The Men of Troy looking less than formidable

Monte is looking for answers on defense

I do not know what needs to happen in the City of Angels for USC to turn things around. I am neither a prophet nor a good prognosticator when it comes to college football because--like life-- it’s too unpredictable. But what I do know is that The Men of Troy need to work on improving that defense and fast. I do not rest all the blame on new defensive coordinator/Tampa 2 guru Monte Kiffin, but he deserves some blame.

Tony Dungy (tweaked the Tampa 2 from the 1970’s Steelers playbook to his liking) and Monte Kiffin put the Tampa 2 defense on the map in their Tampa Bay days in the mid-nineties to early two thousands but it is not working for the Trojans. The way I see it is that you need the personnel to run this defense and that means above average speedy linebackers, corners and safeties. Also there must be pressure created by the front four that can get at the quarterback without a blitz by the linebackers or corners. But speed, tackling, and smarts are a premium and at this moment USC is having big trouble running this defense.

The Tampa 2 works in the NFL, but this system might be complicated for the college kids to run because the time they have to digest this defensive scheme and meet with coaches is severely limited unlike the pro athletes, where their entire week is meetings at the team facility. One must also look at the drop off of recruits coming in the last couple of years under Pete Carroll as a factor too. There is no way a program can sustain bringing in kids like Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews, and many others. There was bound to be talent that did not pan out.

In no way am I saying that USC is incapable of running this defensive scheme, but they need heady players that have primo speed and will not whiff on tackles. We have seen the undisciplined defense rack up penalties (ranging from false starts to delay of game and unsportsmanlike penalties), miss numerous tackles, and allow gaping holes all over the field. Head Coach Lane Kiffin is not doing any live tackling in practice because of the sanctions and lack of depth but something needs to be done. Some live tackling needs to take place or you will have more bittersweet losses like Washington and Stanford.

No one fears the Men of Troy anymore, USC has loss their swagger. Bring back Marcus Allen, Snoop Dogg, the zany Will Ferrell, and the others that used to line the sideline like it was celebrity-row. This was a boost for the current players to play in front of these stars; it motivated them, gave them that extra shot of adrenaline. In 2005, sophomore wide receiver, Dwayne Jarrett had this to say about the national attention and the how celebrities gravitate toward the team: “It just shows we're very looked at. It just shows how much they respect us. It gives us motivation to play hard." But all that is lost now; the sidelines are mundane and boring.

I know Lane is different than Carroll but you do not need to change everything, especially when the formula has worked for so long; tweak things hear and there but keep what works. The Hollywood atmosphere works for USC unlike any other school in the nation and this is their identity and it needs to come back. Carroll was very proficient at allowing kids to buy into the fun atmosphere and play football but now everything is too workman-like and not every player will buy into this.

The Trojans used to be the best big-game team in the nation a couple of years ago. When the lights where on, they could beat anyone by at least two touchdowns. That’s how good they were. But now, they are lost on defense. In the Washington game, they looked confused and slow; players were looking around or at each other, trying to get into position and figure out how to line up.

Cornerback Shareece Wright is playing like a man possessed and showing that aggression and the rest of the players need to follow his lead. And why is Monte in the booth when he should be on the field? He needs to be down there at eye-level and get in the faces of players that are not doing their job properly. Every once in a while a player needs a kick in the butt or some encouraging words.

Lane, Monte, and Ed Oregon will have a small margin of error when it comes to recruiting kids to the school. They need to find tough, hard-nosed kids that live and breathe football and have a high motor. They do not have time for kids that are semi-interested and who are attending University of Southern California to soak up the sun and fun with the girls.

Lane, if you are listening, your team needs to find their swagger. Once that is found, the wins will come and the respect that has been garnered for so many years will come back to this storied program. And like the MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko said, after his shocking loss against Fabricio Werdum,"The one who doesn’t fall doesn't stand up.” Every Trojan faithful and fan alike needs to remember that.

Can USC Stop the Hemorrhaging?

It is still baffling to me how USC’s defense went down in flames last Saturday in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Stanford handed the Trojans an emphatic beatdown, putting up 55 points on USC. And if fiendish Jim Harbaugh had more time, he would have instructed his team to punch in more touchdowns. Pete Carroll never imagined that his team would give up the most points in school history, not in his tenure, I bet. Carroll’s track record has been nothing short of brilliant: seven Pac-10 titles, six BCS bowl victories, seven BCS bowl appearances, 63 consecutive games of 20 points, two national championships and the list goes on. What has happened to this team that used to be a juggernaut on offense and played sound defense? Through the first five games, the defense gave up an average of 8.6 points per game. It started with the Notre Dame game where they gave up 26 points, and they stopped an Irish team that was coming back for the win. The following week saw them thwart an Oregon State team that has given them headaches in the last couple of years, beating them in 2006 and 2008. Then the Halloween game in Autzen Stadium: this scenario could not get any worse. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli unleashed a monster game against the defense, racking up 164 yards rushing and true freshman running back Lamichael James upped Masoli, adding 183 yards on the ground with one touchdown. The Ducks cruised to a 47-20 win. It was embarrassing to see a defense get picked apart like they did. They looked defeated and were outplayed the entire game. Arizona State was next and this game ended up being a close contest, 14-9. The defense played notably better, making better tackles and their angles of pursuit were more precise. However, the Sun Devils are 92nd in total offense. Hardly an offensive juggernaut, compared to Oregon who is 32nd in total offense and 6th in rushing offense. The city of Los Angeles rested easy after this game and had confidence in Carroll and his staff that what happened against the Ducks would not happen again. But it did. Last Saturday, the Cardinal team undressed the USC on their home field. Senior running back Toby Gerhart racked up 178 yards on the ground with 3 touchdowns, and true freshman quarterback Andrew Luck (who is going to be a star when he comes out) ran for 61 yards for good measure. There wasn’t anything that Stanford did that USC has not seen: North-South running by Gerhart which opened up play-action passes and precise throws by Luck. There was no spread-option attack that Oregon runs, nothing of the sorts. Probably the best facet of the game for Stanford was the play of the offensive line; they mauled and pushed back the Trojans’ defensive line and negated the linebackers. Luck had time to throw, and Gerhart had seems to run through. Basic football, nothing else. But the blame does not rest solely on the defense’s shoulders. On offense, Matt Barkley threw 3 interceptions and fumbled; these turnovers were converted into points, 28 points. I’m not going to be overly critical of Barkley because for a true freshman he has done well. He needs to improve and do better at taking what the defense gives him. Injuries have hit USC hard this year similar to Oklahoma: Anthony McCoy, Stanli Havli, David Ausberry, Allen Braford, Damien Williams and the defense has their own share of set backs. A young quarterback needs his safety valves in times when things are not going well. Barkley has a good rapport with Williams (who did not play due to injury) and McCoy (who returned from injury but pulled in one catch for seven yards). The good news was sophomore Brice Butler stepped up with six catches for 96 yards and one touchdown. This was a bright spot for this offense. Even with Butler’s performance, Joe McKnight might have out-shined him with 146 yards on the ground, an outstanding 8.9 yard per carry average. Simply, brilliant by McKnight. Carroll has raised expectations since he started in 2001. And we are finally seeing that it is hard to maintain that level of success: he has given us a rich piece of chocolate cake with a delectable layer of frosting, but now our piece of cake is devoid of frosting and does not wash down smoothly. We have been spoiled with the reloading of players, but this year we see a noticeable drop off. Also, losing your coaching staff adds to this problem as well. The loss of Norm Chow, Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian, Nick Holt and many others behind the scenes we do not know about. Carroll needs a veteran assistant to help him on gameday to see things he might miss and to give him a hand. He is doing too much. Tuesday’s practice saw Carroll talking about shaking things up and utilizing other players: “this week, there will be a number of players moving around and playing with the first-team to get a chance to showcase their talents.” The bye week has come at the right time for the players to heal, and for Carroll and his staff to assess new players that can contribute. The open competition will make everyone accountable for doing the best at their respective positions. It cannot get any worse for The Men of Troy. When you hit rock-bottom you can only go up. And if there is anyone I would want guiding my ship through the perilous waters, it is Pete Carroll.

USC Pulls Ahead of the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe

With 106,033 (an attendance record) screaming fans in the Horseshoe, this was unlike any place that true freshman quarterback Matt Barkley has played. Scrimmages and practice could not have prepared Barkley for Saturday’s night game in the hostile environment of Buckeye Nation. Even though he wasn’t spectacular nor was McKnight, they both worked in tandem to push USC ahead of Ohio State. Public perception has been that Ohio State cannot hang with the big boys: they have lost miserably to the likes of Florida, LSU, and USC. The last time Ohio State beat USC it was in the 1974 Rose Bowl. And this loss by Ohio State marks the sixth time they lost to a top 5 ranked team. One must remember though, if there was any time to hit The Men of Troy in the mouth and take a win, this was the time. Pete Carroll brought his boys into Columbus with a new offensive and defensive coordinator, a true freshman quarterback, and also lost one of his down-field threats Ronald Johnson to a broken collarbone. From the onset, this was a highly contested game where the defenses hung tough. On the third play of the first quarter, Terrelle Pryor threw an interception that was run back 51 yards by linebacker Chris Galippo. Stafon Johnson finished off this drive, scoring six points on a two yard run in the endzone. It was evident that Ohio State was not going to be intimidated like they have in previous years. Pryor came back with a pass to Sanzenbacher for 58 yards and that set up a 2 yard run by Daniel Herron for six points. The Buckeyes went 6 plays gaining 72 yards that took three minutes and thirty-one seconds off the clock. The game stood tied at 7-7 for the rest of the first quarter, both defenses playing good sound football. The beginning of the second quarter found The Buckeyes on fourth and goal on USC’S one yard line, and Tressel elected to go for the field goal instead of punching it in for 6 points. I cannot blame Tressel because it is always good to get points on the board; it’s better to get some points than none. Holding a 10-7 lead, the Buckeyes and Trojans would trade back and forth with unsuccessful drives. With Ohio State being up 15-10 in the fourth quarter at the 7:29 mark, it seemed improbable that USC would come back for the win. With USC backed up on their 10 yard line because of a sack by Devon Torrence on Barkley and then a delay of game, no one saw what was going to happen next. On third and 9, Barkley hits McKnight who shuttles off a 21 yard gain. This would cap off a 14 play, 86 yard drive that lasted six minutes and ten seconds. The touchdown was scored by Stafon Johnson bouncing the run to the outside for six points and the two point conversion pass was made by McKnight to seal the win. In this drive, Barkley went 3/5 for 55 yards and McKnight had four rushes for 23 yards. The Trojans got on top 18-15 with a minute and five seconds left. On the last play of the game, fourth and ten, Pryor heaves up a pass with three Trojan defenders around one Buckeye receiver. The ball was batted down and the game ended for the Buckeyes. No one can find fault with the phenomenal job that Ohio State’s defense did in this game. The only problem was the offense could not score when needed in USC’s territory. But credit the young linebackers for USC by playing a solid game and the rest of the defense as well. Pryor did not look like Vince Young, in the 2005 National Championship game, where he made the Trojans defenders look like they had concrete in their cleats. Carroll’s defense did not let him run circles around them and contained him in the pocket forcing him to beat them with his arm. McKnight ended the night with 60 yards on 16 carries, averaging 3.8 yards per carry, nothing jaw-dropping at all. And Barkley went 15/31 for 195 yards with one touchdown and one interception. These stats are not going to be noted as the highest passing totals, by any stretch, but what will remain in everyone’s mind is the control and poise by the true freshman Barkley. And on the flipside of things, McKnight gained good, tough yards on the ground. Pryor finished the night 11/25 with 177 yards and one interception. He showed moxie and a will to win, and no one can find fault with this kid. He came to play. At the end of the night, Ohio State had 265 total yards and the Men of Troy had 313 yards. The Buckeyes can take a moral victory away from this game, but I know the players and staff wish it was a victory on the field. If anything, I know this does not go a long way in changing perception of the Big Ten and Ohio State but this was a start, especially since they stayed in the game until the final seven minutes of the game. This close call might serve Pete Carroll and his team well. This will cause the Trojans to take every team seriously and not look ahead to big matchups. Maybe this year they will not have that let down game they seem to have every year where they lose to the likes of Stanford, UCLA or Oregon State. The only real offensive powerhouse they need to look out for is Cal and those two teams meet on October 3rd.