USC Football: 10 Players Who the Trojans Need to Step Up for 2011
Now that spring ball has arrived and the happy sounds of football fill the air, the time is now for identifying holes in the Trojans and who they need to fill them.
Some of the players featured in this slide show will surprise you with their inclusion, and some may not be who the Trojans settle on when all is said and done.
But all of them are crucial to USC's success for 2011.
In compiling this list, an urge to rank them by importance was resisted because even though some of the needs for certain positions are more magnified than others, the answers to questions needed to fill these positions are still a long way off.
However, make no mistake about it, if these players come through for the Trojans, it will go a long way toward achieving the success that head coach Lane Kiffin has promised for the upcoming year.
Lets get started then on this list of players who USC needs to step up for 2011...
Brandon Carswell
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When the dust clears in the fall, it may very well be that incoming freshman George Farmer Jr. will occupy the receiver slot opposite Robert Woods.
Or it could be Kyle Prater, the five-star redshirt freshman who has had brilliant moments in camp but can't seem to stay healthy.
Or it could be any one of a number of talented receivers who litter the Trojan roster.
But I am betting on Brandon Carswell.
Carswell, a 6'1", 195 lb. redshirt senior, almost wasn't here at all.
Bound and determined to take advantage of a rule that would allow him to transfer to Cincinnati without having to sit out a year, Carswell had done everything but pack his bags to go.
But a change of heart and a re-ordering of commitment has allowed Carswell to shine in spring camp, and head coach Lane Kiffin has taken notice.
After being honored as the camps week one MVP, Carswell has continued to shine by catching everything that comes his way and blocking effectively with every snap.
These are the things that Kiffin will look very closely at when making the fall depth charts, and it may just be the impetus to make him the starter.
Soma Vainuku
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As the Trojans prepare for life after Stanley (Havili), the fullback position will be a source of concern for Lane Kiffin and company.
Though the Trojans signed J.R. TavaI, a bruiser who they have high hopes for in the future, the likely heir to Havili's spot is Soma Vainuku, a 250-plus lb. fullback who combines speed, power and a soft pair of hands in a combination that may be even more dominating than Havili, who was a four-year starter.
With a suspect offensive line, having a guy like Vainuku around to pick up blitz's will be invaluable to quarterback Matt Barkley.
If Vainuku can also provide effective running, then Kiffin would be very happy indeed.
Matt Kalil
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Of all of the units in this years version of the men of Troy, none has more question marks than the offensive line.
In addition to the depth issues surrounding a group of new and untested starters, there is the matter of people playing different positions than they are used to.
For example, Kahled Holmes will be asked to take over the center duties for Kristofer O'Dowd, who had been the anchor of the O-line.
But that's not all.
In addition to Holmes, almost every player that will be seen in 2011 will be playing a new position.
This includes the Trojans best offensive lineman Matt Kalil, who will play left tackle, the lines most critical position.
Of course, if anyone is suited to make the switch, it would be Kalil.
Bigger and more athletic than his brother, ex-Trojan center Ryan Kalil, Matt is well suited to this crucial spot on the offensive line.
But it is going to take more than physical talent to make the Trojan offense click on all cylinders.
It will take leadership and fortitude.
While Matt Kalil has all that is required for this huge job, he will have to step it up to make sure his line mates do the same.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Chris Galippo
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Chris Galippo signed with the Trojans as a 5-star prep linebacker who was labeled a "can't miss" prospect.
Two back surgeries and a shuffle of position changes later and all Galippo wants now is an opportunity.
After being given the middle linebacker position at the beginning of his junior year, Galippo was unceremoniously removed for a guy (Devon Kennard) who was a defensive end as a prep player.
Though this experiment has not borne fruit, Kennard remains at middle linebacker and this year, Galippo will start at weakside linebacker, a position more suitable for an athlete with more mobility than Galippo possesses.
With linebacker a position of real need for USC, Galippo will need every bit of his football moxie to be in the right place at the right time for the Trojans defense to be effective.
Can he do it?
Only time will tell, but how far Galippo steps up will determine how effective the Trojan defense will be.
DaJohn Harris
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Last year, according to the Trojan coaching staff, the strongest defensive unit was supposed to be the interior line led by tackle Jurrel Casey.
Unfortunately for USC, the optimism surrounding that unit never quite materialized.
Injuries to both defensive ends, Nick Perry and Wes Horton and Armond Armstead, who rotated between tackle and end resulted in inconsistent play throughout 2010.
Now Jurrel Casey has left for the NFL.
His replacement?
Meet DaJohn Harris.
Harris, who had some bright moments in 2010, has always had the tools but perhaps not the dedication to be a dominant interior lineman.
However, last year, Harris began devoting the effort needed to excel and the payoff was playing time, which Harris took advantage of.
This year USC is going to need Harris to reach another level of play if the defense is going to be good.
He has the ability but needs now to step up and prove it game in and game out.
Tony Burnett
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The Trojans have known since the first game of last year who one of their cornerbacks was going to be for the next few years.
Nickel Robey came in as a true freshman and played every game like a vet.
Now, in 2011, nothing has changed. Nickel Robey is just about as sure a thing as there is on the Trojans this side of Matt Barkley.
But who was going to play opposite Robey?
The candidates?
Well, there is Torin Harris, Brian Baucham or TJ Bryant just to name a few. All were highly regarded prep players who came to the Trojans with a big reputation.
Or...how about Tony Burnett?
Burnett, whose name makes him sound more suited to be a nightclub singer than a cornerback, burst upon the scene in late 2010 and wowed everyone who saw him play.
Quick and strong, Burnett took off when given a chance to play and hasn't looked back since.
Now Lane Kiffin has all but given the other cornerback position to Tony Burnett.
What Burnett does with this opportunity will help determine what kind of season the defense has in 2011.
Khaled Holmes
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As mentioned in the Matt Kalil slide, the Trojans are going through an almost complete makeover on the offensive line.
And this includes the center position where Kris O'Dowd had been a fixture for the last three years.
Now Khaled Holmes will be asked to move over from guard to take O'Dowd's place in 2011.
With his talent and cerebral nature, Holmes should be a natural at the position, but again, only time will tell how effective he will be.
If Holmes steps up and plays with the same sort of ability that O'Dowd showed over his Trojan career, USC will be fine at the position.
If anyone on the Trojans can pull this off, it is Holmes.
Check back at the end of the year to see if the experiment was successful.
Jawanza Starling
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Like Nickel Robey at cornerback, there is another lock on the Trojans defense, and that is safety TJ McDonald.
McDonald really came into his own last year, providing excellent run support and timely pass coverage.
But who will play opposite McDonald?
Jawanza Starling started nine games for the Trojans last year, but inconsistent play forced him to the bench toward the end of the season.
Now Starling faces increased competition for playing time going into 2011, mostly from Demetrius Wright who gained weight and has honed his craft at the position.
Starling has the tools to play a significant role in the Trojans secondary.
Now he has to step up and prove he can do it all season long.
Andre Heidari
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Anyone who followed the Trojans in 2010 can tell you what a problem kicking field goals was for USC.
Joe Houston, last years kicker, was inconsistent at best and to make matters worse, was incapable of making a field goal of 40 yards or more.
Now Houston has graduated and the Trojans kicking fortunes have been put into the hands (or on the feet) of true freshman, Andre Heidari.
Heidari, who was rated the second best place kicker in the nation as a prep last year, brings impressive credentials.
A graduate of the Chris Sailor kicking school, Heidari also played in the "Under Armour" all-star game where he regularly booted field goals of 50-plus yards and delivered kickoffs into the end zone routinely.
There is no doubt Heidari has the talent to be a valuable tool for the Trojans.
Now he has to step up and prove it.
Dillon Baxter
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College football fans across the nation saw the electrifying ability of Dillon Baxter last year on "youtube."
The speed, the cutback ability, the runners instincts. They were all there.
And then the season started and Dillon Baxter disappeared.
Immaturity issues dogged Baxter throughout the year, and he spent as much time in Kiffin's doghouse as out of it.
Now Baxter and Kiffin say that the young running back has matured.
If this is true then Baxter has the ability to be as good as he wants to be.
And Trojan fans are dying to find out just how good that is.
Time to step up Dillon.
Conclusion
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For the Trojans to avoid a repeat of what Lane Kiffin called "a disappointing season," they will have to have more than just the 10 players featured here to step up and play better than they did last year.
Because they are a team, they will have to play better collectively, as well as individually.
This means that everyone who steps on the field has to look within and decide to commit themselves completely to the team and what they are trying to accomplish.
This includes the coaches, as well as the players.
If everyone steps up, the Trojans can be very good in 2011.
And if they are, USC will once again return to the forefront of college football.
And that will make Trojan fans very happy indeed.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
