Shane Foley Trojan Football Update

Online, November 13, 2009 (Newswire.com) - PAC-10

The 10th week of the college football season is in the books. The PAC-10 continues to prove itself to be the most competitive conference in the land this season. USC beat Arizona State in a dogfight in the desert last Saturday 14-9. There are no "style point" wins these days and it was crucial to get this win on the road after playing four of the last five away in hostile environments. Stanford played a huge game, upsetting the formerly undefeated in conference Ducks 51-42 in a shootout in Palo Alto. Stanford's onslaught was lead by redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Luck, the most efficient quarterback in the conference and their 232 lb wrecking ball Toby Gerhart, who pounded the Ducks with 223 yards rushing. Oregon State beat Cal in Berkeley 24-7. Arizona continued its surge with the demolition of Washington State 48-7. UCLA picked up its first conference win by beating the Huskies 24-23 at the Rose Bowl. It is increasingly apparent that any team can win in conference this season not because the teams are down or mediocre but rather because they have all improved and are playing at much higher levels collectively. I believe the primary reason for this is that the coaches in the PAC-10 are second to none from top to bottom. The conference is also loaded with outstanding quarterbacks and their average quarterback rating of 129.37 is ten points better than their counterparts from the SEC.

The National Picture

Alabama took care of business beating LSU, setting up a showdown with Florida December 5th in the SEC Championship Game. Barring a major upset prior to this game, the winner will advance to the BCS Championship, likely to face Texas. The Longhorns continued their dominance putting up huge numbers in rolling UCF 35-3. Iowa fell from the ranks of the unbeaten by stumbling at home to Northwestern 17-10. Cincinnati was taken to the brink but outlasted Connecticut 47-45. Georgia Tech needed two overtimes to get past Wake Forest 30-27. The Buckeyes went to Happy Valley and beat Penn State 24-7. Oregon dropped from the top 10 with their loss to the Cardinal. We are now in the 4th quarter of the season but there is still a lot of football to be played and November will help determine many scenarios. TCU-Utah is a key matchup this Saturday.

ASU Overview

USC came to the desert in search of redemption after suffering the worst loss in the Pete Carroll era against the Ducks. The Oregon debacle was the first "big game" loss that the Trojans had experienced since losing to Vince Young and Texas in the 2006 Rose Bowl. It was the first and only game under Coach Carroll in which the Trojans did not finish and looked outclassed. This is increasingly looking like a year of rebuilding vs. reloading but we will know much more in the next few weeks. USC has been forced to overcome many obstacles along the way this season; injuries, new coaches, and the toughest schedule in the country. This game was crucial for the Trojans to get back on track and set the tone for the rest of the season. The defense rebounded in this game holding the Sun Devils to nine points and created four turnovers which felt like an oasis in a never ending desert. They also recorded three sacks and broke up five passes. They held ASU to 81 yards rushing and limited them to 5 of 18 conversions on 3rd downs. Will Harris made a huge play in the 2nd quarter intercepting a pass in the flat and taking it back 55 yards for a touchdown. Christian Tupou also created a huge turnover forcing a fumble in the red zone on ASU's first drive which was recovered by Josh Pinkard. The USC offense had an anemic day with only 258 yards of total offense and only converted 2 of 13 on the 3rd down. Matt Barkley had his toughest day as a Trojan completing only 7 of 22 passes with an interception (and another 2 turnovers negated by a timeout and a penalty) with only 112 yards passing, 75 of which came on one spectacular play by Damian Williams. The offense was respectable running the ball with 146 net yards rushing but could not sustain any consistency on the ground and the pathetic 3rd down conversion percentage continually placed the Trojans in a vulnerable position. We have to go back five games to Cal in which USC played a solid game on both sides of the football.

Growing Pains

Okay, so the sky is not falling and order will be restored. Young quarterback Matt Barkley has been struggling of late and his decline in efficiency in the 2nd half against Oregon and the entire game vs. Arizona State has been much talked about this week. The common denominator in both of these games has been pressure from the defense on the quarterback. At Oregon two weeks ago, the Duck defense pinned their ears back when they increased the lead over the Trojans in the 2nd half and they created pressure on Barkley. This was the same issue that USC had in the ASU game. Statistically, the offensive line only surrendered one sack but this is very misleading. USC offensive tackles were exposed in this game. ASU's defensive ends consistently beat them on speed rushes and put pressure on Barkley for the majority of the game. The Trojans got a bitter taste of the best pass defense being a great pass rush. Barkley never settled in and could not get into any type of rhythm. He uncharacteristically threw the ball behind receivers both in the pocket and rolling out on the perimeter. I have talked about his remarkable pocket presence for a freshman but this game he lacked the confidence to stand and deliver and he consistently threw off of his back foot which clearly affected his accuracy. I have no doubt that he will get back on track this week and will lead the Trojans at home down the stretch.

O Line

The game is won and lost in the trenches and the Trojans offensive line must improve quickly in November. Tackles, senior Charles Brown and sophomore Tyron Smith were manhandled by ASU's defensive ends. The trenches are where the hand to hand combat takes place, frequently with one on one matchups. Offensive linemen must take pride in dominating their opponent, pounding them when running the ball and protecting their quarterback when passing. A lot of the pressure was coming from outside speed pass rushes in which they were getting past the tackles with their quickness and bearing down on Barkley. I have stated that the offensive line is athletic but they will need to get off the ball quickly and get deeper pass sets. It would also help them to take wider splits to move the defensive tackles further outside. The O line has been viewed as a strength of the team going into the season but they have not been playing consistent and disciplined football. Once again, the Trojans racked up penalties with nine for 98 yards. They had several holding penalties that put them in long yardage situations again that made it even more challenging to move the chains. The offense will need to be able to establish the running game with consistency which they have struggled doing. This will be needed so that they can start dominating the line of scrimmage and control games by converting 3rd downs and put long scoring drives together while at the same time keeping dynamic opposing offenses off of the field.

Receivers & Tight Ends

Damian Williams continues to shine every week as a play maker at wide receiver and returning punts. His spectacular 75 yard touchdown reception came after a short catch that he cut back across the field and down the left sideline for a touchdown. This was a huge play that provided the Trojans the points they needed to win the game. Williams picked up some big blocks after catch by tight end Rhett Ellison and a hustling Joe McKnight helped shield him down the sideline. It is highly unlikely that Williams will be well enough to play this weekend. Ronald Johnson will need to step up his productivity and Brice Butler will have an opportunity to make an impact. Anthony McCoy has clearly been missed and will be welcomed back to the offense with open arms. Tight end Blake Ayles had another tough game, dropping what would have been a tough catch but clearly a catch that needed to be made. McCoy is a huge target and gives the Trojans an opportunity to stretch the field from tight end position.

Running Game

Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford continue to be the 1-2 punch in the backfield. McKnight rushed for 78 yards on 15 carries for a 5.2 average and he had one great run for 18 yards that showed his ability to make defenders miss and also his desire to run hard. He has been doing a much better job securing the ball and the coaches like his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Bradford rushed for 67 yards on 14 carries for a 4.8 average. It is very difficult to get into a groove offensively when you are not doing a good job converting 3rd downs. The Trojans punted the ball eight times in the game and lost the time of possession battle 26:25 to 33:35. DJ Shoemate did a nice job filling at fullback the last two weeks including making a difficult catch out of the backfield that was nullified by a penalty. The return of Stanley Havili will provide another weapon for Barkley to utilize against the Cardinal and he does create mismatches with opposing linebackers trying to cover him.

Defense

Defense wins championships, period. The Trojan defense regained some respect with their effort in Tempe and their improved play came at the right time bailing out the sputtering offense. The defense looked much more like a traditional Pete Carroll defense, attacking and bringing pressure with different looks. ASU was clearly a much better style for the Trojans to match up with vs. the Spread offense of Oregon. USC utilized some blitz packages and some stunts by the linebackers. This aggressive style is much better for bringing pressure on opposing quarterbacks and creating turnovers, which will both have huge implications for how the Trojans finish this season. Jurrell Casey continues to be a force in the middle and gives the defense a chance to get back to playing solid football. The D line registered three sacks, one each by Casey, Malik Jackson, and Derek Simmons. The line played respectably without their standout defensive end Everson Griffen. In his absence, they utilized a rotation that included freshmen Nick Perry and Devon Kennard. Christian Tupou forced the fumble on the first drive, thwarting a Sun Devil scoring opportunity. It will be important for the defense to recognize screen passes and reverses that can exploit aggressive pass rushes and blitzes. Kennard got caught on a reverse in the game and lost contain. They will also need to play with discipline and technique in conjunction with the attacking style that they brought against ASU.

Linebackers

Normalcy returned in Tempe with much better play by the linebacking unit. Chris Galippo got back on track with an interception and big tackle for loss in the 2nd half. Shane Horton stepped up and played a huge game in Malcolm Smith's absence. He had six tackles, including one crushing hit with textbook form wrapping up and driving through the ball carrier. He also delivered a wicked shot on ASU's giant 6-8 quarterback that he definitely remembered for the rest of the night! When players take big hits, they do remember them even if it is on a subconscious level. With Horton's play, he should definitely be in the rotation the rest of the way. Michael Morgan finished with six tackles including one for a loss and he continues to be most effective running down ball carriers from behind when the interior line has forced a running back east-west.

Defensive Backs

The defensive backs are going to need to get more consistent, starting with All-American free safety Taylor Mays. We all know about May's freakish size and speed but he does not look comfortable out in space covering quicker, more nimble receivers. I am not sure if this has anything to do with his knee injury and the brace he wears but he is having a tough time crossing over and changing direction. With the blitz packages and bringing an extra defender to pressure the quarterback, the DB's will be required to cover man to man. I have mentioned previously the importance of Mays becoming more of a ball hawk looking for interceptions rather than only looking to deliver knock out shots. Strong safety Will Harris played a huge game for the Trojans intercepting two passes, returning one for a 55 yard touchdown. He also finished with five tackles and broke up a pass. However, Harris also made a couple of stupid plays by strutting ala "Neon" Deon at the end of his interception return. While I don't think that was flagrant play, I had a bigger problem with the taunting he did after had made a big hit on a receiver that actually made the catch. This is not Trojan football and Coach Carroll and the staff need to correct this. It is not acceptable for a senior player to be bringing a self serving attitude onto the field. Josh Pinkard had the clutch fumble recovery on the 1st drive, led the team in tackles with seven, and blocked a kick on the PAT after Arizona State's lone touchdown. Kevin Thomas played well despite giving up the only touchdown. He is an outstanding cover corner and he broke up a pass and finished with three tackles. In playing an attacking style, there are occasions, hopefully not many, when you will get beat but the Trojans need to bring the heat.

Kicking Game

Punter Jake Harfman had a busy night punting eight times for a 37.1 average. He did boom one for 51 yards and he looked good kicking in practice on Tuesday. The punt coverage continues to shine and Damian Williams gives the punt return team a chance to take it back every time he is back there. The kickoff coverage and kickoff returns continue to need improvement. I would very much prefer that Harfman get tired from kicking the ball off rather than from punting! Josh Pinkard made the big play on the blocked PAT. They need to continue to bring intensity and desire in the kicking game. This can be a game changer, especially in a tight ball game.

Going Forward

The Trojans truly get to experience Homecoming this Saturday against Stanford. They have played a daunting schedule this season with six of the first nine games on the road. Stanford is coming off the biggest win for their program in years, with the 51-42 win over 7th ranked Oregon at the Farm. In Stanford, the Trojans are facing a confident team that is on the rise. They will be bringing a swagger that starts with their head coach Jim Harbaugh. He commented after their resounding victory, "who would not like to watch this team play? Is there a better show around?" They have the players to back up this confidence. Their workhorse is Toby Gerhart who gashed the Ducks defense with 38 carries for 223 yards. He is second nationally with 135.2 yards per game with 16 touchdowns and he definitely should move into the Heisman watch. Redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Luck is 6-4 235 lbs and has thrown for 2,076 yards with 11 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions. He is also their 2nd leading rusher with 227 yards and a 5.2 average per carry. The Cardinal employs a balanced offense with Luck throwing and Gerhart coming right at you. Stanford will use an unbalanced line and will try to attack you with smash mouth football. They are 6-3 overall and the Trojans are looking up at them in conference with their 5-2 record. Despite having one more loss than Arizona and Oregon, Stanford and USC still have a potential shot at the PAC-10 title. The loser will be virtually eliminated. Stanford lost to USC last season 45-23 at the Farm, but the Cardinal shocked the 41-point favorite Trojans 24-23 at the Coliseum in 2007. Stanford is USC's oldest rival, in a series that dates back to 1905. The current record is 59-25-3 in favor of USC. It is now time to come home and to defend the Coliseum. The Trojans got the first one in November and now it is time to take the next step, staying focused one game at a time, playing Trojan football leaving it all on the field. It is time for inspiration, heart, unity, and toughness with no retreat and no surrender. USC is coming home to go back into battle, to compete, to fight, and to raise the sword and play like Trojans!

Beat the Cardinal!