Oregon's quarterback Jeremiah Masoli had a great day. Image: Newscom

Yes, you read that correctly. Forty-seven points. That’s the most points USC has ever given up since a very high-scoring game at UCLA in 1996. The entire Oregon team was on fire, but the major difference in this game was quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. He had 222 passing yards, 164 rushing yards, and 2 TDs during the game, along with one of the best quotes I’ve read in a long time, after someone mentioned that the game was a real statement:

“I don’t know if we made a statement, this is just what we planned on doing. If it makes a statement it makes a statement. That’s just Oregon football and how we roll.”

LeGarrette Blount has dominated Oregon football news since the beginning of the season when he punched a player after the Boise State game and recently when the NCAA began to talk about reinstating him after all. It’s nice to see the spotlight on other players, because this really is a fantastic team.

Morgan Flint did well as the team’s kicker, adding more points to the board to keep the Ducks ahead. LaMichael James, a redshirt freshman, also has a great game, scoring once and rushing for a total of 183 yards.

This could be the first time in seven years that USC hasn’t been the Pac-10 champion (though in some years, they shared the title). Let’s see what the Ducks can do the rest of the season.

Post from: EveryJoe

Oregon Wins the Pac-10 Battle

Today, Carroll announced that the starting position would belong to Barkley when the team plays San Jose State on September 5. At the end of spring training, Carroll had announced that Corp would be the team’s starting quarterback for Week One, so many people seem surprised by this new development. Come on, people…you didn’t see this coming?

Corp and Barkley competing at practice. Image: Newscom

Number one, although Corp was promised the starting job last spring, I’ve noted before that the practice was one of competition over the past month. It wasn’t a secret that Carroll was working out all three players as though they may be starting.

Number two, Carroll was visibility and vocally upset at the end of last season when Sanchez made it public that he was going to enter the draft. I don’t blame him. He spent a year building up someone who he thought would be with his team for at least two seasons. The Trojans were good last year. Maybe with a returning Sanchez, they could have been great this year – maybe even national champions. So, it makes sense that Carroll would go with a younger quarterback who is going to give him two or three years at least. Corp, on the other hand, could pull a Sanchez at the end of the season.

Number three? Boy’s got talent. To be a freshman and convince a coach that you should lead USC, you have to be good. Carroll has said that Barkley has the “temperament to handle the position” as well. The players like him. He’s not an ass. Those things count.

Oh, and I thought I had just three points…but number four, let’s not forget that Corp is coming off of an injury. He broke a bone in he leg on August 10 and missed two weeks of practice. In the weeks leading up to your first game, that’s major.

Carroll has noted that the competition will continue, but he’s also said that Barkley isn’t just the team’s one-game starter. He’s going to give the guy a chance, even if he’s not so good during Week One. I have to say, though, if the Trojans lose against San Jose State, Carroll might be singing a different tune.

Post from: EveryJoe

Is Carroll’s QB Choice That Surprising?

Image: Newscom

Carroll’s new book will have “previously untold details and anecdotes about USC football,” as well as information about leadership, team-building advice, and off-field activities.

The name of the book? Win Forever. Sigh. Are you really surprised at that one?

As much as I hate USC (give me a break, I’m a Big Ten fan), I will say that I love the fact that Carroll will be donating part of the proceeds to A Better LA, which is a charity in the areas that helps reduce gang violence.

So maybe you should pick it up. At least, I won’t roll my eyes if you do.

Post from: EveryJoe

Pete Carroll Pens a New Book

This year, there’s so much need for a lot of teams that the draft is somewhat up in the air, but I’d bet my money on Keith Rivers going in the top 15 – maybe even the top 10. Rivers is another 2004 recruiting success story, and with an amazing dominating senior year at USC once again, he put himself in great draft position. He reminds me a lot of Penn State’s Paul Posluszny and some are even speculating that he might end up with the Bills, playing alongside of Pos (as soon as he’s back on his feet after last season’s injury).

Last season, he dealt with a few injuries, but ended up starting in 12 games for a total of 78 tackles (5 for losses) he was a semi-finalist for the Butkus Award and Lott Trophy. He’s played on all of the Pac-10 All-American teams, and has proven himself time and time again both on and off the field.

With continued good coaching, I think Rivers will be a solid player in the NFL. He may never steal the spotlight, but linebackers rarely do. Instead, I think he could have years of above-average playing time ahead of him, and whoever drafts him will be lucky to add Rivers to the team.

And I don’t even like USC…

See more top recruits at Where are They Now? The Rivals Top 100 of 2004.

Post from: EveryJoe

Rivals Top 100 of 2004: #5 – Keith Rivers

During the harrowing event, a few of the players were thrown out of their seats and one player, who was eating a popsicle, had the stick jammed into his mouth. Other than that, the team is fine. Thank goodness.

You can read more about the nose dive here. 

Post from: EveryJoe

Booty and the USC Team are OK…

You must be joking, right? Nope. USC just took it up the butt.

It what must have seemed like a bad dream to USC Coach Pete Carroll , the Stanford Cardinal rallied and to score 17 points in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning touchdown. USC QB John David Booty can actually be credited for that touchdown, having turned the ball over four times. I don’t totally blame Booty for the ass-raping, though. He was just the lube. The whole team bent over for this one, playing more like Notre Dame than a Bowl contender. The game was laughable with mistakes, and Stanford simply capitalized on those errors.

The Trojans have no hope of holding onto one of the top two spots this week. Ranked #2 going into this game, many questioned LSU’s positioning over them, voicing opinions that this week would show them back in the top dog spot. Oh, say it isn’t so…looks like Ohio State is going to move on up.

I guess this is a good “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” lesson. No one could have ever expected this upset! Last night, I compared South Florida’s near loss to Michigan’s loss in week one, but Stanford’s win blows that out of the water. Could we have a year where the top two teams both go into the bowl game with losses? It’s possible. College football this year is uber-screwy.

AP Photo/Matt Sayles

Post from: EveryJoe

USC takes it up the…well, you know