against the Big Eleven schools. After the fisting USC administered last year at the Coliseum, the Trojans are favored by more than a touchdown in the upcoming game. Hopefully the Trojans can make a statement this Saturday and position themselves to compete for the National Championship throughout the season.
Fight On!
Fight On!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Countdown to 2009 Kickoff: 67 Days
We're 67 days away from the start of the 2009 college football season. Cheers to that.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Countdown to 2009 Kickoff: 89 Days
We're 89 days away from the 2009 kickoff. Who better to represent the countdown than sophomore Blake Ayles. He proved that USC can beat you in so many ways... as seen in the Ohio St. game where Ayles, a freshman back-up tight end scored one of the Trojans' many touchdowns.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Countdown to 2009 Kickoff: 100 Days
In 100 days... life has meaning again.
USC Football.
No Games, Just Sport...
USC Football.
No Games, Just Sport...
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Oregon Offense Preview
Probable Starters vs. USC
Pos. No. Player Height Weight Class Hometown
WR 4 Jaison Williams 6-5 240 Jr.-2L* Inglewood, CA
LT 57 Fenuki Tupou 6-6 322 Jr.-TR* Elverta, CA
LG 61 Josh Tschirgi 6-4 310 Sr.-3L* Vancouver, WA
C 60 Max Unger 6-5 300 Jr.-2L* Honaunau, HI
RG 71 Mark Lewis 6-4 308 Jr.-2L* Arroyo Grande, CA
RT 75 Geoff Schwartz 6-7 337 Sr.-3L Los Angeles, CA
TE 83 Ed Dickson 6-5 240 So.-1L* Bellflower, CA
QB 10 Dennis Dixon 6-4 205 Sr.-3L San Leandro, CA
RB 28 Jonathan Stewart 5-11 230 Jr.-2L Lacey, WA
WR 89 Aaron Pflugrad 5-10 172 Fr.-HS Eugene, OR
WR 21 Garren Strong 6-3 203 Sr.-3L* San Jose, CA
Best Offensive Player: QB Dennis Dixon
Quarterback -- This is senior QB Dennis Dixon's team. He makes things go and is the catalyst behind the nation's 2nd ranked offense. The guy is very talented, and although he has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career, things haven't really clicked until this season. He's had to share time at QB throughout his career, and has not had the luxury of continuity in the offense because the Ducks have gone through offensive coordinators at an alarming rate. Last season, Dixon threw more interceptions (14) than TD's (12) and looked lost as he saw his Ducks lose their final 4 games and finish with a record of 7-6. This year the Ducks are (6-1) and ranked 5th in the nation. Dixon is the team's second-leading rusher with 416 yards and seven touchdowns and he has completed 69% of his passes for 1,728 yards and 16 touchdowns with only three interceptions. It's all come together for Dixon this year, he's running that spread offense very effectively and effortlessly. He's very fast and has good vision when running with the ball, but he also has cannon for an arm, throwing the deep ball very well. This QB looks less like the Dennis Dixon that USC faced last year, but he's not quite at Vince Young's level. He's more like the Bryan Randall that USC faced in the 2004 season opener against Virginia Tech.
Backs and Receivers -- Oregon's playmakers have been on fire this season. They lit up Michigan in the Big House, and every other team they've faced this season with the exception of that choke job in Berkeley. They did however, lose two of their biggest weapons in backup RB Jeremiah Johnson and starting WR Cameron Colvin to injury a couple of weeks ago. Both players were making contributions to the Ducks' offense at the time of injury. This significantly hurts their depth, as USC can place much of its focus on its primary weapons WR Jaison Williams (31 catches, 505 yards, 5 TD's), RB Johnathan Stewart (131 rushes, 940 yards, 7 TD's), and TE Ed Dickson (19 catches, 255 yards, 2 TD's). Oregon does a great job creating mismatches with their formations and play designs, and I'm sure they'll take some shots downfield on USC's secondary, which hasn't been exactly ballhawking this season.
Offensive Line -- The Oregon line deserves much of the credit for an offense that is averaging 46.6 points per game, second behind Hawaii and is second in total offense with 550.9 yards per game, trailing only Texas Tech. The line has surrendered just 12 sacks in 211 pass attempts
and have opened up some big running lanes for Dixon and Stewart in that spread formation. They do a good job of forcing teams to overcommit to one side, allowing the linemen to funnel them and open up the backside for cutbacks or misdirection plays. They haven't faced a front seven as good as USC's since last year's USC game in the Coliseum, but they are certainly running on all cylinders right now.
Check back for the defensive preview, which I will be posted sometime after the BC @ Virginia Tech game tonight.
Fight On! Beat the Ducks!!
Pos. No. Player Height Weight Class Hometown
WR 4 Jaison Williams 6-5 240 Jr.-2L* Inglewood, CA
LT 57 Fenuki Tupou 6-6 322 Jr.-TR* Elverta, CA
LG 61 Josh Tschirgi 6-4 310 Sr.-3L* Vancouver, WA
C 60 Max Unger 6-5 300 Jr.-2L* Honaunau, HI
RG 71 Mark Lewis 6-4 308 Jr.-2L* Arroyo Grande, CA
RT 75 Geoff Schwartz 6-7 337 Sr.-3L Los Angeles, CA
TE 83 Ed Dickson 6-5 240 So.-1L* Bellflower, CA
QB 10 Dennis Dixon 6-4 205 Sr.-3L San Leandro, CA
RB 28 Jonathan Stewart 5-11 230 Jr.-2L Lacey, WA
WR 89 Aaron Pflugrad 5-10 172 Fr.-HS Eugene, OR
WR 21 Garren Strong 6-3 203 Sr.-3L* San Jose, CA
Best Offensive Player: QB Dennis Dixon
Backs and Receivers -- Oregon's playmakers have been on fire this season. They lit up Michigan in the Big House, and every other team they've faced this season with the exception of that choke job in Berkeley. They did however, lose two of their biggest weapons in backup RB Jeremiah Johnson and starting WR Cameron Colvin to injury a couple of weeks ago. Both players were making contributions to the Ducks' offense at the time of injury. This significantly hurts their depth, as USC can place much of its focus on its primary weapons WR Jaison Williams (31 catches, 505 yards, 5 TD's), RB Johnathan Stewart (131 rushes, 940 yards, 7 TD's), and TE Ed Dickson (19 catches, 255 yards, 2 TD's). Oregon does a great job creating mismatches with their formations and play designs, and I'm sure they'll take some shots downfield on USC's secondary, which hasn't been exactly ballhawking this season.
Offensive Line -- The Oregon line deserves much of the credit for an offense that is averaging 46.6 points per game, second behind Hawaii and is second in total offense with 550.9 yards per game, trailing only Texas Tech. The line has surrendered just 12 sacks in 211 pass attempts
and have opened up some big running lanes for Dixon and Stewart in that spread formation. They do a good job of forcing teams to overcommit to one side, allowing the linemen to funnel them and open up the backside for cutbacks or misdirection plays. They haven't faced a front seven as good as USC's since last year's USC game in the Coliseum, but they are certainly running on all cylinders right now.
Check back for the defensive preview, which I will be posted sometime after the BC @ Virginia Tech game tonight.
Fight On! Beat the Ducks!!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Separation Saturday
USC prevailed in its Gut Check Saturday two weeks ago, bouncing back from that terrible loss to Stanford to defeat the Arizona Wildcats, 20-13. Last week's test was rivalry week against Notre Dame and the Trojans passed by shutting out the Irish 38-0, avoiding a let down against a dismal, 1-win Irish team.
This weekend is Separation Saturday for #9 USC as it travels to Eugene, OR to take on the #5 Oregon Ducks, but also for other teams. This week's slate of games has 4 of the top teams in Pac-10 dueling it out, as well as big games nationally involving top 10 teams. Thursday #2 BC travels to Blacksburg to take on a very good Virginia Tech Hokies team ranked #8. Saturday #1 Ohio State travels to an equally hostile environment in Happy Valley to take on #24 Penn State. Elsewhere in the Pac-10, #7 Arizona State will try to remain undefeated as they host #18 Cal.
Autzen Stadium is a very difficult place to play, probably the toughest venue west of SEC country. USC struggled early the last time it was there, needing another other-worldly performance for Matt, Reggie, LenDale, and Co. to secure a 45-13 win after getting behind 13-0. Last year, the Trojans coasted to an easier than expected 35-10 victory at the Coliseum. USC smothered Ducks QB Dennis Dixon, forced him out of the game, and then smothered his backup, Brady Leaf. There was that interesting exchange between Pete Carroll and Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti, during timeout for a replay challenge though. In case you forgot it went something like this...
Oregon is a fumble away from being undefeated and possibly being ranked #1 in the country. Ducks WR Cameron Colvin, who may be out for the season due to injury, fumbled into Cal's endzone just before he crossed the goaline late in the 4th Quarter. What would have been the game winning TD became a touchback for Cal, and sealed the game for the Bears. Besides that one play, Oregon has looked great all season and pose a big threat to the Trojans. The Trojans are underdogs for the first time in the regular season since its 2003 opener at Auburn (A 23-0 USC win). The loser will suffer its 2nd loss of the season, and will be all but eliminated from the BCS National Championship race and will likely end up playing in my hometown of El Paso for the Sun Bowl.
Check back for Oregon's offensive and defensive previews. I've been swamped by papers and midterms the last couple of weeks, but I'm back on track now. Sorry for the lack of updates during Notre Dame week.
Fight On!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Get Ready for Notre Dame Week...
Fight On! Beat the Irish!(again)
Friday, October 12, 2007
USC vs. Arizona: Key Matchups / Predictions
Five Key Matchups to watch out for tomorrow...
USC QB Mark Sanchez vs. Arizona CB Antoine Cason
This will be the biggest individual matchup of the game and its outcome could very well determine who leaves this game a winner. It will be important for Sanchez take some shots downfield, but he must be careful not to test Cason, who will probably be a 1st round pick in the NFL Draft. USC's WR corps is not good enough right now to bail Sanchez out on any indecisions or poorly thrown balls. This is his first career start, so mistakes are going to happen. Golden rule for Sanchez tomorrow, KNOW WHERE #5 IS AT ALL TIMES...
USC RB Chauncey Washington vs. Arizona's Run Defense
Chauncey, the First President, must get going early to take some pressure off Sanchez. Washington struggled to break off any long runs last week with Stanford stacking the box on the Trojans. Chauncey needs to run with authority tomorrow, establish himself, and set the tone for the rest of the game.
USC CB Terrell Thomas vs. Arizona WR Mike Thomas
USC Sports Talk has said it many times , Terrell Thomas sucks. I don't where all this talk about him being a lock down defender came from. The average sports fan needs to look no further than across the sideline at Arizona CB Antoine Cason to find a real shut down corner. Mike Thomas is very explosive in this new spread offense that Arizona has implemented. It will be up to Terrell Thomas to break down and not let Mike turn a 5 yard slant into a 70 yard touchdown.
USC RT Drew Radovich vs. Arizona Defensive Ends
Radovich has been USC's most vulnerable offensive lineman during the past two seasons. Many of Booty's sacks and tipped passes have been a result of Radovich doing a poor job in pass blocking. Sam Baker and Jeff Byers are as good a left side that you'll find on any offensive line in the country, so you can expect Arizona to target Radovich. Sanchez will need to feel comfortable in the pocket if he is to succeed tomorrow.
USC DE Kyle Moore vs. Arizona LT Peter Graniello
The Trojans are going to give up yards against this spread offense passing attack, but they will need to generate pressure on QB Willie Tuitama. If USC's defensive line does not register any sacks or force Tuitama into hurrying his throws, then it will be a long afternoon for the Trojan secondary. Sacks and INT's will negate a 400 yard passing day from Tuitama. There's no question that big Sedrick Ellis will once again be a disruptive force on the inside, but he needs Moore or LoJack to get some pressure of the edge.
Gameday Expectations:
Offensively, I think Carroll and Sarkisian will pull the reigns back while Mark Sanchez settles down and works the jitters out. They will try to establish the running game early and maintain ball possession in order to keep Arizona's high octane offense on the sidelines. Look for CB Antoine Cason to disguise his coverage to confuse Sanchez and bait him into throwing an INT. Sanchez must maintain his composure if he does throw an early INT. The coaching staff will need to limit his reads and give Sanchez plenty of check downs. Fred Davis has been unstoppable this season and tomorrow should be no different, he will definitely help loosen things up on the outside. Arizona will stack the box with 8 or 9 guys, leaving their corners on an island, so USC will need to make the necessary adjustments and throw the ball in the 2nd half.
Defensively, the Wildcats know that USC's run defense is very good so they will definitely stick to what they do best, which is throw the ball. I'm not sure the Trojans can hold Arizona under 300 yards passing, but the key will be sacks and turnovers. USC's defense will do just enough to win the game. Thomas Williams and Keith Rivers will either jump a slant route for a pick or force a fumble on a quick WR screen. It's gut check Saturday for USC, but the coaches will keep the game plan simple and will be happy just to get back on the winning track...Prediction: USC 31, Arizona 21
Other Predictions:
Joey -- Joey as unable to post predictions because there was some foul bacteria eating away at his stomach lining.
PCBestever -- If losing to Stanford doesn't fire this team up I don't know what will. Yea I do.... Mark Sanchez will! Guaranteed the team responds with more intensity with Sanchez on the field. Prediction: USC 35, Arizona 6. (With the rain and our blocking on special teams I doubt we kick any field goals tomorrow)
RG3 -- After the unthinkable happened last week, USC will be hungry and ready to win some respect back. If our team has any balls, we'll come out fired up today and start the streak at the Coliseum all over again. Sanchez will start slow and eventually get into a rhythm with his new favorite targets, RoJo and Ausberry. USC 31 Arizona 17
Fight On!
This will be the biggest individual matchup of the game and its outcome could very well determine who leaves this game a winner. It will be important for Sanchez take some shots downfield, but he must be careful not to test Cason, who will probably be a 1st round pick in the NFL Draft. USC's WR corps is not good enough right now to bail Sanchez out on any indecisions or poorly thrown balls. This is his first career start, so mistakes are going to happen. Golden rule for Sanchez tomorrow, KNOW WHERE #5 IS AT ALL TIMES...
USC RB Chauncey Washington vs. Arizona's Run Defense
Chauncey, the First President, must get going early to take some pressure off Sanchez. Washington struggled to break off any long runs last week with Stanford stacking the box on the Trojans. Chauncey needs to run with authority tomorrow, establish himself, and set the tone for the rest of the game.
USC CB Terrell Thomas vs. Arizona WR Mike Thomas
USC Sports Talk has said it many times , Terrell Thomas sucks. I don't where all this talk about him being a lock down defender came from. The average sports fan needs to look no further than across the sideline at Arizona CB Antoine Cason to find a real shut down corner. Mike Thomas is very explosive in this new spread offense that Arizona has implemented. It will be up to Terrell Thomas to break down and not let Mike turn a 5 yard slant into a 70 yard touchdown.
USC RT Drew Radovich vs. Arizona Defensive Ends
Radovich has been USC's most vulnerable offensive lineman during the past two seasons. Many of Booty's sacks and tipped passes have been a result of Radovich doing a poor job in pass blocking. Sam Baker and Jeff Byers are as good a left side that you'll find on any offensive line in the country, so you can expect Arizona to target Radovich. Sanchez will need to feel comfortable in the pocket if he is to succeed tomorrow.
USC DE Kyle Moore vs. Arizona LT Peter Graniello
The Trojans are going to give up yards against this spread offense passing attack, but they will need to generate pressure on QB Willie Tuitama. If USC's defensive line does not register any sacks or force Tuitama into hurrying his throws, then it will be a long afternoon for the Trojan secondary. Sacks and INT's will negate a 400 yard passing day from Tuitama. There's no question that big Sedrick Ellis will once again be a disruptive force on the inside, but he needs Moore or LoJack to get some pressure of the edge.
Gameday Expectations:
Offensively, I think Carroll and Sarkisian will pull the reigns back while Mark Sanchez settles down and works the jitters out. They will try to establish the running game early and maintain ball possession in order to keep Arizona's high octane offense on the sidelines. Look for CB Antoine Cason to disguise his coverage to confuse Sanchez and bait him into throwing an INT. Sanchez must maintain his composure if he does throw an early INT. The coaching staff will need to limit his reads and give Sanchez plenty of check downs. Fred Davis has been unstoppable this season and tomorrow should be no different, he will definitely help loosen things up on the outside. Arizona will stack the box with 8 or 9 guys, leaving their corners on an island, so USC will need to make the necessary adjustments and throw the ball in the 2nd half.
Defensively, the Wildcats know that USC's run defense is very good so they will definitely stick to what they do best, which is throw the ball. I'm not sure the Trojans can hold Arizona under 300 yards passing, but the key will be sacks and turnovers. USC's defense will do just enough to win the game. Thomas Williams and Keith Rivers will either jump a slant route for a pick or force a fumble on a quick WR screen. It's gut check Saturday for USC, but the coaches will keep the game plan simple and will be happy just to get back on the winning track...Prediction: USC 31, Arizona 21
Other Predictions:
Joey -- Joey as unable to post predictions because there was some foul bacteria eating away at his stomach lining.
PCBestever -- If losing to Stanford doesn't fire this team up I don't know what will. Yea I do.... Mark Sanchez will! Guaranteed the team responds with more intensity with Sanchez on the field. Prediction: USC 35, Arizona 6. (With the rain and our blocking on special teams I doubt we kick any field goals tomorrow)
RG3 -- After the unthinkable happened last week, USC will be hungry and ready to win some respect back. If our team has any balls, we'll come out fired up today and start the streak at the Coliseum all over again. Sanchez will start slow and eventually get into a rhythm with his new favorite targets, RoJo and Ausberry. USC 31 Arizona 17
Fight On!
Arizona Defense Preview
Probable Starters vs USC
DE 1 Louis Holmes 6-6 265 Sr.*-1L
DT 96 Yaniv Barnett 6-1 315 Sr.-3L
DT 54 Lionel Dotson 6-4 286 Sr.*-3L
DE 97 Johnathan Turner 6-3 262 Jr.*-2L
DE 53 Jason Parker 6-3 265 Sr.*-3L (key backup)
Sam LB 39 Dane Krogstad 6-2 240 Sr.*-3L
Mike LB 33 Ronnie Palmer 6-3 245 Jr.*-2L
Will LB 51 Spencer Larsen 6-1 240 Sr.*-3L
Cornerback 3 Wilrey Fontenot 5-9 174 Sr.*-3L
CB 6 Devin Ross 5-11 170 So.-1L (key backup)
Strong Safety 20 Cam Nelson 6-1 200 So.*-1L
Free Safety 8 Dominic Patrick 6-1 210 Sr.-3L
FS 21 Corey Hall 5-10 190 So.*-1L (key backup)
Cornerback 5 Antoine Cason 6-1 185 Sr.-3L
Best Defensive Player: CB Antoine Cason
Defensive Line -- The Wilcats rotate 3 pretty good players at defensive end. The regular starters are Louis Holmes (18 tackles, 2 TFL, 0 sacks)and Johnathan Turner (10 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), but Jason Parker (25 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks) sees a lot of time as well and is the leading tackler amongst the linemen. At defensive tackle, seniors Yaniv Barnet (18 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack) and Lionel Dotson (19 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) have started every game this season, and are very experienced. In fact, the strength of this unit is its experience. They have been done a decent job against the run, opposing teams have averaged 116.3 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per rush. The unit's weakness has been pressuring the QB and causing turnovers. The Wildcats had only 15 sacks last season, and although the 12 sacks they have this year are ahead of last year's pace, they still aren't generating the pressure that Mike Stoops would like.
Linebackers -- The linebackers experienced and very active. Senior weakside LB Spencer Larsen (49 tackles, 2 TFL) leads the team in tackles, junior MLB Ronnie Palmer (39 tackles, 1 TFL) is 3rd on the team in tackles, and senior strong-side LB Dane Krogstad (28 tackles, 2.5 TFL) is the tied for 5th in tackles. They are stout against the run, tackle very well, and make plays all over the field. Their only weakness seems to be the lack of production in pass coverage, given that the 3 starters have yet to record a sack or an interception.
Defensive Backs -- The secondary is probably the strength of Arizona's defense. This is a fast unit, probably more athletic than USC's secondary. Three seniors starters return in the defensive backfield, led by Jim Thorpe Award candidate Antoine Cason. The senior CB is one of the elite cover guys in the country, and he proved it last year when he manhandled USC's all-everything WR Dwayne Jarrett. Cason is the team's 2nd leading tackler with 40, and has TD returns on both a punt (70 yards) and an INT (60 yards) so far this season. Senior CB Wilroy Fontenot starts opposite of Cason, an though undersized at 5-9, he has tremendous speed and good ball skills. The safeties sophomore Cam Nelson and senior Dominic Patrick are big hitters and sure tacklers. Nelson is 4th on the team in tackles with 34, while Patrick is tied for 5th with 28.
The key matchups will be up shortly...
Thanks once again to Scout.com's College Football News and the Arizona Athletics website's Game Notes for providing background info on the Wildcats...
Fight On!
DE 1 Louis Holmes 6-6 265 Sr.*-1L
DT 96 Yaniv Barnett 6-1 315 Sr.-3L
DT 54 Lionel Dotson 6-4 286 Sr.*-3L
DE 97 Johnathan Turner 6-3 262 Jr.*-2L
DE 53 Jason Parker 6-3 265 Sr.*-3L (key backup)
Sam LB 39 Dane Krogstad 6-2 240 Sr.*-3L
Mike LB 33 Ronnie Palmer 6-3 245 Jr.*-2L
Will LB 51 Spencer Larsen 6-1 240 Sr.*-3L
Cornerback 3 Wilrey Fontenot 5-9 174 Sr.*-3L
CB 6 Devin Ross 5-11 170 So.-1L (key backup)
Strong Safety 20 Cam Nelson 6-1 200 So.*-1L
Free Safety 8 Dominic Patrick 6-1 210 Sr.-3L
FS 21 Corey Hall 5-10 190 So.*-1L (key backup)
Cornerback 5 Antoine Cason 6-1 185 Sr.-3L
Best Defensive Player: CB Antoine Cason
Defensive Line -- The Wilcats rotate 3 pretty good players at defensive end. The regular starters are Louis Holmes (18 tackles, 2 TFL, 0 sacks)and Johnathan Turner (10 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), but Jason Parker (25 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3 sacks) sees a lot of time as well and is the leading tackler amongst the linemen. At defensive tackle, seniors Yaniv Barnet (18 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack) and Lionel Dotson (19 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) have started every game this season, and are very experienced. In fact, the strength of this unit is its experience. They have been done a decent job against the run, opposing teams have averaged 116.3 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per rush. The unit's weakness has been pressuring the QB and causing turnovers. The Wildcats had only 15 sacks last season, and although the 12 sacks they have this year are ahead of last year's pace, they still aren't generating the pressure that Mike Stoops would like.
Linebackers -- The linebackers experienced and very active. Senior weakside LB Spencer Larsen (49 tackles, 2 TFL) leads the team in tackles, junior MLB Ronnie Palmer (39 tackles, 1 TFL) is 3rd on the team in tackles, and senior strong-side LB Dane Krogstad (28 tackles, 2.5 TFL) is the tied for 5th in tackles. They are stout against the run, tackle very well, and make plays all over the field. Their only weakness seems to be the lack of production in pass coverage, given that the 3 starters have yet to record a sack or an interception.
Defensive Backs -- The secondary is probably the strength of Arizona's defense. This is a fast unit, probably more athletic than USC's secondary. Three seniors starters return in the defensive backfield, led by Jim Thorpe Award candidate Antoine Cason. The senior CB is one of the elite cover guys in the country, and he proved it last year when he manhandled USC's all-everything WR Dwayne Jarrett. Cason is the team's 2nd leading tackler with 40, and has TD returns on both a punt (70 yards) and an INT (60 yards) so far this season. Senior CB Wilroy Fontenot starts opposite of Cason, an though undersized at 5-9, he has tremendous speed and good ball skills. The safeties sophomore Cam Nelson and senior Dominic Patrick are big hitters and sure tacklers. Nelson is 4th on the team in tackles with 34, while Patrick is tied for 5th with 28.
The key matchups will be up shortly...
Thanks once again to Scout.com's College Football News and the Arizona Athletics website's Game Notes for providing background info on the Wildcats...
Fight On!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Arizona Offense Preview
Probable Starters vs. USC:
WR(X): 84 Terrell Turner 6-2 190 So. -1L
Tight End: 48 Rob Gronkowski 6-6 250 Fr.-HS
TE (Small): 9 Anthony Johnson 6-2 210 Sr.*-3L
Left Tackle: 76 Peter Graniello 6-5 310 Sr.*-3L
Left Guard: 64 Colin Baxter 6-4 295 Fr.*-RS
Center: 50 Blake Kerley 6-2 285 So.*-1L
Right Guard: 75 Joe Longacre 6-3 315 Jr.*-2L
Right Tackle: 77 Eben Britton 6-6 310 So.*-1L
WR(Z): 10 Mike Thomas 5-8 195 Jr.-2L
Quarterback: 7 Willie Tuitama 6-3 220 Jr.-2L
Running Back: 23 Nic Grigsby 5-10 178 Fr.-HS
H-Back: 49 Earl Mitchell 6-2 265 So.-1L
H-Back (Small): 18 Delashaun Dean 6-4 198 Fr.*-RS
Best Offensive Player: WR Michael Thomas
Quarterback -- Junior QB Willie Tuitama exploded onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2005, but has yet to build off of that first season. He's been beaten up behind a very porous offensive line throughout his career, but he is as dangerous as ever in the spread offense that new offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes has implemented. This spread offense emphasizes short and intermediate routes, but Willie T has a very strong arm and can make any throw on the field. He is athletic and can make plays outside of the pocket as well. The key for Tuitama will be his health and consistency.
Passing Game -- Arizona's offense revolves around its passing game. Not counting rushes by Wildcat QB's, which include sacks, Arizona has attempted 270 passes to only 141 rushes. That's almost a 2 to 1 ratio. USC's defense employs a bend but don't break philosophy, so the pressure will be on Arizona to take what the defense gives them. They have an electrifying player at WR in Michael Thomas (38 catches, 423 yards, 6 TDs) that can score from anywhere on the field. Thomas can run past an overly agressive corner on a deep route, or turn a short 5 yard pass into a 50 yard gain by making tacklers miss. "X" receiver Terrell Turner (25 catches, 327 yards, 2 TDs) and "small" tight end Anthony Johnson (25 catches, 290 yards, 1 TD) present bigger targets for Tuitama. Running backs Chris Jennings (18 catches) and Nicholas Grigsby (14 catches) have been active targets out of the backfield.
Running Game -- True freshman Nic Grigsby became the starter at running back in Arizona's 4th game and hasn't looked back. In 4 appearances this season, Grigsby leads the Wildcats in rushing with 345 yards on 68 carries, good enough for 86.2 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. WR Michael Thomas is a threat and reverses and end-arounds, gaining 111 yards on 7 carries. The Wilcats aren't going to play smash mouth football and control the clock on anybody, but they will catch defenses that are overly focused on stopping the pass sleeping.
Look for the defensive preview later on tonight...
Fight On!
WR(X): 84 Terrell Turner 6-2 190 So. -1L
Tight End: 48 Rob Gronkowski 6-6 250 Fr.-HS
TE (Small): 9 Anthony Johnson 6-2 210 Sr.*-3L
Left Tackle: 76 Peter Graniello 6-5 310 Sr.*-3L
Left Guard: 64 Colin Baxter 6-4 295 Fr.*-RS
Center: 50 Blake Kerley 6-2 285 So.*-1L
Right Guard: 75 Joe Longacre 6-3 315 Jr.*-2L
Right Tackle: 77 Eben Britton 6-6 310 So.*-1L
WR(Z): 10 Mike Thomas 5-8 195 Jr.-2L
Quarterback: 7 Willie Tuitama 6-3 220 Jr.-2L
Running Back: 23 Nic Grigsby 5-10 178 Fr.-HS
H-Back: 49 Earl Mitchell 6-2 265 So.-1L
H-Back (Small): 18 Delashaun Dean 6-4 198 Fr.*-RS
Best Offensive Player: WR Michael Thomas
Running Game -- True freshman Nic Grigsby became the starter at running back in Arizona's 4th game and hasn't looked back. In 4 appearances this season, Grigsby leads the Wildcats in rushing with 345 yards on 68 carries, good enough for 86.2 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. WR Michael Thomas is a threat and reverses and end-arounds, gaining 111 yards on 7 carries. The Wilcats aren't going to play smash mouth football and control the clock on anybody, but they will catch defenses that are overly focused on stopping the pass sleeping.
Look for the defensive preview later on tonight...
Fight On!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Arizona Wildcats: First Look
USC (4-1, 2-1) is coming off the worst loss in the history of all things holy, but fortunately for us, there are still 7 games to play. The Trojans dropped to 7th in the USA Today Coaches poll, which comprises 1/3 of the BCS Standings, but can still make up for it by winning the rest of its games. It all starts this Saturday though, what I'm calling Redemption Saturday for USC, as the the Trojans host the University of Arizona Wildcats (2-4, 1-2). The Wildcats are also coming off a loss, 31-16 to Oregon State, and have had an up and down season so far. Their slow start can be attributed to their tough road schedule. Arizona has lost all three of its road games at BYU (20-7), Cal (45-27), and last week at Oregon State (31-16). There aren't many teams in the country that can escape from those 3 places without defeat. At home the Wildcats defeated Northern Arizona (45-24), lost a nail-biter to New Mexico (29-27), and then beat Washington State (48-20). They are certainly battle tested on the road this year, so I don't think the Coliseum will have much of an impact on them. They also know that they can come in and compete against USC after playing us tough last year, remember they also beat Cal last year. USC would have finished 2nd in the Pac-10 after losing to fucla if Cal hadn't lost that game.
Fight On! Beat the Wildcats!
Friday, October 5, 2007
Game #5 Stanford, Key Matchups / Predictions
Five Key Matchups to watch out for tomorrow:
USC CB Mozique McCurtis vs. Stanford's WR Corps
McCurtis has been battling injuries and replaces Shareece Wright, who's replacing Cary Harris and Josh Pinkard, in the starting lineup. I don't think Stanford will go after Terrell Thomas much, but expect them to test McCurtis early and often with the 6-7 Evan Moore on fade patterns, and with short passes to the speedy Mark Bradford and Richard Sherman. USC plays a lot of soft zone coverages, so it's important to tackle and prevent yards after the catch (YAC). McCurtis played well against Washington last week and has always been a tough, reliable defender so I expect him to rise to the occasion tomorrow.
USC DE Kyle Moore vs. Stanford LT Ben Muth
Moore has been a pleasant surprise this season. If he can continue to pressure the QB off the edge, it'll free up Sedrick Ellis up the middle and LoJack on the opposite side. Moore needs to get to Stanford's young QB early and rattle him, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh will probably call a bunch of roll outs and bootlegs to get Pritchard on the move giving him a pass-run option. Pritchard is said to be very athletic, so it will also be important for Moore and Jackson to play with discipline and keep the QB in the pocket.
USC Running Backs vs. Stanford MLB Nick Macaluso
Macaluso has registered only 5 tackles in the 3 games that he's played in. When Chauncey Washington, Joe McKnight, Desmond Reed, Allen Bradford, Hershel Dennis or whoever it is that gets meaningful carries is in the game, they need to punish Macaluso. USC's offensive line is almost certain to open up holes like this against Stanford's porous defensive line, so Macaluso better buckle up his chin strap and get ready to make some tackles.
USC TE Fred Davis vs. Stanford SS Austin Yancy
Davis, a blue-chip WR in high school, has become QB John David Booty's favorite and most reliable target. Davis is making the most of his catches, whether it be picking key first downs, stiff-arming would-be tacklers, or hurdling defenders after a long catch and run. Yancy (6-4, 215) definitely has the size to match up with Davis, but like Davis, is also a former WR. Does he have the experience and toughness to contain a player like Davis?
USC FB Stanley Havili vs. Stanford SLB Pat Maynor
Booty has struggled to get the ball to his WR's this season, but Havili and Davis have been great outlets. USC likes to roll out Booty on play-action and dump it to Havili in the flats. Stanford's defense will have to choose whether to honor the run or prevent Havili and Davis from having a big day in the passing game. Booty tends to lock on to his targets, so if Maynor can anticipate a route he might be able to jump on it and make a big play.
Saturday's Expectations:
Offensively, the Trojans can run the ball at will against Stanford, but with C.J. Gable out for the season and Stafon Johnson being banged up, I think they'll monitor Chauncey's carries and let Booty air it out early on. It will be nice to see offensive coordinator open up the playbook and get the WR's involved. Once they establish a big lead, it'll be time to control the clock and see what McKnight, Bradford, and Dennis can do. Expect another big day from Davis and Havili.
Defensively, USC will probably try to confuse QB Tavita Pritchard, who will be making his first career start on Saturday. Look for Carroll to show blitz before the snap by creeping up the linebackers and disguise the coverages, only the switch to a totally different look at the snap of the ball. The crowd noise, coupled with Pritchard's inexperience will make it difficult for Stanford to change plays at the line of scrimmage. It won't take long for USC's front four to pressure Pritchard and force an early turnover, opening up the flood gates. USC has been hit hard by the injury bug this season so I'm sure Carroll's #1 objective for tomorrow will be to end this game quickly and to emerge from it relatively unscathed and as healthy as possible. USC is losing respect in the polls though, so style points definitely count...Prediction: USC 45, Stanford 6
Other Predictions:
Joey -- USC uses Stanford as a "healing" game, just like they did last year. Beware of more sloppy play from Booty with all the injuries. The defense rolls as usual. USC 42 Stanford 13
RG3 -- USC's stagnant offense wakes up and will send chills down the spines of all the haters out there. Booty regains some lost ground in the Heisman race and Chauncey Washington rushes for 200 yards... at the half... USC 49 Stanford 3.
PCBestever -- Allen Bradford destroys at least three people blocking, rushing, and on special teams on his way to a three touchdown performance. 'SC needs only one half to make a statement and then we'll get to see the Dirty Sanchez in the game...USC 52, Stanford 14
Fight On! Beat the Farm!!
USC CB Mozique McCurtis gets the start tomorrow in place of the injured Shareece Wright
USC CB Mozique McCurtis vs. Stanford's WR Corps
McCurtis has been battling injuries and replaces Shareece Wright, who's replacing Cary Harris and Josh Pinkard, in the starting lineup. I don't think Stanford will go after Terrell Thomas much, but expect them to test McCurtis early and often with the 6-7 Evan Moore on fade patterns, and with short passes to the speedy Mark Bradford and Richard Sherman. USC plays a lot of soft zone coverages, so it's important to tackle and prevent yards after the catch (YAC). McCurtis played well against Washington last week and has always been a tough, reliable defender so I expect him to rise to the occasion tomorrow.
USC DE Kyle Moore vs. Stanford LT Ben Muth
Moore has been a pleasant surprise this season. If he can continue to pressure the QB off the edge, it'll free up Sedrick Ellis up the middle and LoJack on the opposite side. Moore needs to get to Stanford's young QB early and rattle him, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh will probably call a bunch of roll outs and bootlegs to get Pritchard on the move giving him a pass-run option. Pritchard is said to be very athletic, so it will also be important for Moore and Jackson to play with discipline and keep the QB in the pocket.
USC Running Backs vs. Stanford MLB Nick Macaluso
Macaluso has registered only 5 tackles in the 3 games that he's played in. When Chauncey Washington, Joe McKnight, Desmond Reed, Allen Bradford, Hershel Dennis or whoever it is that gets meaningful carries is in the game, they need to punish Macaluso. USC's offensive line is almost certain to open up holes like this against Stanford's porous defensive line, so Macaluso better buckle up his chin strap and get ready to make some tackles.
USC TE Fred Davis vs. Stanford SS Austin Yancy
Davis, a blue-chip WR in high school, has become QB John David Booty's favorite and most reliable target. Davis is making the most of his catches, whether it be picking key first downs, stiff-arming would-be tacklers, or hurdling defenders after a long catch and run. Yancy (6-4, 215) definitely has the size to match up with Davis, but like Davis, is also a former WR. Does he have the experience and toughness to contain a player like Davis?
USC FB Stanley Havili vs. Stanford SLB Pat Maynor
Booty has struggled to get the ball to his WR's this season, but Havili and Davis have been great outlets. USC likes to roll out Booty on play-action and dump it to Havili in the flats. Stanford's defense will have to choose whether to honor the run or prevent Havili and Davis from having a big day in the passing game. Booty tends to lock on to his targets, so if Maynor can anticipate a route he might be able to jump on it and make a big play.
Saturday's Expectations:
Offensively, the Trojans can run the ball at will against Stanford, but with C.J. Gable out for the season and Stafon Johnson being banged up, I think they'll monitor Chauncey's carries and let Booty air it out early on. It will be nice to see offensive coordinator open up the playbook and get the WR's involved. Once they establish a big lead, it'll be time to control the clock and see what McKnight, Bradford, and Dennis can do. Expect another big day from Davis and Havili.
Defensively, USC will probably try to confuse QB Tavita Pritchard, who will be making his first career start on Saturday. Look for Carroll to show blitz before the snap by creeping up the linebackers and disguise the coverages, only the switch to a totally different look at the snap of the ball. The crowd noise, coupled with Pritchard's inexperience will make it difficult for Stanford to change plays at the line of scrimmage. It won't take long for USC's front four to pressure Pritchard and force an early turnover, opening up the flood gates. USC has been hit hard by the injury bug this season so I'm sure Carroll's #1 objective for tomorrow will be to end this game quickly and to emerge from it relatively unscathed and as healthy as possible. USC is losing respect in the polls though, so style points definitely count...Prediction: USC 45, Stanford 6
Other Predictions:
Joey -- USC uses Stanford as a "healing" game, just like they did last year. Beware of more sloppy play from Booty with all the injuries. The defense rolls as usual. USC 42 Stanford 13
RG3 -- USC's stagnant offense wakes up and will send chills down the spines of all the haters out there. Booty regains some lost ground in the Heisman race and Chauncey Washington rushes for 200 yards... at the half... USC 49 Stanford 3.
PCBestever -- Allen Bradford destroys at least three people blocking, rushing, and on special teams on his way to a three touchdown performance. 'SC needs only one half to make a statement and then we'll get to see the Dirty Sanchez in the game...USC 52, Stanford 14
Fight On! Beat the Farm!!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Stanford Defense Preview
Probable Starters vs. USC:
DE 91 Pannel Egboh (6-6, 275, Jr.*)
DT 99 Levirt Griffin (6-4, 270, So.)
NT 95 Chris Horn (6-5, 273, Sr.)
DE 80 Erik Lorig (6-4, 260, So.*)
SLB 44 Pat Maynor (6-2, 217, Jr.*)
MLB 50 Nick Macaluso (6-3, 235, RFr.*)
WLB 20 Clinton Snyder (6-4, 230, So.*)
CB 2 Nick Sanchez (6-0, 190, Sr.*)
FS 22 Bo McNally (6-0, 208, So.*)
SS 23 Austin Yancy (6-4, 215, So.)
CB 6 Wopamo Osaisai (5-11, 200, Jr.*)
Best Defensive Player: LB Clinton Snyder (23 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF)
Defensive Line -- The weakness of Stanford's defense clearly lies with their front four. They are switching from the 3-4 front to a more attacking 4-3 base defense, but thus far the results have been the same. The Cardinal are surrendering 189.8 rushing yards per game, and 454 yards of total offense per game. They are undersized, which means that their LB's won't be able to roam free with both of their defensive tackles weighing in at around 270 lbs. DE Pannel Egboh, the team's 5th leading tackler with 19, can be disruptive off the edge at 6-6, 275 lbs.
Linebackers -- Stanford's LB unit is pretty good, considering they have to shed blockers all night as opposing teams pound it against their porous defensive line. They are still struggling to replace their all-league middle linebacker Michael Okwo, last year's senior captain, but their outside linebackers Pat Maynor (31 tackles) and Clinton Snyder (23 tackles) are very active. Maynor and Snyder each have 4.5 tackles for loss, while trying to pick up the slack for redshirt freshman MLB Nick Macaluso (5 tackles in 2 career starts) who has yet to make an impact.
Defensive Backs -- The Cardinal secondary has had a rough start as well, allowing 264.2 passing yards per game and intercepting the ball only twice this season, but games against Oregon and Arizona State will help skew any team's defensive stats. The safeties are big question marks. SS Austin Yancy was playing WR for Stanford last season and FS Bo McNally is a former linebacker. You have to wonder about their instincts and lack of experience at the positions. The Cardinal have a very solid trio of CB's in starters Nick Sanchez and Wopamo Osaisai, and a reliable veteran backup in Tim Sims. Osaisai leads the team with 6 pass breakups, while McNally and Sims account for the 2 INT's Stanford has produced.
Look out tomorrow night for the key matchups and predictions, I know we didn't get to that last week, but we will this time around.
Fight On!
DE 91 Pannel Egboh (6-6, 275, Jr.*)
DT 99 Levirt Griffin (6-4, 270, So.)
NT 95 Chris Horn (6-5, 273, Sr.)
DE 80 Erik Lorig (6-4, 260, So.*)
SLB 44 Pat Maynor (6-2, 217, Jr.*)
MLB 50 Nick Macaluso (6-3, 235, RFr.*)
WLB 20 Clinton Snyder (6-4, 230, So.*)
CB 2 Nick Sanchez (6-0, 190, Sr.*)
FS 22 Bo McNally (6-0, 208, So.*)
SS 23 Austin Yancy (6-4, 215, So.)
CB 6 Wopamo Osaisai (5-11, 200, Jr.*)
Best Defensive Player: LB Clinton Snyder (23 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF)
Linebackers -- Stanford's LB unit is pretty good, considering they have to shed blockers all night as opposing teams pound it against their porous defensive line. They are still struggling to replace their all-league middle linebacker Michael Okwo, last year's senior captain, but their outside linebackers Pat Maynor (31 tackles) and Clinton Snyder (23 tackles) are very active. Maynor and Snyder each have 4.5 tackles for loss, while trying to pick up the slack for redshirt freshman MLB Nick Macaluso (5 tackles in 2 career starts) who has yet to make an impact.
Defensive Backs -- The Cardinal secondary has had a rough start as well, allowing 264.2 passing yards per game and intercepting the ball only twice this season, but games against Oregon and Arizona State will help skew any team's defensive stats. The safeties are big question marks. SS Austin Yancy was playing WR for Stanford last season and FS Bo McNally is a former linebacker. You have to wonder about their instincts and lack of experience at the positions. The Cardinal have a very solid trio of CB's in starters Nick Sanchez and Wopamo Osaisai, and a reliable veteran backup in Tim Sims. Osaisai leads the team with 6 pass breakups, while McNally and Sims account for the 2 INT's Stanford has produced.
Look out tomorrow night for the key matchups and predictions, I know we didn't get to that last week, but we will this time around.
Fight On!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Stanford Offense Preview
Probable Starters vs. USC:
WR 4 Mark Bradford (6-2, 215, Sr.)
9 Richard Sherman (6-3, 195, So.), key contributor, leads team in receiving
LT 76 Ben Muth (6-6, 301, Jr.*)
LG 72 Mikal Brewer (6-3, 297, Sr.*)
C 62 Tim Mattran (6-5, 298, Sr.*)
RG 60 Alex Fletcher (6-3, 295, Jr.*)
RT 63 Chris Marinelli (6-7, 304, So.*)
TE 83 Jim Dray (6-5, 255, So.*)
45 Ben Ladner (6-3, 250, So.*), key backup
QB 14 Tavita Pritchard (6-4, 200, So.*), starting for injured Ostrander
RB 5 Anthony Kimble (6-1, 210, Jr.*)
FB 48 Owen Marecic (6-1, 235, Fr.)
WR 8 Evan Moore (6-7, 236, Sr.*)
Best Offensive Player: WR Richard Sherman
Quarterback -- As we mentioned yesterday in our first look at Stanford, sophomore Tavita Pritchard (pictured below) will make his first career start this Saturday in place of senior starting QB T.C. Ostrander, who suffered a seizure this past Sunday and will not be suiting up against the Trojans. This is really unfortunate for the Cardinal on two fronts. First, they will be tossing young and untested QB into the fire that is the otherwise known as the L.A. Coliseum. The Trojans have won 35 consecutive home games, and 24 straight conference games at the historic arena, both streaks are Pac-10 records and currently stand as the longest in the nation. Pritchard has played in only one game this season and nothing can be said from his stat line that includes only 2 pass attempts for 10 yards and 1 rush attempt for 18 yards. Scout.com's 2007 Stanford Preview said that Pritchard won the backup QB job after showcasing his arm strength and quick feet in the spring. Secondly, Ostrander is a fifth year senior who has certainly paid his dues, serving as a backup to Trent Edwards for four years, and has enjoyed a solid season so far. His physical well-being has to be the team's number one priority at this point because they probably won't be playing in a bowl game this winter. I can't say that Ostrander would have engineered an upset over the top ranked Trojans, but he's not likely to make the mistakes that the young Pritchard will undoubtedly commit this weekend. All we can say is, "Get well soon T.C. Ostrander."
Passing Game -- The strength of the Cardinal offense lies with the WR's. Stanford's wide-outs are big (Bradford is 6-2, Sherman is 6-3, and Moore is an astounding 6-7), experienced, and have big-play potential on any given snap. Sherman has been the most productive WR and leads the way in receptions (20), yards (339), and TD catches (2). The only question about the passing game is pass protection. The Cardinal allowed 50 sacks a season ago, and have allowed 15 sacks in 4 games this year. Complicating matters is the loss of starting LT Allen Smith. Junior Ben Muth started his first game last week against ASU, and now is expected to block Trojans DE Kyle Moore, who is having an outstanding season so far. Ostrander did a decent job holding on to the football, throwing 3 INT's in 166 attempts, we'll see how the young QB Pritchard does in the turnover department.
Running Game -- Anthony Kimble is the primary ball-carrier. He has carried the ball 59 times for 288 yards and 3 TD's this season. He has good size at 6-1, 210 lbs. and has the speed to take it the distance, as seen by his season long run of 60 yards this season. As a team, the Cardinal have had trouble running the ball. They only managed 52 yards in the opener vs. fucla, and finished with negative 2 yards last week against ASU. It's been said that Pritchard is a good athlete and can make plays with his feet from the QB position, so that might add another dimension to Stanford's running game. The Trojans did a great job bottling up Jake Locker last week, but they'll again have to be cognitive of their rushing lanes and then punish Pritchard if decides to leave the pocket.
Tomorrow night: Preview of Stanford's Defense
Thanks to College Football News and the Stanford Athletics website for
providing some of the background in this preview...
Fight On!
WR 4 Mark Bradford (6-2, 215, Sr.)
9 Richard Sherman (6-3, 195, So.), key contributor, leads team in receiving
LT 76 Ben Muth (6-6, 301, Jr.*)
LG 72 Mikal Brewer (6-3, 297, Sr.*)
C 62 Tim Mattran (6-5, 298, Sr.*)
RG 60 Alex Fletcher (6-3, 295, Jr.*)
RT 63 Chris Marinelli (6-7, 304, So.*)
TE 83 Jim Dray (6-5, 255, So.*)
45 Ben Ladner (6-3, 250, So.*), key backup
QB 14 Tavita Pritchard (6-4, 200, So.*), starting for injured Ostrander
RB 5 Anthony Kimble (6-1, 210, Jr.*)
FB 48 Owen Marecic (6-1, 235, Fr.)
WR 8 Evan Moore (6-7, 236, Sr.*)
Best Offensive Player: WR Richard Sherman
Running Game -- Anthony Kimble is the primary ball-carrier. He has carried the ball 59 times for 288 yards and 3 TD's this season. He has good size at 6-1, 210 lbs. and has the speed to take it the distance, as seen by his season long run of 60 yards this season. As a team, the Cardinal have had trouble running the ball. They only managed 52 yards in the opener vs. fucla, and finished with negative 2 yards last week against ASU. It's been said that Pritchard is a good athlete and can make plays with his feet from the QB position, so that might add another dimension to Stanford's running game. The Trojans did a great job bottling up Jake Locker last week, but they'll again have to be cognitive of their rushing lanes and then punish Pritchard if decides to leave the pocket.
Tomorrow night: Preview of Stanford's Defense
Thanks to College Football News and the Stanford Athletics website for
providing some of the background in this preview...
Fight On!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Stanford Cardinal: First Look
The Cardinal have a player dealing with a scary medical situation, but they still have a game to play this Saturday. Stanford comes in to this game at (0-3) in the Pac-10 and (1-3) overall, and Saturday's visit to the Coliseum will be Stanford's first road game of the season. That doesn't bode well, for a team struggling as much as the Cardinal, to play the #1 team in the country in your road opener. They opened up the season with a 45-17 loss to fucla, and then after a bye, got their lone win in a 37-0 rout of San Jose State. Then, they lost back to back games against Oregon (55-31)and Arizona State (41-3). All three of those losses came against teams who were ranked in the Top 25 at the time, and who are all still currently in the polls. The USA Today Coaches Poll has Oregon at #13, Arizona State #19, and fucla at #25. As Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins would say, "It's Division I Football," not the University of San Diego, where Harbaugh began his head coaching career 3 seasons ago.
It's certainly been a rough 1st year for Coach Harbaugh, who may be better known for his mouth than his wins at this point in his career. Harbaugh stirred some off-season controvery when he lashed out at his alma-mater, the University of Michigan, for devaluing academics and encouraging student-athletes not to choose majors that may be too rigorous. There was also the matter involving USC, spefically Coach Pete Carroll. Harbaugh claimed that Carroll has only one more year at USC, according to a source inside Carroll's coaching staff. Maybe Harbaugh should be more worried about watching film on last year's game in Palo Alto that ended in a 42-0 rout by the Trojans.
On the home front, Carroll just needs to make sure his guys do not overlook the Cardinal. The 35 game home winning streak is by no means in jeopardy, USC is a 38 point favorite, but the Trojans continue to deal with injuries. Center Kris O'Dowd and right guard Chilo Rachal will both be out for a while with knee injuries, while CB's Shareece Wright and Cary Harris could both be out this weekend. WR Travon Patterson is out for the season, and maybe even C.J. Gable too, according to Scott Wolf. Still no word on Brian Cushing, who is still out, but Thomas Williams has been outstanding in his absence. Carroll has a lot on his table right now, but Stanford might be what the doctor ordered. It will be interesting to see how the two coaches greet each other on the field.
Look out for Stanford's offensive and defensive previews coming in the next couple of days...
Fight On! Beat the Farm!!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Washington Defense Preview
Washington Defense (^ indicates fifth-year senior)
Probable Starters vs. USC:
DE 66 Daniel Te’o-Nesheim 6-4 245 Jr.
DT 95 Jordan Reffett 6-6 295 ^Sr.
DT 74 Wilson Afoa 6-3 290 ^Sr.
DE 7 Greyson Gunheim 6-5 265 Sr.
OLB 34 Dan Howell 6-1 225 Sr.
ILB 57 Trenton Tuiasosopo 6-2 240 Sr. -- OR --
9 Donald Butler 6-1 240 So.
OLB 22 E.J. Savannah 6-2 228 Jr.
FS 26 Jason Wells 6-2 210 Jr.
SS 23 Mesphin Forrester 6-2 205 Sr.
CB 6 Vonzell McDowell, Jr. 5-9 176 Fr. -- OR --
18 Byron Davenport 5-11 195 Jr. -- OR --
19 Matt Mosley 5-11 190 So.
CB 28 Roy Lewis 5-11 187 ^Sr.
Best Defensive Player: Defensive Line Unit (All 4 starters returning) has registered 9 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 4 pass breakups, and an INT.
Defensive Line -- The strength of the Huskies' defense is the d-line. These guys are disruptive, as seen by their numbers above, but they have given up some yards this season. The Huskies are allowing 403 yards per game, 175 of those on the ground. Their smallest starting lineman weighs in at 245, so they can be overpowered in the running game. The key will be for them to generate pressure to better help their inexperienced secondary. Ends Te'o-Nesheim (3 sacks, 3 TFL) and Gunheim (2.5 sacks, 2 TFL) lead the way up front.
Linebackers -- The LB's, led by junior weak-side LB E.J. Savannah (team-high 42 tackles) are inexeperienced, but very athletic. They have great speed, fly to the ball carrier, and are good in pass coverage. Senior strong-side LB Dan Howell (13 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 INT) is the veteran of the group, having started 10 games last season. Savannah and middle LB's Trenton Tuiasosopo and Donald Butler had never started a game before this season.
Defensive Backs -- The pass defense continues to be a weakness for the Huskies, ranking among the nation's worst during each of Ty Willingham's first two seasons. This year the problem apparently hasn't subsided after seeing what Ohio State did to them a couple weeks ago. They are replacing two starters from last year and lack size at the cornerback position. So far this season, CB Roy Lewis and SS Mesphin Forrester rank 2nd and 3rd on team in tackles with 31 and 28, respectively. Lewis and fellow CB Vonzell McDowell, a true freshman, have each recorded and INT. They allow too many big plays in the secondary and don't create enough turnovers. Of the Huskies 4 defensive INT's, only 2 have come from the secondary.
Still to come Friday:
(1) Key Matchups
(2) What to Expect / Game Plan
(3) Predictions
Fight On!
Probable Starters vs. USC:
DE 66 Daniel Te’o-Nesheim 6-4 245 Jr.
DT 95 Jordan Reffett 6-6 295 ^Sr.
DT 74 Wilson Afoa 6-3 290 ^Sr.
DE 7 Greyson Gunheim 6-5 265 Sr.
OLB 34 Dan Howell 6-1 225 Sr.
ILB 57 Trenton Tuiasosopo 6-2 240 Sr. -- OR --
9 Donald Butler 6-1 240 So.
OLB 22 E.J. Savannah 6-2 228 Jr.
FS 26 Jason Wells 6-2 210 Jr.
SS 23 Mesphin Forrester 6-2 205 Sr.
CB 6 Vonzell McDowell, Jr. 5-9 176 Fr. -- OR --
18 Byron Davenport 5-11 195 Jr. -- OR --
19 Matt Mosley 5-11 190 So.
CB 28 Roy Lewis 5-11 187 ^Sr.
Best Defensive Player: Defensive Line Unit (All 4 starters returning) has registered 9 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 4 pass breakups, and an INT.
Defensive Line -- The strength of the Huskies' defense is the d-line. These guys are disruptive, as seen by their numbers above, but they have given up some yards this season. The Huskies are allowing 403 yards per game, 175 of those on the ground. Their smallest starting lineman weighs in at 245, so they can be overpowered in the running game. The key will be for them to generate pressure to better help their inexperienced secondary. Ends Te'o-Nesheim (3 sacks, 3 TFL) and Gunheim (2.5 sacks, 2 TFL) lead the way up front.
Linebackers -- The LB's, led by junior weak-side LB E.J. Savannah (team-high 42 tackles) are inexeperienced, but very athletic. They have great speed, fly to the ball carrier, and are good in pass coverage. Senior strong-side LB Dan Howell (13 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 INT) is the veteran of the group, having started 10 games last season. Savannah and middle LB's Trenton Tuiasosopo and Donald Butler had never started a game before this season.
Defensive Backs -- The pass defense continues to be a weakness for the Huskies, ranking among the nation's worst during each of Ty Willingham's first two seasons. This year the problem apparently hasn't subsided after seeing what Ohio State did to them a couple weeks ago. They are replacing two starters from last year and lack size at the cornerback position. So far this season, CB Roy Lewis and SS Mesphin Forrester rank 2nd and 3rd on team in tackles with 31 and 28, respectively. Lewis and fellow CB Vonzell McDowell, a true freshman, have each recorded and INT. They allow too many big plays in the secondary and don't create enough turnovers. Of the Huskies 4 defensive INT's, only 2 have come from the secondary.
Still to come Friday:
(1) Key Matchups
(2) What to Expect / Game Plan
(3) Predictions
Fight On!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Washington Offense Preview
PROBABLE STARTERS vs. USC:
^ indicates fifth-year senior
WR 5 Anthony Russo 5-11 185 ^Sr. - and -
18 Corey Williams 6-2 195 ^Sr. (may start as 3rd WR in place of TE)
LT 79 Ben Ossai 6-6 300 Jr.
LG 65 Ryan Tolar 6-5 310 So.
C 58 Juan Garcia 6-3 315 ^Sr.
RG 72 Casey Bulyca 6-6 340 Sr.
RT 75 Chad Macklin 6-8 300 ^Sr.
TE 86 Michael Gottlieb 6-5 245 Sr.
QB 10 Jake Locker 6-3 225 So.
TB 9 Louis Rankin 6-0 205 ^Sr.
FB 30 Paul Homer 6-0 222 So.
WR 3 Marcel Reece 6-3 240 Sr.
Best Offensive Player: QB Jake Locker
Quarterback -- Redshirt freshman Jake Locker, a.k.a. "The West Coast version of Tim Tebow" is the player that makes this offense go. He leads the team in rushing yards as well as passing yards out of that "Shotgun Spread" formation. This, however, is not your typical dual-threat QB, as seen by the comparisons to Tebow. He's very physical when running with the ball. Locker will often times choose to run through defenders, rather than sliding or stepping out of bounds. He has gotten better every week in the passing game, and growing more and more comfortable with the offense. He is still young though, and will continue to make mistakes as he develops as a passer. In their week 3 loss to Ohio State, Locker threw 3 second half INT's after Washington entered the half with a 7-3 lead. Last week against fucla, Locker threw 2 more INT's in a 44-31 loss. In their two losses, Locker has completed less than 50 % of his passes (33-69) along with his 5 INT's. In the 2 wins, Locker completed 27 out of 44 passes and surrendered just one INT. It will be interesting to see if Locker takes care of the football on Saturday, because his rushing has been consistent. Locker's season low in rushing yards is 83 in the opener against Syracuse. He is averaging 90 rushing yards per game and has 3 rushing TD's.
Running Game -- Clearly, the Huskies' rushing attack revolves around Locker. Locker leads the team with 393 rushing yards, followed by tailback Louis Rankin's 291. These two players are the most frequent ball carriers (Locker 55 carries, Rankin 62 carries), and account for 159 of Washington's 175 rushing yards per game. They can do a variety of things out that shotgun formation they run. Locker is deadly with the "zone read option" play, where he can choose to either hand the ball off to Rankin, or keep it himself if the defense over-pursues. They also like to use him on designed QB runs and draws when the defense is spread too far out. Their goal is to spread out defenses with their formations, and then run it between the tackles. USC must maintain its discipline and play assignment football against Washington. If they get you to over-pursue or rush up-field, it will open up running lanes.
Passing Game -- For being a first year starter, Locker seems pretty composed in the pocket. He is coming off of a 216 yard and 4 TD performance in the loss to fucla, although he did throw those two INT's. USC is banged up in the secondary, so this might be the game for him to make a name for himself if the Trojans can't genereate any pressure up front. The Huskies have given up six sacks in 4 games. When given time to throw, Locker has made some big plays. His two favorite targets have been Anthony Russo (18 catches, 240 yards, 3 TD's) and Marcel Reese (17 catches, 279 yards, 2 TD's), no one else had double-digit receptions. Russo longest catch on the year has been 63 yards, while Reese has a long of 58 yards.
Thursday night we'll look at the Washington defense...
Fight On!
^ indicates fifth-year senior
WR 5 Anthony Russo 5-11 185 ^Sr. - and -
18 Corey Williams 6-2 195 ^Sr. (may start as 3rd WR in place of TE)
LT 79 Ben Ossai 6-6 300 Jr.
LG 65 Ryan Tolar 6-5 310 So.
C 58 Juan Garcia 6-3 315 ^Sr.
RG 72 Casey Bulyca 6-6 340 Sr.
RT 75 Chad Macklin 6-8 300 ^Sr.
TE 86 Michael Gottlieb 6-5 245 Sr.
QB 10 Jake Locker 6-3 225 So.
TB 9 Louis Rankin 6-0 205 ^Sr.
FB 30 Paul Homer 6-0 222 So.
WR 3 Marcel Reece 6-3 240 Sr.
Best Offensive Player: QB Jake Locker
Running Game -- Clearly, the Huskies' rushing attack revolves around Locker. Locker leads the team with 393 rushing yards, followed by tailback Louis Rankin's 291. These two players are the most frequent ball carriers (Locker 55 carries, Rankin 62 carries), and account for 159 of Washington's 175 rushing yards per game. They can do a variety of things out that shotgun formation they run. Locker is deadly with the "zone read option" play, where he can choose to either hand the ball off to Rankin, or keep it himself if the defense over-pursues. They also like to use him on designed QB runs and draws when the defense is spread too far out. Their goal is to spread out defenses with their formations, and then run it between the tackles. USC must maintain its discipline and play assignment football against Washington. If they get you to over-pursue or rush up-field, it will open up running lanes.
Passing Game -- For being a first year starter, Locker seems pretty composed in the pocket. He is coming off of a 216 yard and 4 TD performance in the loss to fucla, although he did throw those two INT's. USC is banged up in the secondary, so this might be the game for him to make a name for himself if the Trojans can't genereate any pressure up front. The Huskies have given up six sacks in 4 games. When given time to throw, Locker has made some big plays. His two favorite targets have been Anthony Russo (18 catches, 240 yards, 3 TD's) and Marcel Reese (17 catches, 279 yards, 2 TD's), no one else had double-digit receptions. Russo longest catch on the year has been 63 yards, while Reese has a long of 58 yards.
Thursday night we'll look at the Washington defense...
Fight On!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Washington Huskies: First Look
USC travels to Seattle, WA this weekend to take on the University of Washington in yet another nationally televised game on ABC Primetime. Huskies' third-year head coach Ty Willingham is no stranger to the Trojans. He was on the receiving end of one too many blowouts when he was the coach at Notre Dame. His Irish teams were major contributors to the Heisman campaigns of eventual trophy winners Carson Palmer ('02), Matt Leinart ('04), and Reggie Bush ('05). The inability to compete with USC ultimately led to his firing. Now, he is trying to resurrect his career in the Pacific Northwest after enjoying previous success in the Pac-10 Conference as the head coach at Stanford. Remember, Ty Willingham is the last opposing coach to emerge from the Coliseum victorious. In 2001, Pete Carroll's first season at USC, the Trojans fell to the Cardinal 21-16. Fast forward to 2007. Carroll has built a dynasty at USC, while Willingham rebuilds what was once a very good Husky football program. He almost turned Washington around last year. The Huskies got off to a (4-1) start entering the USC game, but the season took a downward tailspin when star QB Isaiah Stanback suffered a season ending leg injury. Stanback led Washington into the Coliseum last season and played the Trojans right down to the wire. He simply ran out of time on what would have been the game-winning drive, as USC escaped with a 26-20 victory. Hell, if Mike McDonald doesn't hit Steve Smith for a TD on that fake FG attempt earlier in the game, Washington might have pulled off the upset. The Huskies finished a respectable (5-7), but a victory over USC would have carried them to greener pastures last year.How will the Huskies fare against the Trojans this year? In discussing preparations for this Saturday's game at his weekly press conference, it is obvious that Ty sees something all to familiar in these Trojans...
"They are obviously the best team in the country," Willingham said Monday. "They are better than a year ago in every aspect."The Trojans are the #1 team in the country, but what kind of team does Ty have this season? The Huskies opened up with two very impressive wins over Syracuse (42-12) and a then 22nd ranked Boise State team (24-10). Freshman QB Jake Locker became a national phenomenon, and was even referred to as the west coast version of Florida QB Tim Tebow. In week 3, they became a very popular pick to upset a 10th ranked Ohio State Buckeye team in Seattle. The Huskies played them tough, leading 7-3 at the half, but their immaturity and lack of experience was evident as the Buckeyes scored 24 consecutive 2nd half points en route to a 33-14 win. The next game was the Pac-10 opener for the Huskies on the road against a lowly fucla squad that was coming off a 44-6 pasting courtesy of Utah. The bruins, led by backup QB Patrick Cowan, put up 44 points of their own in a 44-31 victory over the Huskies. They have clearly taken a couple of steps back after getting off to such a fast start. Is the team improving? Given that their starting QB Jake Locker is still just a freshman, the Huskies have nowhere to go but up. Washington has shown that they are capable, but the question remains, "Which UW team will show up?" Can we expect to see the team that played with a level of confidence in the first 2 1/2 games of the season, or will we get the Huskies that carried over a very poor second half against Ohio State into the loss at fucla last week? We'll find out on Saturday...
Tomorrow: Preview of Washington's Offense
Thursday: Preview of UW's Defense
Friday: Key Matchups / Predictions
Fight On! Beat the Huskies!
Friday, September 21, 2007
USC vs. WSU: Key Matchups / Predictions
Here are the five key matchups to watch for tomorrow night:
(1) USC DE Lawrence Jackson vs. WSU RT Micah Hannam
We know DE Kyle Moore will bring the pressure from the weak side and NT Sedrick Ellis will supply the pressure up the middle, but if USC is to slow down the Cougars' wide open passing attack, then it must get something out of LoJack on the strong side of the defensive line. The Cougars will probably double-team Ellis and help the weak side OT by sending a RB to chip Moore. USC will have to start blitzing LB's and DB's if Jackson can't provide a consistent pass rush on Cougars QB Alex Brink.
(2) USC CB Terrell Thomas vs. WSU WR Michael Bumpus
Thomas is likely to line up in the slot as the nickel back in this game, which means that he'll draw the assignment of WSU's slot back, and most reliabe WR in Michael Bumpus. The Trojans play a lot of zone coverages, but when they do decide to lock up man to man, it is imperative that Thomas plays Bumpus tight and wraps up the receiver immediateley after the catch. Remember, Bumpus had a big game against the Trojans last season. If Thomas can disguise his coverages, than he'll make it harder for Brink to anticipate where he wants to go with the ball and prevent him from zeroing in on his guy. Otherwise, it'll be a very long night for Mr. Thomas.
(3) USC CB's Cary Harris and Shareece Wright vs. WSU WR's Brandon Gibson and Charles Dillon
With Thomas playing the nickel spot, Harris and Wright will be on the outside defending against the flanker Gibson and the split end Dillon. Gibson, who leads the team in receiving yards, is probably the Cougars most dangerous WR, while Dillon is a perfect complement to Gibson and Bumpus. Alex Brink is very good at distributing the ball to all of his weapons, so it will be difficult for the Trojans to key on any one WR. It will be important for Harris and Wright to stick to their defensive assignment, play tight coverage, and tackle well in the open-field.
(4) USC OT Sam Baker vs. WSU RDE's Mike Graise (6-2, 227)or Lance Broadus (6-2, 227)
The weak side defensive ends for the Cougars are quick, but undersized. Baker is very good in pass protection, so I wouldn't worry too much about the speed of the Cougars' ends. Baker should also have his way with both Graise and Broadus in the running game. Expect some big holes on the left side of the offensive line once again, as guard Jeff Byers and center Kris O'Dowd continue to maul people up front.
(5) USC WR David Ausberry (6-4, 224) vs. WSU CB's Devin Giles (6-0, 158) and/or Chima Nwachukwu (5-11, 189)
Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian needs to involve Ausberry early and often, and exploit the incredible size advantage he has over the smaller Cougar defenders. Ausberry has had a couple of solid games so far, and with Turner's recent struggles, look for him to emerge as the John David Booty's go to guy at wide receiver.
Saturday's Expectations:
Offensively, I expect the Trojans to come out and run the ball and continue to build on the momentum of last week's 313 rushing yards at Nebraska. USC should be able to duplicate that same effort against an undersized, and not very talented Cougars defense. Chauncey Washington, who was easily the Trojans' most impressive running back throughout fall camp, is back and healthy, while the emergence of Stafon Johnson and the steadiness of C.J. Gable have carried the torch in the USC running game so far. I want to see more of David Ausberry, Vidal Hazelton, and Travon Patterson, but I think that the coaching staff has found the team's identity, which is to run the football. Fullback Stanley Havili will have another big game though.
Defensively, I am very concerned with Washington State's passing game. Alex Brink is running this offense at a high level right now, and if he's given time to throw tomorrow night, then we could see a shoot out in the Coliseum. I think USC's emphasis on the running game, coupled with WSU completing several high percentage passes, will shorten the game in the first half. Brink will generate a couple of scoring drives and keep the Cougars close. Look for USC DE Kyle Moore to get a couple of sacks and the Trojans to cause a game changing turnover and pull away in the 2nd half...Prediction: USC 45, Washington State 27
Other Predictions:
RG3 -- With our suspect secondary, Wazzou will put up some points. Cary Harris and Terrell Thomas make the Dallas Cowboys secondary look like superstars. Hopefully Shareece Wright can step up and play lock-down defense. USC will need to showcase our offensive weapons. With Byers and Baker on the left side, expect Chauncey Washington to go dumb. Also, with the corner attempting to cover Ausberry weighing 158 lbs, Booty needs to unleash the Wizard of Auz. USC wins it big in the end. USC 49 Washington State 24.
Joey --
PCBestever --
Fight On! Beat the Cougars!
(1) USC DE Lawrence Jackson vs. WSU RT Micah Hannam
We know DE Kyle Moore will bring the pressure from the weak side and NT Sedrick Ellis will supply the pressure up the middle, but if USC is to slow down the Cougars' wide open passing attack, then it must get something out of LoJack on the strong side of the defensive line. The Cougars will probably double-team Ellis and help the weak side OT by sending a RB to chip Moore. USC will have to start blitzing LB's and DB's if Jackson can't provide a consistent pass rush on Cougars QB Alex Brink.
(2) USC CB Terrell Thomas vs. WSU WR Michael Bumpus
Thomas is likely to line up in the slot as the nickel back in this game, which means that he'll draw the assignment of WSU's slot back, and most reliabe WR in Michael Bumpus. The Trojans play a lot of zone coverages, but when they do decide to lock up man to man, it is imperative that Thomas plays Bumpus tight and wraps up the receiver immediateley after the catch. Remember, Bumpus had a big game against the Trojans last season. If Thomas can disguise his coverages, than he'll make it harder for Brink to anticipate where he wants to go with the ball and prevent him from zeroing in on his guy. Otherwise, it'll be a very long night for Mr. Thomas.
(3) USC CB's Cary Harris and Shareece Wright vs. WSU WR's Brandon Gibson and Charles Dillon
With Thomas playing the nickel spot, Harris and Wright will be on the outside defending against the flanker Gibson and the split end Dillon. Gibson, who leads the team in receiving yards, is probably the Cougars most dangerous WR, while Dillon is a perfect complement to Gibson and Bumpus. Alex Brink is very good at distributing the ball to all of his weapons, so it will be difficult for the Trojans to key on any one WR. It will be important for Harris and Wright to stick to their defensive assignment, play tight coverage, and tackle well in the open-field.
(4) USC OT Sam Baker vs. WSU RDE's Mike Graise (6-2, 227)or Lance Broadus (6-2, 227)
The weak side defensive ends for the Cougars are quick, but undersized. Baker is very good in pass protection, so I wouldn't worry too much about the speed of the Cougars' ends. Baker should also have his way with both Graise and Broadus in the running game. Expect some big holes on the left side of the offensive line once again, as guard Jeff Byers and center Kris O'Dowd continue to maul people up front.
(5) USC WR David Ausberry (6-4, 224) vs. WSU CB's Devin Giles (6-0, 158) and/or Chima Nwachukwu (5-11, 189)
Offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian needs to involve Ausberry early and often, and exploit the incredible size advantage he has over the smaller Cougar defenders. Ausberry has had a couple of solid games so far, and with Turner's recent struggles, look for him to emerge as the John David Booty's go to guy at wide receiver.
Saturday's Expectations:
Offensively, I expect the Trojans to come out and run the ball and continue to build on the momentum of last week's 313 rushing yards at Nebraska. USC should be able to duplicate that same effort against an undersized, and not very talented Cougars defense. Chauncey Washington, who was easily the Trojans' most impressive running back throughout fall camp, is back and healthy, while the emergence of Stafon Johnson and the steadiness of C.J. Gable have carried the torch in the USC running game so far. I want to see more of David Ausberry, Vidal Hazelton, and Travon Patterson, but I think that the coaching staff has found the team's identity, which is to run the football. Fullback Stanley Havili will have another big game though.
Defensively, I am very concerned with Washington State's passing game. Alex Brink is running this offense at a high level right now, and if he's given time to throw tomorrow night, then we could see a shoot out in the Coliseum. I think USC's emphasis on the running game, coupled with WSU completing several high percentage passes, will shorten the game in the first half. Brink will generate a couple of scoring drives and keep the Cougars close. Look for USC DE Kyle Moore to get a couple of sacks and the Trojans to cause a game changing turnover and pull away in the 2nd half...Prediction: USC 45, Washington State 27
Other Predictions:
RG3 -- With our suspect secondary, Wazzou will put up some points. Cary Harris and Terrell Thomas make the Dallas Cowboys secondary look like superstars. Hopefully Shareece Wright can step up and play lock-down defense. USC will need to showcase our offensive weapons. With Byers and Baker on the left side, expect Chauncey Washington to go dumb. Also, with the corner attempting to cover Ausberry weighing 158 lbs, Booty needs to unleash the Wizard of Auz. USC wins it big in the end. USC 49 Washington State 24.
Joey --
PCBestever --
Fight On! Beat the Cougars!
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