Last Post
I'm wheels up on Monday March 12th after a month of intensive training so I've got time for one more post and I want to cover a wide range of topics for those of you still checking in...
1) An anonymous Nebraska Cornhuskers fan added this comment to my last post: "i hope you fans enjoy being #1 during the summer when it counts about as much as a peso. herbie husker and the husker nation are going to blast you outta memorial stadium and your number one class!! tell snoop to bring his dawg pound too!! 'skerz 28 tommy trojan 21." To which I say - I heard that same thing from a lot of Husker fans and players last year! Result? Trojans 28, Cornhuskers 10. We'll see if the Huskers can do a better job of walking the walk then talking the talk this year. When was the last time Nebraska was ranked #1? 2001?
2) Another anonymous poster had this question: "I need help in finding a player named Alvin Robinson. If someone has or could check the roster between 91-95 I would really appreaciate it." Well, I've checked all my media guides from 1991-1995 and there's no mention of an Alvin Robinson. Alvin Robinson never received a varsity letter in the history of USC football either. So if Mr. Robinson is telling you he played varsity football at USC he was likely a walk-on.
3) The Trojans have jumped out to a very early start in recruiting for the class of 2008. Coach Carroll has received six verbal commitments from nineteen offers he's extended so far. Does this mean that Coach Carroll is changing his recruiting habits by offering more players earlier or are top players just committing earlier? Could this be a sign the Coach Carroll is looking more long term and has finally decided to give up on returning to the NFL? Here's a look at the players that have verbally committed and the players that have received offers from USC:
Commits:
WR D.J. Shoemate (6'0", 210) of Anaheim, CA is in both the Scout & Rivals Top 100 and is leading the way by recruiting other top players for the Trojans
OL Matt Kalil (6'7", 280) of Anaheim, CA is in both the Scout & Rivals Top 100 and is the younger brother of former Trojan C Ryan Kalil
OL Matt Meyer (6'7", 280) of Stockton, CA is in the Scout Top 100
LB/S Maurice Simmons (6'6", 235) of Compton, CA is in the Scout Top 100 and is the younger brother of former Trojan LB Melvin Simmons
DE Wes Horton (6'6", 235) of Sherman Oaks, CA is in the Rivals Top 100
WR/CB Chris Polk (5'11", 195) of Redlands, CA
Offered:
TE Blake Ayles (6'4", 235) of Orange, CA is in both the Scout & Rivals Top 100 and I think is at the top of Coach Carroll's target list
OL Michael Brewster (6'6", 305) of Orlando, FL is in both the Scout & Rivals Top 100
CB T.J. Bryant (6'0", 175) of Tallahassee, FL is in both the Scout & Rivals Top 100
WR Michael Floyd (6'3", 195) of St. Paul, MN is in both the Scout & Rivals Top 100
CB/S Rahim Moore (6'1", 185) of Los Angeles, CA is in both the Scout & Rivals Top 100
RB Darrell Scott (6'0", 210) of Ventura, CA is in both the Scout & Rivals Top 100
OL Tyron Smith (6'4", 255) of Moreno Valley, CA is in the Rivals Top 100
TE Kavario Middleton (6'6", 245) of Lakewood, WA is in the Rivals Top 100
OL Brandon Washington (6'4", 310) of Miami, FL
RB Curtis McNeal (5'8", 175) of Los Angeles, CA
DE Datone Jones (6'4", 235) of Compton, CA
DT Jurrell Casey (6'1", 255) of Long Beach, CA
CB Xavier Brewer (5'10", 175) of Jacksonville, FL
4) Right now it looks like former 5-star QB prospect Mitch Mustain will transfer from Arkansas to USC at the end of the spring semester (following his high school and Arkansas teammate WR Damian Williams who is already enrolled at USC). Mustain was 8-0 as the starting QB for the Razorbacks this season but was benched late in the year. His mother made several statements, along with other parents of Arkansas players from Springdale High School, voicing dissatisfaction with Razorbacks head coach Houston Nutt's handling of the offensive play calling. My question is do we really want Mustain? Is he value added to the team chemistry? Will he be able to compete mentally with the higher competition at USC? I am convinced that after two years with the Trojans former 5-star prospect and current USC back-up QB Mark Sanchez is ready and able to compete both mentally and physically with Mustain. My opinion is that Sanchez will take the reigns from Booty when all is said and done even if Mustain becomes a Trojan. I also wouldn't doubt that incoming freshman QB Aaron Corp proves to be more than adequate competition for Mustain.
5) How many consensus 5-star recruiting prospects project to be on the USC roster in 2007? EIGHTEEN! QB John David Booty, QB Mark Sanchez, RB C.J. Gable, RB Allen Bradford, RB Stafon Johnson, RB Joe McKnight, RB Marc Tyler, TE Fred Davis, WR Patrick Turner, WR Vidal Hazelton, OL Jeff Byers, OL Kristopher O'Dowd, DE Everson Griffen, LB Keith Rivers, LB Rey Maualuga, LB Chris Galippo, S Taylor Mays and CB/WR Ronald Johnson. There are many that were 4/5-star recruits too such as LB/DE Brian Cushing and WR David Ausberry just to name two.
6) Which games are the Trojans most likely to lose in 2007? I'd say the California game represents the biggest challenge with Nebraska a close second. Both teams have plenty of talent and will bring loud home field crowds. Don't count out Oregon either. After that it's Notre Dame (a rebuilding year for the Irish), Arizona State (Dennis Erickson will turn this program around but may need a few years to do it), UCLA (although I think the Trojans will be ready this time), Oregon State (a sleeper ready to make some noise in the Pac-10 this year). Bob Stoops (Arizona) and Ty Willingham (Washington) are still rebuilding their respective programs but are on the rise. My (very early) predictions for 2007:
IDAHO W 56-3 1-0
at Nebraska W 17-13 2-0
WASHINGTON STATE W 38-7 3-0
at Washington W 42-14 4-0
STANFORD W 56-10 5-0
ARIZONA W 27-13 6-0
at Notre Dame W 38-24 7-0
at Oregon W 31-28 8-0
OREGON STATE W 35-17 9-0
at California L 20-23 9-1
at Arizona State W 42-7 10-1
UCLA W 56-17 11-1
Of course, the 2007 Trojans have the most talent in the nation and should go 12-0 with this schedule. But I'm skeptical about this team's focus after the Oregon State and UCLA games in 2006. I see a 12-0 or 11-1 season as being most likely. I would be shocked and disappointed if the Trojans ended up with two or more losses. An early season loss at Nebraska would be better than a late season loss to California, but I have much more respect for Jeff Tedford then for Bill Callahan. Would an 11-1 record land the Trojans in the BCS Championship Game? That depends on how many teams go undefeated and on the timing of the Trojans loss.
7) Spring practice runs from March 20 through April 14 with the annual "Trojan Huddle" scrimmage and BBQ on April 7. What is your vote for most intriguing story of the spring? The battle for the starting tailback spot? The contenders include Chauncey Washington, C.J. Gable, Emmanuel Moody, Allen Bradford and Stafon Johnson. Desmond Reed is always in the mix but more likely as a utility player than as a starting tailback. And what is the status of Herschel Dennis? How about which receivers will emerge at the top of the depth chart? The contenders are Patrick Turner, Vidal Hazelton, David Ausberry, Travon Patterson and Jamere Holland. Damain Williams will be competing but ineligible to play in 2007 games due to NCAA transfer rules. How about is Jeff Byers healthy and ready to join the starting O-Line? Who will replace C Ryan Kalil and RT Kyle Williams? Byers, Alatini Malu, Charles Brown, Matt Spanos (if eligible), Nick Howell, Butch Lewis, Thomas Herring, Zack Heberer and newcomer Martin Coleman are all in the mix for playing time. The defense appears much more settled but Kyle Moore has a lot to prove this spring if he's going to hold off incoming freshman Everson Griffen for a starting DE spot this fall. How will Josh Pinkard fit into the secondary? Will Pinkard play at S or CB and will he be able to win back a starting job? How will David Buehler perform as the only placekicker on the roster?
8) Jersey changes: RB C.J. Gable has switched from #25 to #2; S Taylor Mays has also switched from #29 to #2; WR David Ausberry switched from #19 to #9. Newcomer OL Martin Coleman is wearing #72. This fall I'm expecting newcomers RB Joe McKnight to wear #4 (also worn by S Kevin Ellison), QB Aaron Corp to wear #8 (the only open QB type number), S Marshall Jones to wear #27 (also worn by FB Michael Coleman), RB Broderick Green to wear #29 and FB/LB Jordan Campbell to wear #37. I'm not sure about CB/WR Ronald Johnson, RB Marc Tyler, LB Malcolm Smith, LB Chris Galippo or DE Everson Griffen. Their high school jerseys are taken (or retired in Griffen's case).
Again, thanks for reading this blog! I will try my best to make time to post while I'm in Iraq, but the quality and quantity of posts won't be as high as they have been for the past couple of years.
[More at http://trojansfootball.blogspot.com ]
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