Game Thread Ohio State 3, Southern Cal 35 (Sept. 13)

[82Trojan]

9 games played 25 tackles (14 solo tackles 11 assists) 2.5 Tackles For Loss and 1 Sack

the great Brian Cushing's stats for 2007

those are some monster numbers............

Scoff if you'd like, but he missed 4 games with ankle injury's last year. He was hurt in the opener, and really took a long time getting back. He's actually one of the headiest guys on the field and is expected to have a great year. I think that he'll make more all-around plays than Maualuga.

Here's what he did in 2006 as a soph.:
57 tackles, including a team-best 13.5 for losses of 52 yards (with 4.5 sacks for minus 33 yards), plus a deflection, a forced fumble, a blocked punt that he returned 21 yards and a 42-yard scoring kickoff return of an onside kick (against Notre Dame).

 

[Taosman]

USC losing at Zona? That would be like losing at home to...Stanford. Don't look for an upset like that 2 years in a row. SC's schedule is set up perfectly for a BCS run and they know it! As long as the beat us. SC could still go with 1 loss. Media love affair and all.
We don't have that luxury this year. We have to be perfect. A tall order.

 

[sandgk]

USC losing at Zona? That would be like losing at home to...Stanford. Don't look for an upset like that 2 years in a row. SC's schedule is set up perfectly for a BCS run and they know it! As long as the beat us. SC could still go with 1 loss. Media love affair and all.
We don't have that luxury this year. We have to be perfect. A tall order.

2006 - UCLA - 2007 Stanford

Why not 2008 at 'Zona?

 

[generaladm]

His Heisman year he averaged 8.7 yards per carry. Try that with a target on your back. A.J. Hawk is a great player, but even he would tell you that he'd have no chance agains Reggie or Ted Ginn Jr. in the open field.

Then it's a good thing the game is played with 22 players, not 2.

There were many RBs who were highly touted, until they faced OSU. Darren Sproles is one who was an outside scat back like Bush. I was not implying that Hawk would have stopped Bush by himself. OSU, unlike most PAC 10 Ds, knows how to contain RBs. It's fundamental football. I didn't see a whole lot of Bush's USC games, but the ones I did see it was obvious how bad the D played contain. Bush simply is not all he has been built up to be. A Heisman winner and #2 overall NFL pick, and he wasn't in the top 35 for RBs in total yds last year. Ron Dayne had more total yards than Reggie Bush. Ron Dayne had more total yards than Reggie Bush. Adrian Peterson had more yards and only two fewer TDs in 14 games than Bush has amassed in two full seasons. He's an impressive athlete, but by NFL standards he's not that special. I would say he's more likely to get injured than rush for 1000. How is that not a bust at #2? And he lived like a movie star while on scholarship. Yank the Heisman. Purge the records.

 

[jwinslow]

Don't look for an upset like that 2 years in a row.

That would make it THREE in a row, not two... in terms of caliber of upset. Oregon State 06 was more embarrassing than it would be to lose to Lil Stoops in the Coliseum.

 

[troy#1]

That would make it THREE in a row, not two... in terms of caliber of upset. Oregon State 06 was more embarrassing than it would be to lose to Lil Stoops in the Coliseum.

I worry about oregon st. and cal. They seem to play us pretty tough when in their house.:)

 

[Sportsbuck28]

A.J. Hawk is a great player, but even he would tell you that he'd have no chance agains Reggie or Ted Ginn Jr. in the open field.

The same A.J. Hawk that was all over Vince Young for most of the game?

Now, onto the Bush stuff. Quite honestly, if I had to make a list of players who I enjoyed watching the most in my life, Bush would be numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. A threat to score every time he touched the football.

Cushing is flat-out ripped... he may be past Vern when it comes to that category.

 

[82Trojan]

There were many RBs who were highly touted, until they faced OSU. Darren Sproles is one who was an outside scat back like Bush. I was not implying that Hawk would have stopped Bush by himself. OSU, unlike most PAC 10 Ds, knows how to contain RBs. It's fundamental football. I didn't see a whole lot of Bush's USC games, but the ones I did see it was obvious how bad the D played contain. Bush simply is not all he has been built up to be. A Heisman winner and #2 overall NFL pick, and he wasn't in the top 35 for RBs in total yds last year. Ron Dayne had more total yards than Reggie Bush. Ron Dayne had more total yards than Reggie Bush. Adrian Peterson had more yards and only two fewer TDs in 14 games than Bush has amassed in two full seasons. He's an impressive athlete, but by NFL standards he's not that special. I would say he's more likely to get injured than rush for 1000. How is that not a bust at #2? And he lived like a movie star while on scholarship. Yank the Heisman. Purge the records.

Well, I'm sure I suffer some perspective, since like you, I don't get to see all that many OSU games. But the two teams are very much alike as far as the defense. SC does the same thing with the big name backs. Adrian Peterson was stuffed in the Orange Bowl, even with that highly touted line anchored by Jamal Brown. Same with the the big Auburn backs, Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown twice in '02 and '03, Darrin McFadden twice, the Michigan backs, Marshawn Lynch, Maurice Jones-Drew and so on and so on. The Trojans like the Bucks are geared to stop the run.

As for Bush, he was huge as a rookie all the way to the NFC title game. He was Injured part of last year, and the loss of Duece McAlister hurt. It's just way to early to be calling him a bust. You may be right about injuries. He's one of those guys that you always worry about getting hurt with those radical moves. If he stays healthy he will dazzle.

The problem for OSU is that SC is a lot like LSU. They play a very long and wide field and have speed to burn. If it's not happening inside, they will change gears and go pass crazy. The problem for SC is lack of experience on offense. I agree with the guy who said that it will be won in the trenches.

 

[NFBuck]

Maybe so but he took a depleted Wiscy team into The Shoe last year and gave us all we could handle for 3 quarters. They return almost as much talent us and this time the game is at Camp Randall at night. I think we'll win but it's nowhere near a sure thing.

That is quite true, but I would also have to point out it was a couple of absolute boneheaded decisions by Bielema that allowed the tides to turn in that game. I've watched several Wiscy games the past two years, and Mr. Bielema simply does not impress me as a coach. I do absolutely agree that it will be a tough game and definately not a cakewalk. I do think Sparty will give us a tougher game though.

Wait, what? This is the USC thread? Um, yeah, that should be a tough game too. :)

 

[muffler dragon]

I worry about oregon st. and cal. They seem to play us pretty tough when in their house.:)

Oregon State could have close to as bad a season in football as they did in Pac 10 basketball this past winter. They'll be battling WSU for the cellar this year. The only hope they have is that McCants is Superman.

 

[rocketman]

The problem for OSU is that SC is a lot like LSU.

Ehhh, that's debatable. A lot of teams could "be like LSU," at least on paper. Their personnel wasn't specifically suited to beat us. I'd say it was their game plan. And a lack of one defensively on our side.

That's where I see you guys having a shot at winning. We have all the guys in place to have a special team this year (talent, depth, whatever), but if we don't take on an attacking philosophy on defense and just sit back and wait for things to happen (i.e. our approach vs. Florida, Illinois, and LSU), we're in for a long night. Hell, that's my concern for the whole season.

 

[billmac91]

Well, I'm sure I suffer some perspective, since like you, I don't get to see all that many OSU games. But the two teams are very much alike as far as the defense. SC does the same thing with the big name backs. Adrian Peterson was stuffed in the Orange Bowl, even with that highly touted line anchored by Jamal Brown. Same with the the big Auburn backs, Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown twice in '02 and '03, Darrin McFadden twice, the Michigan backs, Marshawn Lynch, Maurice Jones-Drew and so on and so on. The Trojans like the Bucks are geared to stop the run.

As for Bush, he was huge as a rookie all the way to the NFC title game. He was Injured part of last year, and the loss of Duece McAlister hurt. It's just way to early to be calling him a bust. You may be right about injuries. He's one of those guys that you always worry about getting hurt with those radical moves. If he stays healthy he will dazzle.

The problem for OSU is that SC is a lot like LSU. They play a very long and wide field and have speed to burn. If it's not happening inside, they will change gears and go pass crazy. The problem for SC is lack of experience on offense. I agree with the guy who said that it will be won in the trenches.

BYW, did OSU forfeit any games, scholarships, etc. for Art Schlichter gambling his way through college? (Glass houses).

Chris Wells will average close to 5 yards a carry....if not, you can own my sig and avatar for the year.

Not saying OSU wins, loses, dominates or gets dominated.

Just that Chris Wells will average 4.8 yards or more a carry against the Trojans.

 

[82Trojan]

Ehhh, that's debatable. A lot of teams could "be like LSU," at least on paper. Their personnel wasn't specifically suited to beat us. I'd say it was their game plan. And a lack of one defensively on our side.

That's where I see you guys having a shot at winning. We have all the guys in place to have a special team this year (talent, depth, whatever), but if we don't take on an attacking philosophy on defense and just sit back and wait for things to happen (i.e. our approach vs. Florida, Illinois, and LSU), we're in for a long night. Hell, that's my concern for the whole season.

That was the problem that Michigan and Nebraska kept having with us. They get so stubborn - sticking to failing game plans that they can't adjust when the original plan gets stuffed. The last Rose Bowl with Michigan was even at the half, but SC went to the air and MU stayed on the ground and never responded. Has OSU truely changed their philosophy from last year? It will be fun to see how it all plays out.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

The last Rose Bowl with Michigan was even at the half, but SC went to the air and MU stayed on the ground and never responded.

It's amazing it took them so long to figure that out.

 

[Buckeneye]

I'm pretty sure the problem Nebraska had was that they sucked...

yeah - that's pretty much it.