Top 25 Countdown: #16 USC

#16

2009 Record – 9-4, 8-1 PAC 10
Bowl Game – Emerald Bowl – Beat Boston College 24-13
Letterman Returning: 54
Stadium – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (92,000)
College Location – Los Angeles, CA
Coach – Lane Kiffin, (1^st year)

OFFENSE: (5)

Key Returnees – QB Matt Barkley, WR Ronald Johnson (below), C Kristofer O’Dowd, G Butch Lewis, RB Allen Bradford

Key Losses – RB Joe McKnight, T Charles Brown, G Jeff Byers, WR Damian Williams

- Think having a true freshman quarterback lead the Trojans didn’t affect the once powerful USC offense? Once proclaimed the best professional football team in the state of California, USC had troubles last season taking down cellar dwellers of the PAC 10, let alone the Oakland Raiders. The Trojans were out-gained on offense by the likes of Oregon and Oregon State by a combined 339 yards. Not all losses can be credited to Barkley, however, with the freshman playing well above his status in wins at Ohio State, California and Notre Dame, in early season matchups. Barkley passed for 2,735 yards last season with 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His 15 touchdowns thrown were better than Florida State’s Christian Ponder, Nebraska’s Zac Lee, Stanford’s Andrew Luck and West Virginia’s Jarrett Brown. With a second spring and season in the offense under his belt, Barkley is poised for an even better sophomore campaign. The loss of top receiving target Damian Williams will hurt the offense, but senior wideout, Ronald Johnson, brings just as much upside and potential to the offense that Williams did last season. Johnson missed the first five games last season with a broken collarbone and wasn’t the same player upon returning. As a sophomore in 2008, Johnson brought in 570 yards and eight scores on a 17.0 yard average. Sophomore Brice Butler and heralded freshman recruits, Robert Woods and Kyle Prater, rated by many as the No.1 and No.2 wideout’s in the country, will also compete for catches from Barkley. Senior running backs, Allen Bradford and CJ Gable, will compete for the most touches, with junior, Marc Tyler, once a No.1 recruit, also recieving a chance to make an impact in the offense. Last season, the USC offense averaged less than 30+ points a game for the first time since 2001 and it’s clear if the Trojans want to compete in an offense driven conference that scores more points than Matt Leinart at an LA nightclub, more touchdowns will need to be placed on the board in 2010.

DEFENSE: (5)

Key Returnees – DT Jurrell Casey, MLB Chris Galippo (below), OLB Malcolm Smith, OLB Michael Morgan, DE Nick Perry

Key Losses – S Taylor Mays, DE Everson Griffin, CB Josh Pinkard, CB Kevin Thomas, S Will Harris

- In 2009, the Trojan defense held opponents to under 90 yards rushing in its first six games giving up just 406 yards in that span. In its last seven, however, the USC offense fell off the map harder than a cast member of MADtv, giving up 1,260 yards in the latter end of the season. Its 2.1 yard average given up, jumped to nearly 4.5 yards a carry. The difference in the pass defense, from the beginning of the season to the end, was as similar as comparing an iPhone to a pair of paper cups and yarn. The good news for the defense in 2010 is the return of all three starting linebackers and a young and talented defensive front four. Seniors, Malcolm Smith and Michael Morgan, return to their outside positions, where the two combined for 15 tackles for a loss. Junior, Chris Galippo, once the nation’s top defensive recruit, is starting to live up to expectations after bringing in 70 tackles and eight tackles for a loss last season. Galippo also added excitement to the pass defense with eight passes defended and two interceptions. The linebacking corps will have an immense amount of pressure on them in 2010 to live up to past run stiffening defenses. Junior defensive tackle, Jurrell Casey, leads a defensive line that brought in 27 of the teams 35 sacks. Sophomore end, Nick Perry, a freshman All-American last season, brought in eight sacks without starting a game. The bad news for the 2010 Trojan defense lies in the secondary, where all starters from last season’s team depart, including All-American safety, Taylor Mays. An inexperienced group of heralded recruits returns for the Trojans, but what is expected of them is a far cry less than previous defensive backfields. Junior corner, T.J. Bryant brings the most amount of upside to the secondary, but as of the second day of fall camp for Trojans, Bryant will miss some games recovering from a broken cheek bone, after an altercation with fullback Stanley Havili. Safeties, T.J. McDonald and Drew McAllister, bring solid run stopping skills to the secondary but will need to improve in the pass department.

SCHEDULE:

- If not for an early upset at Washington in week three of last season, the Trojans would have received quite the early season National Championship buzz, with a true freshman leading the way. However, then came the rest of the PAC 10 schedule, as the men of Troy dropped three of their remaining five conference games. For the first time since 2001, USC failed to reach at least 11 wins. It was a sign of change amongst the top of the PAC 10. Gone this season is the grueling out of conference meeting of either Ohio State or Nebraska, but instead a season opener against Hawaii in Honolulu Sept. 2. While most prepare for a harsh Sept. 11 Saturday, USC welcomes ACC opponent Virginia, to the Coliseum. A trip to Minnesota, Sept. 18, rounds out the Trojans early out of conference meetings. The first real PAC 10 test for USC comes against a rising Washington team, Oct. 2, followed by a trip to Stanford, Oct. 9, both games in which the Trojans walked away losers last season. The next four weeks for the Trojans following a bye week are home visits from Oregon and Arizona State, followed by away trips to Arizona and Oregon State. A swapping of state meetings if you will. Notre Dame heads to L.A., Nov.27 in a battle of two new ball coaches first experience leading their teams in the heated rivalry. The final meeting of the season comes against L.A. rival, UCLA, Dec. 4.

Schedule rating: B

Red = Toughest Game. Blue = Pivotal to conference.

Top Incoming Freshman:

1.) Kyle Prater (left), *#2 WR, 6-5 205, Hillside, IL

A light and inexperienced group of receivers on the Trojans depth chart gives Prater a chance to play right away.

2.) Dillon Baxter, #5 RB, 6-0 205, San Diego, CA

A four year starter for Mission Bay HS in San Diego, Baxter is an elusive runner who may remind some of a young Reggie Bush, without the house payment.

3.) Robert Woods, #1 WR, 6-2 185, Gardena, CA

Woods, also a California track star, has the prototypical speed and size for the next level.

4.) Xavier Grimble, #1 TE, 6-5 245, Las Vegas, NV

Grimble will battle it out with former #1 tight end, Blake Ayers, for playing time in 2010.

5.) George Oku, #3 DT, 6-4 297, Chino, CA

Oku, who has all the physical tools of a college defensive tackle, will need little time getting used to the pace of the college game.

*Rankings according to scout.com

Photos:
Prater - John Rowland/Max Preps