2007 WSU Edition - 9/23/07
A reasonably exciting week across the board, so I will get right into it.
- Not so sure what to say about the Pac-10 defenses this week (besides USC, of course). While Cal and Oregon continue to win, note the points being given up by other teams ... Arizona gets 27 on Cal. Stanford hangs 31 on Oregon. UCLA/Wash go to 44-31. Is this a sign of impressive conference offenses (even on the inferior teams), or are there defensive issues that will unfold throughout the season? My own take is that it is a combination of both.
- Before getting to USC, let me quickly go around the country, starting with LSU. South Carolina may be one of the top-coached teams in the country, and I have always said so regarding Steve Spurrier. I suspect they are the third best team in the SEC, and USC (east coast version) did well to keep in that game against a physically superior LSU team, in Baton Rouge. That trick play was a thing of beauty, and LSU got what they needed - a Win.
- Florida won too, but they will drop in the polls. 30-24 over an Ole Miss team that wins about 2 to 3 games per year?
- Oklahoma actually struggled mightily with Tulsa until mid-second quarter, but their offense continues to roll, and they likely deserve the #2 or #3 spot in the country, for whatever that is worth after four whole weeks.
- Speaking of four weeks, Notre Dame goes 0-4 for the first time ever, and the media is hiring new people to cover the event. I guess the last 15 years of Notre Dame inferiority did not make the press, but poor Charlie has their attention now. I am certain that only a Brittney Spears DUI event will get more press than Notre Dame's losing streak is getting. Oh, wait ....
- In the, "another reason this man needs to hang it up" category, Joe Paterno said after Penn State's ninth consecutive loss to Michigan on Saturday, "we view this as just another loss. It does not matter which team it was." Retirement ain't just a river in Egypt, JoePa.
- Mike Hart carried for 44 times on Saturday for the Michigan Wolverines, and deserves praise for his efforts to carry Michigan to two consecutive wins after their opening losses to start the season. 44 carries in one game .... USC has All-American caliber backs that I guarantee you will not get 44 carries this season!
- UCLA deserves a lot of credit for winning their game Saturday. I am very surprised, and do not mind admitting it. Though their first half was lackluster and unimpressive, I watched the entire second half, and believe they performed with more heart than I could have dreamed possible from the powder blue in Westwood. The injuries, combined with coming off a massacre loss to a now 1-3 Utah team, all added up to me to a tough game for them against Willingham's improved Huskies. Bottom line: Washington is not yet ready to go on the road and win, and UCLA pulled off a good win. I believe UCLA and Oregon State are going to battle for the fifth place crown in the conference.
So on to my Trojans. Washington State was badly outmatched on both lines of scrimmage, yet their QB is a talented fifth year senior, and they certainly came to play. I am not shocked at the outcome, but a few comments:
- Fred Davis' performance was one of the best Tight End outings I have seen in ten years. He may prove to be the best thing going for the other receiving corps, and for the running game, because his athleticism and play-making is going to force defenses to do things they do not want to do.
- Sarkisian is a better play-caller than Kiffin, and while I was never as much of a "Lane-hater" as many of my Trojan friends were, it is evident in the balance of play calls we saw Saturday night. The temperance in pass plays was just what the doctor ordered to get Booty going, and his proficiency was something to behold. Kudos to Patrick Turner as well, who had an impressive comeback performance after some major problems in Nebraska.
- When my wife and I returned from the game, I heard on Sports Center that the Angel baseball game experienced their first rain delay since 1999. What I did not hear was that the rain on my wife and mine's head inside the Coliseum was the first September rain at a USC football game, EVER, in the HISTORY of USC football ...
- Still concerned about our secondary, but trusting Pete that we will get better and better as the games go by, and on a macro level as the season goes by. There are significant injuries there, and we are not giving up bad plays very often. I am just spoiled, and I know the best of the Pac-10 passing offenses linger (Cal and Oregon).
- I would love to see us keep our undefeated streak in the Coliseum alive as long as Pete is with us. I believe it is possible.
- Should be an interesting game in Seattle. Two disappointing losses in a row to Ty's Huskies will either have them defeated and depressed, or motivated and determined. My suspicion is that whatever they have will be knocked off of them in about three minutes Saturday night by a Sedrick Ellis mao to the mouth, but I digress.