On Sunday night, I ended my report on the USC scrimmage at the Coliseum by saying that I would pick Aaron Corp over Mitch Mustain to replace Mark Sanchez as the starting quarterback for the opener against the Virginia Cavaliers.
Now this may be a moot point since Mark Sanchez could very well complete his rehab by next week. He has been walking and doing some light jogging with a knee brace. He has also been throwing to stationary targets. Tomorrow he begins throwing to receivers on the move.
Although his progress has been exceptional up to this point, Sanchez must be ready to practice with the first team offense by next Tuesday if he hopes to start against Virginia. That's just one week away. His chances are probably 50-50 that he will make it.
If he doesn't make it, who do you think should start in his place: Mustain or Corp? Whenever Sanchez does make it back, whether it's for the Virginia game or for Ohio State, who should be the number two quarterback: Mustain or Corp?
Here are the stats that I listed in my report on Saturday's scrimmage. Mustain: Six of 12 for 118 yards with one interception that was run back for a TD. Corp: 12 of 16 for 64 yards and one interception. Mustain also had a 26-yard TD pass.
At yesterday's practice (without full pads), Aaron Corp had a fine practice and hit Damian Williams for a 20-yard touchdown, and he later hit fullback Stanley Havili for a 15-yard touchdown.
Mitch Mustain also had two TD passes, one to Havili and the other to Ronald Johnson. Both covered 30 yards. Josh Pinkard, subbing for the injured Cary Harris, intercepted a Mustain pass.
At today's practice, it was Garrett Green, the former backup safety turned backup wide receiver turned reserve quarterback, who led a touchdown scoring drive as the team practiced overtime situations.
On Sunday, Green hooked up with Jordan Cameron for the longest play of the day, a 50-yard touchdown. Saturday at the Coliseum, Green went six for 10 for 63 yards with a touchdown and an interception that C.J. Gable should have caught.
That brings up yet another possibility: Should Garrett Green receive any consideration in the head-to-head quarterback competition?
My take on it is this. Green actually has one more year of experience with the Trojan offense than either Mustain or Corp. Of the three, Green also has the best composure under fire.
He has better mobility than Mustain as does Corp, but Green lacks Corp's top speed. However, Green will stay in the pocket long enough to go through his progressions and remains cool and collected when the defense brings the heat.
That's my take on Garrett Green. What's yours?
Injury update: Joe McKnight hyperextended his elbow Saturday night and did not practice. Joining McKnight on the sidelines were Mark Sanchez, Michael Morgan, Matt Meyer, Trey Henderson, Chris Galippo, Michael Reardon, and Cary Harris.
The offensive line got some good news yesterday. Returning to the wars were O-lineman Tyron Smith (knee/ankle), tight end Blake Ayles (concussion), center Alex Parsons (concussion), and offensive guard Jeff Byers (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever).
Pete Carroll was extremely pleased to have Byers return. He is not only the most experienced but is also the inspirational leader of the O-line.
A reminder: Thursday's mock scrimmage at the Coliseum will begin at 3:30 p.m. See you there.
18 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Lew Wright 10 months ago
Hey Paul,
Nice rundown of the quarterback dilemma for Coach Carroll. To be up front, have yet to be convinced that Mark Sanchez is a quality Pac-10 QB. He was pretty average, being generous, in replacing Booty for a few games last season. There has been a succession of fine players at the QB position for USC, making it a tough role to fill. But others have done it.
Mustain might just be the man. If he gets the nod in the opener, chances are Coach Carroll will see what he can do.
Then again, does it really matter this season? With the outstanding athletes along the O-line and a wealth of excellent backs, Coach Carroll should find himself a Gilligan hat and do his best John McKay impression. Mix up the student body left, student body right with an occasionally slant to the tight end. Then wear our your kicker on extra points.
Lew
Edit Comment Cancel
J.C. Ayvazi 10 months ago
Since Green has far fewer reps over the spring and training camp I don't realistically see how he could start. The best you can hope for is a series in the middle of a quarter as a change up given a specific set of plays not run yet in the game to mess with the defense's head.
Raw numbers do show Corp ahead but I'm afraid Carroll and Sarkisian will rely on Mustain's experience as a piglet. What you are proposing (either Corp or Green) requires an offensive brashness that hasn't been present since Chow left.
Edit Comment Cancel
Nick Martin 10 months ago
Sanchez will be ready to go, so neither.
Edit Comment Cancel
Dave Nemetz 10 months ago
If Sanchez is out, I'd rather see what Mustain can do. The guy won 8 games as a freshman QB in the SEC, so we might as well see how he's developed since then in real game conditions.
Edit Comment Cancel
jamie lane 10 months ago
Corp's passing production goes down with each opportunity. His #s in the last scrimmage were a joke. 4 yards per attempt, are you kidding me! It doesn't even make sense to let him pass in a real game with #s like that.
Mustain isn't immobile either. I believe he scored on a 20 yard scramble recently and ran the ball in against the Trojans at Fayetteville 2 years ago.
Basicly, Sanchez (7 TDs, 5 INT's), Mustain, and Corp are all mistake prone at this point. Corp is the least likely of the three to make plays in the passing game. I don't see Sarkisian going to a Pass option offense anytime soon so his mobility is of little consequence in the current offensive scheme.
If I were coach, there isn't any way I go with Corp over 2 guys with real game experience unless the other two have collapsed, which hasn't happened. Especially opening up against a team from a BCS conference.
It's either Sanchez or Mustain at this point.
Edit Comment Cancel
Jimson Cuenta 10 months ago
Uh duh, this one's a NO-brainer... You definitely start Mitch Mustain AHEAD of Aaron Corp. I mean, Mitch Mustain went 10-0 as a FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK in the SEC, lol :)
I don't know about you, but I CANNOT name anyone (on the top of my head)... that won 10 games as a FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK, in the SEC!
Edit Comment Cancel
Gerald Ball 10 months ago
Jimson:
Mitch Mustain did not go 8 - 0 in SEC games. 3 of his wins came against Utah State, Southeast Missouri State, and Louisiana - Monroe. The 5 SEC wins were against Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, South Carolina, 6 - 7 Alabama, and an Auburn team whose starting tailback was injured and QB was playing on one leg. The best team Arkansas beat that year was Tennessee, and that was AFTER Mustain was benched. My goodness, Arkansas was the 3rd best team in the SEC West that season. LSU beat them head to head. The only reason why Arkansas went to the SEC title game instead of LSU was because A) LSU played Florida during the regular season and B) LSU played Auburn early in the year when Auburn was HEALTHY.
It is amazing how USC fans extol the virtues of the 4 and 5 loss SEC teams that USC beats while trashing the SEC teams that win national titles (LSU, Florida) and go undefeated (Auburn). You guys could care less that Mitch Mustain's "8-0" came against the same "cupcake opponents" that you accuse "overrated" LSU, Florida, and Auburn of playing, eh? What a bunch of hypocrites. My prediction is that Mitch Mustain left an excellent situation in Arkansas where he would have developed into a high NFL draft pick in order to be the scout team tackling dummy for a program where he will never start an college game, and you USC fans will get a huge kick out of proclaiming "the guy who went 8 - 0 in the mighty SEC couldn't get on the field for USC, so that makes USC better." Please, spare me.
Edit Comment Cancel
jamie lane 10 months ago
Is that you Houston Nutt?
Check out the rb's stats against Vandy and Bama? Not only that, the back breaking play in the "beat down at Auburn" was a play that Mustain checked out of when he saw a blitz coming and hit Monk for a 51 yard td pass.
That was the same Auburn team that beat both Fla(NC) and LSU(#3) that season.
I promise you, Arkansas with the megalomaniac Nutt coaching was not a good situation for any qb. Ask Tarvaris Jackson, he was so bad under Nutt he couldn't get on the field and became an NFL qb after transferring.
Edit Comment Cancel
jamie lane 10 months ago
Is that you Houston Nutt?
Check out the rb's stats against Vandy and Bama? Not only that, the back breaking play in the "beat down at Auburn" was a play that Mustain checked out of when he saw a blitz coming and hit Monk for a 51 yard td pass.
That was the same Auburn team that beat both Fla(NC) and LSU(#3) that season.
I promise you, Arkansas with the megalomaniac Nutt coaching was not a good situation for any qb. Ask Tarvaris Jackson, he was so bad under Nutt he couldn't get on the field and became an NFL qb after transferring.
Edit Comment Cancel
USC Fan 10 months ago
Put the ball into the hand of a WINNER = Mitch Mustain
All Mitch Mustain does is WIN football games. He finds a way to put his team in position to WIN.
We can't afford to throw a QB in to start against Virginia with NO real game experience! get Real!
Mitch Mustain will make BIG plays, can throw for TDs, and will stretch the field, which will open up our running game and vice-versa. Also, Mustain and Williams know each other and have perfect timing. Expect the two to hook up for at least two TDs against Virginia.
If Sanchez is 100% and able to do the reps in practice with the first team next week, then fine, go with Sanchez, otherwise, give Mitch Mustain the reins to WIN the opener!
Edit Comment Cancel
jamie lane 10 months ago
Is that you Houston Nutt?
Check out the rb's stats against Vandy and Bama? Not only that, the back breaking play in the "beat down at Auburn" was a play that Mustain checked out of when he saw a blitz coming and hit Monk for a 51 yard td pass.
That was the same Auburn team that beat both Fla(NC) and LSU(#3) that season.
I promise you, Arkansas with the megalomaniac Nutt coaching was not a good situation for any qb. Ask Tarvaris Jackson, he was so bad under Nutt he couldn't get on the field and became an NFL qb afterward.
Edit Comment Cancel
Lisa Horne 10 months ago
Are u kidding me? Mustain is a whiner. He went 8-0 as a starter and most of those games were won by D-Mac and Jones. Puh-leez.
I watched them at the Spring game and talked to both personally...Mustain whined about not coming to USC to be a back-up. Pffft. If he wants to start, he better learn to minimize his INTs. And act like a leader. Nobody hands you the starting QB job at SC..u have to earn it.
And Gerald...going 8-0 in the "mighty SEC" is an accurate statement. He played in the SEC. Saying he beat 8 SEC teams is inaccurate.
But don't blame anyone for stating the facts...he went 8-0 as a starter in the SEC. He didn't beat all SEC teams, and that is different. But don't get your pants in a wad b/c half of those wins were cupcakes.
First you say the SEC is the best, and don't need to play good non-conference games due to the SEC conference teams, then as soon as someone points out a QB who defected to the Pac-10, all of a sudden those 8 wins don't count b/c a lot were cupcakes? I don't get it.
Isn't the fact that he went 8 grueling games in the SEC count for something? Probably not, but thought I would throw that at you since ya'll seem to believe that.
Corps should be #1 back-up.
Edit Comment Cancel
Jeff Contizano 10 months ago
Especially when Mustain completed 52.3% of his passes for 834 yards, 10 TD, 9 INT. That's 75 YPG. Not to take away from his vaunted 8-0 record, but D-Mac and Felix were that team.
Edit Comment Cancel
jamie lane 10 months ago
Dmac and Felix weren't much against Vandy or Bama. two games Mustain was the key to victory in.
Edit Comment Cancel
USC Fan 10 months ago
Mitch Mustain had a great scrimmage tonight. No mistakes, rock solid in his throws, picked apart the D repeatedly tonight, and looked far superior to Corp and green on the field. Have to say that at this point, if Sanchez is still out next week, we need to go with Mustain. The dude wins football games. Period. And don't forget, D. Williams will be on the filed, Mustain's go to guy from Arkansas.
GO TROJANS!
Edit Comment Cancel
Paul Peszko 10 months ago
If you were referring to this afternoon's Mock Game, I have to agree with you. I just posted a recap. Corp just couldn't get anything going in the first-half. Then Mustain came in and took the first-unit in for a score with McKnight's, help, of course. But Mustain's passes were clean and no mistakes.
He did the same thing in the second half. He was 2-for-2 on drives this afternoon and will definitely get to start if Sanchez isn't ready. It seems like he is a totally different qb in a game atmosphere, not the same one who looks confused and unsure of himself during practices.
Edit Comment Cancel
USCfbfan USCfbfan 10 months ago
"and looked far superior to Corp and green on the field"
Thats a first
Edit Comment Cancel
USCfbfan USCfbfan 10 months ago
So Mustain plays well at the last Scrimmage/Mock Game and all of a sudden all the other times that Corp out played him mean nothing???
Corp out performed Mustain in the MAJORITY of fall camp, period.
Now I would start Mustain for 2 reasons
1) he does have game time experience in College
2) Corp is not physically ready to be thrown into a game, and he shows promise worth protecting and grooming and has more time left with USC than Mustain.
I think USC should use Mustain as a backup right now, and let Corp continue to learn, grow, and mature for future use.
Edit Comment Cancel
Leave a Comment
You must register to post a comment.