USC Trojans

[Basser1]

If they get the defense fixed the Trojans should be right back where they're supposed to be. The rankings won't be unrealistic next year and that should take a lot of pressure off of these 18 year old kids to try and live up to expectations. My prediction for next year is that we smoke FUCLA and the Domers and that will be enough to make me happy.

Basser

[glens0]

I agree and maybe they can do it next year or two.

[Basser1]

They have a great recruiting class coming in and the defense should be a lot better since Lane's pop decided to leave on his own before his son had to fire him.

Basser

[glens0]

Not this year but maybe they will do better next year.

[Basser1]

Yup should have blamed himself for not making any adjustments. Instead of trying to run the ball to open up the passing game he should do just the opposite and use the passing game to set up the run. Nobody could defend the passing game if he would use all the guys including the tight ends and fullbacks and tailbacks out of the backfield. Havilli used to just wear people out running that little wheel route and he just doesn't seem to want to use that very much. The tight ends are always open in the seams but he doesn't seem to like that route too much either.

Basser

[AugustaFriends]

Kiffin is such a BAD coach!!! blaming his players "barkley" for the loss .. BS..

[Basser1]

They can do that but only if they don't get anyone else hurt. They can do that if Kiffen remembers that he has tight ends and slot receivers and backs that can catch the ball out of the backfield too. I wish that he would hire a coordinator and just concentrate on the big picture and recruiting instead of calling plays.

Basser

[AugustaFriends]

USC needs to win every game.. means Twice against Oregon or rematch vs Stanford

[Basser1]

Hopefully after Nov 3 you will be able to replace Oregon with SC in the title game against Bama!!

Basser

[AugustaFriends]

Current BCS forecast
Each week, I'll update my projected BCS lineup (as necessary) based on the latest week's games. Here's my current edition:

Title game: Alabama vs. Oregon
Rose: [Vacated] vs. USC
Fiesta: Kansas State vs. Notre Dame
Sugar: South Carolina vs. West Virginia
Orange: Florida State vs. Louisville

For the first time in the history of the Coaches' Poll, the Big Ten does not have a single ranked team this week. (Ohio State is ineligible.) Until that changes, I will not dignify the conference by anointing any of its teams as Rose Bowl worthy.

Actually, this is just an excuse to avoid having to make a wild guess on a Big Ten team for at least another week.



Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/stewart_mandel/10/07/florida-state-south-carolina-west-virginia-bcs/index.html#ixzz28mM8IGxI

[Basser1]

It was fun to see the Trojans realize that they could run the ball against Cal. I just hope that before they play Utah that some one on the coaching staff tells Kiffen that it is not illegal or immoral to throw the ball in the middle of the field between the hash marks. In the Cal game he actually let Woody and Lee run down the field and they responded by dropping the ball because they only thought that they could catch bubble screens!!! LOL!!!

Basser

[Basser1]

Yep real stupid call right there and then to come out after the game and say that Barkley made some of the worst decisions since they had been together was a cheap shot. Kiff needs to take some responsibility for not making any adjustments at halftime and fixing what obviously wasn't working. They don't have any screens or wheel routes to the fullback in the offense???? Speaking of the fullback I don't understand not keeping him in as a blocking back to keep Barkley from getting pounded by the pressure up the middle.

Hope they take out the frustration on Cal at our house.

Basser

[AugustaFriends]

What about Kiffin's call to run the ball with 1:12 to go and only one timeout. The rush had not worked all game, Barkley had just completed 2 consecutive passes of +10 yards.

You must go 50 Yards in 1:12 and you run the ball and call no timeout to stop the clock.

Next play the ball was snapped with :44 seconds to go.

[Basser1]

I didn't think that the upset would come this soon either and I sure didn't think that the Trojans would get pushed around as much as they did. Not having Holmes in at center really made a difference but the entire O line had a really terrible game.

I read in the Bleacher Report that the Trojans took Stanford lightly, hard to figure out how you take a team that had beaten you 3 times in a row lightly.

Maybe this is what the Trojans needed was a good solid butt kicking and that is exactly what they got. Now they need to play the way that they are capable of playing and they should still be ok by the time the Pac 12 Champ game comes up, might get Stanford again and I bet that they don't take em lightly again!!!!

Basser

[seabreezing]

I have been a big SC fan for a very long time. Seeing them lose was a ixture of bummer and being happy for Stanford..I have to admit though, for a team with the ability to assemble so much offensive talent...did they forget to scout defensive studs?

[AugustaFriends]

Did not think the upset was gonna be this soon.

[seabreezing]

Can you show me image 2(after game)?

[seabreezing]

LOL My Nephew( Stanford Grad) and family are at the game. I was just getting ready to call em and says congrats. I didn't think they'd win but I certainly didn't think mismatch. Duck grad here so we move up to 3 ...weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[AugustaFriends]

USC image 1

[seabreezing]

mention away. I really like the Bruins from a historical perspective..ya know Bill Walton and the BB gang and then the 550 yards a game offensive dynamo's from years past. Great to see all the teams in the conference get wins. I think I totaled up the records of the pac 12 and it was like 20 and 4 for the first 2 weeks...Duck here though . Looking forward to the USC game and where both teams land end of theb season.

[Basser1]

Hey did you order the tornado????????? That wasn't included in the ticket price was it?? On tv I was watching the game waiting for half time to be over and then I wasn't watching anything except the peeps getting out of the grandstands.

I hated to see the starting center go out on a cart. SC can't afford too many injuries especially to key people.

Basser

[Basser1]

I hate to even mention the Powder Blue Bruins but they look pretty impressive too. Getting rid of Newweasle was the best thing that could have happened to their program. Anybody that goes to sleep on A State or Arizona might be in for a surprise. Pretty tough league not counting Colorado!

Basser

[seabreezing]

It is outstanding! I noted exactly your comments on a friends board, Bullsnbears. Knocking off 3 teams in the top 18. Then you have SC, Ore and Stanford methodically moving to 2-0.Pac 12 , at least this weekend , appear to be arguably the best conference in the country. The 3 teams they beat, especailly Wisconsin, and Ok State are coming off really big seasons..

[AugustaFriends]

what about that PAC-12 three upsets this weekend.. UCLA Arizona Oregon St.

Oregon St only won 3 games last year and Arizona 4

[seabreezing]

Oregon is indeed in play here. They have had 50 -3 and 35-6 leads on their first 2 opponents this season. Neither opponent a Monroe whatever like powerhouse that knocked of Arkansaw but they have so much power its unreal!

[Basser1]

Are you already partying it up in the Big Apple? Hopefully the Trojans are just there to take care of business and not night life it up!!

Syracuse really throws the ball a lot so I hope that the D line puts their QB on the ground a lot because it is hard to get passes off if they are face down in the turf!!!

Basser

[Basser1]

That should be a blast of a roadtrip! Are they playing in the Carrier Dome? While you are there you might want to catch a Tankees game at the stadium. The way that the Yanks have been playing lately it looks a lot like they are trying to be last years Red Sox!! I hope that they get it together sometime pretty soon or they will be watching the playoffs from their couches.
FIGHT ON!!!
Basser

[Basser1]

Yup if the Trojans get the run game cranked up and use the tight ends and fullback in the passing game a little more this is going to be unstoppable. I don't see the punter getting much work and Hedari is probably going to wear his leg out kicking off after TD's.

Vainuku coming out the backfield looks like he is going to be a serious weapon. Almost like having Havilli back there again. This dude can RUN, really really fast for a guy his size. I understand that he is faster than most of the wideouts.

They are pretty good right now and the best part is that by the end of the year there should be a lot of improvement from just working together more to get the timing down pat.

FIGHT ON!!!

Basser

[AugustaFriends]

Syracuse is next and I'm going to NY to the game..

[AugustaFriends]

I like that Kiffin was letting the running game try to find itself. Also, that he let the back-up Wittek in the game..

[Basser1]

Everything that was said about Marquise Lee being a superstar in the making was completely true. This guy has some serious acceleration, he started the kickoff return right in front of my seat and when the hole opened up he was just a blur!!!!

Really saw a lot of good things out of a lot of guys in that game and I have to say that the defensive line is way better than advertised. Leonard Williams is a beast and Breslin has a motor that just won't quit. I like the fact that Kiff is really rotating these guys in and they are doing the job. That is going to pay off down the road bigtime.

A really fun game to watch the first week but it was smokin hot! Had to go for a little dip in one of the fountains to cool off. As I was explaining to campus security I just didn't realize that it was not one of the clothing optional fountains. LOL!!!

basser

[Basser1]

I'm going to ask a stupid question here so just bear with me for a second.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL????? TROJANS GONNA POUND HAWAII!!!

basser

[Basser1]

I think that the backup might be Wittek after all the last QB that came out of Mater Dei didn't turn out half bad at all!!! LOL!!!

I wonder who is going to be left tackle for the first game? Turek did really well there when Walker was out with the dislocated shoulder. Those shoulder dislocations look like they are not a lot of fun to have popped back in place.

Kiff isn't disclosing injuries this year and it makes me wonder a little about how long Lamar Dawson is going to out of the lineup. I guess I wonder about a lot of things that will be cleared up on Saturday.

Prediction: SC 45 Hawaii 7

FIGHT ON!!!!!

Basser

[AugustaFriends]

Backup quarterback coming

USC coach Lane Kiffin indicated he'll name a backup quarterback to Matt Barkley on Tuesday morning, a relatively big announcement because it'll designate who will play quite a bit during the Trojans' first few games.

Kiffin said, as usual, he was impressed with both Cody Kessler and Max Wittek's performances in the mock game the Trojans held on Saturday.

"They both played really, really well," Kiffin said.

Wittek added that he was comfortable with his play in the mock game, saying he "felt fantastic" and was looking forward to Kiffin's upcoming announcement of the No. 2 QB.

"I think anytime a depth chart comes out, it's meaningful, to see where you're at, a crisp 2 or 3 ... instead of a 2a or 2b," Wittek said. "Those mean a lot when you see them."

[AugustaFriends]

Welcome buddy!!

[Basser1]

Good morning!! Only a week to go till the best team in college football straps on the pads and starts to work their way to a showdown with whichever paper champ the SEC and the NCAA decide to send to the National Championship game.

Nice to see a site dedicated to Trojan football and it is being marked on the favorite list right after I get finished typing this.

FIGHT ON TROJANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BASSER

[AugustaFriends]

Five teams capable of ending SEC's BCS championship winning streak


the most viable contenders are USC, Oklahoma, Oregon and Florida State.


The five most promising candidates:

• Texas (No. 15 in Coaches' Poll): In the three years since losing Colt McCoy in the first quarter of the title game and falling 37-21 to Alabama, Mack Brown has reinvented the Longhorns into a virtual SEC clone. They run the ball (202.6 yards per game last year) and stop the run (No. 6 nationally). They boast a pair of potential first-round defensive ends in Jackson Jeffcoat and Alex Okafor and a trio of young tailbacks (Malcolm Brown, Joe Bergeron and freshman Johnathan Gray) any team would covet. Texas needs either David Ash or Case McCoy to emerge as a dependable quarterback, which is an admittedly huge question mark for the team, but it doesn't necessarily need either to become a star. The Longhorns -- 4-5 in the Big 12 last season -- may still be a year away from returning to elite status, but they match the blueprint.

• Oregon (No. 5): Yes, the Ducks are 1-2 versus the SEC under Chip Kelly, including a 40-27 rout by LSU in the 2011 opener. That's a bit deceiving, though. Two fumbles by then-rookie De'Anthony Thomas helped blow open a game in which Oregon outgained the Tigers 335-273. This year Kelly may have his scariest running game yet with veteran tailback Kenjon Barner, the supremely explosive Thomas and a pair of quarterbacks, Marcus Mariota and Bryan Bennett, who are both more dangerous runners than Darron Thomas. The defense, led by defensive end Dion Jordan, linebacker Michael Clay and safety John Boyett, will be Oregon's most athletic in recent memory. As always, the concern with Oregon is that its smallish offensive line could be overpowered by an elite foe.

• USC (No. 3): The Trojans are loaded on offense, with quarterback Matt Barkley and receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee arguably the best in the country at their positions. And the addition of 1,241-yard Penn State rusher Silas Redd to go with Curtis McNeal means Lane Kiffin's team should be more balanced. The running game could be the key to avoiding a fate like Sam Bradford-led Oklahoma's 14-point showing against Florida in 2008. There's plenty of talent on defense (safety T.J. McDonald, corner Nickell Robey), too. The concern, however, is the defensive line, where USC must replace three starters and may be without injured defensive end Devon Kennard. That's arguably the most important position when facing a powerful SEC rushing attack, and the reason Oregon may pose a slightly better matchup.

• Michigan State (No. 13): Two years ago, a 9-3 SEC team (Alabama) thoroughly outclassed Mark Dantonio's team in a bowl game, 49-7. One New Year's Day later, Michigan State -- 22-5 the past two years -- topped a 10-3 SEC team (Georgia) in double overtime. What changed? An influx of athletic defenders (ends William Gholston and Marcus Rush, linebackers Max Bullough and Denicos Allen, cornerback Johnny Adams) has helped Dantonio produce a swarming unit. The 2011 Spartans held foes to 2.8 yards per carry, seventh-best nationally, and return eight starters. Meanwhile, power back Le'Veon Bell leads a physical rushing attack. On the downside, Michigan State must break in new quarterback Andrew Maxwell and inexperienced receivers, but this team will win with defense first.

• Florida State (No. 7): Judging by recruiting ratings, Jimbo Fisher -- who previously worked under both Nick Saban and Les Miles -- has assembled more talent than any non-SEC program other than USC. That's particularly true on defense, where defensive ends Bjoern Werner and Brandon Jenkins, defensive tackle Everett Dawkins and cornerback Xavier Rhodes helped hold foes to fewer yards per rushing attempt (2.35) last year than even Alabama's historic unit. This year's defense is more experienced. Oft-criticized quarterback EJ Manuel actually averaged an acceptable 8.57 yards per attempt. But the 'Noles, who suffered mass injuries on the offensive line last year, still need to drastically improve on their 104th-ranked rushing offense.


Several highly ranked teams failed to make the list. They may very well be capable of reaching the big game, but their blueprint suggests they'd suffer the same fate as those before them. Here's why:

• No. 4 Oklahoma: The Sooners are too dependent on the passing game and have not yet demonstrated the capacity for an elite rushing defense.

• No. 8 Michigan: Brady Hoke likely needs another year's recruiting haul before the Wolverines can field an upper-echelon defensive front.

• No. 11 West Virginia: Like Oklahoma, the Mountaineers' pass-heavy offense leaves them too one-dimensional if facing an elite SEC defense.

• No. 12 Wisconsin: The Badgers have the rushing offense, but it's hard to put faith in a defense that gave up 621 yards to Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

• No. 14 Clemson: The Tigers ranked 83rd nationally against the run last season.



Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/stewart_mandel/08/13/sec-bcs-championship-streak/index.html#ixzz24WB5uZK4

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/stewart_mandel/08/13/sec-bcs-championship-streak/index.html#ixzz24WAqOCMr

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/stewart_mandel/08/13/sec-bcs-championship-streak/index.html#ixzz24WAM5MRT

[AugustaFriends]

SI.com's 2012 Preseason All-America Team Note

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/ncaa/08/09/preseason-all-america-team/index.html#ixzz24W0juHRB

[AugustaFriends]

Get ready for Marqise Lee version 2.0


August 24th, 2012, 8:00 am · · posted by Michael Lev, staff writer



Over the final five games of last season, USC receiver Marqise Lee caught 46 passes for 703 yards and seven touchdowns. He also returned a kickoff for a score.

“I know it sounds pretty strong, but I think he was kind of dominating college football at the end of the year,” Trojans coach Lane Kiffin said of Lee on Thursday.

Here’s the scary part, if you’re an opposing defense: Lee should be significantly more advanced this season than last.

Consider: Lee basically knew only one receiver position last season. Now he knows all three. That means Kiffin can move Lee around and keep defenses guessing.

“It’s hard as a true freshman to know that stuff,” Kiffin said. “Most true freshmen can’t even line up. He’s definitely made the transition.”

Teammate Robert Woods made that same transition a year ago, and his numbers spiked across the board: from 65 catches, 792 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman to 111-1,292-15 as a sophomore.

Kiffin said Thursday that he would try to get the ball to Lee as much as possible. “If you make the statement that he might go down as the best receiver ever (at USC), you better put the ball in his hands,” Kiffin said.

Kiffin first made that statement in November. He wouldn’t have done it if he had questions about Lee’s work ethic or suspected it would go to his head. It hasn’t.

“He’s one of the hardest-working guys we’ve ever seen out here,” said Kiffin, who earlier in camp compared Lee’s work ethic to that of Reggie Bush.

During Bush’s heyday, one of the biggest challenges for Kiffin was divvying up the touches among USC’s array of skill-position stars. He’d like to find a way to keep both Lee and Woods satisfied. It’s a very good problem to have.

[AugustaFriends]

2012 College Football Kickoff - 12th annual Herbie Awards

http://espn.go.com/college-football/preview12/story/_/id/8284250/top-players-coaches-teams-honored-herbie-awards

[AugustaFriends]

College Football pre-season 2012 rankings

[AugustaFriends]

Georgia's schedule: The Bulldogs' soft schedule is a big reason they enter the season ranked in the top 10 and as favorites to repeat as SEC East champions. The Bulldogs' nonconference schedule includes games against Buffalo, Florida Atlantic and FCS foe Georgia Southern, and it doesn't play Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State or Texas A&M from the SEC West

[AugustaFriends]

The first weekend of the regular season offers a buffet of intriguing, neutral-site games. Notre Dame plays Navy in Dublin, Ireland. Alabama plays Michigan at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. NC State plays Tennessee and Auburn plays Clemson on consecutive nights at Atlanta's Georgia Dome.

[AugustaFriends]

High-profile teams that are ineligible for the postseason this year, along with Central Florida, Ohio State and Penn State. New UNC coach Larry Fedora will eventually produce a winner in Chapel Hill, N.C., but his first season figures to be a long one, especially with an ongoing investigation into academic irregularities.

[AugustaFriends]

USC quarterback Matt Barkley is on pace to become the school's all-time leader in passing yards, completions, and touchdowns.



Matt Barkley Throws of 25+ Yards Last 3 Seasons
2009-10 2011
Comp pct 21.9 40.8
Yds per att 8.4 16.0
TD-Int 4-5 13-1




Matt Barkley will begin the year for No. 3 Southern California as a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy.

Barkley would be the seventh Trojan to win the award (excluding Reggie Bush), tying USC with Notre Dame and Ohio State for most all-time.

His stellar play during the past three seasons has fueled the Heisman speculation heading into his senior year. To date, he has amassed over 9,000 passing yards and 80 touchdowns in 36 career starts (27-9) and is on pace to become USC’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns and completions.

High expectations are nothing new for Barkley as he entered USC in 2009 as the No. 1 player in the ESPN 150. After enrolling early, Barkley won the starting job during spring practice and became the only true freshmen to ever start the season opener for the Trojans.

Barkley also showed as a freshman that he would not shy away from the big stage. In just his second-career start, he led the Trojans on an 86-yard game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter against Ohio State in Columbus. Barkley finished the season with 2,735 yards and 15 touchdowns, the most by a true freshmen in school history.

USC’s starting center Khaled Holmes said of Barkley, the Trojans first ever three-time captain, "Guys recognized not only his skill, but his work ethic, his willingness to learn and his mental strength as well."

It appears that Barkley's work ethic has paid dividends as his completion percentage, passing yards, touchdown-to-interception ratio and passing efficiency have all improved in each of his three seasons. In 2011, Barkley finished with the third-most touchdown passes (39) and had the eighth-highest passing efficiency (161.2) in the FBS.


The area in which Barkley has made the biggest stride is his downfield passing. In 2011, he led the Pac-12 with 13 touchdown passes on throws that traveled 25 yards or more downfield.

That matched the combined total of fellow Pac-12 quarterbacks Andrew Luck (4), Nick Foles (4), and Darron Thomas (5)

The 13 touchdowns were also nine more than Barkley’s combined total from his first two seasons. Most impressively, his interceptions went down while the touchdowns went up. In 49 attempts 25-plus yards downfield, Barkley threw one interception in 2011. He had five such picks in the previous two seasons.

One factor that led to Barkley’s improved downfield passing was the emergence of wide receiver Marqise Lee. Lee provided another quality option for USC so teams could no longer focus solely on containing all-American receiver, Robert Woods.

As a freshman last season, Lee caught eight of Barkley’s 13 touchdowns on throws of 25-plus yards, and he had more receptions on such throws than the rest of the team combined. As a duo, Lee and Woods caught 26 total touchdown passes, including 12 on throws of 25-plus yards. Both receivers are back for the 2012 season.

If Barkley, Lee, and Woods continue to make positive strides in 2012, there’s no telling how far the Trojans can go.

[AugustaFriends]

AP Preseason No. 1 - BCS Era

In the Coaches' Poll, Alabama, LSU and USC had 20, 18 and 19 first-place votes, respectively. In the history of the preseason AP Poll, only once have three teams been separated by two first place votes. That came in 1955 when No. 1 UCLA had 33, No. 2 Oklahoma had 32 and No. 3 Michigan had 34. Since 1960, there has never been a preseason poll in which three different teams received at least 15 first-place votes.

[AugustaFriends]

Top 100 NCAA Football Players

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--fbc-top-100-player-countdown-1-10.html?page=all


WR Robert Woods, USC

Particulars: 6-1/190, Jr.; Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra
Buzz: He has started all 25 games in his Trojans career and has 176 receptions for 2,084 yards and 21 touchdowns. He should set USC career records in receptions and receiving yards this season. Woods had four games last season with double-digit receptions and finished the season with 111 catches for 1,292 yards and 15 TDs. He had six games with at least two TD catches, and has eight of those in his career. He and sophomore Marqise Lee, a former high school teammate, give USC the best receiving duo in the nation.



QB Matt Barkley, USC

Particulars: 6-2/230, Sr.; Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei
Buzz: His decision to stay in school for his senior season made USC a leading contender for the national title. Barkley also is the leading contender for the Heisman. He will be a four-year starter for the Trojans and will be the school's first-ever three-time captain. Barkley completed 69.1 percent of his passes and threw for 3,528 yards, 39 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2011. He should graduate with school career records in completions, TDs, passing yards and total offense. Six USC quarterbacks have been first-round selections in the NFL draft; Barkley is going to make it seven

[AugustaFriends]

20 teams that can win 2012 BCS title

Previewing the 19 teams that could win the 2012 BCS title (plus Ohio State)

[AugustaFriends]

Matt Barkley, Senior, USC Trojans


Barkley is the unquestioned franchise quarterback of this group. He made improvements in the critical areas that Lane Kiffin challenged him in heading into last season: efficiency in the red zone and on third downs, and controlling his emotions in the big moments.




I have made two trips to Los Angeles this offseason to sit down with Barkley, and each time I am more and more impressed by one thing in particular: his lack of satisfaction. Barkley continues to refine his fundamentals, working to keep his body balanced, and shoulders on plane throughout his drop and movement throws.



The questions will come in February next year at the combine when his height (a little taller than 6-foot-1) and hand size will be scrutinized. Accomplishing what Andrew Luck and Sam Bradford couldn't in recent years -- coming back to school and winning it all -- would erase any doubts of his physical limitations and cement him as the No. 1 pick next April. And given his supporting cast at USC, he's got a good chance to do it.

[AugustaFriends]

1. USC Trojans Last season: 10-2 (7-2 Pac-12 South)





PLAYING FOR THE PRESENT
In front of a Christmas tree last December, QB Matt Barkley announced he would forgo a likely first-round spot in the NFL draft to return for his senior season. Talk about a gift -- and he might just give another to the Trojans before he leaves. A major selling point for Barkley was a shot at a BCS title following a two-season bowl ban. A front-runner's shot at the Heisman didn't hurt either. Need two more reasons? Top returning WRs Robert Woods, who had a Pac-12-best 15 TD receptions and a league-record 111 catches, and Marqise Lee, who led Pac-12 freshmen with 11 receiving TDs. Barkley (9,054 career yards) should walk away as USC's leading passer too, eclipsing Carson Palmer (11,818 career yards). The only glaring weakness for our No. 1 team is pass defense. While SC was staunch against the run (18th in the FBS), the four starters returning in the secondary, including senior FS T.J. McDonald and junior CB Nickell Robey (a combined 5 INTs), must bolster a D that ranked 102nd against the pass. After all, the Trojans have to survive the air-it-out Pac-12 if they want to take on the SEC.



KC JOYNER'S KICK-STARTER Senior RB Curtis McNeal: The Trojans' air attack (294 ypg, 15th in the FBS) was certainly worth gawking at in 2011, but so was McNeal, whose 6.9 ypc (145 carries, 1,005 yards) was the 10th-highest total among the 199 players with at least 100 attempts. Even with Penn State transfer Silas Redd poaching carries, McNeal should approach 200 totes, and the return of four starters along the O-line portends that he'll finish well beyond 1,000 yards.