USC v. ND Head2Head: Weis v. Carroll, Barkley v. Clausen, and Lou Holtz

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

USC-ND Pre-game Roundtable:

Over the past decade, USC has dominated the Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh. But with senior quarterback Jimmy Clausen, and a much-improved Irish squad, South Bend is looking for its first win in eight games versus the Cardinal and Gold.

Bleacher Report Featured columnists from both teams—Mitchell Golden from the Trojans, and Michael Muratore from the Fighting Irish—held a head-to-head discussion about tomorrows game, the implications for the future, repercussions from the past, and how the game relates to the national football landscape.

Here are highlights from the discussion:

1. Weather

Both writers acknowledged the impact that frigid South Bend will have on the game. While both quarterbacks hail from Southern California, Clausen has experience in the cold. Barkley is yet to play a game on “frozen tundra”.

Golden: The cold may play in to how accurate Barkley passes

Muratore: I don’t think it’s going to be as cold as they initially thought

Golden: It was in the eighties this week

Muratore: Well…it’s be colder than THAT!

While the weather discussion led to obvious comments about how the cold will impact USC’s warm weather team, some deeper insight was shared as Muratore and Golden discussed the possibility of a Big 10 BCS Bowl site, and how Midwestern teams deserve a bowl game in their region.

Golden: The Big Ten should get a BCS Bowl site

Muratore: There are stadiums big enough.

Golden: When you think of how the [Midwestern] teams are built, they are power running and power defense. To win in that conference, you must have the personnel to win in the snow.

Muratore: Definitely. There is no way the Big 10 loses every year simply from lack of talent.

2.Coaching – Past AND Present

Muratore was quick to praise Carroll’s conservative game calling, and pointed out that his game plan has been key in developing freshman Matt Barkley. Golden noted that with weapons Joe McKnight and Stanley Havili coming out of the backfield, the conservative attack has flourished with Barkley.

The conversation then moved to nicknames. When asked if Weis has a home crowd nickname like “Big Balls” Pete Carroll, Muratore simply replied: “Moron.”

Yet it was not pure insult for Weis. Muratore pointed out both strengths and weaknesses of his team:

Muratore: Weis has the potential to build something great at ND. He’s getting the talent in.If he can get the team to play smart, stop making mental errors, and play good football (use the clock, field position, etc.), Notre Game would surely have more success. He is a great offensive mind…but, he is slow to adapt, and tends to stick to what was working well after the opponent has caught on.

Golden chose to concentrate more on Carroll’s energetic, inspirational style, exhibited when bringing the recently injured Stafon Johnson to visit the team before leaving for South Bend. Soon enough though, he was back on the case of a Notre Dame coach. And, it may not be the one most expect to hear about today.

Golden: I can see USC winning, and Lou Holtz will still give a College Gameday helmet sticker to Clausen or Tate for “showing heart.”

Muratore: Holtz is DRIVING the bandwagon at this point. He’s been an Irish fan since his youth in Liverpool, Ohio, and I doubt his Championship predictions will ever stop.

3. Quarterbacks – The battle of Southern Californians, Flashy vs. Humble, Experience vs. Youth.

Muratore:

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