Mark Sanchez Creating Puffs of Smoke

As the NFL draft moves closer, we squint in smoke filled skies to get a glimpse of team intentions. February brings a list of franchise needs, and free agency will scratch items from the notepad. And by April, the shopping list should be condensed. But the pattern fails to materialize, as big boards display prospect growth, and the annual game of cat and mouse remains intact. We are guided by puffs of smoke, and left on a personal quest for fire.

It’s easy to say Mark Sanchez will be the second quarterback to leave the board, but it’s harder to find a destination. With a release of smoke, more teams have appeared as possible takers. Tampa Bay, San Francisco, and the New York Jets were some of the popular mock locations, with Sanchez also poised for the upset of Matthew Stafford to become Detroit’s No. 1 choice.

He was first projected to free fall, with expectations of the second choice quarterback descending to the middle or lower portions of the first round. And with no dramatic change in skill, and without a shake up of signal callers at the top of the order, two additional franchises have joined San Francisco and Detroit as possible quarterback landing spots…supposedly.

In the dark clouds of draft deception, Seattle and Jacksonville are showing interest in the junior hurler. Burning eyes may receive a slight vision of the Seahawks drafting and grooming the successor to Matt Hasselbeck. But if you reach into Seattle’s roster and needs, can you feel the heat of fire?

In Florida, the smoke thickens. You have a hot seat coach and a newly extended quarterback, which makes Sanchez the imperfect fit. If Jack Del Rio, a former USC Trojan, chose to select a fellow alum, it gives him 8 months to start clearing out his desk and packing his bags. What can a first round quarterback do for coaches lacking job security? The question is answered with Dennis Green, Marty Schottenheimer, and Mike Shanahan.

If the interest in Sanchez comes from managing powers, and the selection is made, they are packing Del Rio’s bags for him. Last April, David Garrard received a 7-year $60 million contract extension, the richest in Jacksonville franchise history. 12 months later, would they bank the 8th selection of the first round on a raw junior quarterback? Egotistical managers aren’t quick to admit mistakes, so don’t bet on it. The Browns made Brady Quinn a first round choice, extended Derek Anderson, and then removed Romeo Crennel, marking the coach as the mistake. Vince Young was not the choice of Tennessee’s coaching staff, but the ownership made the selection, then targeted Norm Chow as their mistake. Drafting Sanchez, after extending Garrard, would act as management’s admission of their own error, and it takes more than 12 months for white collars to complete their fall from the high horse.

With puffs of smoke, you can spark a trade, leaving those with true interests to contemplate moving up in the draft order. That dark cloud also acts as a disguise, hiding the true intention, and leading others to believe a targeteted player will descend , deterring any active effort and negotiations to claim him first. Mark Sanchez to Seattle or Jacksonville? This is smoke, without evidence of fire.

Spring Practice Schedule

If anyone is interested in attending any of the spring practice sessions, here are the dates and times:

March 28, Saturday, 10:30 a.m.
March 31, Tuesday, 4 p.m.
April 2, Thursday, 4 p.m.
April 3, Friday, 4 p.m.
April 5, Sunday, TBA
April 7, Tuesday, 4 p.m.
April 9, Thursday, 4 p.m.
April 11, Saturday, Coliseum (CLOSED to the public)
April 14, Tuesday, 4 p.m.
April 16, Thursday, 4 p.m.
April 17, Friday, 4 p.m.
April 18, Saturday, TBA
April 21, Tuesday, 4 p.m.
April 23, Thursday, 4 p.m.
April 25, Saturday, Trojan Huddle at the Coliseum (Time TBA)

*courtesy of Scott Wolf, Inside USC

The 2009 USC Rose Bowl ring

The USC football program continues to challenge Balfour to brainstorm new creations for the Rose Bowl Ring. I recently got a look at the latest edition for the 7-time defending Pac 10 champions (from USCripsit), and I must say it’s pretty sweet. This is version No. 4 for the Men of Troy, in the past 6 seasons, with each having a slight change in design. One obvious alteration is the single digit increase in the number of consecutive conference championships. The other change, Penn State now marks the most recent Rose Bowl victim.

Another spring without Joe Mcknight

Still recovering from the dislocation of 4 toes, Joe McKnight will not be available for spring practice. He suffered the injury during the January 1st Rose Bowl. McKnight missed the 2008 spring practices with academic issues, before rejoining the team in the Summer. Considered to be one of the most dynamic running backs in college football, injuries have often played their part in keeping him off the field.

It’s now or never for Mitch Mustain

Watching Matt Cassel’s rise from the depths of obscurity is an amazing story in itself. But for one particular observer, there’s a personal connection and offering of hope. That person is USC quarterback Mitch Mustain, who oddly enough finds himself walking a similar path, though the upcoming spring and summer months may offer a shortcut.

Cassel never started a game as a Trojan, and neither has Mustain. Cassel sat behind two Heisman Trophy winners and future NFL first round draft picks. Mustain spent his first eligible year at USC sitting behind Mark Sanchez, a one year starter with first round aspirations. As a junior, Cassel approached a window of opportunity and failed to crawl through. Now in his junior campaign, Mitch Mustain walks towards that same window, hoping to not meet the same fate.

Carson Palmer’s 2003 departure left an open competition for quarterbacks remaining. The early favorite was clearly Matt Cassel, having secured the No. 2 role a year prior. He competed and eventually lost the spring battle to the younger Matt Leinart, which resulted in his spending the final two years of eligibility as a substitute.

Mitch Mustain enters spring practice of 2009, and it’s now or never for one of the most decorated high school quarterbacks of the 2006 recruiting class. Like Cassel in 2003, losing this year’s battle is to lose all hope of ever starting as a Trojan. Only twice since 1998 has USC made a quarterback switch to remove a starter, and never under Pete Carroll’s watch. The holder of the reins has guided the chariot until his collegiate work was done. Carson Palmer replaced Mike Van Raaphorst in the 9th game of the ’98 season, to become only the second true freshman quarterback ever to start a game for USC. A broken collar bone benched Palmer in ’99. Outside of the switch in his freshman year, and the injury as a sophomore, the quarterback to win the initial competition has always maintained the starting role.

Mustain flip-flopped as the No. 2 and 3 through the course of last season, never threatening Mark Sanchez for the first team spot. With Sanchez gone, he now battles the more versatile sophomore Aaron Corp and the highly touted true freshman Matt Barkley. It may be one last gasp, a final shot to prove his worth. Failure places him on the alternate route, which is shadowed, much longer, and contains the footprints of Matt Cassel.

Clay Matthews becomes a first-round name

It’s been quite a journey for Clay Matthews III. Despite his famous bloodline, he’s never been given a free football pass. His father and uncle are captured forever in the history of the school he attends, as both men are members of the USC Athletic Hall of Fame. His uncle, Bruce, also appears in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as a 14-time Pro Bowl selection in a spectacular 19 year career. And after his father, Clay II, completed his time at Southern California, he also went on to appear in 4 Pro Bowls of his own. It’s a lineage of Trojans and success, as the elders paved a trail for the family’s youth to follow.

In 2004, trotting into the same stadium where his family first became household names, the newest Matthews did so without a scholarship, appearing as a walk-on. At this storied NFL football factory, a name has never made a player, but plenty of players were granted the opportunity to make a name. He selected a big school, with an even bigger program, and entered with enormous shoes to fill.

4 years later, he has established that name. Through hard work and dedication, “Matthews” is no longer a name solely reflective of football’s past, quickly becoming a popular name for football’s future. No Trojan has benefited more from the 2008 season than this “elephant” on the outside, and that includes Mark Sanchez.

So much is made of the line formed for quarterbacks and running backs at USC, but often overlooked is the number of linebackers and the shortage of opportunities to get on the field. In Matthews’ first year, the Trojans won a national championship, and among their linebackers were Lofa Tatupu, Matt Grootegoed, and Dallas Sartz. The group was replaced through the years with Keith Rivers, Thomas Williams, Brian Cushing, Kaluka Maiva, and Rey Maualuga. 5 of the 8 were drafted by the NFL, with the remainder appearing as prospects in this year’s class, and two projected in the first round. And thanks to an impressive senior season, Matthews can make it 3.

With the linebacking corps in tact for 2008, Pete Carroll’s staff worked Matthews onto the field, using him as a hybrid. He benefited greatly from his production in two highly publicized early season games, first at Virginia, and then Ohio State. And with the motor still running, he was a constant disruption in opposing backfields, finishing the season with 4.5 sacks and 9 tackles for losses. His name was finally out there, but it’s the occurrences after the scheduled games were complete that allowed that final push.

Matthews made his first impression with NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl. Originally walking in the shadow of Maualuga and Cushing, he left Mobile Alabama sharing the same light. The spotlight intensified at the NFL Scout combine in Indianapolis, where he finished among the top performers at his position.

His name is now being tossed around in discussions involving potential first round picks. Not bad for a former walk-on, huh? His story isn’t much different than his former teammate, Lofa Tatupu, who also came from an NFL bloodline, but played his freshman season as an unknown in Maine, before transferring to USC. Tatupu never reached that first round, likely because he appeared on the scout’s radar too late. In two months, Matthews will learn if he’s also penalized for his tardiness or rewarded for his closing performance. With the USC Pro-Day still to come, I believe Matthews will be off the board before April’s opening round comes to an end. And if not, someone will receive a gift in the second.

Combine notes: Maualuga pulls up lame

Rey Maualuga ran a first attempt 4.83 in the scout combine’s 40-yard dash. He never received a second attempt, pulling up lame at the finish, and collapsing to the turf with a tweaked hamstring. Maualuga said it was something that had been bothersome before his arrival to Indianapolis, but didn’t want to make excuses, wanting only to compete with the best. It’s unsure at this point whether he’ll be able to run by USC’s April 1st Pro-Day.

Wake’s Aaron Curry finished with the fastest 40 among linebackers, recording an official 4.56. Clay Matthews checked in at 4.67, as he continues to raise his stock, and Brian Cushing was officially clocked at 4.74. And in case anyone has interest, Ohio State’s linebacker James Laurinaitis ran a 4.8, with Antonio Freeman finishing with a 4.67.

Brian Cushing and Kaluka Maiava, along with OSU’s Freeman, topped all linebackers with 30 bench press reps. Safety Kevin Ellison completed 32 reps to lead all safeties.

USC scratched from the Brown list

Bryce Brown isn’t scheduled to make an official announcement of his college choice until March 16, but it’s more clear that he won’t be suited in cardinal and gold. The nation’s top running back prospect, who originally gave a verbal to Miami, allowed signing day to come and go, without signing a letter of intent. He comprised a short list of potential candidates that showed LSU, USC, Miami, Tennessee, and Oregon.

The Trojans can now be scratched from that list, as Brown has canceled his official visit to the Los Angeles campus. Brown’s camp says nothing should be made of it, stating that the Kansas back has visited USC once before. But Carroll and his staff are conceding the loss, based on the cancellation, and wishing him well in the future.

Eagles looking to unload Winston Justice

The NFL experience hasn’t been great for Winston Justice. Character issues created a 2006 draft day slide that finally came to a halt with the eagles selecting the big tackle in the second round. He made headlines in his first and only start, but for all the wrong reasons. His debut on September 30, 2007 is noted in the books, as the Giants tied an NFL record with 12 sacks, and Justice surrendering half the total.

He has just 12 career appearances for Philadelphia, eventually being moved from left to right tackle. Now the Eagles are looking to move him off the roster, and will be shopping the former Trojan to anyone with interest. Philly has two picks in this year’s first round of the draft, and the speculation is that they’ll be looking to draft a left tackle with one of those selections.

An opportune time for Sanchez to elevate his stock

The NFL draft is a touchy situation for quarterback hopefuls. More than any other position, team need stands the greatest determining factor of a young signal caller’s descent. You can appear near the top of a list of prospects for the position, but still inevitably see a sizable gap between the first quarterback taken and your draft selection.

Sanchez is projected as the No. 2 overall quarterback prospect on most mock draft boards, but those same boards have him going late first or early second round. Quarterback is a high risk draft choice, and to guarantee a top 10 overall selection, it would be more comforting to maintain the top prospect ranking.

The NFL Scout combine will allow Sanchez that opportunity. For many scouts, it will be their first up close and personal look at the kid with only 16 collegiate starts. Sanchez also becomes the big name among hurlers, with speculation that Georgia’s Matthew Stafford won’t work out in the upcoming event.

It’s not uncommon for potential first overall selections to skip workouts. Hell, Matt Ryan did it last year, electing to show up for only the measurements and interviews. Regardless, Ryan was still drafted 3rd overall and represented the first quarterback off the board. Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree has elected not to run the 40 at this year’s combine, citing a nagging ankle injury. And it’s rumored that our own Rey Maualuga will be skipping combine drills, electing to wait for the USC Pro-Day to make his impression.

The lack of experience under center seems to be the greatest concern for scouts evaluating Sanchez. You hear reports of inconsistency when describing Stafford, but never any negatives in reference to the physical tools and game management of USC’s early entrant. The Combine workouts begin on February 18, and Sanchez will be given 7 days to convince everyone that even his lack of experience is worth the draft risk.

No Te’o, No problem

Manti Te’o would have been an additional charm to the 2009 class of Trojans, but the absence, though somewhat unsettling, isn’t crippling to the structure. USC’s loss became Notre Dame’s gain, and everyone was aware of the possibility. But realistically, as much as Te’o is an outstanding 2009 prospect, he’s a more logical projection for 2011. During the recruiting process, Te’o made it clear that his plan is to embark on a 2 year Mormon mission, when he reaches the age of 19. Unless Charlie Weis suits and places him on the field this fall, the name may not be mentioned again for another two years. In fact, though Weis scored big in pulling one of the top linebackers in the country from Hawaii to South Bend, there’s a chance the hot seat coach may not be around when the time comes to coach him.

The Signing Day crew on ESPN was surprised by Vontez Burfict's decision to de-commit from USC and jump on board with Arizona State. I guess they didn’t have their ears near the grapevine, because it’s been swirling for days that he apparently didn’t have the grades for Southern Cal and would become a Sun Devil. He became the second big hit to Trojan expectations, but all is well.

Randall Carroll selected his hat, and chose to go across town to UCLA. Again, it’s not a problem. Carroll has aspirations of playing wide receiver, and the Trojans contemplated using his services as a corner. The last time a top receiver faced the possibility of conversion, he also chose to attend a rival school. That player was DeSean Jackson, who snubbed the Trojans on Signing Day and chose Cal. In all his greatness, Jackson completed his amateur career without a victory or touchdown against USC.

Signing Day may not leave a satisfying taste in your mouth, but that’s because the majority of the class was already set. The top player in the country, Matt Barkley, was enrolled before signing day ever came along. There were strong verbals from others, which made it less dramatic. Pete Carroll and his staff managed to cash in on some of the top talent in California, while also pulling Starling and Telfort from Florida, and Jarvis Jones from Georgia. Would Te’o and Burfict have been nice additions? Sure, but nevertheless, the Trojans are reloaded and ready to roll.

Fight On!

Is Oregon the new leader of the Pac?

With a reshuffled coaching staff, an exodus of defensive stars, and an NFL bound quarterback, one person already believes that USC has lost its grip on the Pac 10 conference. Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports doesn’t make a definite statement, appearing more as “beating around the bush”, but his early 2009 college football rankings show the Ducks positioned higher than the Trojans. The top of his early pick is similar to the final regular season rankings of 2008, with the exception of Southern Cal taking a plunge.

Dennis Dodd’s Early 2009 Top 25

1. Florida
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas
4. Alabama
5. Virginia Tech
6. Oregon
7. Ohio State
8. USC
9. Oklahoma State
10.Georgia Tech

Oregon finished the season strong, capped with a Holiday Bowl victory over Oklahoma State, but I’m still struggling to find reason for Dodd’s catapult above USC. The Ducks also have questions surrounding their coaching staff, with most speculating that Mike Bellotti is preparing to move into the athletic offices, leaving Chip Kelly to hold the reins. The top defensive playmakers, Jarius Byrd and Patrick Chung, have offered their services to the Sunday league, and joining them is their top runner (Jeremiah Johnson), top receiver (Jaison Williams), and two big bodies from the offensive line (Max Unger and Fenuki Tupou). Changes can easily affect both programs, but perhaps he is eyeing the Oregon schedule and change in venue.

Autzen Stadium will host 7 games in 2009. Inside that roaring sound machine, the home team will face Utah, Purdue, Cal, Arizona State, Oregon State, and USC. If they survive the schedule and list of style point opponents, I can see how they would finish in the top 10. They also have a road date with Boise State. But is that change of scenery enough to change the game result against mighty USC? Pete Carroll’s Trojans have lost only twice to Oregon. The first defeat came in 2001, during the miserable beginning of the coach's first year. The second occurred 2 years ago, with Mark Sanchez rushed into the line up for an injured John David Booty, and the banged up Trojans still came close to recording a win. It was Oregon’s second victory against USC in Autzen Stadium, as Carroll’s teams have overcome the noise and crowd ruckus to split 4 games played in this unfriendly pond.

Oregon at No. 6 and USC appearing 8th can only signify a one game difference between the two, which would be the head-to-head meeting in October. Dodd doesn’t say it, but he obviously has the Ducks defeating the Trojans on that day, and for the first time in 7 years, the Pac 10 crowning a new king in December.

Gophers headed to the left coast woodshed

It's only been 3 weeks since USC notched another Rose Bowl victory, and made Penn State another Big 10 victim. The eyes are now set on Columbus Ohio, where the Trojans meet their next Midwestern opponent. Most are aware of the track record against the boys from the fading BCS group, but the Minnesota Golden Gophers didn't hesitate to accept the challenge. Once the contract is finalized, Tim Brewster's Gophers will travel to the Los Angeles Coliseum in 2010. And in agreement to the home-and-home series, Carroll's troops will invade Minnesota in 2016.

Jeremy Bates heading to USC?

The National Football Post is reporting that former Denver Broncos assistant Jeremy Bates is heading to Los Angeles to accept a position on Pete Carroll's staff. Bates operated as the quarterbacks and receivers coach under Mike Shanahan, and was integral to the development of Jay Cutler. With the shuffling in the Trojans' coaching staff, I'm assuming he'll accept the same position at USC, where he would then add to the continuing growth of Mitch Mustain and Aaron Corp, while also developing the incoming Matt Barkley. If this proves to be truth, this is a great hire for USC.

Bradford staying pushes Sanchez into NFL

After a tremendous Rose Bowl performance, and a moment to shine in the national spotlight, Mark Sanchez had a difficult decision to make. Does he remain in school for his senior season or dive into the riches of the NFL? As a projected first round selection, one thing would make the choice easier, and that was another decision in Norman Oklahoma by Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. As the news began pouring in that Bradford had chosen to stay in school, the thought of USC losing Mark Sanchez appeared a foregone conclusion. And as quickly as ESPN was informing the sports world of the Oklahoma quarterback's choice, is as quickly as they followed with reports of Sanchez foregoing his senior year to enter the NFL draft.

Scouts have flip-flopped on the placement of Mark Sanchez. Some had him second behind Sam Bradford, while others pegged Georgia's Matthew Stafford as the top choice. With Bradford removed from the equation, Sanchez' decision was obvious. He's now guaranteed a first round selection and could possibly be the first quarterback taken in the 2009 draft. Returning to school couldn't possibly lift his draft stock any higher than it is today, so why not latch on to your NFL dream? Matt Leinart returned to USC after his Heisman winning season, with his NFL stock at its peak, and that stock declined the following year.

Once Sanchez makes his formal announcement, he will become the 5th Trojans quarterback to enter the NFL in the past 7 years, joining Carson Palmer, Matt Cassel, Matt Leinart, and John David Booty. Tailback U? Not anymore.

3 playmakers returning makes '09 equally bright

Just admit, the thought of numerous player departures from USC was scary. It was even more frightening to look at the defensive side, which had the potential to possibly lose 10 of 11 starters. I'm fully aware that Southern California doesn't "rebuild" but will "reload", as I'm also confident in the talent of those players waiting to fill spots. But nothing replaces gameday experience, and that's where the fear set in. Opening against San Jose State with a depleted roster isn't going to raise the blood pressure. But taking a trip to "The Horshoe" in Columbus, with a revamped coaching staff and an inexperienced defense may bring worry. Though I must say, honestly, I'd still like our chances. But fear quickly subsided, and my mind was more at ease, when this morning a member of the Empire alerted me that the L.A. Daily News was reporting that Taylor Mays has decided to stay in school.

Pete Carroll announced that C.J. Gable and Josh Pinkard would also be attending USC in 2009, allowing 3 major contributors to the Trojans' past success to fight on to continuity and greatness in the future. We're still awaiting an announcement from Mark Sanchez. Let's hope he stays, so we can take this a step farther than we did in 2008.

Fight On!

Coaches vote USC No. 2; AP No. 3

Florida is the unanimous National Champion. Their victory over Oklahoma in the BCS championship game solidified the top spot in the coaches’ poll, and any speculation of a split title ended with the Gators finishing No. 1 in the Associated Press. Texas’ Mack Brown proved to be only a man of words, after announcing from the Fiesta Bowl that he would defy the contractual agreement and vote his Longhorns No. 1. Texas finished third in the coaches poll, behind USC, and received no first place votes. Undefeated Utah had a 4th place finish, with one coach giving the Utes a vote for first.

The Associated Press placed the Trojans third, with one first place vote. That seated them behind Utah (16 votes) and Florida (48). USC occupied the fifth position for several weeks, unable to leap-frog Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma. They finally make the jump in the final poll, when it no longer matters and there is no prize.

The Pac 10 has 4 teams ending in the coaches’ top 25 (USC, Oregon, Oregon State, Cal), the same as the SEC, and one less than the Big 12, with those conferences hosting 2 more programs than the Pacific 10. Arizona also received votes, giving half the conference recognition among voters. Too little, too late, and it’s time to focus on 2009.

NFL, Trojans, and the quest for the Lombardi Trophy

More Trojans have participated in the NFL's Superbowl than any other college program in America. Of the 42 Superbowl’s played, only twice did a Trojan not appear on the roster of either team contending. Last year, the Giants’ Steve Smith was fitted for the championship ring, claiming his first, while denying Junior Seau and the Patriots a perfect season. Seau, Cassel, and the 11-5 Patriots will sit out this postseason, not qualifying for the championship chase, but a plethora of Trojans still remain in the hunt.

The Chargers, Colts, Ravens, and Dolphins have no Trojans on the roster, and the Vikings (though employing Booty, Radovich, and Udeze) have none active in game time participation. But these players and their teams will begin their march towards championship glory:

Arizona Cardinals-G Deuce Lutui, QB Matt Leinart

Philadelphia Eagles-T Winston Justice, DT Mike Patterson

Atlanta Falcons-T Sam Baker

New York Giants-WR Steve Smith, CB Terrell Thomas

Carolina Panthers-WR Dwayne Jarrett, C Ryan Kalil

Pittsburgh Steelers-S Troy Polamalu

Tennessee Titans-RB Lendale White

All players listed played under Pete Carroll, with Troy Polamalu being the only Trojan not to win a national Championship at USC. The playoff list is also fielding 4 of 5 starting offensive linemen from the championships of 2003 and 2004.

Trojans silence critics with 38-24 Rose Bowl paddling of Penn State

Let’s just rename the event and call it “The woodshed” powered by Citi. For the third consecutive year, the Trojans have dragged their Big 10 Rose Bowl opponents behind that Pasadena shed, where they were paddled into submission. A new program, new coaching staff, new theories, and a fresh batch of criticism, yet we have the same results. Though the 38-24 final score may appear respectable and hint of a 4 quarter war on the football field, this was total domination by USC, in a game that was basically over at the half.

All the Penn State offerings that were supposed to make this game different than others were wrong. Daryll Clark was hardly a weapon, same goes for Royster, Norwood, Maybin, and any others you’d like to include. The underdog factor was insignificant, and Joe Paterno’s month of preparation was irrelevant. But of all the criticism, the one furthest from truth, and most likely to make “experts” embarrassed of their own words, was the so called “struggles and inconsistency” of the Southern Cal offense.

After 2 quarters, USC already had 31 points on the board, with Penn State stuck on 7. Mark Sanchez orchestrated a merciless passing attack that made the Nittany Lions secondary appear as one of the softest the Trojans had faced all season. Of the 33 Rose Bowl games played by USC, the 31 points scored represent the most ever by a Southern California team in the first half. Sanchez finished the day with 413 yards, completing 28 of 35 passes. He threw for 4 touchdowns, and added another on the ground. Damian Williams had his way with the Lions secondary, concluding his day with 10 receptions for 162 yards and a score.

The well publicized Trojans defense lived up to the billing in the first half, clamping down and restricting any Penn State movement. After scoring early in the first quarter, the Lions were shutout in the 2nd and third quarters, before accumulating meaningless scores and yards in the fourth, with the Trojans clearly in command and anticipating the final ticks of the clock. Even after the Lions went 80 yards on 10 plays for a 4th quarter touchdown, against a defense that surrenders few scores in the second half of football games, the Trojans quickly answered with a 3 play 85 yard drive that was capped by a 45 yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to Ronald Johnson. If the Lions questioned the Trojans ability to resurrect the offense, they shouted an affirmative answer on that drive.

The often scrutinized Pac 10 finishes 5-0 in the postseason, defeating 4 ranked opponents in the 5 games played. If you include Notre Dame’s victory in the Hawaii bowl, 5 of USC’s regular season opponents were triumphant in Bowl games, with Ohio State still waiting to play. The Trojans became the first program to win 3 consecutive Rose Bowls, and Pete Carroll becoming the first coach to do so. The Trojans have now won 9 straight over Big 10 opponents, with all games decided by double digits. The victory also gives USC a 6-1 record in BCS Bowl games, and their 31st bowl victory to tie Alabama for the most all time.

Hayes: Paterno will outsmart Carroll

According to Matt Hayes of the Sporting News, the long time coaching veteran (Joe Paterno) will outsmart the newer kid on the block (Pete Carroll) to give Penn State the Rose Bowl victory. To be more specific, Hayes gives reference to Lions offensive coordinator Galen Hall and defensive coordinator Tom Bradley.

In not so many words, Hayes claims the Trojans offensive line is overrated, regardless of the recorded numbers for sacks allowed on the season (17). He believes Aaron Maybin will have success off the end, and the physicality of the PSU secondary will disrupt the timing of the USC passing game. He mentions that SC has problems with dual-threat quarterbacks, naming Dennis Dixon and Patrick Cowan (of all people), without ever giving a mention to Illinois’ Juice Williams. He also points to the success Terrelle Pryor had against the Trojans in only his 3rd game. The mobility of Daryll Clark will allow successful ball movement, and the presence of Maybin will result in the Trojans offense sputtering on the opposing side. Well, at least that’s what I gathered from the reading. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but it’s either loyalty or his omissions that disallow me to share his vision.

His mention of Patrick Cowan is poor. Though UCLA did score a major 2006 upset of USC, the Bruins offense managed (and needed) just 13 points to win. It was a tremendous defensive performance by Dwayne Walker’s unit that brought victory. Dennis Dixon had more failures in his college career against Carroll defenses than success. He fails to mention that. Washington’s Stanback of years past, and Jake Locker today, failed to will their programs to victory with their mobility. Vince Young was mentioned early in his article, but not in the section about mobility. That’s a good thing, because comparing Clark to Young would be laughable.

And finally, the reference to Aaron Maybin being powered by his quest for NFL dollars is like saying Ohio State’s Malcolm Jenkins, James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman are future welfare recipients. The Buckeyes defensive unit contains more NFL first round talent than any other program the Trojans faced this year, yet USC struck early and often. In the end, when it's all said and done, Matt Hayes may be absolutely right about his projection and reasoning for it. But as of right now, based on his “strong points”, I’m not feeling it.