Bleacher Report - Articles by Mitchell Golden

Trojan Dagger Against UCLA has Hidden Meaning for USC

Mitchell Golden — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:23:26 -0500

So, Matt Barkley threw a pass. A 48 yard pass. Downfield. After kneeling the ball.

Sure, you can debate whether it was the right move. Honestly, I don’t care. Because this throw, and the aftermath, means so much more.

The Trojans are beginning to show some emotion. Actually, let’s go one better—the Trojans are showing aggression.

After hearing Petro Papadakis say “bubble screen” on my television for about the fortieth time, I was ready to throw something at the glowing screen in front of me. Not only was the constant repetition mildly irritating, but the knowledge that my beloved Trojans ran bubble screens almost every other play finally brought me to the breaking point.

I’m sick of the bubble screen and everything that it stands for. I’m sick of conservative, read-and-react defense. I’m sick of throwing the ball sideways into a screen, allowing the opposing defense to crowd the line of scrimmage and stop the offense with ease.

The Barkley-to-Williams hookup brought closure not just to another rivalry game, but a game that witnessed the transformation of a not-so-dominant USC team.

Don’t get me wrong—the Trojans were far from spectacular. It took a Joe McKnight injury to truly spark the offense. Without Joe, the Trojans could not motion into an empty backfield, and throw a McKnight bubble screen.

Barkley was given permission to throw downfield. And guess what? The Trojans moved the ball with success.

Yes, there was an errant interception. He is a freshman. It happens.

However, there were several easy first downs to Ronald Johnson on the sideline. And, of course, a deadly accurate pass to Damien Williams to close the game. Not an overthrow, not a miss. Matt Barkley had one play to make a statement for his team.

He did not fail.

To compliment a defense that finally decided to make their own plays rather than simply react, the Trojan offense made an aggressive move for the first time in a long time.

Thank you, Rick Neuheisel.

Pac-10 vs. SEC : Why the Pac-10 Deserves More Respect

Mitchell Golden — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:38:30 -0500

Hold up. Before the crazed comments and skewed rationale flood the boards below this article, read my disclaimer:

I am not trying to present one solution for all time. I am not trying to say that the Pac-10 is the greatest conference ever, and year after year.

This diatribe could be about the historical merits of each conference, and how the modern Pac-10 (since 1998) is 11-8 against the SEC. Or perhaps, how the SEC’s supposed “bowl dominance” leaves them tied with the Pac-10 in all-time bowls.

But for this commentary, let’s flip the bird to history, and look at the here and now.

Because here—and now—the Pac-10 is light-years ahead of the SEC.

Here and now, three out of six BCS computer rankings have the Pac-10 at No. 1.

“But wait,” the devoted SEC fan will say, “We have undefeated Florida and Alabama, and No. 8 LSU. That’s three of the top 10 teams in the country. What does the Pac-10 have? A bunch of multi-loss teams. SEC FOREVER!”

My question for you, devoted SEC fan, is this: who do you have under those three high quality teams?

I do not deny that Florida, Alabama, and LSU are excellent football teams, and deserve to be among college football’s highest ranked teams.

However, Florida and Alabama’s undefeated records do not accurately reflect their talent level. By playing cupcake teams both inside and outside the conference, the SEC’s finest are able to inflate their overall records to astronomical levels. Simply put, the SEC’s finest teams are not challenged week-to-week, sometimes not even for several weeks at a time.

As a result, they have a much higher likelihood of going undefeated in the regular season than teams in the Pac-10, and thus a higher likelihood of artificially placing themselves among the BCS top ranks.

The Pac-10 has no undefeated teams. The top team in the Pac-10, No. 11 Oregon, has two losses overall. Some will use parity as an explanation. Although, some will claim Pac-10 weakness.

1. Why Undefeated Does Not Necessarily Mean Better

“Clearly,” my favorite SEC fan will say, “Oregon is not as good as Florida, or they would be undefeated.”

Watch out when making that claim, SEC. Oregon has played six teams that are currently ranked in the BCS—Boise State, USC, Oregon State, California, Stanford, and Utah. Florida has played LSU. From ranked teams alone, Oregon has been challenged five more times than Florida.

Perhaps, if Florida challenged themselves week-to-week, they would have at least one more loss. If they can almost lose to Arkansas, how would they fare against five more BCS-worthy teams in one season?

2. Which Conference is Better at the Bottom? Who Really Has the Best Depth?

They say a team is only as good as its weakest link. The same could be said of a conference. But if the Pac-10 was as good as Washington State, and the SEC was as good as Vanderbilt, both conferences would be in trouble.

Attack me for this if you want, but I chose to compare the second weakest teams in Oregon/Florida’s schedules, instead of the guaranteed conference wins at the bottom.

Oregon’s second easiest opponent is Washington. Easy? This team has a win against one currently ranked USC team, another against a team (Arizona) that just dropped out after a loss to No. 25 California, and an overtime showdown with Notre Dame.

Not to mention, they came very close to dismantling No. 8 LSU. “Close is not a win.” True, SEC fan. However, when the Pac-10’s second weakest team is LSU’s strongest out of conference opponent, shouldn’t that turn some heads? Looks like record inflation to me.

Mississippi State is Florida’s second weakest opponent. Now this team is a huge step up from Vandy, right? At 2-4, 4-6 overall, Miss. St. has no wins against ranked opponents. They did come within one score of beating No. 24 Houston, but that is the closest they came.

As far as pure strength, and real upset potential, Oregon’s “weak” matchup proves more of a challenge than that of Florida.

3. Why the SEC Championship Has More Weight than it Should

In my studies, I had to keep in mind my argument: the Pac-10’s round-robin schedule forbids teams from inflating their regular season records, and guarantees the conference five more overall losses than the SEC. Not only does the round robin guarantee five more losses, but it forces every team to play each other.

Sure, the SEC has a “championship,” which forces the best team in each SEC division to play each other. Yet this is nothing more than clever marketing. Florida and Alabama inflate their records during an easy SEC regular season, and then meet in a contest that is bound to create a national championship bid.

Basically, they are hyping a matchup between the best two teams in the conference. Something that happens every year in the Pac-10, no matter what, in the regular season.

Imagine if Florida and Alabama had to play earlier in the season. One of those teams would take a loss, and be forced downwards in the standings, instead of having the ability to sit on their perfect records until the very end. It’s a similar situation to Oregon-Boise State. If they had waited until the end of the year to play, Oregon would be much higher in the rankings, instead of having to climb their way up.

Add that marketing ploy to the fact that the Pac-10 is deeper in talent, and provides a tougher week-to-week challenge than the no-name SEC teams, and it makes the SEC look like the most brilliant marketing ploy ever.

4. Quality Opponents vs. Cupcake Record Inflation

Don’t believe that the Pac-10 offers better competition? Want to cite the fact that all but two of the twelve teams in the SEC have winning records, and the Pac-10 has three out of ten with losing records?

Remember, the round-robin schedule guarantees five more losses. But dig deeper, and you will find a disparity that has been overlooked thus far this season.

Of the teams in the SEC with winning records, they have played an average 1.78 games against currently ranked opponents. Translation: the SEC is challenged about two games a season.

The one team with three ranked opponents? Georgia, and look at their record. Not as stellar as Florida’s, that’s for sure. Take Georgia’s record (6-4, 4-3 conf) and they would be just about UCLA in the Pac-10, in seventh place rather than fourth.

Of course, Georgia would potentially fall even further after playing in the Pac-10. All the teams with winning records have played an average 4.17 games against currently ranked opponents. That is a two-three game swing.

Not coincidentally, the top teams in the Pac-10 have losses. Football is a sport prided on parity. One quality opponent can defeat another on any given week.

But for that situation to occur, both teams need to be quality. Florida may be undefeated, but put them against three more of the currently ranked BCS teams in one season, and I would put a bet down that they would lose at least one of those games.

Basically, put them in the Pac-10, with round-robin scheduling, and they do not go undefeated.

The SEC has four teams with three or less losses. The Pac-10 has six teams with three or less losses. But because of parity, none are undefeated. Because they challenge themselves, all have lost at least one conference game.

And I thought it was the SEC that beat each other up, not the other way around. SEC fans argue that an SEC champion is worthy of a national bid because of a strong conference schedule—that SEC teams beat up on each other. Clearly, this is far from the truth.

Unfortunately, the current system in place will not allow a Pac-10 team a national championship bid. It rewards cupcake scheduling. When a conference is as strong as the Pac-10 (and I mean beyond the top three), round-robin scheduling greatly hurts national championship hopes.

While the decision is yours to make, consider the information I presented.

With Oregon State upcoming, Oregon has the potential to be 4-2 against currently ranked teams, and 10-2 overall.

Florida has the chance to be 2-0 against ranked teams, and that is only after the conference championship.

Who deserves the championship more? A team that went 10-2 against six quality opponents during the regular season, or a team that played one quality opponent during the system, picked on cupcakes both inside and outside the conference, and then took advantage of a favorable scheduling system and the “conference championship” marketing plot?

Football prides itself on parity. The Pac-10 prides itself on parity. The SEC avoids it at all costs. Should they be rewarded for that? I think not.

Two Losses: Why USC Still Loves Pete Carroll, Despite Fluke Year

Mitchell Golden — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:51:38 -0500

Blame it on defense. Blame it on Aaron Corp. Hell, blame it on the Bossa Nova.

Wherever you want to point the blame, USC is a two-loss team, something that Southern Los Angeles is not used to. And let me tell you, students are not taking this well. Viewership of tomorrow’s game at Arizona State may stay the same, but there won’t be the same viewing parties, nor the same excitement.

For USC, anything short of a BCS bowl is unacceptable. And guess what? As of right now, we’re not making it to a BCS bowl this year.

One could ask: is it right for the SEC to consistently send two teams to BCS bowls, while the Pac-10 is almost always held to just one? Sure, Alabama and Florida are undefeated.

If Oregon had scheduled Charleston Southern as their first game, and not a difficult Boise State game, they would be undefeated too, and perhaps USC’s loss would not have sent the Trojans all the way to double digit ranks. Of course, Washington hurts way too much.

But alas, all the what ifs have to be thrown out the window, and for once, I’ll abandon the SEC rant, because the all the facts point to one thing: USC is a two loss team. We can’t take back Aaron Corp. We cant take back our inability to tackle against Oregon.

Yet USC fans remain optimistic for the future. “Barkley is a freshman. We may not be in a BCS bowl this year, but a championship could be coming soon,” one sophomore commented. After all, a two-loss season for USC seems more like a fluke than a foreboding sign.

After all, if Matt Barkley played in Washington, as many argue, we would be a one-loss team, primed to give the Pac-10 its first two-team BCS bowl season in a long time.

The Oregon loss was the first time in the Pete Carroll era that a team has outgained the Trojans by 31 yards. The Oregon loss was also the largest loss in the Pete Carroll era. It was a historically significant game, one that assured the Trojans they would not be repeating Rose Bowl champions.

History has flukes. Streaks are broken. Even the Pittsburgh Steelers had to lose some games before hitting it big. Yet year in and year out, the Steelers threaten. Why? Because the core remains the same.

And the core will remain the same with the USC Trojans. Most importantly, Pete Carroll will remain.

For all the griping I’ve heard on campus, none of it has been towards the seemingly-immortal icon Pete Carroll. Students still wear their “Big Balls Pete” shirts with pride, and whisper whenever they pass his parked car on the way back home from class.

This season does not make fans worry about their coach. Flukes happen. USC recharges with top talent every year. Pete Carroll knows how to use that talent.

This year, most of our defensive players were starting for the first time. Sure, when you plug in one or two players a year, the change shouldn’t be as significant as the ugly breakdowns we’ve been seeing. However, this is almost a brand new unit, with very few returners from the year before.

With the addition of new coordinators to replace departed coaches, this year was definitely a rebuilding year. We, as USC fans, still feel disappointment at not being the best.

But beating Ohio State and Notre Dame in big away games is pretty good for a rebuilding year. And I’m sure the USC bowl game, BCS or not, will prove yet again that USC, despite its regular season flukes, can play up to any competition.

With Pete, USC can do anything. Fight on.

B/R Official College Football Writers Poll Week 10

Mitchell Golden — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:12:32 -0500

1. Florida (6) 197

2. Texas (1) 190

3. Alabama (1) 186

4. Oregon 167

T5. Cincinnati 160

T5. Iowa 160

7. TCU 158

8. Boise State 145

9. LSU 140

10. Penn State 120

11. Georgia Tech 114

12. USC 110

13. Pittsburgh 99

14. Houston 89

15. Utah 87

16. Ohio State 75

17. Miami 56

18. Arizona 50

19. Oklahoma State 46

20. Notre Dame 42

21. California 34

22. Oklahoma 30

23. Wisconsin 26

24. Central Michigan 15

25. South Florida 12

Also receiving consideration: BC 7, Auburn 6, BYU 5, Oregon State 5, Texas Tech 4, Navy 3, West Virginia 2, Connecticut 1

Creature vs. Creature: Matt Barkley or Tate Forcier? Why USC's QB Reigns

Mitchell Golden — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:27:50 -0400

In the world of College Football, few true freshmen make their way into a starting lineup. Even more rare is when a true freshman makes the starting roster of a major program. A true freshman playing quarterback, though? Hogwash!

Yet that, my friends, is what young phenoms Matt Barkley and Tate Forcier have achieved.

The only question now is: Who deserves more credit—Barkley or Forcier? Today, Bleacher Report will give you readers the answer via a creature vs. creature. And of course, all of you will walk away with the knowledge that Barkley is the better of the two.

Barkley is not your average studly blond-haired quarterback. Between his athletic pedigree, his performance in adversity, and his off-the-field character, Barkley is hands down the better and more accomplished true freshman quarterback.

1. Pedigree

Barkley, unlike Mark Sanchez before him, was born to be an athlete. His father, Les, was an All-American in water polo at USC. His cousin, Robbie Boyer, is a walk-on for the football team. Simply put, his family has athletic blood.

Not only is Barkley the first true freshman ever to start a season opener for USC (Forcier is the third for Michigan), but Matt was also the first freshman quarterback since 1984 to start for his high school, Mater Dei.

Even Matt Leinart, a future Heisman trophy winner and NFL quarterback, did not start his freshman year at Mater Dei. Nor was Leinart allowed to call his own plays—something that Barkley was allowed to do since his sophomore year of high school, and a luxury never given to any other Mater Dei quarterback.

Matt’s accomplishments led to his ranking of No. 1 overall high school player in the nation, as well as Gatorade national player of the year. Try beating that, Tater Tots.

A true athlete with a history to back it, Barkley’s pedigree surely outweighs that of Tate Forcier.

2. Performance in Adversity

Sure, anyone can beat San Jose State with Trojan-level talent around them. But the measly Spartans were not to be Barkley’s true test.

Tate Forcier, admittedly, has played and won against top talent. Much like Barkley, he won by a sliver against a ranked Notre Dame team. However, Michigan’s largest lead in that game was by 11. Barkley cannot be responsible for a defense that gives up a 20-point lead.

However, where Tate and Matt differ is in the number of victories against ranked teams. While Tate lost heartbreakers to Iowa and an unranked Michigan State, Barkley led an historic comeback drive against Ohio State and obliterated Cal Berkeley.

Oh, and Matt Barkley is yet to lose a game as a starter. Forcier may have more touchdowns, but Barkley has the superior passer rating, more yards, and more wins—in less games. The stats speak for themselves.

3. Character

Understand—I am NOT claiming that Barkley is the West Coast Tim Tebow. Barkley does not preach his religion; he does not impose it on anyone. However, he does use his upbringing to help others. In high school, he helped start an organization to rebuild a marine outpost. He has helped run an orphanage in South Africa.

Even more impressive, Matt graduated from high school with a 3.77 GPA, and continues to work hard in school. He seldom parties, and never drinks. He lives and breathes football, school, and faith.

I do not know enough of Tate’s lifestyle, but Barkley has set a great example for us all—something not usually associated with a USC quarterback.

Barkley is not your average college quarterback—no wonder he is USC’s first ever season-starting true freshman. All of his prior accomplishments, his current feats over adversity, and his admirable character all contribute to a unique athlete who is expected by some to be the NFL’s No. 1 overall draft pick in the coming years.

Where are those expectations for Tate Forcier?

Find out if they come even close (they probably don't) in my colleague Jay Nicols' retort, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/277103-creature-v-creature-better-freshman-qb-matt-barkley-or-tate-forcier

B/R Official College Football Writers Poll Week Eight: BCS Ruled Irrelevant

Mitchell Golden — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:54:42 -0400

The B/R writers disagreed with the BCS formula, placing major teams like USC ahead of the smaller, undefeated teams like Iowa and Boise State.

Alabama (6) 221
Florida (3) 215
Texas 210
USC 189
Cincinnati 179
Boise State 166
Iowa 164
TCU 163
Miami 143
LSU 140
Georgia Tech 135
Oregon 126
Penn State 115
Oklahoma State 102
BYU 96
Utah 80
Houston 73
Pittsburgh 64
Ohio State 49
Texas Tech 41
South Carolina 25
Central Michigan 22
Kansas 17
Michigan 11
South Florida 9

Also received votes: Notre Dame 8, Ole Miss 4, Navy 2, Idaho 1, Nebraska 1, Oklahoma 1

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

Mitchell Golden — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:43:00 -0400

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: Clausen's appearance at the College Football Hall of Fame to accept his scholarship to Notre Dame did get him off to a bad start, as did immediate predictions... by him... that he would win a pair of championships at Notre Dame. Add a disastrous freshman year and the bloom really seemed to be off the rose.

Clausen has learned a lot from those early lessons, and many, many painful mistakes last year that cost the Irish dearly and has become a leader. This summer, he invited Michael Floyd, Kyle Rudolph, and Golden Tate out to his California home for a week of 8-hour drill sessions. He has proven that he can literally place the team on his back and will them to a win.

Athletically he can make every throw, big arm, quick release, and has learned that a three-yard completion is better than a thirty-yard incompletion or an INT. He is really playing at a high level, finding open receivers, and showing a great amount of pocket presence sliding up and out of many potential sack situations.

Golden: Barkley has also shown great presence in avoiding the sack. Although, Barkley does take a few sacks per game, even with the stellar upperclassmen line. (Editor’s note: Barkley is sacked about every 21 drop backs, Clausen is sacked about every 18 drop backs).

What impresses me about Barkley, as a freshman, is that he does not try to make the desperation throw. He would rather wrap up the ball and take the sack, or try to make the throw out of bounds. As a Patriots fan, I am used to commentators saying (in previous seasons) Brady puts the ball only where his receivers have a chance to make the play. To me, Barkley fits that mold.

It seems that every throw that goes wide is in a spot that prevents defenders from the slightest chance at the ball. For example, on an out route, his misses will be to the sideline, not to the inside of the field. That shows an incredible maturity and great reaction skills for a freshman QB, and for any college starter, as most do not even learn those skills until they enter the pros.

5. Closing Notes

While the outcome of the game won’t be determined until tomorrow, there is plenty of information to sift through about the two teams and their historic matchup. With all the disagreement between the writers about who would win, they did agree on one thing:

Golden: I can’t stand Buckeye fans… I have heard some horror stories about how they treat visiting fans.

Muratore : They are brutal. I’ve been to games at Michigan, MSU, PSU…but nothing comes close to how terribly you are treated as a visiting fan at OSU. Evil people.

Predicted Scores by the Writers:

Muratore: ND 28 USC 27

Golden: USC 21 ND 10

Stafon Johnson's Recovery Temporarily Bridges USC-UCLA Divide

Mitchell Golden — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:10:02 -0400

The last two weeks were a trying time for Trojan Nation.

Stafon Johnson’s weightlifting accident silenced the BCS complaints, held off the Notre Dame analysis, and, most importantly, temporarily stifled the bitterness between USC and hated rival UCLA.

When news of Stafon’s injury hit campus, the Trojan faithful were shocked, as was the rest of the nation. After all, these athletes are physical gods. That they can get so seriously injured, even with a spotter, is frightening.

With that said, there is no changing the past. USC students and alumni alike stepped into the present and gave their complete support to Stafon and his family. Coaches and players visited their injured comrade.

But what strikes me the most—and should strike you the most as well—is that even UCLA fans sent their well wishes.

The USC-UCLA rivalry spans all aspects of Southern Californian life. While the football spats are expected, one may not expect the huge spillover into adult life.

Some parents forbid their children from attending the rival school. When USC students visit a public courthouse for a business law class, they are advised to stay clear of the UCLA lawyers and judges, who have a reputation for being less than helpful to USC students.

But Stafon Johnson’s injury put the rivalry in perspective. No rivalry is greater than one man’s health, one man’s life. While I do not plan to stop heckling UCLA in the Coliseum this year, nor do I plan to stop harassing my sister for wanting to go to UCLA, I have gained a new-found level of respect for UCLA fans.

Doctors claim that Stafon’s incredible physical strength, specifically his neck muscles, saved his life. His mental strength will pull him through this catastrophic event, and hopefully he will be able to join the team on the sideline later this year, without pads of course.

Whether he plays next year is his choice. Whatever choice that may be, the Trojan nation will be behind him every step of the way.

Until then, expect USC to fulfill the wish on Stafon Johnson’s twitter: Fight on. Beat the Irish.

Official B/R Week Seven NCAA Football Rankings

Mitchell Golden — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:18:56 -0400

Here are this week's collected poll results for week seven. Personally, I had Central Michigan at the bottom of my poll, after a 5-1 start.

Look for the individual poll results, complete with explanations, at the bottom of this article. They will be added as they are posted on B/R.

1. Florida (4) 194

2. Alabama (3) 193

3. Texas 184

4. Virginia Tech (1) 178

5. USC 161

6. Boise State 148

7. Ohio State 147

8. TCU 127

9. LSU 125

10. Miami 117

11. Cincinnati 115

12. Oregon 114

13. Iowa 98

14. Oklahoma State 97

15. Nebraska 85

16. Penn State 78

17. BYU 70

T18. Oklahoma 62

T18. Kansas

20. Georgia Tech 61

21. South Florida 52

22. South Carolina 31

23. Houston 27

24. Utah 20

25. Notre Dame 13

Also Received Votes: Ole Miss 11, Missouri 7, Arkansas 4, Pittsburgh 4, Central Michigan 2, Wisconsin 2, Tennessee 2

Players Say USC Trojans Need More Noise in The Coliseum

Mitchell Golden — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:35:01 -0400

Coliseums were once the sites of raucous gladiator fights, with rabid fans cheering an epic battle of man vs. beast.

For a former Olympic Coliseum that seats over 90,000 Trojan faithful, one would think the crowd noise would be deafening.

Yet, with a student section that often filters back home halfway through a blowout win, and an alumni section too proper to stand and scream, opponents are not as scared as they should be.

Sure, the Trojans are nearly immortal at the Coliseum, losing only one home game (to Stanford in 2007) since the 2002 season. However, that does not stop Trojan players from commenting on how impressive other fields are.

Recently, a Trojan player (who asked to be quoted anonymously) reflected on the recent trip to Berkeley to play the Cal Golden Bears. He commented on the insane noise level, and more importantly, the attendance—according to this player, every fan stayed throughout the last minute of the 30-3 blowout.

Now, do not misread this article and claim, “Oh the players are complaining about their fan base.” That is not the attitude that the player conveyed through this opinion.

Instead, it is a request to avid Trojan fans. Players know that Trojans stay faithful for life, and many live and die by how the Trojans perform. Perhaps, the low crowd noise is due to decency—fans in the stands do not want to be rude to others by standing and screaming. The lack of outward enthusiasm does not signify a lack of caring—Trojan players and fans both know this.

This is a request to fans to show their love for the Cardinal and Gold like they never have before. Treat every game like it is the most important. Be rabid, have boundless energy. Work hard for the players that are working hard on the field. How can we, as fans, ask our players to do their very best if we do not give our all from the bleachers?

Players, analysts, and coaches all agree that noise plays a factor in several stadiums around the country. In fact, it can largely contribute to a win if opposing offenses cannot hear their own play calls. As Trojan fans, it is our duty to contribute as much as humanly possible, and help our beloved Trojan football team.

I leave you with an anecdote:

Last season, I was nothing but an innocent freshman. After learning the student section traditions by experience, I loved nothing more than to stand up all game and scream my lungs out.

On parents’ weekend, however, I decided to sit with my parents and watch the game from a different perspective.

Poor decision. The moment I stood up on a big play, a woman behind me yelled, “EXCUSE ME! Can you please sit down?!” When I screamed my support of a touchdown, I was looked at like a three legged chimpanzee.

I was aghast. The Trojans ran a humongous play, and not only was I one of the few people standing, but I was actually yelled at to sit down. I may be wrong, but I assume that in the Big House, or even Cal’s stadium, even the alumni stand and scream.

So let’s fix this, Trojans. Give the players the noise worthy of a championship caliber team, and make the Coliseum sound like the Coliseums of old.

Official B/R Week 6 NCAA Football Rankings: Ole Miss Gains Respect

Mitchell Golden — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:11:34 -0400

Once again, the B/R writers have spoken. Besides moving Ole Miss up four spots from their AP No. 20 (we have a decent amount of SEC writers), the poll mimics the AP really well. Is this because our writers are using the AP as reference, or do you think that the AP really does represent college football well?

Florida (8) 248
Texas (1) 237
Alabama (1) 229
LSU 208
Virginia Tech 203
USC 198
Boise State 174
Ohio State 172
TCU 154
Cincinnati 148
Miami 137
Oklahoma State 114
Penn State 108
Oregon 107
Iowa 103
Ole Miss 94
Oklahoma 94
Auburn 61
Kansas 58
Georgia Tech 58
BYU 55
South Florida 54
Nebraska 44
Missouri 33
Wisconsin 24

Others receiving votes: South Carolina 18, California 15, Stanford 14, Utah 11, Arizona 7, Houston 6, Rutgers 3, Michigan State 3, Texas Tech 2, BC 2, Oregon State 1

Official B/R Writers' Poll: Week Five

Mitchell Golden — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:25:24 -0400

Virginia Tech looks to be the real deal after whomping Miami, and the B/R writers acknowledge that by placing the Hokies fourth overall, compared to sixth in the AP.

How else does the B/R poll compare to College Football's most revered (and hated) rankings system?

Iowa is given slightly less respect by the B/R writers, who put the Hawkeyes three spots lower than their AP ranking. They raised Georgia Tech to No. 22, three more than their AP No. 25 ranking.

Other than that, it looks like most writers either agree with the poll, or are copying from it. That, or most B/R writers are natural SEC homers, as five out of the top 25 are from the SEC. The next closest conference is the Big 12, with three.

The Poll:

Florida (8) 290
Texas (2) 286
Alabama (2) 279
Virginia Tech 246
LSU 235
Boise State 220
USC 209
Oklahoma 195
Cincinnati 179
TCU 167
Ohio State 166
Oklahoma State 120
Houston 116
Penn State 115
Oregon 112
Iowa 104
Miami 89
Georgia 88
Ole Miss 80
Kansas 77
Nebraska 69
Georgia Tech 67
BYU 64
California 59
Michigan 44

Also Receiving Votes: South Florida 26, Missouri 21, Auburn 18, Utah 14, South Carolina 13, North Carolina 7, UCLA 7, Florida State 7, NC State 7, Notre Dame 6, Rutgers 5, Michigan State 3, West Virginia 3, Texas Tech 2, Wisconsin 2, Arizona 2, Oregon State 1

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The B/R Writers' Poll is compiled weekly by Mitchell Golden. To submit your rankings, please send an excel spreadsheet with your votes to mgolden042@gmail.com by Noon EST on Monday.

Trojan SCoop: USC Vs. Washington State Lackluster, But Food Impresses

Mitchell Golden — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:32:13 -0400

So, the USC-WSU matchup led to an unhappy end for both teams. While USC started off hot, their lack of offense worried many fans. And Washington State, well they just lost. They did score against USC for the first time since 2007, though.

Some thoughts that I've heard from fans on campus:

Special Teams is a BIG concern. One of my friends is legitimately trying out for kicker next year. Sadly, a walk-on med student might perform better than our kicker is now. Same goes for our punter, who can't seem to find distance
Matt Barkley, despite leading a sputtering offense for the second and third quarters, is a much better decision-maker than Aaron Corp. He "has a gun," according to one fan, and for the most part throws it only where the receiver can make a play. He is not afraid to take a sack, nor throw it away if no one is open. Maintaining a 60 percent completion percentage, and a 3:1 TD:INT ratio, Barkley is playing some solid football. Not stellar, but certainly solid.

Other than those two thoughts, not much has been said about the last game. There are worries that they didn't produce after the first quarter, but otherwise it was a standard win.

So, I've decided to focus on another aspect of USC Football games: the food. So, for your culinary enjoyment, here are two food vendors known to students (legendary to some), but not necessarily famous outside the confines of the Coliseum.

See what you are missing by not being a student:

Derrick’s Big Sausage:

Every home game, students take the traditional march from campus to their seats. They walk down Trousdale, they kick the flagpole, and walk through the Rose Garden. Once they reach the end of the garden, they walk through the Science museum (unless it is closed like it was for the WSU game).

Then, alas, one is at the Coliseum in all its glory. Students walk down to the student entry, flash their IDs about ten times, and finally enter the stadium.

Greeting them as they enter is not a big sign saying “Welcome Trojans,” nor is it even a guy selling programs. Nay, the first thing a student generally sees upon walking into the student section is a booth selling “Derrick’s Big Sausage—It’s Really Good!” Not only is the brand name of this (turkey) sausage “Derrick’s Big Sausage,” but the booth’s sign also shows a picture of a woman suggestively shoving the sausage into her mouth.

I decided to try Derrick’s Big Sausage yesterday. While they offered me the option of either Turkey or Chicken (apparently they are branching out), I chose the traditional Turkey, loaded with onions and peppers. Derrick’s sausage was delicious, and hopefully will be a staple of the student section concession stand for years to come.

Death Dogs:

After every game, students must make the long walk back to campus. Even if the team wins, the walk is generally boring. Gone is the fanfare and anticipation before the game, and far away is the yummy (inexpensive) food that has eluded students for hours.

Or is it?

Adorning the streets that lead back to campus are the Death Dog sellers, pushing little carts of delicious joy.

“What is a Death Dog?” you may ask. A Death Dog is the epitome of a heart attack on a bun. Sitting on little propane-fueled pushcarts, simmering in grease, Death Dogs await to attack both your senses and your cardiovascular system. The formula: hot dogs wrapped in bacon. A simple formula with a simple result—great taste, and a shorter lifespan.

If you ask, you can intensify the experience with condiments (I even think they have peppers and onions on that tiny cart). But if you desire a Death Dog to keep you going on that long walk back to campus, you better act fast.

Both the LAPD and USC’s Public Safety force have it out for Death Dog carts. By the time you make it back to campus, you will be lucky enough to watch several Death Dog pushcarts sprinting throughout campus, trying to avoid the badges.

Looks like Death Dogs are an adventure both on the streets AND in your arteries. Bon Appétit!

Trojan SCoop: USC Quarterback Aaron Corp Loses Game, Then Parties Hard

Mitchell Golden — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:42:05 -0400

Last Saturday, Aaron Corp etched his name in Trojan lore, giving himself a permanent spot in the memories of the 16,000 students that currently attend the University of Southern California.

Unfortunately, those memories are far from pleasant.

As the Trojans attempted their own version of the Cal-Stanford kick return miracle, and time ran out on the Cardinal and Gold, the entire campus fell into a collective silence, with room for only one question: “Again?”

To say that USC students are disappointed would be an understatement. At a viewing party on campus, the attitude was jovial for much of the game. After all, we are the USC Trojans, we don’t lose to the Washington Huskies.

Friends made jokes about Aaron Corp’s penchant for throwing towards purple jerseys, and how he appears to have been smashed in the face by a brick.

We laughed at how if Pete Carroll even asked Mitch Mustain over to the sideline, the 3^rd-string QB would likely saunter over in street clothes, possibly inebriated. The conservative game, which clearly was not working with Corp at the helm, would not have sufficed for Mitch Mustain, according to the party. To hell with slants and screens, Mustain would say, as he chucked every ball downfield to show off his “sex cannon”.

By the end of the game, the jokes were silent. Astute fans started yelling, “Why the expletive would they run with no time left in the first half?” Of course, they were not literally saying expletive. Substitute your choice of 10-20 offensive words, and you get the picture.

Everyone at my game day party was pretty knowledgeable in football—and everyone agreed that Aaron Corp’s complete ineptness cost us the game. Taylor Mays’ backup Drew McAllister played a solid game; there were truly no huge plays that exploited the Trojan’s lack of an All-American safety.

The loss of Barkley was much more devastating, and acute fans immediately pointed their fingers at Corp.

One would think that Corp would be ashamed at his performance, or at least somewhat bothered. After all, he threw for only 110 yards with one of the most complete offenses in the NCAA. He seemed to have a rule that he would only throw at a Trojan who was, at minimum, double covered.

The man was lost, and cost the Trojans another chance at an undefeated season—acknowledged by most USC fans as the only path for a Pac-10 team bid to the Championship.

Thanks to numerous Facebook updates, and even a “Aaron Corp Should Transfer” party that night, I assumed that all of USC was thoroughly infuriated with our backup quarterback’s lack of performance.

I assumed wrong.

Sunday morning, I was chatting with some girls who shared with me a very interesting fact. The night before, on the same date that he royally expletive-d the Trojans’ season, Aaron Corp was seen at a fraternity party, having a jolly ol’ time.

Maybe I am too extreme of a sports addict, but my first inclination would be that a quarterback who single-handedly cost his team a win would be somewhat remorseful. Sure, he could have been drinking his sorrows away. But that’s not what I heard; apparently he was unfazed by the scenario.

Perhaps that speaks to his toughness. After all, they say that the best athletes are able to instantly forget errors. But Corp clearly was rattled during the game. To be completely OK with a loss, as it appeared at the party, is unacceptable for any athlete who takes pride and care in his team.

I may be demanding in saying this, but I’m sure there are fans who would worry if their quarterback was out having a marvelous time partying immediately after a season-changing loss.

Matt Barkley is known on campus for his upstanding behavior. He is not a partyer, and he fully devotes himself to his studies, his faith, and his football. Aaron Corp, take notes. There is a reason you are a backup.

The Trojan SCoop: Squeaking by Ohio State, Still No AP Respect?

Mitchell Golden — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:51:06 -0400

A squeak.

That is what countless Trojan fans witnessed this past Saturday night, as Matt Barkley, Joe McKnight, and the USC Trojans, well, squeaked by the Ohio State Buckeyes.

On campus, opinions are mixed, although almost all of them are positive. While students are impressed with Matt Barkley’s poise on the final drive and laugh at Terrelle Pryor’s lack of mental acuity, they agree on one thing: The University of Southern California was outplayed on Saturday.

Consider this: it took a fourth down touchdown in the first quarter and a last minute, 86-yard drive for the Trojans to muster up an 18-15 victory.

Ohio State stuffed the run for most of the game, and while Barkley looked good most of the time, he did not move the offense.

Two of the top reasons that Trojan fans use to explain this lack of offense? Let me give you a hint: Stadium noise isn't one of them.

Field Position

The Buckeye offense would consistently reach the 50-yard line, the Trojan defense would step up to the challenge, and the Buckeyes would then trap the Trojan offense inside their own 20.

Besides Chris Galippo’s interception return, no Trojan offensive drive began beyond the USC 22. Ohio State absolutely controlled the field position battle, which is why the game remained so close.

Poor Offensive Coaching

Every Trojan offensive drive, save one (after a holding call put them 20 yards back), began with a run. Ohio State noticed this and stuffed the run every time the Trojans started with the ball, causing couch coaches incredible pain.

Most drives ended before they had a chance to begin, as the Buckeyes crowded the box at the beginning of each drive. Yes, Pete, the fans understand that you want to be conservative with Barkley as he starts his career. But don’t be simple.

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This week’s game against Washington looks to be much more difficult than the media may let on. Here are some varying opinions about the game.

From the typical college football fan

USC should run over Washington. Washington was 0-12 last year!

From a Pac-10 fan

Washington should be tough. They nearly beat LSU (from the highly overrated SEC), and look to be a completely different team with Jake Locker at the helm.

From a USC Player (this is true)

This is that game—the unexpected loss that plagues us every year. Washington has both our former offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator. We have had to work on completely changing our signals this week, in addition to the other preparations we normally do. This game will be much tougher to win than most people think.

USC, every year, loses to one team and ruins their championship hopes. Last year, that team was Oregon State, a team that Utah had just squeaked by (yes, the team that crushed Alabama only beat Oregon State by three).

Although Oregon State ended the season in the top 25 and eventually won their bowl game, pollsters regarded them as too weak a team for USC to lose to.

Of course, the Pac-10 is weaker than the SEC, so losing to Oregon State is much worse than losing to Ole Miss or Texas Tech (look at how Tech did in that bowl game). But enough typical conference strength ranting—a simple look at the computer rankings will show that USC should be No. 1 right now.

What truly matters: Washington is a different team this year. They have a stellar quarterback. Matt Barkley and Taylor Mays are not 100 percent this week—Barkley with a bruised shoulder, Mays with a sprained MCL in his knee.

Washington has former ‘SC coaches, so the Trojans have had to allot more time to signal changes and less to detailed film study and other areas of preparation.

Expect a thriller this week, as both teams will come to play.

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Quick story of the day

My professor went to the USC-Ohio State game and was appalled by the OSU fans. One man, about 45 years of age, walked up to him and said, “Welcome to Ohio State.” My professor responded, "Thank you, that's very kind." The man continued, "I’d rather get AIDS than wear a Trojan." My professor walked away, astonished.

When my professor stopped into town to ask where to park, he was advised by the police to avoid Greek Row. Not because of the fraternities, but because of the sororities. Apparently they fill water balloons with paint and throw them out the window at opposing fans that walk by.

Classy, OSU, classy.

Official B/R College Football Poll : Week Three

Mitchell Golden — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:31:07 -0400

Despite USC beating a tough, ranked Ohio State team, Florida remains atop the B/R poll. Other highlights from the poll:

Oklahoma State dropped big time after their loss, which placed Houston into the top 25.
The SEC still owns the poll, with 4 teams in the top 10.
North Carolina keeps its spot after a comeback win against a difficult UConn Squad.
Despite almost losing to a Washington team that was 1-16 last year, LSU still remains in the top 10
BYU climbs as the B/R writers acknowledge the team's strength, and even gained a first place vote.

Without further ado, the poll:

1. Florida (14) 390

2. Texas 350

3. USC (1) 347

4. Alabama 335

5. California 299

T6. Mississippi 271

T6. Penn State 271

8. BYU (1) 260

9. Boise State 250

10. LSU 228

11. Ohio State 215

12. Oklahoma 209

13. Virginia Tech 208

14. Georgia Tech 187

15. TCU 166

16. Utah 137

T17. Oklahoma State 103

T17. Miami 103

19. Nebraska 101

20. Cincinnati 82

21. Georgia 74

22. Houston 62

23. North Carolina 52

24. Kansas 50

25. Michigan 25

Also Received Votes: Florida State 21 Iowa 20, UCLA 20, Oregon 14, Oregon State 13, Texas Tech 7, West Virginia 7, Washington 5, Missouri 2, Notre Dame 1, Arkansas 1

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The Bleacher Report Writers' Poll is compiled weekly by Mitchell Golden. To submit votes, send an excel spreadsheet to mgolden042@gmail.com by Monday 12PM EST each week.

The Trojan SCoop: Does Matt Barkley Really Care About Noise?

Mitchell Golden — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:56:39 -0400

So, you may or may not have heard that the USC Trojans are traveling to Ohio State to play some football.

If you are not aware of the pending Hoedown at the Horseshoe, either you live in Antarctica or you are just plain ignorant. ESPN has covered the story nonstop since USC’s manhandling of San Jose State. Or, if you prefer the other angle, since Ohio State nearly blew the game against a mediocre Navy.

But, as ESPN sometimes does, they relied on their on-location reporters to ask the wrong questions.

If I had 20 hands, I would still not be able to count the number of times that Matt Barkley was asked, “How will you deal with the noise?”

Seriously, ESPN? What are you going to ask next? “How will you handle the shift from seeing blue opposing jerseys to red opposing jerseys?”

This noise “controversy” has successfully irritated a majority of the Trojan faithful, as they feel there are much larger concerns with a True Freshman quarterback than simple “noise.”

ESPN, along with the other major news outlets, asked the wrong questions this week. Thankfully, I have the right answers.

Matt Barkley could care less about the noise. A player of his level, and of his personality, is not affected by noise. All those times he answered reporters claiming that the noise does not affect him—it’s the truth!

All indications, and all my contacts on campus, have told me that Barkley speaks the truth. The noise isn’t a big deal. Obviously, though, he is going to feel pressure.

Matt clearly felt jittery on the first drive of last week’s game, and he will feel jittery again. Yet it won’t be because of noise.

Instead, how about the worry of letting his teammates down in a big rivalry? While that is a concern, a player of his level is probably thinking, “How can I help my team win this rivalry?” Matt Barkley has been surrounded by praises of his maturity, both publicly and privately.

Sure, everyone has heard Pete Carroll shower Barkley with praise, and many think it’s a ruse. But very few have heard the players talk casually about how impressed they are with Barkley, and how before the season they felt he was the best choice for the starting job.

So today, as you watch USC in the horseshoe, don’t be the one to bring up “the noise factor” when discussing Barkley. Assume that Barkley is a competent player—after all, he is a USC quarterback—and take that next step to a higher level of USC conversation.

Mitchell Golden is the USC Campus Voice Reporter, reporting directly from the USC campus in Los Angeles.

The Trojan SCoop: A More Personal Look at USC Football

Mitchell Golden — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:14:56 -0400

So how to start this? Well, to be polite, I’ll give a quick introduction. My name is Mitch Golden.

“That’s great, Mitch,” you are probably saying, “but why should I care who you are?”

Let me answer that question for you in three easy-to-use steps:

Today, you accessed Bleacher Report
You, for some reason or another, meandered on over to the USC section
As of this week, I am the brand spankin’ new B/R Campus Voice reporter at USC.

So, since I am B/R's official guy on campus, and assuming you traveled to the USC section because you care about the Cardinal and Gold, you might care to at least know who is writing this babble that some call sportswriting.

Now I should clarify something for all you confused readers out there: I have absolutely no idea what this position will lead me to. Nor do I know what type of style I will be writing in over the next few months, although I intend to find some sort of writing format that you, the reader, finds enjoyable.

I also intend to provide news and insight that you cannot find anywhere else—the kind of insight that ESPN cannot publish because Big Balls Pete Carroll will not allow it.

So, feel free to comment on the article: both its style and its content. And ask me questions. I love questions. I will always post my email at the bottom of the article. But please, no spam.

Today, I will start you hungry readers off with two anecdotes. The first comes straight from the USC student section during the San Jose State game. The second comes straight from my wonderful insiders on the football team, who showed me something I doubt many of you avid fans noticed during your nightly film sessions.

Anecdote No. 1: The Hateful Heckler

On Saturday, Sept. 5th of the year 2009, history was made. Matt Barkley became the first ever True Freshman to start a USC season opener. And on that date, Mr. Barkley struggled in his first quarter.

Not that he was to blame for all of USC’s first quarter woes. Sure, he was jittery on his first few passes, nearly overthrowing his first attempt, and clearly overthrowing his second pass attempt.

The offense made several false starts, which may or may not have been due to Barkley’s cadence. As the first quarter came to a close, San Jose State was leading, 3-0.

But after all, this was San Jose State we are talking about. There was no way they could hold the lead.

And as expected, USC fans were not worried, except for the sorry soul that sat three seats down from me.

“Jeez, Barkley! You suck! You’re ruining the game for us!” he would yell, serenading the young Quarterback with derogatory comments after every play.

After a false start: Goddamnit Barkley!

After a missed pass: We’re going to lose the game thanks to you Barkley!

After Joe McKnight fumbles the ball: AHH BARKLEY! YOU SUCK!

Which prompted me (a fervent Barkley supporter) to say to this embittered soul, “That was a run play. What do you expect Barkley to do?”

He looks at me with a blank stare reminiscent of Keanu Reeves, and stumbles upon his response, “He…um…could’ve blocked.”

Needless to say, the naysayer was quiet the rest of the game, as Matt Barkley did not block on running plays, but passed for a respectable 233 yards.

Speaking of blocking…

Anecdote No. 2: The Wonderful Mishaps of Khaled and Kalil.

For those of you who don’t know backup linemen Khaled Holmes and Matt Kalil, here is a little background:

Both players have NFL connections. Khaled’s brother played tight end for two seasons, and Kalil’s brother currently plays center for the Carolina Panthers. Little known fact: Khaled’s younger sister is married to NFL safety Troy Polamalu (imagine if that kid plays football).

Now that you know the players, it’s time for the play. In the second half, both linemen are playing the right side as the second team offense is on the field. Quarterback Aaron Corp calls the play, a run by Marc Tyler.

The trouble is, Khaled and Kalil do not hear the play. As they jog out to the line, they make a guess, and decide as a partnership to block to the right.

Check the play on YouTube (at about 3:15), as it is one of the highlights of the game. It is the play where Marc Tyler runs to the left, and gains 63 yards.

If you look closely, you will see Khaled and Kalil block to the right, and then, as they notice their mistake, sprint across the field, weaving their way towards Tyler, leveling anyone in their path.

Now here is a riddle for you: if Khaled and Kalil did not block right, and then have to make up for it by sprinting across the field, does Marc Tyler make that 63 yard run?

That is one answer I unfortunately cannot provide.

Until Next Time, Fight On!

The Trojan SCoop is written by Mitchell Golden. You can email Mitch at mgolden042@gmail.com

Official B/R College Football Poll : Week Two

Mitchell Golden — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:25:39 -0400

The injury to Sam Bradford has shaken up Bleacher Report's weekly poll, and some big upsets have brought forgotten teams back into the spotlight.

Florida (22) 591
Texas 563
USC (1) 542
Alabama (1) 540
Oklahoma State 473
Penn State 416
California 411
Ole Miss 401
Ohio State 374
Boise State 366
LSU 340
Virginia Tech 307
BYU 291
Georgia Tech 274
Oklahoma 267
TCU 237
Utah 193
Georgia 162
North Carolina 131
Notre Dame 110
Nebraska 100
Florida State 92
Miami 75
Oregon State 53
Tied - Cincinnati, Kansas 50

Dropped from Rankings: Oregon (13), Iowa (21)

Also received votes: Missouri 49, Oregon 45, Iowa 40, Michigan State 27, Texas Tech 24, Pittsburgh 18, West Virginia 11, Tennessee 10, Air Force 7, Washington 4, Colorado State 4, Baylor 3, Arkansas 3, UCLA 3, Michigan 2, South Carolina 1

The B/R Writers' Poll is compiled by Mitchell Golden. Entries are accepted until Tuesday at 12 PM EST. Please send in an excel spreadsheet, or if unavailable a simple email, to mgolden042@gmail.com. Please try to use a team's most common name when submitting your ballot.

Belichick's Genius Strikes Again: The Patriots Trade Pro Bowl DE Seymour

Mitchell Golden — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:55:41 -0400

In a stunning move, the Patriots traded five time Pro Bowler Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders.

Many Patriots fans, who remember Seymour for his contributions in all three Super Bowl victories, are asking: WHY?!

While the answer takes some effort to uncover, the sports world shall soon realize that the move makes perfect sense. Although Richard Seymour was a key part of the Patriots defense, and still would be this year, his trade-away sets up the Patriots for many more years of success.

First, the reasons why Seymour was the player chosen for the trade:

The fearsome defensive end was in the final year of a contract with a 3.685 million dollar cap hit. Now, the Patriots have more space under the salary cap.
This year, the Patriots have effectively switched their base defensive package to a 4-3 formation. Seymour's value was primarily in the 3-4, where he was effective as a run container even more than a pass rusher. In a 4-3, his talents, although still incredible, are not as well matched.
Richard Seymour was injury prone. He played many games with significant injuries, and only played 9 games in 2007.

The trade benefits the Pats because they have several big name players with soon-to-be expiring contracts. Vince Wilfork, who is considerably more important than Seymour, especially if the Patriots ever desire to return to the 3-4 in coming years, is in the last year of his contract. Tom Brady's contract expires after next season, and may require some restructuring to avoid a $10 million dollar cap hit.

Also, three of the Patriots' vaunted O-line are in the last year of their contracts: Logan Mankins, Stephen Neal, and Ryan O'Callaghan. Removing Seymour from the situation eases the financial stress.

An interesting aspect of the trade is that the Patriots demanded a 2011 pick, and not a 2010 pick. While this decision seems arbitrary, there is in fact more reason behind the move.

2011 is rumored to be the first year that the NFL has a rookie salary cap. The Patriots have generally stayed away from the beginning of the first round because of the high salaries demanded by unproven rookies.

If rookie salaries are limited in 2011, the Patriots will own the 2011 draft. With two first round picks in 2011, one of which comes from the pathetic Raiders franchise, the Patriots place themselves in an incredible position to gain talent, whether by picking in the first round, or trading for a wealth of picks from later rounds. And as most sports analysts will recognize, the Patriots are extremely talented in handling the draft.

With the depth of their defensive line, and the upcoming financial uncertainties, the Patriots made a smart move in parting with the Pro Bowl Lineman Seymour. Like Lawyer Milloy and Ty Law before him, he has been traded while he still held value, and the Patriots will surely capitalize on their gains.

USC Gameday : A Primer For Beginners

Mitchell Golden — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:02:33 -0400

As the sun rises over Trousdale Parkway, one would expect the die-hard USC fans and alumni to slowly filter onto campus and enjoy the luxury of having a campus so close to the field.

That expectation would be true, except for one part: the die-hards are already there.

Entering campus as early as 10 p.m. the night before, USC alumni pack campus like sardines. Carrying tents, grills, and satellite dishes with 60-inch TVs (which are strangely commonplace here), USC fans know how to tailgate.

Most will welcome you to their party, as students and alumni, all part of the Trojan family, come together. Whether playing recreational games, singing various songs of the Cardinal and Gold, or rooting against Notre Dame as they lose (also commonplace) on television, they all relish the opportunity to take part in one of the greatest football programs in history.

One tip: do not bring up the BCS polls, unless you want an earful. Angry, semi-inebriated fans will give you an earful about how USC would have killed Florida last year, or the year before. And guess what—it’s true. No matter how well the Pac-10 does in the prior bowl season (5-0 last year), eventually USC falls to the incorrect perception that the Pac-10 is weak. When will they learn?

As game time creeps close, the Trojan Marching Band (TMB), self-named as “The Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe,” begins its march down Trousdale Parkway, the busiest street on campus.

The band has played the Grammys. They have played the Oscars. They have recorded “Tusk” with Fleetwood Mac (which, by the way, is a fan favorite, as we work in the lyrics “UCLA SUCKS”). But if you ask any band member their favorite memories of working the band, they will unequivocally answer that the games are their only reason for playing. Trojan Marching Band spirit is unmatched, even by the other fans.

Most fans will follow the TMB down Trousdale, and as they reach the end of the street, each fan kicks the bottom of one of the three flagpoles at the end of the road. After the kick, USC’s good luck charm, they walk through the famous Rose Garden. The Trojan faithful then pass through the LA Science Museum, and approach the Coliseum.

Once in their seats, the fans are serenaded first by the Victory Bell, the USC-UCLA rivalry trophy, which seems to have taken a permanent residence at the Coliseum. Pete Carroll leads his championship caliber team down the grand steps of the former Olympic stadium, and the student crowd cheers wildly as they make their way to the locker room.

Enter the TMB. To this day, I have never seen a fan section actually cheer for the band itself except at Southern California. They are a huge attraction, and have the love and admiration of all true Trojans.

After the Star Spangled Banner, the players rush onto the field to the screams of rabid fans. And the kickoff soon follows.

Not too far away from that is another win to notch onto the home win streak. As the fans walk satisfied out of the stadium, they look above the exit, where Pete Carroll is quoted “Winning Never Gets Old.”

No, it never does. Fight On.

The Official B/R College Football Writers' Poll : Preseason

Mitchell Golden — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:30:40 -0400

Florida sits above the rest in the Bleacher Report Top 25. Although, it did not garner all the first place votes.

Florida (20)
Texas (1)
Oklahoma
USC
Alabama (1)
Ohio State
Penn State
Virginia Tech
Ole Miss
LSU
Oklahoma State
Cal
Oregon
Georgia
Boise State
Georgia Tech
TCU
Utah
Florida State
BYU
Iowa
North Carolina
Nebraska
Oregon State
Notre Dame

Also Received Votes: Kansas 35, Miami 30, Texas Tech 29, Michigan State 26, West Virginia 21, Pittsburgh 15, Illinois 14, Southern Miss 13, Cincinnati 12, Nevada 9, Arkansas 2, NC State 2, Michigan 1, Rutgers 1, Tennessee 1, Houston 1

Notes from the Numbers:

There was only one vote separating Penn State and Virginia Tech
The biggest drop off in votes occurred between TCU and Utah
Conference appearances in the Top 15: SEC (5) Big 12 (3) Big Ten (2) Pac-10 (3) ACC (1) WAC (1)
There were 19 voters in this weeks poll.

The B/R Writers' Poll is compiled weekly by Mitchell Golden. To vote, please send an excel spreadsheet (if not possible, a simple email) to mgolden042@gmail.com. When tying in the names of teams, please use their full names.

Matt Barkley Named USC Starter at QB

Mitchell Golden — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:26:11 -0400

Matt Barkley has officially been named starting quarterback at USC, according to the team's official blog. Barkley has also confirmed his starting role.

Barkley is the first true freshman under Pete Carroll ever to start a season for the Trojans. He graduated early from Mater Dei HS, where he became the first High School Junior ever to win Gatorade National Prep Player of the Year.

During his Senior season, he completed 177 of 325 pass attempts (54.5%) with 2,877 yards and 23-18 TD/INT. As a Junior in 2007, Barkley set an Orange Country record with 3,576 yards passing.

At 6'2" and 230lbs, Barkley is slightly undersized as a Quarterback. However, he makes up for it with superb pocket presence and a stellar work ethic -- his GPA is 3.17 in USC's highly regarded communications program, and he is known on the field for his hard work. His efforts in the community and with his church also demonstrate his integrity and character.

Matt also has a tremendous athletic bloodline; his father was an All-American in water polo at USC, and his cousin Robbie also plays football for the Trojans.

In the USC Media Guide, Matt Leinart, a former Mater Dei Quarterback, is quoted, "He [Matt] was far better than I was in High School. He was more polished. He was more everything...He's a great kid on and off the field."

If Matt Barkley lives up to his expectations, the USC offense will reach new heights, as it will have more than two seasons with their starting Quarterback--an opportunity never before presented to the Trojans, and one that may never repeat itself. Hopefully, Barkley and the Trojans can take advantage of this rare occasion.

Five Things to Watch At USC: Part 2 (Special Teams)

Mitchell Golden — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:34:33 -0400

Since Mark Sanchez led the Trojans to Rose Bowl triumph, the big news at USC has made a complete shift to covering the Matt Barkley saga.

The headlines have looked something like this:

Matt Barkley joins USC early to learn the playbook. Matt Barkley is in a competition to start. Matt Barkley falls to second to Aaron Corp. Aaron Corp gets injured, and Matt Barkley is given another chance.

It is obvious that Barkley has a legitimate chance to become the first ever true freshman starter in a USC opener. To the sports world, that is a very exciting opportunity and one worth following.

But what about the other players?

After all, USC has thrilling developments not involving Barkley, and several troubling uncertainties. Over this week, I will highlight five important topics that will likely transition from the practice field to Saturday afternoons. This is the second:

For the first time ever, the Cardinal and Gold have hired a full-time Special teams coach. 37-year-old Brian Schneider left the Oakland Raiders, where he had two years of NFL experience, to join the Trojans. Taking advantage of this new presence of the coaching staff will be returners Stafon Johnson and Ronald Johnson.

Last year, Ronald Johnson led the Trojan special teams to a nation-leading season in kickoff returns (second in the nation with an average 26.5 yards). While the punt return game left a bit to be desired, both return games look to improve on the performances of last year, bolstered by both added experience and Schneider’s constant presence.

However, not all areas of special teams have returning players. At the beginning of preseason, Pete Carroll and his staff were still searching for a holder, kicker, and punter. Replacing the performance of First Team All-Pac 10 kicker David Buehler will be difficult, but as always, the Trojans seem to pull talent out of thin air.

Jacob Harfman, a Junior College All-American, looks to fill the void at punter. At this point, the depth chart leaders for kicker and holder (respectively) are former Nebraska Cornhusker Jordan Congdon, and senior fourth string quarterback Garrett Green.

All the newcomers must gel together and find rhythm quickly, or the Trojans will have a gaping hole in a very important aspect of football. Nonetheless, it would be foolish to expect Pete Carroll not to force chemistry upon his Special Teams unit. Having a permanent presence in Brian Schneider will also contribute to the rapid development of these vital parts.

Five Things To Watch That Do Not Involve Matt Barkley: Part One

Mitchell Golden — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:13:39 -0400

Since Mark Sanchez led the Trojans to Rose Bowl triumph, the big news at USC has made a complete shift to covering the Matt Barkley saga.

The headlines have looked something like this:

It is obvious that Barkley has a legitimate chance to become the first ever true freshman starter in a USC opener. To the sports world, that is a very exciting opportunity and one worth following.

But what about the other players?

After all, USC has thrilling position battles not involving Barkley, and several troubling uncertainties. Over the next five days, I will highlight five important topics that will likely transition from the practice field to Saturday afternoons. This is the first:

1. The Revolving Door at Running Back

This season, expect more of the same from the USC running game. With several super-talented backs, Pete Carroll has no need to select a feature back.

Sure, if Joe McKnight can gain 7.75 yards per rush like he did in the last intrasquad scrimmage, he may select himself. But with CJ Gable and Stafon Johnson (a senior) fighting for carries, no back should surpass 12 rush attempt a game.

Also, keep an eye on redshirt sophomore Marc Tyler. While low on the depth chart, Tyler had some promising runs at the end of last season, and seemed to hit the hole better than any of his peers. While McKnight, Gable, and Johnson can run sideline-to-sideline, Tyler may get serious consideration for his downhill running ability.

Tweet Carroll: Pete Carroll's Obsession With The Twitter World

Mitchell Golden — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:32:40 -0400

Pete Carroll is a fifty-seven year old multi-millionaire football coach. According to conventional wisdom, Coach Carroll is the least likely of Americans to take advantage of the new Twitter phenomenon.

A fifty-seven year old man, according to conventional wisdom, should not know what Twitter is. He should be just discovering that “Gloogler” thingy on the “Interweb,” or trying to be online friends with his grandchildren on “The Facebook.”

A football coach, according to conventional wisdom, does not have time for normal hobbies such as Twitter. A coach is constantly in the film room, drawing up plays, teaching players, or recruiting—any minute not spent on football is a minute that an opponent could use against you.

And even if a fifty-seven year old football coach decided that Twitter would be good for recruiting, or public exposure, conventional wisdom tells us that a multi-millionaire coach such as Pete Carroll would hire an assistant to manage his tweets.

Then again, Pete Carroll is not your conventional coach.

As a student here at USC, I witness the student body’s obsession over our beloved football coach. Charismatic, friendly, and most importantly, successful, Pete has the love of his Southern California campus. And if that was not enough, Pete Carroll now has their computer screens, too.

Anyone who has met Pete Carroll, or seen him take the time to speak to class, can attest to his childlike enthusiasm for not only football, but people as well. I have seen Pete around campus numerous times, and every single time he wore a bright smile. With his enthusiasm for the USC campus and students, it is no surprise that he has joined Twitter nation.

Of course, there are conventional, practical reasons for Coach Carroll selling his soul to the digital world. He can share pictures from practices and team meetings, announce dates and times of public practices, and give praise to players. Carroll used Twitter to announce Aaron Corp as the starter at Quarterback. This past weekend, he used Twitter to congratulate each of his eleven NFL draftees. Carroll has also interviewed over Twitter, his most recent being (what he calls) a “Twitterview” with Foxsports.com Lisa Horne.

Not that Pete is completely practical with his Twitter use. Carroll has championed his version of Earth Day (going to the beach), given followers his songs of the day such as “Shout” by the Isley Brothers, and even suggested books for quality reading ("Tribes" by Seth Godin and "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell). Through Twitter, I now know that Carroll loves blasting Coldplay and scouring Youtube for inspirational videos.

Even more importantly, he has pushed endlessly for his good friend Will Ferrell to join Twitter. Why? Probably just to bust his chops. But regardless of the reasoning, Pete Carroll’s month-spanning campaign found success on April 24th, when Will Ferrell finally created a Twitter account.

How can you tell that it is really Will? According to Coach Carroll's Twitter, it was “confirmed by a double secret code from an ancient Egyptian mystery school—will is a tweebe!”

Twitter is not simply a marketing tool for Pete Carroll. It offers him a chance to share his enthusiasm with the world, and reveal what USC has known about him for a very long time. Pete Carroll does not act his age. He works hard, but he is far from the conventional, impersonal football coach stereotype. His players love him, and so do his fans. And he loves them back.

As Pete continues to Tweet, the Trojan nation will continue to follow his every word. His personality has reached outside the bounds of the University Park campus, and onto the World Wide Web. If possible recruits read his Tweets and see his energy as a plus, that is great. If news outlets are drawn to Carroll’s tweets, and inadvertently give even more media time to USC, that is wonderful.

But I sincerely doubt that Pete has any of this in mind. After all, Pete Carroll is the unconventional coach. Not everything has to have a purpose. To Carroll, Twitter is another way to share his enthusiasm with his campus, his school, and his world.

That is why Carroll temporarily steps away from his work to update his fans. That is why he does not hire an assistant to write his tweets.

Pete Carroll is unconventional. And that is why USC loves him.

Biased College Football Bowl Coverage Part Two: Miami Merely a Tropical Storm

Mitchell Golden — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:31:43 -0500

Miami almost pulled the upset over the Cal-Berkeley Golden Bears.

Jacory Harris avoided throwing more than one interception to Cal’s vaunted pass defense, but a late game fumble—forced by Golden Bear senior Zach Follet—cost him an Emerald Bowl victory.

Jahvid Best didn’t help the Hurricane’s cause either, rushing for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Best saved the Golden Bears with his effort, as Cal looked outplayed by Miami for most of the game.

Miami will improve defensively over the next few years with their young squad, but yesterday’s Emerald Bowl was not their time.

After Cal’s exciting win, the Pac-10 is 2-0 in this bowl game season. If you watched the game, you noticed Jahvid Best’s explosiveness and speed. If you followed USC, you will remember that Jahvid Best ran for less than 40 yards in a 17-3 domination of Cal-Berkeley. Arizona was competitive against USC, and this was perceived as a weak game for the Trojans.

But then Arizona beats a ranked BYU, and USC’s schedule is not looking as weak as people thought it was.

The most important game for the “USC was cheated” club (of which I’m a member) is this Tuesday, when the Pac-10 plays its first big conference matchup. Oregon plays Oklahoma State in what will become a very high scoring Holiday Bowl.

USC held Oregon’s strong offense in a 44-10 blowout early in the season. If Oregon beats Oklahoma State, look for rumblings from Los Angeles that their team was cheated from the BCS Championship once again.

Conference strength is nothing more than a false measuring stick. The best way to measure a team is by their out of conference schedule. The SEC has no tough out of conference schedule.

The Pac-10 gets penalized for splitting games against ranked out of conference opponents, or having close losses to those same opponents.

The SEC just lets their best team ride to the top of the national rankings with no real test outside of their incestuous selves.

This needs to end.

With that said, here is how the Pac-10 has fared so far during this bowl season (Big 12 and SEC are yet to play):

Cal 24, Miami 17 (Emerald Bowl)

Arizona 31, BYU (16) 21 (Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl)

Overall Record: 2-0

vs. Top 25: 1-0

vs. SEC: Not Scheduled

vs. Big 12: 0-0

Brett Throws Away Game, Patriots are out: What Happens now in the AFC Playoffs?

Mitchell Golden — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:01:35 -0500

The Patriots had their chance several weeks ago, on third-and-15 in overtime. Brett Favre actually made that pass to Dustin Keller, and led the Jets to a 38-34 overtime victory.

This was at the peak of the Jets’ season, and the loss ultimately caused the Patriots to be entangled in a web of tiebreaking procedures that cost them a playoff berth.

Congratulations to Tony Sparano on making the playoffs, and to Matt Cassel for giving his team a chance.

As for Favre? Sure, he one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, yet, as the catalyst for all the drama in the AFC East, it simply was not worth the hype.

Both Favre and Thomas Jones were noticeably fatigued in this last Jets-Dolphins game. Jones could not muster up the leg power to run through Miami’s line, and Favre threw an ignorant pick that was returned for a touchdown (on a screen play).

Later, when it appeared as though the Jets were driving for the tie, Favre went into the no huddle and threw a pass through the hands of Chansi Stucky and into the hands of a Miami cornerback.

Now, the playoff picture is set. Here are my predictions for the AFC side of the NFL Playoffs:

Miami at Baltimore:

As much as I do not think the Dolphins are as good of a playoff team as the Patriots, I think their game style can win this game. The Dolphins play a ball control offense much like the Ravens do. They do not make risky throws, and rely on the run to set up their attack.

The Ravens have a better defense, but I think the Wildcat will set up at least one pivotal play in this matchup. Also, expect the Dolphins to get some good pressure on Flacco and force at least one more turnover than the Dolphins give up.

Result: Miami Wins

San Diego/Denver at Indianapolis:

I am bitter that an 8-8 team has the chance at the playoffs. No matter which team makes it, the Colts win.

Result: Colts Win

(Miami) at Tennessee

Although I still like the Dolphins’ safe style of gameplay against a Titans team that does not have an explosive pass offense, Tennessee has too good of a defense and will force turnovers from the Dolphins.

If the Dolphins fall behind by more than seven, which they will, Pennington does not have the ability to win a game. The Wildcat is good for one-score games.

When the Dolphins are down by more than one score—their style simply doesn’t allow it. Pennington doesn’t have the arm, and his receivers don’t have the skills to take over a game.

Result: Titans Win

(Colts) at Pittsburgh

I feel like my Colts game explanations are running a bit shorter than my Miami game predictions. Maybe it is because the analysis is simpler, or maybe I just do not care as much.

Either way, the Colts win because they are a more complete team. The Steelers offense is anemic, and will be especially weak as Roethlisberger now has a concussion.

Result: Colts Win

Colts at Tennessee

For a non-Patriots playoff, this will be a great game to watch. Tennessee should on paper have an easy time containing the Colts running attack, which is highlighted by Dominic Rhodes now.

Yet do not count the Colts out. They are the hottest team in the NFL.

After starting the season with doubts that they would even get in the playoffs, the Colts managed to go 12-4.

The Colts are a more complete team than the Titans, and have the ability to come back from a multi-possession deficit. Plus, most of the players are experienced in the postseason.

Kerry Collins has been in the Super Bowl with the Giants, but do not expect any heroics from the journeyman this time around.

The Colts will win this game, and head off to the Super Bowl.

Result: Colts Win

Jeff Byers Gains His Sixth Year of Eligibility

Mitchell Golden — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:19:49 -0500

Yesterday, I read on ESPN.com that Trojan offensive guard Jeff Byers—although a senior already—will have not a fifth, but a sixth year of eligibility. This is great news for the USC offense.

Byers has been a stalwart on the line all year, and is an exemplary student as well as athlete. Coaches praise his work ethic; he was a walk on who earned his way to a starting position.

Not only does Byers grind it out on the practice field, but he (to borrow a Ben Stiller quote) likes to break a mental sweat as well. With a 3.27 GPA and already having earned his B.A. in Business Administration, Byers is currently working towards his master's degree.

He is also a candidate for the Lowe’s Senior Class award, which recognizes all-around excellence in Senior athletes.

This offseason, Byers plans to gain 15 points and reach 305. With his athleticism and experience, Byers will surely be a major anchor in next year’s line.

He was one of two offensive starters expected to leave after the Rose Bowl (along with Patrick Turner). Now, the O-line returns all its starters, and the offense only loses one wide receiver. With a year of starting experience under Mark Sanchez’s belt, and an O-line with plenty of chemistry, who knows what next year’s Trojans can accomplish?

Biased Bowl Coverage, Part One: Arizona Wildcats Snuff No. 16 BYU

Mitchell Golden — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:57:27 -0500

So, after all the ranting I’ve heard about the BCS being inefficient, and my own ranting that the Pac-10 is better than it looks, I decided to put myself to the test.

Throughout the season, I have argued that it was the Pac-10’s difficult non-conference schedule that made them seem weak. By splitting the number of games that they have won, the Pac-10 made themselves look worse than the incestuous SEC.

The Big 12, I give some respect to. They played a few tough games outside of their conference. The SEC, however, continues to ride their reputation as a strong conference, and has yet to prove themselves in bowl play.

So now that you have the background to my argument, here’s what is really important: the stats. For the next two weeks, I will be logging a comparison of the Pac-10 versus the two “strongest” conferences in the NCAA. If all goes well, it will prove that USC was once again cheated out of the BCS Championship game by the higher standards held for the team.

Hopefully, I will be proven correct in that conference strength means nothing when comparing an incestuous conference to one that actually plays difficult out-of-conference games. If I’m proven wrong, you may not hear from me for a while.

Head over to the next page for the statistics/results

Pac - 10 Bowl Results

Arizona 31 , BYU (16) 21 (Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl)

Overall Record: 1-0

vs. Top 25: 1-0

vs. SEC: 0-0

vs. Big 12: 0-0

SEC Bowl Results

Overall Record: 0-0

vs. Top 25: 0-0

vs. Pac-10: 0-0

vs. Big 12: 0-0

Big 12 Bowl Results

Overall Record: 0-0

vs. Top 25: 0-0

vs. Pac-10: 0-0

vs. SEC: 0-0