USC-Ohio State: A Walk-On Shall Lead Them

You need to realize one thing about sportswriters, especially those in the national media, who don’t cover a specific team. Instead they cover one another. When the writers at the top pick out a player or two, all the others follow, and it snowballs from there.

Look at the cover of Sports Illustrated 2008 College Preview edition. Who do you see? Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga and Mark Sanchez.

And the universities promote the same players that the media have singled out, and rightly so. Why shouldn’t they want national recognition for their players.? Look at the USC Football Yearbook with their four All-American candidates, Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing, Kevin Ellison, and Taylor Mays, on the cover.

Do they deserve to be there? Of course. Will they have an impact in this game? You better believe it. Are they the keys to a USC victory?

Not really.

What about Mark Sanchez? Isn’t he in the Heisman watch now? Yes, sportswriters have penciled him in after one exceptional game. And Maualuga, Cushing, Ellison and Mays have been singled out nationally because of their huge hits. Just type in any one of their names in a You Tube search and you’ll see what I mean.

This is not to discount their importance to USC’s No. 1 ranking or their importance to the game on Saturday. But the one player, who more than anyone else on the team, most exemplifies Pete Carroll’s winning philosophy of Turnover Football, is a former walk-on, Clay Matthews, Jr.

If that name sounds familiar, it should. He is the fourth member of his family to play football for USC, which includes his father, Clay (1974-77), an All-American linebacker, who played for the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons from 1978 to 1996.

His brother, Kyle, was a safety on USC's 2003 national championship team. His uncle, Bruce (1980-82) was an All-American offensive guard at USC and is considered an NFL ironman, playing 19 years for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans from 1983 to 2001. His grandfather, Clay Sr., was a three-sport letterman at Georgia Tech in the 1940s and played with the San Francisco 49ers in the 1950s.

Matthews, a fifth year senior actually plays two positions. He is way too versatile for just one. A turnover and sack specialist, if there is such a thing, Matthews operates either as a defensive end or a linebacker depending on the defensive set.

Although he is not always a starter, one thing is certain. When No. 47 is on the field, Ohio State had better account for him because he forces fumbles, deflects passes, and makes sacks or just causes so much disruption that quarterbacks lose their focus.

The 6'3", 240-pounder is blazing quick and has more moves than Dancing With the Stars. Offensive linemen and blocking backs turn around to see their quarterback on the turf and shrug, "Where did Number 47 come from?"

If the Buckeyes concentrate on Maualuga and Cushing, Todd Boeckman will be seeing No. 47 in his sleep Saturday night.

And it’s not just Boeckman that needs to be concerned. But Chris Wells or whoever the Buckeyes have at running back will need to secure the football. Although Matthews didn’t grow up on a farm, he has a natural affinity for pigskin. Wherever that baby goes, Matthews will find a way to get his hands on it.

And remember, this guy has NFL pedigree.

With all of the buzz about the other linebackers, a local radio interviewer asked Pete Carroll, which one of the four—Maualuga, Cushing, Laurenaitis or Freeman—would have the most impact.

Carroll chuckled, "it might be surprising but Kuluka Maiava (Weak side LB) might make the most tackles in this game or Clay Matthews. There are more than a few big guys in this game."

Right you are, Coach. And the sportswriters who are paring this game down to just a handful of match ups are really not doing it justice. But what do you expect from folks who don’t really cover a team?

A scout player is another important key for the Trojans.

Even if Chris Wells plays and is a hundred percent healthy, he will have less of an impact than many expect. The reason: Allan Bradford.

Bradford is one of USC’s four prominent running backs. A sheer power runner, he is the Trojans go-to-back in short yardage situations. That doesn’t mean you won’t find him in the game at other times. But he is big like Chris Wells and shoulders a lot of pure force.

So, Bradford has been impersonating Ohio State’s Heisman candidate on USC’s scout team all week and punishing his teammates. Getting hit by Wells can’t be any worse than having Bradford run over you.

And I’m sure he’ll get in his share of licks on offense this Saturday. If you’re the Buckeyes, you had better hit Bradford before he hits you. And he will hit you. No, astounding Joe McKnight cutbacks and jukes. No, Stafon Johnson or C.J. Gable slashes. If you are in Bradford’s path, he will run you over. He loves to punish.  You'll know that you've been Bradforded.

Another key for the Trojans is their transfer wide receiver, Damian Williams.

Williams, more than any other receiver on the field for either team, must get double coverage. One defender alone cannot cover him. The Arkansas transfer has both separation speed and incredible hands. He can snag a pass no matter where it is thrown.

With Williams on the field, Mark Sanchez does not have to be spectacular. All he needs to be is efficient. In fact, if anything should happened to Sanchez, the other three Trojan quarterbacks have all had success during the spring and in Fall Camp throwing to Williams.

If Williams doesn’t get double coverage, you will be hearing Conquest being played early and often. If he is double covered, that should open the passing lanes up for one of the other receivers. However, even double coverage is no guarantee that Williams won’t find a way to create separation.

If he were eligible, Williams, a third-year sophomore, could be playing in the No Fun League right now. He is that ready.

The other key player for the Trojans is a kid named Elmer.

Actually his name is not Elmer. It’s Cary Harris. But I call him Elmer because he sticks to receivers like glue. Like I already mentioned, Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays have gotten most of the media coverage in the Trojan secondary because they are big hitters. They make those kind of tackles like Maualuga does that make all the highlight reels.

Harris isn’t that big a hitter. But he is a sure tackler make no mistake about that. And as far as a cover corner, you won’t find better anywhere around.

A senior, Harris is a third-year starter, who has had some injuries in the past but appears healthy now. Like Clay Matthews, Jr., Harris is a disruptive force in the secondary making deflections and creating turnovers. I look for him to have a considerable impact on Saturday.

So, enjoy the game, college football fans. If you happen to have a stroke or be stricken unconscious for any reason and miss the game, check back here. I’ll have a recap shortly after the game concludes.

Trojan Notes:

Freshman wide receiver, Brice Butler, will be redshirted this season...Brian Cushing suffered a hip pointer at practice yesterday.  X-rays were negative, and Cushing expects to be ready for Saturday...ESPN's Ted Miller asked Pete Carroll why he was running a backfield by committee.  "There's no committee," Carroll said. "We don't talk like that."

So from now on I think sportswriters should take a line from Jim Cramer of Mad Money fame, "Am I diversified?"  Yes, you are, Pete. You have a very diversified backfield, not a committee.