Don't blame Sanchez for learning Carroll's lessons

Mark Whicker
The Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES- The same coach who wrote a blank-verse poem called "Always Compete," and put it in the USC media guide, stood there Thursday and basically said, "Yeah, but not now."

Pete Carroll had built the natural fire of Mark Sanchez and watched his quarterback go 12-1, win the Pac-10 and win the Rose Bowl.

Now Sanchez is burning to test himself in the NFL.

As Vin Scully would say, Carroll was being hoisted on his own petard.

It made for a little more tension than you expected in a good-luck press conference. This one was more like, "I know you'll knock 'em dead, even though you're screwing up."

After all, Sanchez had postponed this session, the one in which he announced he would join the NFL draft, until Carroll could return from vacationing.

"I wanted to do this the right way," he said.

He knew Carroll disagreed with the call, because Carroll had told him so. Now Sanchez sat there in a black sport coat and a gold tie and listened to Carroll sell the media on why Sanchez should have stayed.

Usually you wait until the pitcher gives up the grand slam before you second-guess his pitch selection.

"It's hard to champion the cause," Carroll said. "I don't agree with the assessment of the decision. Mark is going against the grain. He knows that. The statistics don't back up that he will be successful in the way he's going about it."

Sanchez listened stoically, then reminded everyone that Carroll had always urged him to compete. The competition is in some muggy training camp in Michigan or Wisconsin next summer. Not on Howard Jones Field.

"I've been here four years," Sanchez said, smiling. "I've graduated. It's not like I'm not coming back for my senior year. I'm forgoing my fifth year."

Left unsaid: It's not my fault that I only got to play one year.

But Carroll also said this: "This is a competitor, a guy that's willing to take on this challenge and this opportunity. He's going to make it happen."

Sure, it seemed a far-fetched idea in the fall. Sanchez hadn't proven much, other than he could shake off a dislocated kneecap and run around better than John David Booty could. There was gallantry in his emotion, and there was a flip side, too, and most fans thought both Sanchez and the Trojans could use another year together.

But you compete, remember, on Draft Day and beyond. And the list of quarterbacks in the 2010 draft was longer than the one in 2009. At least it was after Oklahoma's Sam Bradford said he was staying. One day later, Sanchez announced.

"That really wasn't a factor," Sanchez said. "I had made up my mind before that."

Georgia's Matthew Stafford and Kansas State's Josh Freeman were the only underclass quarterbacks ranked ahead of Sanchez by Pro Football Weekly in the fall, including Bradford. The senior class has been picked clean. Only Rhett Bomar of Sam Houston State figures to make an active roster in '09.

Has Sanchez played enough? Well, six of his 2008 opponents were ranked in the top 27 nationally in pass defense. Ohio State gave up 12 touchdown passes all seasons, four to Sanchez.

And, of course, Sanchez butted heads with the No. 1 pass defense --- No. 2 total defense, actually --- four days a week through the season, and throughout the spring.

Sanchez could have profited from more seat time, with a much more experienced offense, with Damian Williams and Ronald Johnson going deep.

But not all the skepticism was about football, and not all of it came from a coach who now plunges into a quarterback competition.

Nick Sanchez, Mark's father, wasn't sure about this.

"I don't blame Pete, not at all," he said, standing against the wall of a Heritage Hall lounge after his son had left, pausing a moment to gather himself.

"I have mixed emotions. If it were up to me I'd spend 10 years in college, play under a 10-year plan. But Mark has worked so hard for this."

No pantry is bare at USC. Mitch Mustain played nearly a full season at Arkansas and grew up with Williams. Aaron Corp, the Orange Lutheran alum, has sharpened his passing and has the legs of a modern QB. Garrett Green is a gamer who has played everywhere. The mystery guest is Mater Dei's Matt Barkley, who has enrolled early as a freshman and will be on the spring field.

Carroll has options. He was just anticipating Sanchez's next chapter. He didn't know he'd reached the end of the book.

He'll get over it, like every other teacher who learns to deal with the phenomenon of the student who listens too well.

Sanchez picks his own play, leaves USC

By MICHAEL LEV
The Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES – Mark Sanchez graciously departed. Pete Carroll awkwardly bid him farewell. And a young crop of quarterbacks enthusiastically embraced a newfound opportunity.

Such were the events on a day of emotion and transition at USC.

While fighting back tears, Sanchez – the all-Pac-10 quarterback from Mission Viejo High – announced Thursday he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2009 NFL draft.

Sanchez is projected as a first-round pick. However, as a redshirt junior with only one full season as a starter, he is going against recent draft history that suggests seasoned senior quarterbacks have a better chance of succeeding.

That track record, among other things, was the reason Carroll fought into the wee hours of Thursday morning to change Sanchez’s mind. Carroll met with Sanchez four times in all and didn’t return home from Sanchez’s apartment Thursday until 1:30 a.m.

“The information, from our perspective, was compelling for him to stay. But he wanted to go for it,” Carroll said Thursday afternoon, several hours after he and Sanchez had addressed the media at news conference. “The other side of it is you’ve got to love him going for it.”

Carroll and the coaching staff tried to break Sanchez of his gambler’s mentality as a quarterback, and they succeeded – but only to a degree. Sanchez’s hyper-competitive nature and desire to fulfill a lifelong dream compelled him to take what amounts to a leap of faith.

“I can’t promise I’m going in any round, at a certain pick or to a certain team,” Sanchez said. “All I can promise is I will work as hard as I ever have, just like I know how, just like I know here, and I’ll set myself up just fine.”

Sanchez believes being in a pro-style system at USC for four years will offset his lack of game experience. Scouts definitely would prefer that he had more than 16 career starts. But taking snaps from under center – as opposed to playing in the shotgun offenses used by teams such as Florida, Oklahoma and Texas Tech – should help Sanchez’s cause.

“It’s huge,” said Charles Davis, BCS announcer for Fox and college football analyst for NFL Network. “My pro scouting buddies have all told me the same thing: The evaluation is a lot more apples to apples. You’re not going to play the whole game from the gun. He’s getting the full assortment. It’s a lot more comparable to what he’s going to do in the NFL.”

Sanchez and Georgia junior Matthew Stafford are considered to be head and shoulders above a weak crop of senior quarterbacks. With Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford deciding to stay in school, Stafford is Sanchez’s only real competition to be the first quarterback selected. Either could rise as high as the top three, where the Detroit Lions (No. 1) and Kansas City Chiefs (No. 3) need quarterbacks.

Although Sanchez said the choices made by Bradford and others did not influence his decision, several teammates and even new offensive coordinator John Morton – who has NFL coaching experience -- believe Sanchez is making a smart business move.

Carroll didn’t see it that way at all, and he didn’t hide his disdain for Sanchez’s decision during the news conference. Carroll openly criticized Sanchez, even though the quarterback waited to make his announcement until Carroll returned from a vacation in Hawaii. As much as anything, Carroll was trying to spread his message to future Trojans who might consider the early leap.

Carroll said he talked to several NFL teams about Sanchez, and “they all think he should stay in school. But that doesn’t mean they’re not going to pick him. They just know he would be a better product for the league if he took another year to prepare for it.”

Sanchez compared his decision to the one made last month by Steve Sarkisian, who left his post as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of a 12-1 perennial power to become the coach at winless Washington.

Carroll knew he’d have a different-looking coaching staff in 2009, and now he will have a different quarterback. The leading contenders are Aaron Corp (Orange Lutheran) and Mitch Mustain, who battled for the starting job while Sanchez recovered from a training-camp knee injury. Veteran Garrett Green is a dark horse. Freshman Matt Barkley (Mater Dei) is a long shot.

Corp vowed he wouldn’t change his preparation for spring football based on Sanchez’s status. But Thursday’s news clearly brightened Corp’s outlook.

“Definitely there’s a level of excitement knowing it’s wide open and I have a great opportunity,” Corp said.

Or as Mustain put it: “It’s a whole different ballgame.”

NOTES

Starting center Kristofer O’Dowd will have surgery on his left shoulder next week. With a recovery time of 4-6 months, he will miss spring practice but should be ready for training camp. ... Carroll said cornerback Shareece Wright, who missed most of the season because of a neck injury, has been cleared for workouts. ... Defensive back Josh Pinkard still is awaiting a response from the NCAA regarding his request for a sixth year of eligibility, but he expects the request to be granted.

Breaking up is hard to do for Pete Carroll

Bill Plaschke

7:40 PM PST, January 15, 2009

With tears in his eyes, a USC student announced that after attending classes for four years and receiving his bachelor's degree, he was leaving campus to pursue his life's work.

At which point, his beloved professor publicly scorned him for it.

What's wrong with his picture?

Nothing, apparently, if you are Pete Carroll.

Everything, perhaps, if you are Mark Sanchez.

The gap between college football and college education was never more sadly pronounced than Thursday, when a future graduate happily sent out early commencement announcements, only to see a professed educator shred them in disappointment.

Sanchez, the Trojans' starting quarterback who will finish his classwork in May with one year of remaining football eligibility, formally declared he was leaving school to join the NFL.

Carroll, his coach, publicly treated him like a traitor.

Said Sanchez: "It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to this university."

Said Carroll: "We didn't see this decision the same."

Sanchez carefully and emotionally thanked everyone from Carroll to the guy who washed his jock.

Yet Carroll was so visibly frustrated, he wouldn't even sit next to Sanchez during the Heritage Hall news conference, then later refused to sit while answering questions.

Said Sanchez: "I will always fight on."

Said Carroll: "Mark is going against the grain in this decision, we know that, he knows that."

Granted, it was a questionable call. Sanchez has started for only one full year, only 16 college games, and he showed consistent NFL skills only in his final game, a 413-yard, five-touchdown Rose Bowl show against Penn State.

Sanchez is currently ranked as the 10th best player in the draft, and there is legitimate debate over whether his decision cost him a Heisman Trophy and a shot at being the No. 1 overall pick.

But there is no debate that Carroll handled it with all the decorum of a jilted lover.

And there can be no argument that, as one who spent four years fulfilling the requirements of a student-athlete, Sanchez deserved better.

"It has been my dream since I was a youngster . . . to play in the NFL" Sanchez said. "Thanks to this great academic institution and football program, I have the opportunity to realize that dream."

Academic institution. Football program. On this day, in this place, the two entities might as well have been Venus and Mars .

In typical USC public-relations fashion, Sanchez was graciously given a chance to say goodbye. But Carroll turned it into something resembling an uncomfortable, awkward breakup.

The surreal gathering in the Heritage Hall meeting room began with two chairs at the front table.

Suddenly, just before the news conference began, one chair was removed.

It was clear, from that moment, Sanchez would be on his own.

The quarterback went first, fighting back tears and talking about "sleepless nights and lots of prayer."

The coach went next, and immediately treated Sanchez not like a college kid who just made a life-changing decision, but like a professional free agent who just opted out of the contract.

"We have compelling information working against the choice going this way," Carroll said.

Sure he does. It's a tough league. Quarterbacks with only one full college season rarely become stars. Sanchez is physically mature, but has a lot to learn about playing the position.

Sanchez admittedly looked at how former Trojans quarterback Matt Leinart dropped in the draft after staying for a fifth season, but after his fourth year, Leinart was a Heisman Trophy winner with a bad elbow.

All Leinart would do was drop. All Sanchez can do is get better.

Carroll's evidence, presented to Sanchez at his apartment in a meeting that lasted until 1 a.m. Thursday, should have worked.

But did he have to rub Sanchez's runny nose in it?

As Carroll spoke, Sanchez sat in a chair on the side, staring straight ahead, trying to smile through the obvious discomfort.

After Carroll's statement, the coach quickly stood, but was asked some questions. Usually he would sit down again to answer them. This time, he stayed standing, as if he couldn't wait to leave.

When he did hustle away, he barely acknowledged Sanchez, lightly shaking his hand and quickly turning away.

If you want to see how other coaches handle this sort of thing, check out last week's video of Georgia Coach Mark Richt with his two biggest stars as they both declared they would leave school early and go to the NFL.

The loss of quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno will decimate his team, but in this news conference, Richt sat between them like a kindly father who has just proudly sent his sons off into the world.

That's how it works in college football. Great players come, great players go, you treat them all with dignity if you want to get other players like them.

And if one those great players actually graduates? You throw him a farewell party, you don't leave him standing with his arms outstretched for a hug.

Later Thursday, Carroll had cooled considerably.

"I love Mark," he said. "Mark is an awesome kid and I love everything about him."

He added, "I'm not angry at all, I'm not. I just competed to try to get the message across and I had to go hard."

It's a shame he didn't say some of those things when the kid was listening, when the world was listening.

It's a shame that, on this day, the message from nation's premier college football program was all about football, and not the least bit about college.

Is Carroll angry that Sanchez opted for NFL draft?

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

USC coach Pete Carroll said he tried to talk quarterback Mark Sanchez out of forgoing his senior season and entering the NFL draft.

"Mark is going against the grain and he knows that," Carroll said in the AP story. "And he's OK about that."

But is Carroll OK with it?

Here's the LA Daily News Scott Wolf's take on his blog from Thursday's news conference:

USC coach Pete Carroll was extremely ungracious during the Mark Sanchez press conference. He stormed out of the room and did not even sit at the table before Sanchez addressed the media. Something he never did when Matt Leinart, etc., announced their decisions.

Carroll never sat down at the table but stood with his palms on the table. His anger was clear if you spend time around him.

Not a great moment.

Wolf also added this:

There's quite a bit of anger being expressed within the athletic dept. at the highest levels right now regarding Mark Sanchez's departure.

I'm getting the feeling Mark Sanchez will not be honored at any functions in the near future.

And this:

Considering Pete Carroll's demeanor and actions at Mark Sanchez's press conference, I'm wondering what he will tell NFL teams when they call about Sanchez. Because he plays quarterback it might not matter, but one has to think Carroll will give an unvarnished opinion now that Sanchez left without his seal of approval.

Corp vs. Mustain vs. Barkley at USC

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

	Shelly Castellano/Icon SMI
	Mitch Mustain, left, and Aaron Corp will compete this spring.

It's official: USC quarterback Mark Sanchez will enter the NFL draft, where he's likely to be a first-round draft pick and, perhaps, the first quarterback selected.

So, as I wrote last night, junior Mitch Mustain or sophomore Aaron Corp or touted true freshman Matt Barkley, who already has enrolled in school and will participate in spring practices, will battle to be the next Trojans quarterback.

It's not a bad job. Nine starters return on offense. The only other departure is receiver Patrick Turner.

Mustain, a high-profile transfer from Arkansas, was the 2005 Gatorade, USA Today and Parade Magazine national prep player of the year.

Corp, taller and more mobile than Mustain, was a Parade All-American in 2006.

Mustain has a powerful arm, but also a tendancy to believe that arm can force balls into tight spaces. He also started eight games at Arkansas in 2006.

During the regular season, the backup job alternated between them a number of times.

Barkley is the No. 1 player on ESPNU 150, our list of the top 150 prospects in the country.

Barkley winning the job, however, would break the Trojans' pattern of valuing experience under Pete Carroll -- see Matt Leinart beating out John David Booty, Booty beating out Sanchez and Sanchez beating out Corp and Mustain.

Still, this will be one of the marquee competitions heading into the 2009 season, with none of the three candidates owning significant game experience in the Trojans complicated offense that would distinguish him over the others.

Sanchez skinny

There are doubts about Mark Sanchez. Not mine, necessarily, although I do agree with some of the evaluations about the USC quarterback I've been hearing.

Much like Sam Bradford, Sanchez just hasn't played that much college football. Unlike Bradford, Sanchez has been a full-time starting quarterback for only one season. You heard that in Pete Carroll's evaluation of Sanchez' decision during a Thursday press conference.

Plus, there are concerns about Sanchez' toughness and ability to take a hit. One source who has watched USC estimated that Sanchez has been behind center for less than eight "legitimate" sacks. [That is, not flushed out of the pocket or running side-to-side]

USC runs a pro-style offense which should help Sanchez. The team uses only 15 percent of its extensive drop-back passing game in the playbook.

In another sense, It's hard to blame Sanchez given that the Heisman triplets (Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy) are all returning. He has a chanace of being the second quarterback taken after Matt Stafford. However, Sanchez could be leaving a lot of money on the table. He is no slam dunk to go in the top 10. If he returned for his redshirt senior season, Sanchez could improve significantly on his earning power.

"Mark knows he's going against the grain on this decision ...," Carroll said Thursday, "I don't agree with the assessment of the decision ... The NFL has a very clear thought in that they want you to stay in school as long as you can."

Wow.

Don't be surprised if Sanchez signs with agent David Dunn.

Now, on to USC. It needs a quarterback.

That you know, but this goes much deeper. USC needs a quarterback, a couple of new coordinators, oh, and a new defense.

Welcome to Carroll's first rebuilding job since he arrived in Troy in 2001. It's not just Sanchez leaving a year early for the NFL. It's essentially the entire defense leaving, one of the best -- statistically -- of modern times. Both coordinators have left too -- DC Nick Holt followed Steve Sarkisian to Washington.

The spring battle at quarterback will be the most significant at USC since 2003 when Matt Leinart came out of nowhere. It seems like the same thing will happen again with Aaron Corp, Mitch Mustain and Garrett Green competing with freshman Matt Barkley, who is already enrolled.

Mustain, an Arkansas transfer, had trouble picking up the offense in 2008. That was clear when he dropped to third on the depth chart for a time behind Corp.

A Season in Review

By Brian Matthews
WeAreSC Editorial Director
Posted Jan 12, 2009

The 2008-2009 version of the USC football took the Trojans yet again to another Rose Bowl match-up against an over-hyped Big Ten team, the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Trojans demonstrated on national television for the country to see just how dominant a team this can be. With convincing victories over teams such as Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State, one would venture to deem this season a success.

Well much has changed at USC since the arrival of Pete Carroll, and renewed enthusiasm and results demanded perfection. Hey, it’s Los Angeles, can you blame the fans?

With no pro team around, or for that matter in the near future, the Trojans will continue to draw expectations seldom seen in any arena of sports.

Yet amongst the big names and larger victories, the Trojans season was marred with inconsistency. Struggles at Arizona, Arizona State and an eventual loss to the pesky Oregon State Beavers cost the Trojans another shot at the national championship.

The staple of this team became an unrivaled defense oozing with experience, a nasty streak and a desire to become the best.

The Trojans began their season with a 52-7 shellacking over the overmatched Virginia Cavaliers on their home-turf. As if the expectations weren’t high enough for this team, the dominant performance catapulted the Trojans to number one in every conceivable ranking system with a match-up against “The” Ohio State Buckeyes just two weeks away.

The Virginia game not only showed off the team play of USC, it “marked” a new era under center in Mark Sanchez, a first year starter with a 2-1 record under his belt as a starter. The game immediately lumped Sanchez into the Heisman category, fair or not.

Just two weeks later the Trojans returned home to the Coliseum to take on “The” Ohio State Buckeyes in what was known to be the match-up for the ages. A battle new school approach set in place by USC front man Pete Carroll and the traditional sweater vest approach of Buckeye head coach Jim Tressel.

Now given, the game surely did not live up to the hype, but it provided Trojan fans with a glimpse of something special in the making. A defense that could carry an offense in search of an identity to win ball games, and in that, big ball games.

With all of the hype surrounding the Ohio State said and gone, all the Trojans had to do was take care of a lowly Oregon State Beaver team on the heels of a thrashing by Penn State, the team USC would eventually do the same.

The last trip to Corvalis was no pleasant outing for USC, as the Trojans ended up losing to the Beavers on the last second of the game on a failed two-point conversion from John David Booty to Dwayne Jarrett.

Surely there would be no déjà vu this time around, right? Wrong, the Trojans were able to piece together one of their worst halves of football in recent memory, allowing the Beavers to take a commanding lead into halftime.

The latter end of the game became a tale of two halves, a dominant USC team fighting their way back into the game until a Mark Sanchez interception sealed the deal.

Where was the hunger that had this team primed for a national championship? Merely wearing the cardinal and gold does not and will not ensure you a victory. Teams have seen that USC can be beaten, and the aura around the Trojans needs to be replaced with execution and fundamental football.

Up next for the Trojans were the Oregon Ducks, a team known for giving fits to USC. A guess a loss is all it took, as the Trojans came out and demolished the Ducks 44-10 in front of a packed house within the Coliseum.

Sanchez looked as sharp as ever and wide receiver Damian Williams had developed into the go-to-guy. Ronald Johnson became far more then a vertical receiver and Patrick Turner became steady as a rock.

This would prove to be the turning point in the season, a point in which this USC defense would be satisfied with nothing less then a shutout every time they took the field.

Following the exhibition of the Oregon Ducks, the Trojans shutout the struggling Arizona State Sun Devils 28-0. Quarterback Mark Sanchez had quite possibly the worst quarter of his entire playing career (Pop-Warner included).

Thankfully for the team, the defense was able to keep Arizona State from scoring, including a Kevin Thomas interception for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Much had been made of the inconsistencies on offense, but it became blatantly clear that the Trojan defense was more then capable of winning ball games by themselves.

Led by seniors Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga, Kevin Ellison, Clay Matthews, Kaluka Maiava, Kyle Moore, Fili Moala, Cary Harris and Josh Pinkard; this team decided it was now or never if they were to have a shot at remaining in the hunt for the BCS National Championship Game.

Following the close outing against Arizona State, the Trojans mopped the field with the Washington State Cougars, putting on an aerial and ground show the fans had been so desperately seeking,

Running backs C.J. Gable, Stafon Johnson and Broderick Green all had break-out days, proving why they call USC “Tailback U.”

Just two weeks shy of their homecoming game against the Jake Locker-less Washington Huskies, the Trojans first had to spoil the Homecoming game for the Arizona Wildcats, a team that was atop of the Pac-10 standings along with the men of troy.

With a prolific passing offense putting up ungodly numbers, I’m not sure anyone could have foreseen the 17-10 final score.

The defense yet again clamped down, and the offense came up big when they needed to. The play of the game had to go to running back Stafon Johnson for his punishing block of a blitzing linebacker, giving Sanchez enough time to find fullback Stanley Havili all alone for a touchdown, breaking a ten-to-ten tie.

Certainly a slap in the face of the team, who was scheduled as the homecoming “victim” for an Arizona team looking to boost their national prowess.

News then came in the form of transfers from both running back Broderick Green and wide receiver Vidal Hazelton, but that wasn't enough to detur the Trojans' focus as the season went on.

USC then returned home to the Coliseum for their own Homecoming against the Washington Huskies, a team in dire need of a win and fighting for that token victory to send former Husky front man Ty Willingham out on a good note.

The only problem for Washington was the fact that they were lined up across field from the Trojans, a team that hung up 56 points en-route to a shutout, their fourth consecutive to be exact.

The shutouts allowed Trojan fans to see a glimpse of the future, and it sure looks bright. Names like Armond Armstead, Jurrell Casey, Tyron Smith, Malik Jackson and Drew McAllister all proved that while they may not be able to live up to the current defensive status in year one, the future will look bright.

On the Jeff Tedford coached California Golden Bears, a team seemingly in contention with USC for the Pac-10 crown year-in and year-out.

The game yet again showed an offense in search of an identity and defense in search of shutouts. Battling all the way down to the end until a Sanchez to Ronald Johnson sealed the deal, the Trojans were able to hold Cal to three points while putting up 17 of their own.

This game was special for Taylor Mays, as he developed punishing blow after blow to receivers and running backs alike, immediately upgrading the status of his draft selection as fast as he can run a forty yard dash.

With Kevin Ellison sidelined with a knee injury, junior strong safety Will Harris put on a show, leaving many faithful excited about his growth and maturity, especially heading into next year with a young and inexperienced defense.

This next game could revolve around the motto of revenge of redemption, but according to head coach Pete Carroll, this game was all about securing another Pac-10 win.

There is no question that there is no love lost between Carroll and Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh, as the two didn’t even glance in either’s direction during a post-game ceremonial exchanging of greetings.

The Trojans went on the beat the Cardinal convincingly 45-23, doing their very best to erase the bitter taste of one of the greatest upsets in college football history.

Mission accomplished.

With the Cardinal building quite the recruiting class and Harbaugh signing an extension to remain in Palo Alto, expect this rivalry to heat up as the years go on.

And here come the Irish, a team with a 6-5 record looking to break even and secure a bowl bid over their heated rival USC. There were some pre-game festivities between the two teams, making sure that everyone knew the two teams were not a tight-knit circle.

Charlie Weis came into L.A. with a game-plan he thought could derail this Trojan machine, but putting up three points as an offensive “guru” just doesn’t cut it.

The Trojan defense was swarming and the offense was clicking before a sold-out Coliseum, a sold out venue taking in a 38-3 shellacking over Notre Dame and another year with the famed Jeweled Shillelagh.

Now before everyone begins talking about Notre Dame’s performance in the Hawaii Bowl as a sign of things to come, remember who they were playing. Their schedule next year is set up for perfection, aside from USC of course.

The Irish will run a gauntlet with teams such as Michigan, Washington, Navy, Washington State and Army.

Not bad, huh?

With back to back rivalry games each and every season for the Trojans, many wonder how the team actually does stay focused and ready with such emotional highs following each other.

It is Trojan football, isn’t it?

The news of the 2008 game versus UCLA was the return of the home jerseys for both parties, just so happened that USC was the visiting team this year.

The gesture is one I am in favor of greatly, and it goes along with the mantra “We own the Rose Bowl.”

The Trojans got off to a slow start with a C.J. Gable fumble and a UCLA touchdown pass moments later, but went on to hang 28 straight points on the Bruins in their own yard.

An 11-1 season by any other program in the country is viewed a great success, but not in Los Angeles. Perfection is demanded, and who is to blame the fan, who have the taste of BCS supremacy twice in the last five years.

The Trojans gladly accepted a Rose Bowl bid to take a Penn State team with just one loss, both teams on the outside looking in.

The build-up around this game was enormous, and it became clear that USC was facing no Illinois team of last year. Media nationwide dubbed the Nittany Lions as a new breed of Big-Ten football, a far stretch from the team’s USC had dominated year-after-year.

With events unsurprising to the USC football team, people began to wonder if the Trojans even wanted to be in the Rose Bowl. Spend a minute with Pete Carroll and you will find out that the Rose Bowl is exactly where he wants to be, outside of a chance at a national championship.

The match-up of teams put the rising star Pete Carroll against a football icon in Joe Paterno, setting storylines building to the excitement the New Year’s day Game.

Following an incredible sight with a B-52 flyover and a quick firework show, and the game was ready to begin.

The game seemed to be somewhat of a chess-match at first, seemingly a Bobby Fischer type scenario, before the Trojans capitalized on errors made by the Nittany Lions before taking a commanding 31-7 lead at the half.

A Mark Sanchez to Ronald Johnson touchdown pass in the fourth quarter sealed the deal before Penn State gave too little, too late.

Following the beat-down of the Big-Ten champions, numerous members of the media began wondering if yet another AP National Championship could be heading back to Southern California.

A convincing Utah victory over Alabama sealed the Trojans’ fate as the victor in the Rose Bowl.

With all of the success USC has had over the past seven years, it comes as a great surprise that the Pac-10 has yet to play the SEC representative in a BCS Bowl Game, specifically the National Championship Game.

What more could fans want?

The nation needs it, the game needs it, the fans need, and I even need it!

Taylor Mays to return for senior year

By WeAreSC staff
Posted Jan 13, 2009

USC 2-time All-American first team safety Taylor Mays, a 2008 Thorpe Award finalist, announced today (Jan. 13) that he will return for his 2009 senior season as a Trojan.

“There are a lot more things I want to accomplish as a player, a student and a person, things that I’ve dreamed about for a long time and that are big goals to me,” said Mays. “Returning to USC will help me be the best player I can be and put me in the best position possible for the next level.

“It came down to whether I felt I was ready physically and mentally. I feel there are some more things in my game that I can improve upon, things that would help me take the next step. I didn’t want to sell myself short.

“Plus, I want to be here for my teammates and provide an example to them as a leader and a player. I love the camaraderie here and the atmosphere. USC is a special place. From all the players I’ve talked to in the NFL, they say it’s a whole different world up there. They enjoyed college more than the NFL. I want to enjoy my last year of fun before it turns into a business.

“I’m also on track to graduate this fall and I know that’s a big deal to my parents.

“I’m excited to start working hard toward next season. In fact, I wish I could start playing the 2009 season right now.”

Said USC head coach Pete Carroll: “We’re obviously delighted to learn of Taylor’s decision. He and his family did a lot of research and made an educated decision. He embodies all the virtues of staying. He wants to do this not only to improve as a player, but he’s coming back for his team, for his school and for the fans. We’re looking forward to Taylor having another outstanding season in 2009 and furthering his standing as a player and a person. He’s one of the most gifted safeties to ever play at USC and he wants to come back and do it one more time.”

Mays has started the past 3 seasons (2006-08) at free safety for the Trojans, recording 180 tackles and 4 interceptions in his career. He was a consensus All-American first teamer as a junior in 2008 and among 3 finalists for the Thorpe Award as he made 53 tackles and a team-best 9 deflections while helping the Trojans to a 12-1 record, a seventh consecutive Pac-10 title and a third straight win in the Rose Bowl. After earning Freshman All-American first team honors in 2006 when he had 62 tackles and 3 interceptions, he was named an All-American first team pick as a sophomore in 2007 with 65 tackles and 6 deflections.

Interesting letter of the day: Self-hate on West Coast?

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

This note should stand by itself, so thanks, Slade from Malibu, Calif., who wrote:

...As much as us West Coasters (including myself) complain about the East Coast bias in sports, which I think is very real, are our West Coast sports writers in some way contributing to it?

Read editorial pages of sports sections all over the country and they are constantly pushing and supporting their teams, but our columnists are constantly looking for things to attack our teams and are constantly pushing other teams -- like the lovefest for [Florida quarterback Ti] Tebow in the LA Times.

Backing my point is the voting breakdown of West Coast writers in the AP poll that you can find at pollspeak.com.

For reference, the final AP poll had USC #3, Oregon #10, Oregon State #18, and Cal #26.

Scott Wolf from the LA Daily News ranks USC #4, Oregon #12, Oregon State #13, and Cal #22.

Jon Wilner from the San Jose Mercury News ranks USC #5 (the lowest of any writer in the poll!), Oregon #12, Oregon State #18, and Cal #22.

Anthony Gimino from the Tucson Citizen ranks USC #4, Oregon #11, Oregon State #16, and Cal #19.

Kevin Pearson of the Riverside Press Enterprise ranks USC #3, Oregon #9, Oregon State #18, but doesn't rank Cal.

Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle ranks USC #4, Oregon #8, Oregon State #16, and Cal #24.

Molly Yanity of the Seattle Post Intelligencer ranks USC #4, Oregon #8, Oregon State #19, and Cal #21.

The only voter who ranked every PAC-10 team equal to or above their final position in the AP Poll was John Hunt of the Oregonian, who ranks USC #2, Oregon #10, Oregon State #17, and Cal #21.

Please tell me how the highest vote for USC (their only #1 vote) could come from Pete DiPrimio in Indiana?

The highest for Oregon (#6) from Craig James (ABC), Barker Davis (Washington,DC), and Maurice Patton (Tennessee)?

The highest for Oregon State again from Pete DiPrimio (and to be fair, Scott Wolf)?

The highest for Cal from Jake Schaller (Colorado), Mark Anderson (Las Vegas), and Robbie Andreu (Gainesville, FL)?

I'm not saying that our writers should not try to be moderately objective, but they shouldn't be the ones hurting our teams' chances or perpetuating the belief that the PAC-10 and the West Coast as a whole are inferior?

Ted Miller: The easy answer is West Coast writers aren't homers, a term used by sportswriters to describe media folk who root for the teams (or conference) they cover.

Taking it a step further, you could even say West Coast writers tend to be: 1. Gadflies; 2. Skeptics.

As for the gadflies: Taking a stance that is unpopular or controversial locally is a good way to get attention. The problem with doing that is it tends to be obvious.

As for the skeptics, I'll name one guy because: 1. I don't know him; 2. I think he's a heck of a college football writer.

Jon Wilner's "College Sports Hotline" blog is a must-read in the Pac-10. Wilner is a good writer who works very hard to give his readers strong content and often takes a contrarian's position.

I often enjoy disagreeing with him. "Enjoy" because his karate is good.

Skepticism? He aggressively deconstructed the Pac-10's 5-0 bowl record.

And he even ranks the Mountain West Conference ahead of the Pac-10, which is, well, amusing (pair the MWC and Pac-10 head-to-head in a tournament, No. 1 through 9, and play it out yourself).

But to the larger question, I don't know what to tell you. I did notice on my own what you wrote here, but I'm not sure there's a "solution."

Folks vote how they feel, for whatever reason. Some folks vote a regional bias. Some seem to fight against that potential perception. Some are influenced by hype. Some are just quirky.

That's how it goes in a system that uses human polls to make distinctions between teams that don't play each other.

Sanchez’s dad — ‘It’s what Mark wants to do’

Michael Lev OCRegister.com

Just got off the phone with USC quarterback Mark Sanchez’s father, Nick, who said his son is still undecided regarding his future.

The family continues to gather information, but Nick Sanchez said they haven’t unearthed anything “really compelling that says this is what he really should do or not do.”

Tossing all the variables aside, Nick said the bottom line is this: “It’s what Mark wants to do.”

“And we haven’t gotten to that place yet,” Nick Sanchez said. “We’ll see what happens in the next couple days.”

When I reminded him that time is running out, he said: “But we’re not out of time.”

The deadline is Jan. 15.

Nick said Mark returned to class today, along with the rest of USC’s students. Father and son chatted last night, but the conversation wasn’t restricted to the NFL draft decision — the last thing Nick wants to do as a dad, he said, is belabor the point.

Nick said part of the reason the decision is so difficult is that both options are appealing.

“You can make a good argument either way,” he said. “It’s one of those things, there’s no downside.”

UCLA vs. USC: Talkin' quarterbacks at a basketball game

Adam rose Los Angeles Times

Matt Barkley looked like an unassuming freshman as he stood in line to enter the Galen Center on Sunday night for the USC-UCLA basketball game. He had to arrive early to get a good seat, just like any other student. Most of the people in line probably didn't realized they were next to the the first person ever named Gatorade National Player of the Year as a high school junior. Barkley just enrolled in classes, which start tomorrow, meaning he should participate in spring ball.

No sign of Richard Brehaut, a Bruin commit who's considered the second best quarterback in the state after Barkley. UCLA is on a quarter system, with the winter session starting last week. Brehaut is expected to enroll next quarter, just in time for spring practice.

Thanks to UCLA's schedule, no incoming Bruins technically had to enroll this early, but tight end Morrell Presley is already taking classes at UCLA. The nation's top tight end, according to Scout.com, made waves by decommitting from USC and making his new home in Westwood.

USC running back C.J. Gable says he's staying in school

Gary Klein Los Angeles Times

USC running back C.J. Gable, who was considering making himself available for the NFL draft, said today that he is remaining with the Trojans.

"My mom wants me to finish school and I want to finish school too," Gable said.

Gable expressed frustration several times during the season about his role in the Trojans' tailback rotation. Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson and Gable shared most of the carries and each gained more than 600 yards.

Gable was upset after the regular-season finale against UCLA because he was benched after fumbling on the first offensive series. He also was removed from the rotation in the Rose Bowl after fumbling.

Gable, who will be a fourth-year junior next season, did not petition for a draft projection from the NFL, but met with Coach Pete Carroll last week to discuss his situation.

"If I could have graduated this year I would be gone," said Gable, a sociology major.

Gable will be part of a tailback corps that is likely to include McKnight, Johnson, Marc Tyler, Allen Bradford and Curtis McNeal.

"I'm going to have to make a big improvement on my special teams and try and break out on that," said Gable, who returns kickoffs. "That's all I'm trying to focus on because I know running the ball is going to be the same rotation.

"I'm just going to work harder than ever."

Johnson said after the Rose Bowl that he was definitely returning for his senior season because he wanted to win a national championship and achieve more personally.

But in the nearly two weeks since, he has been inundated with advice to turn pro. Johnson said his draft projection was third round or above.

"For the most part, I'm here," Johnson said Monday. "It's 95%"

Bradford, a fourth-year junior who is recovering from hip surgery, met today with offensive coordinator John Morton. Bradford said he was staying at USC and not thinking about transferring.

The Trojans are still awaiting decisions regarding the draft from quarterback Mark Sanchez and safety Taylor Mays.

Thursday is the deadline for players to make themselves available for the draft.

New USC football assistant Franklin has unfinished business with Trojans

Scott Wolf LA Daily News

The last time Jethro Franklin coached at USC, the Trojans played Texas in the BCS title game. Franklin, who was just hired back as the defensive line coach, said Saturday he wants to help the Trojans return to that championship mode.

"I definitely wanted to come back and finish what we started," Franklin said. "I just want to win some national championships.

"I missed USC. Every time I saw them on television, I had special place in my heart for the players and coaches."

Interestingly, Franklin is a friend of former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Derrick Kennard, the father of highly regarded prep prospect Devon Kennard, ranked by some recruiting services as the top defensive end in the country. USC is considered the favorite to receive a commitment from Kennard, who is also looking at Texas and Arizona State.

In hindsight, Franklin's decision to leave USC probably was a mistake, although he considered it a better route to eventually become a head coach. Franklin spent a season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before getting fired. He then worked for the Houston Texans the past two years before getting fired after this season.

"I learned a lot of stuff when I went away that I can use now that I'm back," Franklin said.

One positive is that he can help take credit for the development of Texans defensive lineman Mario Williams, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft. Williams was named an All-Pro during Franklin's first year and will play in his first Pro Bowl this season.

Franklin said he will start working at USC on Friday. He and Carroll discussed a return when USC defensive coordinator Nick Holt started seriously talking Washington about becoming its defensive coordinator. Holt quit on Monday and Franklin was hired two days later.

America Deserves a USC vs. SEC Title Game

By Barrett Sallee

Home of the last three National Championships, four of the last six, and an Auburn team that was robbed in 2004, the Southeastern Conference is widely regarded as the best conference in all the land. While SEC dominance is virtually unquestioned in this day and age, there is still one thing left for the SEC to do to solidify itself – beat USC in the big one.

In the 11 seasons since the inception of the BCS, there has been a National Champion from every BCS conference and a combination of eight different conference matchups in BCS National Championship Games. Noticeably missing from those matchups is the SEC vs. Pac-10 matchup that America deserves.

Considering USC’s resurgence and the SEC’s dominance this decade, it’s quite remarkable that this hasn’t happened. We should have seen it in 2004 between USC and Auburn, which would have been a matchup for the ages. But, as it were, the pollsters and computers chose to ignore an Auburn team that, during the 2004 season, had better credentials than both pre-season #1 USC and pre-season #2 Oklahoma.

In this seasons rendition of the BCS mess, Florida takes home the crystal football; while Utah, Texas and, to a lesser degree USC, all sat at home on Thursday night having legitimate championship gripes. The Trojans play themselves out of the big game with an unexplainable loss seemingly every year. In the Pac-10, they can’t afford to do that.

This season, even after games vs. Ohio State and The Rose Bowl vs. Penn State, the Trojans managed just the 39th toughest schedule in the nation, according to the NCAA. While Pac-10 zealots will brag about the 5-0 bowl record this season, it’s apparent that the lack of strength within the conference during the regular season is precisely what cost the Trojans a shot at the title this season.

If we’ve learned anything from the Trojans, we do know this – there’s not a better big game coach in America than Pete Carroll. In reality, they are one of the top two teams in the country on an annual basis. Hamstrung by the conference and a system reliant on computers that don’t watch football, they can’t afford hiccups along the way, which is exactly what has happened the last few years. But, that doesn’t change the fact that the Trojans are, unquestionably, one of the top teams in the nation year-in and year-out.

The National Championship is a beauty contest, and the SEC’s success – 5-0 all-time in BCS Championship Games – has earned the conference the benefit of the doubt, making the SEC Championship Game a de facto play-in game nearly every season. Had Auburn not suffered its injustice in 2004, Florida wouldn’t have got the benefit of the doubt in 2006. Had Florida not embarrassed Ohio State in 2006, LSU wouldn’t have been the first two-loss team to win the title in 2007. Had LSU not embarrassed the Buckeyes again in 2007, there could conceivably be some debate about the Gators presence in Miami on Thursday night. In college football, perception is reality.

The SEC gets the benefit of the doubt, and USC should too. Their continued dominance in big games is enough currency to give them a leg up over teams with similar records from every conference other than the SEC. The computers obviously won’t see it, but the writers and coaches filling out ballots should.

Trojan fans continually point to home-and-home sweeps over Auburn and Arkansas this decade as a show of superiority. SEC fans contend that there is no way that the Trojans can make it through a full SEC schedule with as much ease as they do the Pac-10. Despite the SEC hoisting the crystal football four of the last six years, that argument still hasn’t been settled on the field between USC and the SEC's best. 2009 is the time to settle it.

USC and Florida will likely be at, or near the top, of the preseason polls in 2009, regardless of the pending NFL decisions of Tim Tebow and Mark Sanchez. Florida, or whichever SEC team emerges as the league’s top team, will have to run the gauntlet of the SEC, which is far from given. USC will cruise through their schedule, with unexplainable loss in-tow, and be back in the BCS title hunt. Should we be presented with the opportunity to see a USC vs. SEC BCS Championship Game, it needs to happen. Can you imagine that game? USC vs. the SEC, to round out the decade, in Rose Bowl, for all the marbles. The SEC needs it. USC needs it. America needs it.