Trojan Huddle Answers Some Questions, Leaves Others

USC closed their spring practice today with the Trojan Huddle, their annual scrimmage at the Coliseum. As is often the case in the spring, the coaching staff got answers to some vital questions. But there are still more than a few question marks.

One of the most important questions: how much of a drop off would there be from last year’s number one defense. The answer: not much.

As Pete Carroll has stated several times this spring, he thought the defense might not be a physical but they were definitely quicker. They showed their quickness today and also their physicality.

Again Pete Carroll was correct in keeping Nick Perry at defensive end and not switching to linebacker. Perry had a standout day with several sacks and showed that he belongs exactly where Carroll and d-line coach Jethro Franklin have placed him.

Could Chris Galippo step up and replace Rey Maualuga, who was selected as the 38^th pick in today’s NFL Draft? Maualuga was selected so late for no other reason than he overran plays. Chris Galippo so far has proved very steady in that department. He might not be as fierce a hitter as Maualuga, but he is an upgrade in every other way.

What about the pass rush? So far the interior push from Averill Spicer and Jurrell Casey as well as the outside rush from Perry and Everson Griffen has been exceptional. Today was no different.

T.J. Bryant also had a great day and will definitely see a lot of playing time in the fall if he doesn’t manage to unseat Will Harris or Josh Pinkard as a starter.

On offense, D.J. Shoemate has done everything asked of him, especially learning the fullback position. He blocks, runs, and can catch passes. This is the first time in several seasons that the Trojans will be a legitimately two-deep at fullback.

Pete Carroll’s selection of Aaron Corp as the number one quarterback was definitely the way to go. It will most likely remain that way all through Fall Camp.

The question still remains if freshman Matt Barkley can get enough of a handle on the offense to truly compete with Corp. My feeling is that he cannot.

Barkley is still making those freshman mistakes, throwing into coverage. He had a couple of interceptions today and was fortunate that he didn’t have more. But the kid definitely has an arm and will be the quarterback of the future.

Mitch Mustain had a fairly good day and that brings up another question. Who will be the number two quarterback? That will depend soley on which quarterback, Mustain or Barkley, is able to play smarter, learn their progressions and get rid of the ball without throwing into coverage.

The other question that is still left open, who will be the number three receiver? Right now it is neck and neck between Travon Patterson and Brice Butler. Both had good days and neither one put any separation between them. Now you can put Jordan Cameron into the mix at Number Three. He’s had a very productive spring and ended with three catches in today’s scrimmage.

Who will be the place kicker? That’s still up in the air. Both Jordan Congdon and Joe Houston had a pair of field goals while punter Billy O’Malley had a punt blocked. But Jacob Hartman, a JC transfer from Mount San Antonio College, will come in this fall, and he is both a punter and a place kicker.

Here’s brief recap of today’s final huddle.

After a couple first downs, Matt Barkley threw incomplete to Brandon Carswell to end his opening drive.

Aaron Corp started deep in his end and hit Damian Williams for 11 yards on a roll out. After an eight-yard scramble, Corp hit tight end Rhett Ellison for a short gain and a first down.

Chris Galippo stopped Stafon Johnson for a three-yard loss. Then Marshall Jones nearly intercepted a Corp pass. Corp came back with a 15-yard pass to Ronald Johnson, but the drive fizzled after that.

Nick Perry greeted Matt Barkley with a sack. Then T.J. Bryant continued the rude treatment of the freshman quarterback with an interception.

Mitch Mustain took over but the defense was out to prove there was no fall off from last year’s Number One defense. Malik Jackson sacked Mustain.

The defense then stuffed the Spring Practice MVP, Curtis McNeal on two successive runs.

Mustain started off another drive with an incomplete pass to Scott Stephens. But then

C.J. Gable had a 45-yard burst down to the 15. The drive stalled there, and Joe Houston kicked a 29-yard field goal.

In the second quarter, Aaron Corp hit tight end Rhett Ellison for 42 yards then found Jordan Cameron in the end zone for an eight-yard TD.

Later in the quarter, Corp led a drive inside 30. McNeal fumbled after a strong hit by Galippo, but Jeff Byers recovered for the Cardinal team. Then Corp hit Travon Patterson inside the 15.

But the defense stood tough again with a Spicer sack, and a Jurrell Casey stop on Stafon Johnson and an incompletion forced by another hard Spicer rush. Houston came in and connected on a 44-yard field goal.

Barkley was unable to move the ball and took a seven-yard sack by Nick Perry.

With time running out, Kevin Thomas nearly picked off a Corp pass. Then Corp hit Cameron for 13 yards and a first down inside 20.

But as time ended, Jordan Congdon came out and hit a 37-yard field goal that ended the half with the Cardinal up 16-0.

The defense stepped up strong in the third quarter with sacks by Everson Griffen and Averell Spicer. Then Nick Garratt picked off a pass.

Flushed out of the pocket, Barkley threw a dangerous pass to Stafon Johnson. Johnson made a nice catch in traffic. After a 10-yard sideline pass to Patterson, Barkley tried to hit Patterson again on a deep slant, but Marshall Jones intercepted.

Mustain came in and led the White team downfield. He hit D.J. Shoemate for 15 yards. After a Wes Horton sack, Mustain found Brice Butler for 11 yards. Marc Tyler ran off left tackle for 12 yards. Then Shoemate followed with a 14-yard blast up the middle. Marc Tyler capped off the drive with a 4-yard TD run. Cardinal 16 – White 10.

On the final drive of the scrimmage, Mustain hit his fullback, D.J. Shoemate, for 20 yards. Then Brandon Carswell made a nice catch for 13 yards.

But the scrimmage ended with three successive defensive plays, a deflection in the end zone by T.J, Bryant and two successive sacks by Nick Perry, who has had a fantastic scrimmage and has certainly made his statement for a starting assignment.