Bleacher Report - Pete Carroll

USC's Jeremy Bates May Leave for the NFL...Welcome Back Norm Chow?

Rick McMahan — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:18:29 -0500

The Los Angeles Times ran a story today that Trojan offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates may return to the NFL if his former boss Mike Shanahan returns to coach another professional team.

That crescendo of silence you just witnessed was a collective yawn from Trojan nation.

Bates, who has been roundly criticized for his unimaginative offense by USC fans, would not address the issue when asked by reporters.

Bates did say this, "Were focused on Arizona, this is a big PAC-10 game. We are not going to be distracted."

Too late for that Jeremy.

Bates, in his first season with the Trojans, has led an anemic offense that has featured spotty play from true freshman quarterback Matt Barkley and an offensive line that was supposed to be among the best in the nation but has fallen far short of that.

Now, I understand that Jeremy Bates has obstacles with this offense that have prevented him from implementing the sort of game plan that he may have imagined when he signed on with the Trojans.

Matt Barkley, for all of his enormous potential, has regressed as the season wore on.

The aforementioned offensive line has struggled mightily in the running game which has prevented Bates from utilizing play action to its best effect.

Still, Bates play calling has left many scratching their heads.

When the Trojans have found success with the running game, which admittedly has been intermittent, Bates has gone to the pass.

When Barkley has found his groove, Bates switches to the running game.

Meanwhile, the Trojans third down efficiency has been...well...inefficient.

And that is being charitable.

In actuality, both the Trojans third down and red zone offense (scoring touchdowns) has been awful.

Bates must accept some responsibility for this and Trojan fans have not been shy about laying the blame directly at his feet.

Is it fair? Probably not but this was to be expected at USC.

Before the season started, I wrote an article that described exactly what Jeremy Bates could expect and much like a sports writing Nostradamus, I was right.

Not that it took much of a genius to realize that the USC microscope can be overwhelming but nonetheless, the disappointment of the Trojan fans with Bates could be seen a mile away if the offense failed to perform.

Which brings me to Norm Chow.

Will the wily, old ex-Trojan offensive coordinator come back to USC?

Not a chance in hell.

There is too much water under the bridge and the only thing less likely than Pete Carroll offering Chow his old job back is Chow accepting it.

This is a prototypical "non-story."

Despite a longing by Trojan nation to return the salad days of Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and the 2005 crew, those days are long gone.

If Bates leaves, expect John Morton, the passing game coordinator, to be given the job, and along with it, the magnified glare of scrutiny that comes with the title.

Given the criticism of Jeremy Bates this year, John Morton can expect more of the same if he fails to bring the offense back up to the high expectations of Trojan fans.

Those are lofty standards and difficult to live up to.

Good luck coach Morton.

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Pete Carroll-Rick Neuheisel Fallout: Quoting Sports Legends To Prove Your Point

Patrick Hamblin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:54:47 -0500

It's a common element of writing a sports article. The writer finds a quote from someone, such as legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, and uses it to prove his or her point.

As if Wooden's definition of competitive greatness applies to the high school basketball coach who does not get his starting center until the end of the football playoffs.

Los Angeles Times college football beat writer Chris Dufresne is just the latest to employ this technique in Monday's sports page.

Before I criticize Dufresne, let me say this. His articles are very thorough, informative, and entertaining. I read every single one of his articles. I do not always agree with him, but he is a tremendous resource of college football news and opinion.

That being said, Dufresne thought it necessary to quote Joe Paterno and John Wooden to prove his point that both UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel and USC coach Pete Carroll were showing poor sportsmanship in their respective decisions in the USC-UCLA football game last Saturday night. (If you have been locked in a closet since before the game, Neuheisel called a timeout after USC took a knee and Carroll responded by calling for a play-action pass resulting in a Trojan touchdown and a 28-7 USC lead in the final minute.)

Dufresne first quoted Paterno. "Success without honor is an unseasoned dish. It will satisfy your hunger, but it won't taste good."

First, I do not know what this quote has to do with a late touchdown, especially coming from someone who has no problem pouring it on to teams like Coastal Carolina to the tune of 66-10. Second, if Joe Pa really believes this, how about scheduling some real non-conference opponents? I know Akron and Temple have their loyal followers, but come on.

Dufresne then quoted John Wooden. In Los Angeles, of course, you are not allowed to criticize the Wizard of Westwood. Wooden was a great coach whose coaching is only exceeded by his intellect. When he writes, however, that "Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there," he certainly could not have meant it in the context of sticking it to a rival. Why, you ask?

The 1968 college basketball season was known for the Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Elvin Hayes rivalry. In what was billed as the "Game of the Century," Houston ended a UCLA winning streak and Hayes outplayed Alcindor, scoring 39 points to Alcindor's 15. (Alcindor and Wooden both claim this was due to Alcindor having a scratched eyeball. Nevermind Alcindor was 7-of-8 from the foul line.)

When the two teams met in the Final Four, UCLA blew out Houston by a 101-69 score. Obviously, since it was a one-sided game, it made sense to take Alcindor out in the final minutes to protect him from injury before the national championship game. Wooden, however, left Alcindor in the game for 39 minutes, and three other Bruin starters played 35-plus minutes in a game virtually decided by halftime. Was this "character [keeping him] there?"

I am sure Wooden had his logical reasons for his substitution pattern (or lack thereof) in that game. Maybe, just maybe, Neuheisel and Carroll have logical reasons for their strategy and do not deserve to have their character attacked in comparison to two legends of coaching.

Taking the quotes from Paterno and Wooden alone, I would whole-heartedly agree with them. While it might be entertaining to juxtapose these quotes against Neuheisel's "timeout" or Carroll's virtual "throw it deep," this writing technique only denigrates two coaches who are totally committed to their universities and the players on their respective squads.

My random thoughts on the sports world can be followed on Twitter at @plh55.

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Laying the Foundation: USC Football Recruiting, 2009--Good Times Ahead?

Rick McMahan — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:45:10 -0500

In an ongoing effort to let fans of the Trojans know what is going on with recruiting at USC, here is an updated view of prep targets Pete Carroll and his staff have in their sights.

As any fan of the Trojans knows, recruiting is the foundation upon which a successful college football program rests, and in the Pete Carroll era, no one has done it better, nationally or otherwise.

This year, however, marks a departure from coach Carroll’s “tried and true” methods of recruiting.

To keep from losing recruits on the Feb. 2 signing day to other programs who bad mouth the Trojans, USC has withheld offers to some recruits until later in the season.

This tactic, while understandable, has cost the Trojans some fine talent, including wide receiver Kenny Stills, a sub 4.4 guy who desperately wanted to play for the Trojans but when no offer was received, looked elsewhere.

However, yesterday, I received an updated list of recruits that USC was still in the hunt for, and I was amazed at the volume of four and five star recruits still in the Trojans line of sight.

Before, I get into that list, in which I will be highlighting the five star recruits, there is an interesting side story going on with a local stud, Tony Jefferson.

Jefferson, an ESPN top 150 recruit, ranked overall at #9, was a verbal commit of the UCLA Bruins.

The operative word in that last sentence is “was.”

Tony Jefferson has decommitted from the Bruins and is now only seriously considering USC and Oklahoma, although Michigan remains in the picture as an outsider.

Jefferson, whom I believe attended the USC-UCLA game, decommitted yesterday and it makes one wonder how the controversy over the game played out in Jefferson’s mind.

Apparently, Jefferson liked what he saw from the Trojans eh?

Also, bear in mind that USC already has verbal commitments from five star recruits, wide receiver, Robert Woods and tight end, Xavier Grimble.

In any event, here are some thumbnail sketches of the five star recruits and my thoughts on whether the Trojans can land these talented prep players:

Seantrel Henderson (offensive guard, 6′8″, 301 lbs., Minnesota): Great player with good mobility. Trojans have a shot at this difference maker on the o-line.

Garrison Smith (defensive tackle, 6′3.5″, 255 lbs., Georgia): Cat-like quick though undersized. However, the Trojans will be on the outside looking in for Smith’s services on signing day.

Jackson Jeffcoat (linebacker or defensive end, 6′3″, 233 lbs., Texas): Either Jeffcoat, son of the former NFL player or Jeff Luc, is the best prep linebacker in the country. Period. The Trojans stand a real shot at getting Jeffcoat, who really liked his visit.

Jeff Luc (linebacker, 6′1″, 240 lbs., Florida): Luc is a beast. Fast and physical, Luc would look great in Cardinal and Gold but chances of landing him are fairly remote.

Lache Seastrunk (running back, 5′10″, 180 lbs., 4.4, Texas): Seastrunk, who I believe might be the best running back in high school football, has been making some noise regarding the Trojans. If they get him, it won’t shock me.

Ronald Powell (defensive end, 6′4″, 250 lbs., 4.6, California): Powell, who is quick enough to also play linebacker, will either play for the Trojans or the Florida Gators.

Jordan Hicks (linebacker, 6′2″, 200 lbs., Ohio): Another quick and fast ‘backer, with the kind of frame that will put on weight, Hicks is considered a long shot to sign with the Trojans.

Lamarcus Joyner (corner back, 5′8.5″, 165 lbs., 4.4, Florida): Despite his diminutive size, this kid can really bring it. Also a great special teams player. Considered a fairly long shot to play for USC.

George Uko (defensive tackle, 6′4″, 297 lbs., 4.9, California): If this guy can stay focused (not a given), Uko can be a difference maker on the d-line. Uko has been much more consistent this year, thus his inclusion as a five star. I think Uko is almost a lock to wear Crimson and Gold next year.

Christian Green (wide receiver, 6′2″, 185 lbs., Florida): A great talent but very unlikely to play for the Trojans who have not yet extended him an offer.

Sharrif Floyd (defensive tackle, 6′2″, 311 lbs., Pennsylvania): A marvellous talent but not considered a player who has USC high on his list.

Anthony Barr (running back, 6′4″, 225 lbs., 4.55, California): A bruising runner in the mold of Lendale White but faster, Barr is a considered to have the Trojans high on his list.

So there you have it.

The complete list, as of now, of five star prep prospects on the Trojans radar.

One more name of note:

Kyle Prater, the 6′5″ five star wide receiver from Illinois who gave the Trojans a verbal commitment a couple of months ago is now considered a “soft commitment.” I have heard that despite this, Prater will still sign with USC. However, I have also heard that his parents have been leaning on Prater to stay local thus making Illinois the favorite to land his services.

Only time will tell regarding Prater.

Update!! Within an hour of writing this piece, I received word that Scout.com has removed the "soft verbal" from Kyle Prater's profile and now has him a solid commit for the Trojans.

Based on this list and an equally impressive list of four star athletes still considering the Trojans, the future looks very promising.

Pete Carroll always has recruited extremely well nationally and I expect that this year will be no exception.

In a year where the Trojans have not played up to hopes and expectations on the field, a good recruiting class will give the Trojans momentum heading into 2010.

Circle February 2 on your calendars and get ready to smile.

I think the Trojans cupboard will be re-stocked and ready to make waves for years to come.

Note: If you enjoyed this article and would like an update of the four star athletes that USC has targeted, please let me know via the comments section.

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USC-UCLA: My Only Problem with the Way It Ended

Paul Peszko — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:00:41 -0500

I didn’t have a problem with USC coming out for the last minute of the game and taking a knee.

Okay, so maybe the coaching staff forgot that UCLA had three timeouts remaining. The staff has forgotten a lot of things this year, like how to get the defense ready to play a decent offense.

Of course, that doesn’t include the Bruins’ offense.

Speaking of offenses, the staff also has forgotten how to shift the USC offense into high gear. It seems like they have been stalled most of the season in second gear. In their Rivalry Game on Saturday, like their game earlier at Arizona State, the Trojans never got it out of first gear until the fourth quarter.

Anyway, whether they actually forgot that UCLA had all their timeouts, or taking a knee was supposed to signify that the Trojans were willing to end it at 21-7, doesn’t matter.

I had no problem with Rich Neuheisel refusing to end it at 21-7 and calling a timeout. Why take three timeouts into the locker room? You can’t redeem them at Walmart even on Thanksgiving weekend.

I had no problem with Pete Carroll and Jeremy Bates calling a play-action pass since Neuheisel was willing to take it to the limit.

I had no problem with the Trojans celebrating and even taunting the Bruins when they scored. After all, it is supposed to be a rivalry game, isn’t it?

Here’s my problem. Why was Matt Barkley in there to take the knee or to throw the play-action pass?

Why not have Mitch Mustain or Aaron Corp get a chance to do the honors? Don’t they deserve some recognition for warming the bench all year while the staff has ignored them time and time again because the coaches are too busy kissing Barkley’s behind?

Better yet, why wasn’t Garrett Green in the game at that point?

Green is a senior. He has served faithfully as a safety, wide receiver, and scout team quarterback for four years. Not only that, but he also threw for a touchdown in the Rose Bowl two years ago.

Has Pete Carroll become so enamored with Matt Barkley that he can’t give a loyal senior like Garrett Green the chance to throw that play-action pass?

Why did it have to be Barkley?

He has been anything but superlative over the past month. In fact, his accuracy has been downright pathetic at times.

I can understand why Corp might not be in there with his poor performance at Washington, but Mitch Mustain is another player who deserves some recognition and should have had a chance to throw that pass.

Even if Green or Mustain had thrown an incomplete pass and given UCLA an additional timeout, so what? There was no way that the Bruins were going to score two touchdowns.

So, I will stop short of calling Pete Carroll “classless” like some of his media critics. But I do think he has been rather myopic.

Matt Barkley will have at least two, or possibly three, more Rivalry Games in his future. Garrett Green will have none. This was it for him.

Green will have just one more game in the Coliseum next week. But the defense has struggled all year against decent offenses, except for Ohio State.

Arizona is no UCLA when it comes to offense. They can certainly put up points.

The odds of Green or any of the other quarterbacks seeing any playing time against the Wildcats are slim and none.

Pete Carroll’s chance to recognize Garrett Green for his contributions has most likely come and gone.

But then it has been a season of opportunities for the Trojans that have come and gone.

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USC Bombs on UCLA, Stokes Fire of a One-Sided Football Rivalry

Sam Kline — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:29:10 -0500

The downtrodden USC Trojans and surprisingly upstart UCLA Bruins seemed to be headed in opposite directions before they faced each other on Saturday. Southern Cal had endured two of the most embarrassing losses in the history of the university to Oregon and Stanford in the previous three weeks.

Meanwhile, UCLA was riding a three-game winning streak as they headed into Saturday’s much-anticipated matchup at the Coliseum.

The Bruins, as well as their fanbase had known that, if there was ever a year for an upset over the hated Men of Troy, 2009 is it.

In a topsy-turvy college football season where surprising programs like TCU and Cincinnati round out the top-five teams in the AP rankings, leave it to a rivalry game to reinstate a sense of predictability to our lives.

Having won 10 of their 11 previous matchups, USC defeated UCLA 28-7 in the 79th installment of this heated crosstown affair. While the game unto itself was mostly forgettable, it was more competitive than most Trojan fans would like to admit.

Southern Cal didn’t score any offensive points until the third quarter, when DB Will Harris intercepted a Kevin Prince pass that set the Trojans up at the Bruin 29-yard line.

In spite of great field position, USC still required seven plays to drive less than 30 yards for pay-dirt. In fact, the outcome of this game was still in doubt until Southern Cal made the score 21-7 on a second touchdown run by bruising tailback Allen Bradford, who replaced an injured Joe McKnight, with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter.

The defining moments of the battle started with only 44 seconds remaining in the game, and this is the part that will stick with fans of both schools for years to come.

UCLA still had all three times out remaining, and Bruin head coach Rick Neuheisel elected to use their first time out when USC, up two scores with less than a minute left, lined up in a victory formation and opted to take a knee on first down to run out the clock.

Neuheisel courageously demonstrated a never-say-die attitude toward UCLA’s hated rival. This mentality should not be unexpected as Neuheisel continues to set the tone for his program in his first year as the head football coach in Westwood.

USC head coach Pete Carroll merely obliged Neuheisel with quid-pro-quo: If you’re not ready to quit, then neither are we.

QB Matt Barkley’s ensuing 48-yard play-action touchdown bomb to All-Conference wideout Damian Williams, the play that has Bruin fans and various pundits in an uproar, was downplayed by both coaches after the game.

"You're either competing or you're not," USC coach Pete Carroll said in response to the controversial play call.

"Our job is to cover, and they have every right to throw deep," Neuheisel said. "People can make their own conclusions. Our job is to stop the play. ... I don't blame them for doing it."

If the coaches are okay with the play call, then fans should be, too. Based on the fact that the game wasn’t a blowout, the late TD to Williams wasn’t nearly as egregious a play call as Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh’s decision to go for two when Stanford already led USC 48-21 two weeks ago.

The notion of hanging a 50-spot on the Trojans was purely vanity-driven. Carroll’s decision to go for the jugular was merely gamesmanship after Neuheisel effectively communicated through his use of times out that UCLA wasn’t ready to throw in the towel yet.

But the play-call alone wasn’t the most disturbing part of the fourth quarter. This would come soon afterward.

USC’s players on the sidelines showed little to no class was when they collectively moved onto the field to taunt the Bruins after the last touchdown put USC up three scores. The Bruin bench, facing emasculation in addition to defeat, felt they had no choice but to stand up for themselves, and meet the Trojans in the middle of the field to engage in possible fisticuffs.

Only a last-minute intervention by both coaching staffs and abridged post-game handshakes prevented further incident.

While Saturday’s victory will help USC get invited to a tertiary postseason matchup like the Holiday, Poinsettia, or Emerald Bowl, Carroll must reprimand his players for their unsportsmanlike actions after Barkley’s TD pass reflect poorly upon the university.

Or, in many people’s eyes, the team’s egging on of the defeated Bruins simply reinforces USC’s reputation to many as a bastion of arrogance.

Read more Pete Carroll news on BleacherReport.com

Is USC's Pete Carroll a Hypocrite?

Patrick Hamblin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:16:42 -0500

Saturday night's USC-UCLA game went from a rather dull intra-city rivalry to an exciting and controversial finish in a matter of seconds. While everyone knows what happened (Rick Neuheisel timeout, Pete Carroll throw deep, and near riot on the field) the debate rages about the decisions of these two rival coaches.

Mostly this debate has centered on whether USC coach Pete Carroll was trying to "rub it in" on UCLA, or whether Bruin coach Rick Neuheisel was trying to spite the Trojans by taking timeouts in an already-decided game.

The greatest focus of this debate, however, is whether Pete Carroll is being hypocritical for doing what caused him to ask Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh two weeks ago, "What's your deal?"

Any reasonable look at both incidents should cause anyone to acknowledge Carroll's actions were completely different than Harbaugh's.

Let's examine what exactly happened in the Stanford-USC game on Nov. 14. The third quarter ended with the Cardinal holding a seven-point lead at 28-21. Stanford quickly added to this lead early in the fourth quarter with two more touchdowns, giving them a 42-21 lead.

Then controversy arrived. With 6:47 to go, Stanford's Toby Gerhart scored a TD to give them a 48-21 lead. At this point, the Trojans had for all intents and purposes quit playing, and a PAT kick would have given the Cardinal an insurmountable FOUR-touchdown lead.

It was here that Harbaugh decided to go for two, hang half a hundred on the scoreboard, and rub it to the already-defeated Trojans. Considering the way USC was tackling Toby Gerhart, the Trojans couldn't have come back with the help of a miracle.

Fast forward to Saturday night. USC regained possession on the UCLA 44-yard line with 54 seconds to go, and the game most likely decided by the Trojans holding a 14-point lead. Seeing the Bruins were defeated, Pete Carroll ordered his offense to take a knee, thus allowing UCLA and Neuheisel to walk away with a 14-point loss.

All he had to do was walk away, but Neuheisel instead chose to take a timeout, stating later he wanted "to force the Trojans to punt and get the ball back." Had that scenario played out, UCLA would have got the ball back with 35 to 40 seconds on the clock.

What if the punt is returned for a touchdown or is blocked and returned for a touchdown? Then UCLA is only an onside kick and a Hail Mary away from a victory.

Far-fetched? Likely. Impossible? No way.

There is no need to recap the sequence of Saturday night's play-calls, but Pete Carroll's decision reflects an understanding of the game situation, not an intention to "rub it in" on UCLA, though I would admit, it did have that effect.

Pete Carroll is no Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh was being his arrogant self, trying to get another dig on a coach he has consistently been going after. Pete Carroll was just coaching a football game.

You can follow my random thoughts on the sports world on Twitter at @plh55.

Read more Pete Carroll news on BleacherReport.com

College Football: Baby's Losers for the First Week of December

BabyTate — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:37:30 -0500

The first week of December provides the opportunity to watch numerous championship games while jockeying for bowl position continues at a high level.

Baby's Losers

1. The Civil War: Oregon State @ Oregon (*See Important Note Below)

There are some games that are always full of adventure, excitement, and surprises. The Civil War is one such game, which is why we feel it is necessary to include this match in the predictions and picks for the week.

Former Alabama star cornerback Mike Riley will have his Beavers ready to repay the Ducks for knocking them out of the Rose Bowl in '08.

Baby's Loser: in a thriller, Oregon State

2. Big 12 Championship Game: Texas vs. Nebraska in Arlington, Texas

Colt McCoy will secure his Heisman Trophy with a victory over the Cornhuskers, but this will not be easy. Expect Nebraska to hold the Longhorns to 21 points or less.

Baby's Loser: Nebraska

3. ACC Title Game: Georgia Tech vs. Clemson in Tampa, Florida

Clemson had every intention of winning this game until Steve Spurrier showed the world how to control C.J. Spiller last week in Carolina's 17-point win over the Tigers.

Baby's Loser: Clemson

4. Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh

Everyone wants another unbeaten team to go to the BCS. In this corner we have a supporter of Pitt all year, but can they score enough to defeat Cincinnati?

Baby's Loser: close, Pittsburgh

5. Arizona @ Southern California

Respect for sportsmanship would not be a description of what Pete Carroll did to UCLA in the final minute of their game last week. The Wildcats had best be prepared.

Baby's Loser: Arizona

6. California @ Washington

Before the Huskies are written off here, look at the situation: The Bears are set to go bowling and have little incentive.

Sarkisian just might have UW ready for an upset.

Baby's Loser: tight, Washington

7. Wisconsin @ Hawaii

One of the reasons the Outback Bowl is hesitant to invite the Badgers is because of this game and the possible impact on attendance a month later in Florida.

Baby's Loser: Hawaii

Saturday's Tough One

8. Conference USA Championship Game: Houston @ East Carolina

Skip Holtz is being talked about as a coaching possibility for many of the positions that are opening. He'll have his Pirates ready, but the Cougar offense is too formidable.

Baby's Loser: East Carolina

Game of the Week

9. SEC Title Game: Florida vs. Alabama in Atlanta, Ga.

The teams in this clash are equal and know everything about each other.

Alabama has a true advantage in their ability to create and convert turnovers. The Crimson Tide players think they can beat Florida, but the Gator players know they can beat Alabama. That just could be the difference.

Let's go with history to repeat itself.

Baby's Loser: Alabama

Last week, Baby Tate went 6-3, missing Ga.Tech, Pitt, and Ok.St. (84-33 for the year)

9-0: No One

8-1: Zodiac, Kimberley, Ga Dawg, Taylor B., Connor, Jared, Boulder, and Fanatic.

7-2: Michael C., 007, Kevin M., Alex, Daniel H., Tom O., Scott R., Ryan H., Carl S., Mark F., Jim M., and Sean.

6-3: Baby Tate, Ronnie, 12, Dan B., Tim C., Brandon H., Daniel S., Kent, Mosang, Iceman, Mark S. Bill B., Cliff, Ryan, Blake B., and Tyler L.

5-4: Hokie Hogg, Matt S., James W.

Below Baby Tate's Mendoza Line: Red Raider, Ryan R., Josh M., and Wil

Congratulations to Kimberley who had her finest week ever as her beloved Bulldogs put it to Ga. Tech on national TV.

Same for Ga Dawg. We see he is feeling his oats this week with a fine article recapping the burning of Atlanta.

This is one of the best results record-wise we've seen as an overall group. I'm certain Zodiac will claim that he is responsible.

A tip of the hat to the first-timers who all did well.

Taylor, Connor, and Jared outdid themselves with their fine work during holiday week.

We had 43 participants for this past week. Keep up the great work.

A note of thanks to Bill B. who spent the week telling everyone how Georgia would beat Ga Tech.

*Note: In view of the importance of the Oregon State-Oregan clash, (and since it is the final week of the regular season) let's make an exception this one time only and include a weeknight game. Please have all of our picks in by Thursday night, prior to the Civil War kickoff at 9PM Eastern Standard Time.

Read more Pete Carroll news on BleacherReport.com

Pete Carroll Sends a Message To Rick Neuheisel

Brian Livingston — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:39:40 -0500

USC played its crosstown rival UCLA for the 79th time last night. While the Trojans have had three disappointing losses already this season, losing to the Bruins would only make matters worse.

Fortunately for Trojan nation, that would not be the case. As rivalry games go, it was pretty dull.

Both teams traded punts during the first half. It wasn't until the waining seconds of the fourth quarter that the most excitement would come. Leading 21-7 with 54 seconds the Trojans took a knee. This is where the mind games began.

Rick Neuheisel called timeout. Carroll would respond by calling a play instead of taking another knee. The play would result in a 48-yard touchdown catch from Matt Barkley to Damian Williams, much to the shock and excitement of the Coliseum crowd.

As I sat amongst a room full of USC alumni at their Saturday gathering place, I thought to myself why would Carroll do this? It wasn't until they flashed the ad that Neuheisel took out in the Los Angeles Times last summer stating, "The Football Monopoly in Los Angeles is officially over".

It was then I realized why he decided to throw with only 50 seconds remaining.

He may not admit it, but in my opinion that was Pete Carroll's response. Watching Pete Carroll since taking over at USC it is clear he does his talking on the field with his team instead of making statement's in the newspaper.

The usually laid back Carroll showed his enthusiasm after the play by raising both fists in the air and then subtlety pointed at the UCLA sideline.

While SC has dominated the football scene between these two lately, next years game will definitely have some intrigue to it. Like I said, the laid back Carroll made his statement on the field rather than off.

Most would consider what he did rubbing it in, but I would have to say both men knew why they did what they did.

This is a chess match between these two and right now, Carroll has the upper hand. The next move belongs to Neuheisel. Personally I like what Carroll did. I don't consider it running up the score one bit.

Maybe if the score was 50-7, then I'd have a problem with it , but as I said, this is a chess game and Carroll made a brilliant move. It was the defenses job to defend and they failed to do so.

They have no one to blame but themselves. I'm just glad the brawl didn't break out between the two after that had happened. It would've taken away from this rivalry if that had been allowed to happen.

What Carroll did was send a message to Neuheisel. It said "I haven't forgot what you said last August."

Neuheisel shouldn't have done something like that until the Bruins maybe won the Pac-10 or perhaps beat USC for starters. Then maybe he could've taken out that ad after he had accomplished something.

All that ad did was create bulletin board material for Carroll's Trojans. It will be interesting to see what happens between these two when they meet in Pasadena next December.

Read more Pete Carroll news on BleacherReport.com

Winning UGLY (and Controversially): USC 28 UCLA 7

Rick McMahan — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:59:19 -0500

At various times this season, I have written Trojan "Report Cards," which break down USC's efforts by unit: offensive, defensive, and special teams, including coaching.

However, I have found this exercise to be tedious and limiting in terms of being able to express what I want to say.

So, in what can only be described as a stroke of inspiration, I have decided to combine a pseudo report card with a commentary on what I saw last night at the Coliseum in Los Angeles.

USC beat UCLA 28-7 in a completely forgettable game.

At least until the last Trojan drive of the contest.

But more on that later.

Here is the report card:

Offense: D-

Defense: A-

Special Teams: B+

Coaching: C+

Controversy: A+++++

Now for the breakdown:

The offense was abysmal. Period.

And it all starts, or in this case, ends with the offensive line.

The supposed strength of this year's USC team has been, at best, mediocre this year.

Unable to consistently open holes for Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford, the Trojan running game has suffered.

In turn, this has impacted the passing game, which, without a steady running game, is unable to effectively call play action passes.

Because of this, Matt Barkley has had to operate in less than optimum conditions.

I know, a simplistic analysis, but one that nonetheless, has merit.

Of course, Matt Barkley has to take responsibility for some bonehead passes but he is a true freshman and this is to be expected.

Last night, the Trojans were the recipient of four turnovers and managed, until the controversial last drive, one score.

One.

Now, I understand that UCLA has a good defense and that UCLA defensive tackle, Brian Price, is a beast, but come on...

One score?

All of this was reflected in the Trojan offense last night and is something that will have to be focus for next week's Arizona game and beyond.

Meanwhile, the Trojan defense continued with its Jekyl and Hyde performance with last night being of the good doctor variety.

However, this was against an anemic UCLA offense that must have their offensive coordinator, Norm Chow up at night munching Rolaids like they are going out of style.

Regardless, the Trojan defense was magnificent all night long, including creating those four turnovers that the offense pretty much squandered.

Included in those turnovers, was Malcolm Smith's "pick-six" interception, which got the scoring started for USC.

So, despite the woeful UCLA offense, it is hard to take exception with the Trojan defense.

As far as the special teams go, they did fine.

UCLA was supposed to have a big advantage in this area but not last night.

Jacob Harfman delivered many big punts (with the Trojan offense in continual "stall mode," he had to).

And Damien Williams, the nations second best punt returner, often gave the Trojan offense good field position from which to bog down.

As far as the coaching goes, again, defense (Pete Carroll) did well while the offense (Jeremy Bates), not so much.

Which brings us to the Trojans final offensive series of the game.

And the long bomb touchdown that Matt Barkley threw to make a game already won, 28-7.

Many people, especially Trojan haters, are going to label me a hypocrite for my support of Pete Carroll.

After all, I recently wrote an article blasting Jim Harbaugh for running up the score against the Trojans but this is fundamentally different.

Pete Carroll had no intention of passing or even running in that final series.

Leading 21-7 with less than two minutes remaining in the game, Carroll had the offense lined up in the "victory" formation and ordered Matt Barkley take a knee.

Then Rick Nueheisel called a time out.

And they had two more time outs as well.

This, according to coach Carroll, convinced him that UCLA wanted to continue playing the game.

So Pete Carroll and Matt Barkley obliged him.

The resulting long touchdown pass drew the ire of the UCLA bench and their players, who streamed out to the playing field in indignation.

But why the indignation?

Was USC supposed to just stop playing when it became apparent that the Bruins still intended to?

UCLA should use that indignant energy to play football the whole 60 minutes, especially when it was they, who by calling the timeout, motivated the notion that this game was still to be contested.

Of course, the bottom line here is that this now one sided rivalry has an undertone of bad blood between Nueheisel and coach Carroll.

Good.

With the Trojans winning nine out of the last ten in this series, it needed some controversy.

And maybe next time Nueheisel will think twice before calling useless timeouts.

Read more Pete Carroll news on BleacherReport.com

College Football's 11 Best 11s For December: The SEC Rules The ACC

BabyTate — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:44:21 -0500

During the final week of the regular season each season, arch-rivals in the two conferences who define southern sports meet to settle their differences.

The two leagues are the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference, SEC and ACC to friends and foes alike.

Arrogant and powerful, each conference considers itself head and shoulders above any other in the primary college sports, the SEC in football and the ACC in basketball.

All apologies to the other BCS conferences, PAC10, Big10, Big East, and Big 12 but, until you can wrest the National Championship in each sport away from the two conferences it is the reality of the current situation.

Fans recognize Alabama taking on Florida in SEC football, and Duke and UNC battling in ACC basketball, make the sports world come to a stop. However, it is the inter-conference rivalries in football that create the extended family atmosphere.

This situation happens in the states of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina when the Gators meet the Seminoles, the Yellow Jackets meet the Bulldogs, and the Tigers take on the Gamecocks.

The basketball season is young so, the jury is still out as to who is the boss of who this year. Not so with football.

Saturday's results proved the SEC is clearly superior to the ACC in football this season.

Ga Tech, pride of the ACC and ranked No. 7 in the BCS poll, was beaten by a middle-of-the-road Georgia, 30-24.

Clemson, who face the Yellow Jackets for the ACC title in Tampa next week and feature possible Heisman Trophy finalist C.J. Spiller, received a beatdown from Steve Spurrier's South Carolina Gamecocks, 34-17.

Florida State, for years the big gun of the ACC, was mauled by No. 1 ranked Florida 37-10 in a game never as close as the final score indicates.

Bad blood between blood relatives in these three situations.

And there is always next year.

The 11 Best 11s

Ranking This Week Ranking Last Week

1. Texas 1.

2. Alabama 2.

3. Florida 3.

4. Texas Christian 4.

5. Boise State 5.

6. Cincinnati 6.

7. Oregon 9.

8. Ohio State 10.

9. Iowa 11.

10. Penn State N/R (On The Porch)

11. Oregon State N/R (On The Porch)

On The Porch: Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Va. Tech, Nebraska, LSU

Alabama presented a case for becoming No. 1 with an inspired 26-21 comeback victory over arch-enemy Auburn. The Crimson Tide will will meet Florida this Saturday to determine who is the Champion of the SEC.

Tennessee pulled out a 30-24 overtime win at Kentucky while LSU needed an extra period to subdue Arkansas, 33-30. Mississippi State surprised high-riding Ole Miss in Egg Bowl action, 41-27.

While the SEC settled their differences, the PAC-10 provided some of the best action of the weekend.

Southern California and UCLA, two schools who know a thing or two about rivalries, staged a magnificent contest in the Coliseum for nearly 60 minutes.

The final moments created the stir when Bruin head coach Rick Neuheisel called time out, apparently to cramp the Trojan victory celebration. Trojan overseer Pete Carroll did not appreciate the gesture and responded with a "bomb" pass play for a touchdown.

Properly incensed over the matter, the Bruins attempted to start a rumble. Cooler heads prevailed and the Men of Troy went home with a 28-7 win over their crosstown rival.

Houston showed no mercy to their city rival, the Rice Owls. Leading 59-0 at halftime, the Cougars went on to a 73-14 act of destruction.

The Apple Cup was settled early on as the Huskies dominated Washington State 30-0.

In the desert battle between Arizona and Arizona State, the Wildcats scored on a last second field goal to escape the clutches of Dennis Erickson's nasty boys defense.

Stanford put a merciful end to the season of Notre Dame and the much-maligned Charlie Weis. Behind the powerful running of Toby Gerhart, the Cardinal overhauled the tiring Irish in the second half for a 45-38 victory.

Boise State took the pistol offense of Nevada and clobbered the Wolfpack with the handle, 44-33 while TCU destroyed hapless New Mexico, 51-10.

Brigham Young had to work overtime to defeat Utah 26-23 in the Battle of the Beehive State but it was the remarks of the Cougars' star quarterback Max Hall that made the most noise.

"I don’t like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans. I hate everything,” Hall said. “It felt really good to send those guys home.”

“I think the whole university [Utah] and their fans and the organization is classless,” Hall said. “They threw beer on my family and stuff last year and did a whole bunch of nasty things. I don’t respect them and they deserved to lose.”

Max, tell us how you really feel.

In Big 12 action, Texas withstood a furious Texas A&M attack to pull out a win on Thanksgiving evening, 49-39. The Oklahoma Sonners blanked the Oklahoma State Cowboys 27-0 in the Bedlam series.

Kansas fell to Missouri 41-39 in the Border War, Texas Tech defeated Baylor 20-13, and Nebraska punched out Colorado 28-20 despite some good news around the Hawkins family household. Coach Dan will be back for another season as head coach in Boulder.

Around the Big East stories circulated concerning the demise of Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe following another losing season, this one punctuated by a Friday loss to Rutgers by the tune of 34-14.

Illinois bowed to Cincinnati 49-36, Syracuse fell to UConn 56-31, and in the Backyard Brawl Pittsburgh fell on the final play of the game to West Virginia, 19-16.

The ACC-Big East showdown between South Florida and Miami ended with the Hurricanes rolling to a 31-10 victory. In other action, Boston College downed Maryland 19-17, N.C. State handed UNC another defeat 28-27, Wake Forest escaped Duke 45-34, and Virginia Tech destroyed Virginia, 42-13.

Read more Pete Carroll news on BleacherReport.com