You need to realize one thing about sportswriters, especially those in the national media, who don’t cover a specific team. Instead they cover one another. When the writers at the top pick out a player or two, all the others follow, and it snowballs from there.
Look at the cover of Sports Illustrated 2008 College Preview edition. Who do you see? Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga and Mark Sanchez.
And the universities promote the same players that the media have singled out, and rightly so. Why shouldn’t they want national recognition for their players.? Look at the USC Football Yearbook with their four All-American candidates, Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, Kevin Ellison, and Taylor Mays, on the cover.
Do they deserve to be there? Of course. Will they have an impact in this game? You better believe it. Are they the keys to a USC victory?
Not really.
What about Mark Sanchez? Isn’t he in the Heisman watch now? Yes, sportswriters have penciled him in after one exceptional game. And Maualuga, Cushing, Ellison and Mays have been singled out nationally because of their huge hits. Just type in any one of their names in a You Tube search and you’ll see what I mean.
This is not to discount their importance to USC’s No. 1 ranking or their importance to the game on Saturday. But the one player, who more than anyone else on the team, most exemplifies Pete Carroll’s winning philosophy of Turnover Football, is a former walk-on, Clay Matthews, Jr.
If that name sounds familiar, it should. He is the fourth member of his family to play football for USC, which includes his father, Clay (1974-77), an All-American linebacker, who played for the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons from 1978 to 1996.
His brother, Kyle, was a safety on USC's 2003 national championship team. His uncle, Bruce (1980-82) was an All-American offensive guard at USC and is considered an NFL ironman, playing 19 years for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans from 1983 to 2001. His grandfather, Clay Sr., was a three-sport letterman at Georgia Tech in the 1940s and played with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s.
Matthews, a fifth year senior actually plays two positions. He is way too versatile for just one. A turnover and sack specialist, if there is such a thing, Matthews operates either as a defensive end or a linebacker depending on the defensive set.
Although he is not always a starter, one thing is certain. When No. 47 is on the field, Ohio State had better account for him because he forces fumbles, deflects passes, and makes sacks or just causes so much disruption that quarterbacks lose their focus.
The 6'3", 240-pounder is blazing quick and has more moves than Dancing With the Stars. Offensive linemen and blocking backs turn around to see their quarterback on the turf and shrug, "Where did Number 47 come from?"
If the Buckeyes concentrate on Maualuga and Cushing, Todd Boeckman will be seeing No. 47 in his sleep Saturday night.
And it’s not just Boeckman that needs to be concerned. But Chris Wells or whoever the Buckeyes have at running back will need to secure the football. Although Matthews didn’t grow up on a farm, he has a natural affinity for pigskin. Wherever that baby goes, Matthews will find a way to get his hands on it.
And remember, this guy has NFL pedigree.
13 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment
J.C. Ayvazi 9 months ago
Hey Paul, quit giving away all our trade secrets 8^D
5 and a POTD
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Paul Peszko 9 months ago
Right. I can see them in the War Room back at Ohio State ripping up all their game plans and rerunning the film on the Virginia game looking for #47. They only game plan for the players singled out in the media, right?
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J.C. Ayvazi 9 months ago
That's why I put my
8^D
joker mark after the comment.
Couple of weeks ago, I was telling Baby Tate about Matthews in an article he wrote about famous fathers and sons. He had the grandfather and two sons, while I was singing the praises of the current Clay and his brother Casey who somehow ended up as a Duck - yuck! Here's the link
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/46977-whos-your-daddy-the-top-15-college-football-fathers-and-sons
Thanks for your props on my Raider article. Again I posted my response as a new comment so please go back to check it out.
Fight On!
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Molly Gray 9 months ago
Paul, great article. This is the type of stuff that I love to read about, and hope to one day be putting out there in the national media. It's no secret that we're watching every player on the field though, I can't see Tressel making that kind of mistake. Here's to a great display of football on Saturday!
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Paul Peszko 9 months ago
Thanks for your kind words, Molly. I'm sure you'll make a great sportswriter/commentator. I love the way you really get into your research and don't just gloss over a few media-fed facts like so many do.
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Molly Gray 9 months ago
Thanks Paul!
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a.a. rozell 9 months ago
Who will Q/B should Sanchez get hurt.Ohio state will be after Sanchez to get him out of the game, and he better stay in the pocket in this game.
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Paul Peszko 9 months ago
Aaron Corp is #2 on the Depth chart and Mitch Mustain is #3. But they're really neck-and-neck, and both have completely different styles. So, if anything happened to Sanchez, Coach Carroll would decide between the two, depending on what the defense is doing. If there's heavy blitzing, he would probably go with Corp, the rollout passer and runner. If OSU isn't blitzing a lot, he would probably go with Mustain, who is more of a pocket passer.
Sanchez is both. He can throw quick outs from a three-step drop or take a five step drop for mid-range to long routes. He can also rollout and throws very nicely on the run. Lots of options.
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Dan Boss 9 months ago
I think he need's to rollout in this game to avoid the OSU defense. That is their weakness. They would love Sanchez to stay in the pocket where they can get to him. OSU like's pocket QB's because they struggle against mobile ones.
Just one typo I seen: Laurenaitis, it's spelled Laurinaitis
Great article exposing less known names in this game. I definately have to respect Matthews as I am a Browns fan.
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Paul Peszko 9 months ago
Thanks for the spelling correction, Dan. I never get his name right. This time I got a but messed up on the first i. To answer your question, it's pretty much the way I responded to a.a.'s comment. Sanchez is a very versatile quarterback. He can throw from a 3-step drop or from a deep pocket. He pretty comfortable either way. And, if you saw the Virginia game, you know he is fine with the rollout. In fact his 49-yard TD to Rojo was on a play-action rollout.
It looks like the Browns are off to a rough start. They got Flaccoed in Baltimore. I hope they can do better. I've always liked Crinnell (spelling again) even when he was with the Pats - not one of my favorite teams.
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Dave Nemetz 9 months ago
Great article Paul, Matthews is a beast and definitely one of the most intense guys on our D. The linebacking core is so deep, it's just a pleasure to watch them do their thing. Man, I can't wait for this game...
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Paul Peszko 9 months ago
It has the same feel as the Notre Dame matches used to have. I just think that all this posturing by Tressel over the Wells injury has cheapened the game a little. He seems to be jockeying himself for an excuse should OSU lose.
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Sledge Hammer 9 months ago
I saw this #47 ocme out of no where in the Oregon State came to tackel a Beaver punt reciver in the abck field. His speed and power was so impressive that I had to find out who this guy is. H edeserves more attention that he is getting as a pwoerful speed deamon player.
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