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Dawgs to tussle with Troy Richard Linde, 3 October, 2006 Washington (4-1, 2-0 Pac-10) goes up against USC (4-0, 2-0 Pac-10) in conference action on Saturday at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Trojans are ranked second in the nation in the USA Today Poll, while the Huskies are ranked thirty-first. The Huskies are coming off a 21-10 upset win over Arizona and, for the Trojans, it took a final-play interception by true freshman Taylor Mays (O'Dea HS, Seattle) to clinch a 28-22 victory over Washington State. Going from a loud, raucous Martin Stadium in Pullman to the friendly confines of the Coliseum -- with a few "neighs" from Traveler and the familiar beat of Conquest -- will be welcome relief for Coach Pete Carroll (58-10) and his Trojans. They said Pete Carroll would never be
successful at Troy because he was a players coach. Yet, Carroll is in his sixth
season with the Trojans. Two national championships and four BCS bowl
appearances can have a salutary effect on a coach’s future, even if he’s “soft”
on his players. Carroll says, "Arguably there are eight or nine guys (at USC) who run a 10.7 (100 meters) or better in this (freshmen) class alone. That’s a ton of speed. I don’t know anybody who has been able to have that many fast guys before.” Thus far this season, a school record fifteen freshmen have played for 'SC. It's been 10 years since Washington has beaten USC down south, when the Huskies last won, 21-10. Two years ago at the Coliseum, the Trojans blanked the Huskies 38-0. That game -- a nightmarish Halloween movie -- ended the Huskies' 27-years of consecutive non-losing seasons and their 271-game scoring streak (then the nation's longest), sending them home alone to be Streakless in Seattle. The Dawgs' last victory over the Trojans occurred in the 2001 season, as quarterback Taylor Barton came off the bench to lead the UW to a 27-24 come-from-behind victory in Seattle. UW quarterback Isaiah Stanback played in the "streak-less" game and will need to decipher the Elephant, 3-4 Defense to accomplish his mission, which is kind of like FB Paul Homer solving a Rubik's cube puzzle. (Homer is the Dawgs' cube man). In the Dawgs' last three games, Stanback has accounted for most of the Huskies' offensive yards and is second in the conference in total offense, averaging 251.4 yards per game. Defense: "It's (the Elephant Defense) just an old concept that was there during my days in San Francisco. It's a hybrid defensive lineman and linebacker position where a guy can be a pass rusher or drop back into coverage. So at times it'll look like we're in a 3-4," Carroll told Mike Corsini of the Daily Trojan last August. LB Brian Cushing (6-foot-4, 245) is the elephant man, and he can either be a stand-up kind of guy or take a three-point stance and be a defensive end in a 4-3 alignment. Defensive coordinator Nick Holt, who was the head coach at Idaho that past two seasons, coaches the defensive line. The defensive line has had three different coaches over the last three years. However, when it comes to tipped passes, the philosophy has not changed over the past two seasons and 4 games into this one. The two defensive tackles, File Moala (6-foot-4, 295) and Chris Barrett (6-foot-5, 265), are always looking to put a hand on the ball, while the two defensive ends, Cushing and Laurence Jackson (6-foot-5, 265), like to be the wrap-up guys. There isn't a senior on the two deeps listed on the DL. Arguably, USC has the best linebackers in the nation. Rey Maualuga (6-foot-3, 250), Dallas Sartz (6-foot-5, 240), and Keith Rivers (6-foot-3, 230) all started against WSU. Rivers wears the redoubtable, number 55 jersey -- you know, the one that Junior Seau, Chris Claiborne, and Willie McGinest all wore. LB Oscar Lua, who suffered a hammy on the first play of the season, posted a team high of 66 tackles last season. Since that first game against Arkansas, he's had trouble seeing the field. Offense: After a 4-year wait, playing behind two Heisman Trophy winners, John David Booty will be under center. Booty boasts a pass efficiency rating of 145.17 and, as his surname suggests, will run the bootleg play at times, especially off misdirection plays where zone blocking goes one way and a pass receiver or tailback goes in the other direction. Sometimes that leaves a big hole in the middle for someone to fill. Against WSU, the Trojans operated out of a one-back-three-receiver set most of the time. Stepping up to the plate for the injured Dwayne Jarrett (strained shoulder), WR Steve Smith had a career-high 11 catches for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns against WSU last week. WR Chris McFoy, who caught a touchdown pass from Booty, left the game before halftime with what was thought to have been a bruised shoulder. Jarrett will be replaced by Sophomore Patrick Turner (6-foot-5, 230) if he isn't ready to play against the Dawgs. Center Ryan Kalil, a senior out of Corona, has started 30 consecutive games over the last three seasons. Kalil ran a 4.69 in the 40 last spring, can bench press 485 pounds, and has been on everyone's pre-season watch list. At tailback, Junior Chauncey Washington (6-foot-1, 220) has clocked a 4.39 40; however, freshman Emmanuel Moody (6-foot-1, 190) has started the last three games at tailback. Against the Cougars last week, Moody accumulated 69 yards on the ground on 8 carries, with one of them going for 48 yards. Washington had 71 yards on 18 carries, while C. J. Gable had 6 yards on 3 carries and posted 127 yards on kickoff returns. In the Trojans' first three games, kicker Troy Van Blarcom had 14 touchbacks out of 19 kickoffs, with 17 inside the 20. Injury Report: According to the local media, McFoy will be out 4-to-6 weeks, suffering two fractures in his shoulder area. WR Vidal Hazelton will take over McFoy's X-back spot. Hazelton was the nation's top prep receiver a year ago. Coming off knee cartilage surgery, nose tackle Sedrick Ellis is expected to play. Jarrett, who has more movement in his injured shoulder, will see the doctor tonight to see if he's ready to play. Starting right guard Chilo Rachal, high ankle sprain, may be replaced by Alatini "Tiny" Malu, who is preparing for his first start. OL Jeff Byers may be lost for the season due to back problems. The Trojans have lost three fullbacks this season: Brandon Hancock (torn knee ligaments), Ryan Prowdrell (dislocated/fractured ankle), and Stanley Havili (broken leg). Against WSU, Chauncey Washington played fullback on some key plays. Quick Notes: -- UW Coach Tyrone Willingham is the last opposing coach to beat USC in the Coliseum. -- Washington WR Marlon Wood is the son of former Trojan linebacker Richard "Batman" Wood. Statistics UW ranks eighth in the conference in red zone defense. Tenth in the nation in turnover margin, the Trojans don't just tackle, they try to strip the ball away, too. In his sixth year as the Trojan coach, Pete Carroll's teams have a turn-over margin of +97. The Trojans aren't the big-play team they were last season when they averaged 49.08 points per game, the second best in the nation. This year, they are averaging 31.5 points per game and rank twenty-sixth. Leading the nation in total offense in 2005, accumulating 579.77 per game, they're averaging 414 yards per game this year and rank twenty-fifth. Defensively, the Trojans appear stronger than last season. Of interest, however, the Huskies lead the Trojans in sacks per game this season. Both teams post good numbers in rushing defense, the Trojans having a better number than the Dawgs: 78.25 yards per game to 104.8. Washington is ahead of USC in 4 of the 19 stats shown below, that is, in Punt Returns, Sacks, Sacks Allowed and Tackles for a Loss. Of the 30 statistical categories listed on the conference website, USC bests the UW in 21 of them. The Huskies are in the bottom half of the conference in 23 of the 30 stats. If Dr. Stat had a mouth and should the Huskies topple 'SC, that win would speak louder than his gaggle of words, and, perhaps silence the Husky critics in the short term. So... Although woefully beaten up by the comparative statistics, the Huskies have chance to win against USC if they can minimize turnovers and not allow a big-play against them to happen. On the other hand, USC needs to stop the omnipresent Stanback, who carries an impressive set of numbers that reflect his athleticism. This fighting, scraping Husky team deserves far more than the statistics portend. Shafted by Notre Dame, Coach Tyrone Willingham is deserving, too. I think the Dawgs will win, 28-21. So, shut your virtual mouth, Dr. Stat. We'll deal with you one game at a time. . ---------------- Editor: Hey, Mal. Did somebody just grab your face mask? I think you need a chin checka. ;-) Table (Statistics)
Richard Linde (a.k.a., Malamute) can be reached at malamute@4malamute.com |
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