Insider: USC
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By CURT McKEEVER / Lincoln Journal Star
Keep an eye on 'em
Sam Baker, OT / Sr. / 6-5 / 305 pounds
With Baker’s presence on the left side, the Trojans are more apt to run their famed “Student Body Right” play the other way. The two-time All-American is up for both the Lombardi Award (top lineman) and Outland Trophy (interior lineman).
Points
Offense: 38
Defense: 10
Yards
Offense: 420
Defense: 253
Rush
Offense: 214
Defense: 98
Pass
Offense: 206
Defense: 155
Time
Offense: 32:34
Defense: 27:26
Base formations
Offense: Two-back multiple
Defense: 4-3
Keith Rivers, LB / Sr. / 6-3 / 235 pounds
He’s got catlike springs that allow him to deliver vicious hits in tight spots. Led USC with 85 tackles and three forced fumbles in 2006. A candidate for nearly every postseason honor, including the Lott Trophy (top defensive impact player).
Taylor Mays, FS / So. / 6-4 / 225 pounds
Tough to burn deep. Took over last year when Josh Pinkard suffered a season-ending injury in the first game and ended up being the Pac-10 co-freshman of the year after recording 62 tackles and a team-high three interceptions.
Quarterbacks: NU goes from facing a backup at Wake Forest to Heisman Trophy candidate John David Booty. He started his season by completing 21 of 32 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of action against Idaho. Booty has the luxury of playing in a well-rounded unit, but has the kind of poise and ability that allow him to take over, if need be. In 14 career starts, he’s thrown for more than 200 yards 12 times. He also has tossed at least two TD passes in 10 of those games. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds and above-average arm strength, Booty has everything he needs to post a long career in the NFL. (4 balls)
Running backs: Once upon a time, Oklahoma State had a tailback named Barry Sanders who backed up Thurman Thomas. Ridiculous — right? Well, that might be nothing compared to USC’s current situation. Consider that the first five Trojans on the depth chart are separated by “or.” In other words, it really doesn’t matter whether C.J. Gable, Stafon Johnson, Chauncey Washington, Allen Bradford or the latest freshman phenom, Joe McKnight, is lined up behind Booty. They’re all a threat to bust a big play. The talent in this group is such that Emmanuel Moody, who led USC in rushing in last year’s game against Nebraska, transferred to Florida. (4 balls)
Wide receivers: Good news: Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith, who combined for three touchdowns against the Huskers last season, are in the NFL. Bad news: Patrick Turner, Vidal Hazelton and David Ausberry, all with NFL size, might be headed down the same path. Turner, held out of the season opener Sept. 1 against Idaho with a shoulder stinger, had a 12-catch, 116-yard day against Washington last season when Jarrett was injured. Hazelton stepped in for Turner to make four catches, including a one-handed gem that netted him his first career touchdown. Ausberry, a redshirt freshman, had five receptions in his debut. Turner is expected to play Saturday. (3 balls)
Offensive line: You won’t find a better left tackle than Sam Baker, and Fred Davis is a viable receiver at tight end, but the Trojans do have an issue here. Projected starting center Matt Spanos is out with a torn triceps. USC considered moving Jeff Byers, a decorated high school center who’s missed most of the past two seasons, over from left guard, but eventually decided on true freshman Kristofer O’Dowd. He did fine against Idaho, but it’ll be interesting to see how he handles his first big-time road atmosphere. Right guard Chilo Rachal and right tackle Drew Radovich (who played left guard in 2006) are returning starters. (3 balls)
Defensive line: Nebraska didn’t see nose tackle Sedrick Ellis last season, as the first-team All-American missed three games following arthroscopic knee surgery. After Saturday, the Huskers will know why the Trojans’ defense is built around the powerful senior. End Lawrence Jackson is a fourth-year starter who also figures to push for All-America honors. The other end spot opened up when last year’s starter, Brian Cushing, moved back to linebacker after USC switched back to a 4-3 look. True freshman Everson Griffen, a national player of the year last season at Agua Fria High in Avondale, Ariz., is pushing starter Kyle Moore. (3 balls)
Linebackers: USC will laugh at any notion that another team might have a better linebacker group than Keith Rivers, Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing. What’s scary is that coach Pete Carroll claims their backups are nipping at their heels for playing time. That could show in a big way Saturday, as Cushing is questionable with a tender ankle, leaving former walk-on Clay Matthews (whose dad was a USC All-American and NFL star) with a prime opportunity to showcase himself. Maualuga, who took a recruiting trip to Nebraska and is arguably the Trojans’ most physical player, and Rivers were first-team All-Pac-10 selections last season. (4 balls)
Defensive backs: Nebraska coach Bill Callahan took some flak last season for his conservative offensive plan against USC. But when he sees what the Trojans have in their 2007 secondary, he might have similar thoughts. Cornerback Terrell Thomas is a Thorpe Award candidate, while free safety Taylor Mays led the team in interceptions last year. Nebraska may look to pick on cornerback Cary Harris, who’s missed most of the past two seasons with injuries and is replacing the injured Josh Pinkard. NU quarterback Sam Keller will undoubtedly remember strong safety Kevin Ellison, who picked him off late to seal USC’s 2005 win at Arizona State. (3 balls)
Special teams: USC lost one of the nation’s most accurate kickers when Mario Danelo died from injuries sustained in a fall off a cliff in January. Danelo, who hit 26 of 28 fields goals in his two-year career, is being replaced by David Buehler, who in his only attempt last season hit a 49-yarder against Cal, the longest field goal at USC since 1998. Buehler also is handling kickoffs, as Troy Van Blarcom, who in two years had 68 touchbacks in 179 kicks, left school. Former walk-on Greg Woldneck is back to punt after averaging 38.3 yards last year. And for those of you wondering what happened to ex-NU kicker Jordan Congdon, he’s now a Trojan, but is redshirting this season. (2 balls)
Scouting report: USC opened the 2007 season with a 38-10 victory against Idaho. For Vandals’ first-year coach, Robb Akey, it was more of the same ol’, same ol’. He spent the previous four seasons as Washington State’s defensive coordinator and went 0-4 against the Trojans in that role. The Cougars did beat USC in two of three meetings when Akey was the defensive line coach.
“Defensively, it took an awful lot to get into the game. We had bodies where they belonged, but (we) were not making plays — not unusual in your first game, (but) it also had something to do with who we were playing.
“They’re a better outfit, when you look at size and speed and that type of thing, than anybody that’s going to be on our schedule this year.
“I think they’ve improved themselves from what they were a year ago. … They were kind of beat up coming into our game … but some of those guys they’re bringing in are big, fast, good guys.
“We just tried to fight like hell the best we could. But there’ll be things, down-and-distancewise and personnelwise, that you will look to attack when you play them, like you do with anybody, and it’s a matter of how do you match up with them, personnelwise? You kind of have an idea of where they’re going with things, and try to help the guys that need help.
“Our deal (on offense) was to make sure that we protected (redshirt freshman quarterback Nate Enderle of North Platte), and he needed, also, to get the ball out fast. We wanted to release the ball quickly, and he was able to do that. I thought our coaching staff did a nice job of changing up the play-calling a little bit, so they could move him around some to still be able to throw the ball.
“I think that’s critical, because that’s a darn good front and a good outfit. And they came after him a little bit, too, and we only got sacked one time.”
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