Dynasty done?

NOT

in "Trojans focused on return to winning" Bruce Feldman waxes poetic about USC and their current dynasty ending...much like the Miami Hurricanes of 5 years ago.

I think Pete Carroll is much better of a planner than Larry Coker but its something to be careful of.

History Lesson for Trojans

LA Times has an interesting article that compares the 2006 team with the 1995 team (which I saw win the rose Bowl over Gary Barnett's Northwestern.



I'll spare you the suspense. USC wins. Any other year it would be a dream to be playing the second biggest BCS bowl game. Our expectations are way too high.

USC makes no money compared to ND

This is a great article on how shitty it is to play in the Pac 10. Although I am sure there is a lot omitted by the scientific analysis.

Some stuff from Scott Wolf

BY SCOTT WOLF, Staff Writer
Inside SOCAL
Article Launched:12/24/2006 12:33:07 AM PST
USC coach Pete Carroll said fullback Brandon Hancock is expected to apply for a sixth year of eligibility after missing his senior season with torn knee ligaments.
"I'd love to have him back," Carroll said. "He's a leader and a great player to have on our team."

Hancock met with the USC coaching staff this week to discuss the idea.

Carroll said USC's compliance official told him Hancock could likely be granted an extra year by the NCAA.

Players are not allowed to apply until after the season. The compliance office previously said fullback Ryan Powdrell could not apply for a sixth year.

Under NCAA rules, if a player misses two seasons because of an injury, he can apply for a sixth year.

Game speed: USC's top priority when it returns from its Christmas break will be to regain its tempo. Carroll said the game plan has basically already been installed, but will need to be perfected.

"We have to get the game plan nailed," Carroll said. "Next week, we'll install maybe two percent of what we'll do.

"We'll want to come out really fast and hard."

Carroll said he liked the tempo before the break.

Perfect prospect? It's always dangerous to make too much out of a recruit, but a college coach who lost out on defensive Everson Griffen of Avondale, Ariz., raved about the prospect today.

"He's perfect," the coach said. "He could be a first-round draft pick right now."

Even though Griffen is 6-foot-4 and 266 pounds, he could also play running back because of his athleticism, according to the coach.

Since losing to UCLA, USC received two commitments from players heavily recruited by the Bruins: Griffen and offensive lineman Kristofer O'Dowd of Tucson, Ariz.

Unusual outfit: David Buehler, the new kickoff specialist after Troy Van Blarcom was dismissed from school Thursday, said he will continue to wear a neck roll because he might participate on the kick return team, a role he held before getting promoted.

Buehler also wore the neck roll when he kicked a 49-yard field goal against California.

"I've worn my neck roll all through high school and college," Buehler said.

Feeling better: Safety Taylor Mays, who went home to Seattle for the break, removed the cast from his sore hand and is expected to play in the Rose Bowl without it.

Beef Bowl: Michigan will attend the Beef Bowl at Lawry's The Prime Rib restaurant in Beverly Hills on Wednesday. USC will attend on Thursday.

Everson Griffen picks USC!

This guy is hot. Kinda like #1 pick Mario Williams. Krazy speed 4.5 40, 6'4 270 lbs

Watchout!

Chow rightfully talks shit about UCLA game play calling

Former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow took a shot at the current play-calling tandem of Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian in an appearance on a Southern California radio show Tuesday.
"I know DeWayne Walker may be better than both of those guys," Chow said on KLAC/570. "DeWayne Walker is a heck of a football coach, which is why I wasn't too surprised he did what he did at UCLA."
Chow worked with both Kiffin and Walker at USC in 2001. Walker's UCLA defense largely dismantled the USC offense in a 13-9 Trojans loss early this month.
Kiffin said Chow's words didn't bother him much.
"Obviously, I worked with the guy for four years and DeWayne for a year, but what someone says about you really has nothing to do with how you go about your work every day," Kiffin said.
USC's play-calling was criticized at times this year, never more than after the UCLA loss. Kiffin points out that the Trojans averaged 30.3 points per game after losing Heisman Trophy winners Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, plus LenDale White, an NFL tight end and three starting offensive linemen.
USC was third in the conference in scoring behind Cal and Oregon. The Trojans had the same number of turnovers as in 2005 and two fewer sacks.
"I feel very proud of these players," Kiffin said.

2 USC Players out for Rose Bowl

Academic ineligibility.

Man. How could you blow school with all of those tutors and stuff?

Troy Van Blarcom and Matt Spanos

Oh well no huge loss - plus now we get to see more Buehler.

Interview with USC Song Girls

Take it for what its worth.

http://video.nbcsports.com/player/?id=52676

Cool Graphic

USA today does cool things sometimes

UCLA - USC 2006 Torrent

For those of you who like to torture yourselves, have at it.

Next Year

OK, so blogger is starting to suck - next year I am going to have a more hardcore site....what should I call it?
(yes I know wearesc.com is taken by scout.com)

leave any suggestions in the comments...also - btw - I know there are some visitors - 100-200 day during the season - about 50 a day now...screenshot of google anayltics below.

What else do you miss out on on SC fanblogs? Polls?, statshots? Videos? Torrents?
feed me

FUCLA

Glad I didn't go to this school

Lane Kiffin going to Arizona State?!

Oh man. Please. After some of the worst play calling I've ever seen against UCLA, I am always happy to see news like this. I hope Pete gives him a good reccomendation. :D


Bye

Norm Chow going to ASU?

Is Norm Chow going to Arizona State University? Sounds like the rumor mill believes it to be the case, especially after he took his name out of the hat for the NC State job (who would want that job anyways?)

Officially, he's one of 6 contenders for the position but if I am AZ state, its a no brainer. Who has better Pac-10 experience and know-how? Also, what contender is likely to give them a shot against USC - something they need if they hope to get a Pac-10 title....But I am not AZ state.

So good luck getting the gig Norm or not.

Only 1 all american?

For a team that last week was going to be in the BCS title game and is playing for a #2 end of season ranking in the Rose bowl, you'd think that we'd have more than 1 all american.

Not so.

Only Dwayne Jarrett this year. Cal has 2. Sucks

Lawrence Jackson to return to Trojans next year

Good news Trojan fans, it seems that LJ has decided to return for his senior season. Considering the redshirt Junior expects to get his degree in June, this is a blessing. Also - LJ has only 4 sacks this year, something I think he'd like to improve upon before entering the NFL draft. Here's to hoping that is the case.

USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson told Trojans coach Pete Carroll on Thursday he would return for his senior season.

"I came back to be a part of a great program and great university. With the guys we have returning on defense, I couldn't pass up being a part of it," Jackson said.

The decision was a mild surprise because Jackson was a pre-season All-American and will get his undergraduate degree next semester. But the redshirt junior recorded just four sacks this season and will likely improve his draft status by returning for another year.

"I have a chance to be a senior leader on one of the best teams in the country," Jackson said.

He currently has 42 tackles, foursacks and two blocked kicks. Late in the season, Carroll gave Jackson a copy of the book, "The Inner Game of Tennis," to get the defensive end to relax and stop trying too hard during games.

"It helped out because I was being critical and judgmental," Jackson said.

"I just gave in to those feelings. I would be disappointed in myself. It hindered me physically.

"After wins, I wouldn't be excited about the win, I would be disappointed with no sacks. Coach Carroll said that was a natural feeling."

"He took the pressure off last week and settled down," Carroll said. "He didn't worry about expectations. Sometimes high expectations change the way you prepare and perform."
Jackson said Carroll was pleased to hear he was returning for next season. It's a rare victory for Carroll with underclassmen, following last year's departures of Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Fred Matua, Darnell Bing and Winston Justice.

All-American honors: Wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett was named to the Walter Camp All-American team, which means he is USC's first-ever two-time All-American first-team wide receiver.

Steve Smith was named to the CBS Sportsline All-American first team, which means it's the first time USC's had two wide receivers become All-Americans. Offensive tackle Sam Baker was also a first-team selection.

Jarrett was a Sports Illustrated first-team All-American while Smith, Baker and center Ryan Kalil were honorable mention selections.

Leinart Facing Tatupu

This is a conundrum for me usually...Which USC player to support in a pro game? Before it was Carson facing Troy in the Bengals/Steelers games..and now that Willie McGinnist is a Brownie - oh boy!

here's another one...almost makes pro football worth watching..almost


KIRKLAND — They're friends and former college teammates exchanging some friendly fire this week.

Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart are two of the top players on their respective teams, and each played big roles in the USC football team's recent success.

Now Leinart, a rookie, will face Tatupu, a second-year player, for the first time in the NFL on Sunday. And they want to make a play against each other.

Tatupu seeks an interception, Leinart a touchdown.

"I'm due for one," Tatupu snapped. "How long has it been, since Week 5? So let's hope that it finally comes. All joking aside, he's a great quarterback and we have to be on our game. All the 4-3 defenses that are being ran up here [in the NFL], he's seen from going against them every day with Pete's defense."

That would be USC coach Pete Carroll.

Leinart had yet to give Tatupu a call as of Wednesday, a fact not lost on Tatupu.

"I've talked to him throughout the season here and there. It's going to be fun," Leinart said. "He's always said he's going to pick me off, so I told him, 'This week, man.' I told him I'm going to throw a touchdown on him, hopefully."

Leinart also complimented Tatupu.

"He was always talking and always starting stuff, but he can back it up now," Leinart said. "He's a great player."

UCLA USC timeout showdown

During the TV timeout there was a bit of a fireup between the 2 teams. Hindsight being 20/20 we shoulda just went apeshit on them

Ray's hit on QB Cowan

For some reason, watching this over and over makes me feel better.
No bruins were hurt making this video (unfotunately)

the interception was a trap - 4th and 3 from the 18

Am I the only one who noticed this?!?!?

Shame on everyone - especially the refs for not reviewing this.

I will post video as soon as I can

OK, I am not the only one:
from Digg:
Am I the only one (I didn't read the entire thread, so excuse me if someone else commented on this) that noticed that the UCLA player didn't catch/intercept the ball (at the end of the game)?

I replayed it frame by frame and the ball CLEARLY touched the ground.
In such an important game why was there NO review?

I don't have any bias whatsoever. I have no connection to either school and I'm not a fan of either team other than enjoying watching good football.

I sat there, sort of staring in disbelief (no, my arms were NOT outstretched, and I'm not a Fur Trapper) and yelling at the TV when nothing was
mentioned by the announcers and there was no [correct] call on the field.

After that, I felt sure the replay booth officials would "automatically" review the play seeing as it was within the last 2:00 of the game (that IS the rule in college football, right?).

Either way, the bottom line is (or SHOULD be) that if you look at the play from the correct angle (from behind the USC line of scrimmage) in slow motion/freeze-frame the player's hands did NOT cradle the ball. The ball DID touch the ground, and the play should have been ruled an incomplete pass.

Unfortunately the correct call wasn't made, and true bottom line is that the game is over and we'll never know what the outcome of the game would have been if the CORRECT call was made...

It's a shame that this missed call happened with so much at stake.

I wish that I was able to have recorded the game so that I could show a picture of the freeze-frame on my blog, but I'm sure others did record it and they can replay it and see for themselves.

I watched a couple sports-news shows but I haven't seen anyone say a word about the missed call....

Unbelievable!

Ouch

Last night was tough. I knew from the way the teams came out that this wasn't going to be like last year. That Bruin defense was the fastest and hungriest we've played all year.

As the pain subsides, a few tings to remember:
1. This was a rebuilding year
2. We are going to the Rosebowl (Ouch - that still hurts)
3. Our D played a great game - nothing to ashamed of
4. Next year we are going to be really solid
5. Sarkisian is getting coaching offers and hopefully will take one

There is no denying this really hurts though. I really thought we could take it to Ohio State.

So who are we playing in th Rose Bowl? Hopefully Michigan

Rivalry Week Reason 1029457639 Why College Football is better than pro.

We are planning our wedding around our families' different allegiances to their alma matters and what Bowl game they might end up going to. It occurred to me that College Football is a beautiful thing. Here's the great Never Graduate campaign by ESPN that illustrates this a bit.

Auburn-Alabama


Michigan-Ohio State


Texas - Texas Tech



USC - UCLA

Another Pete Carroll Quote

Pete Carroll:

"We have proven the value about focusing on the very thing that's right in front of you and maximizing every drop of the opportunity to have a great time today," Carroll said at his news conference Tuesday. "If we do that, we are a little closer to where we like to be. Our ability and our mastery of focusing in that manner is what our challenge is all about. … The truth is there is some voting college out there and when they tell us what to do, we will go out and do it. If I had control over that, I would talk about it … but I don't. What we do have control over is this day we are dealing with and our upcoming opportunity this weekend."

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