10 Things I Think About USC

A lot of blogs out there have weekly features so I thought it would be fitting for us to jump on the bandwagon and follow the trend as well. So today is the first of many installments in our weekly “Ten Things I Think About USC” series, where I’ll typically express some opinions on a wide variety of USC sports. Okay, you all know it’s probably just going end up being football and basketball talk. But if I’m really adventurous, I might include some baseball or non-revenue sport as well. Anyway, enough with the small talk, let’s get started.

1. I think that Aaron Corp will be the USC starter on September 5th. I know Matt Barkley is the much hyped freshman sensation at quarterback and Corp has missed the past two weeks of practice, but all signs point to Corp returning to Howard Jones Field next week. If that is indeed the case, Corp will be able to have two weeks of starting under his belt before the opener against San Jose State, so if he can perform as well as he did in the spring (i.e. not throwing interceptions and making good decisions), I see him beating out Barkley, who has played more like a freshman as of late.
2. Speaking of Barkley, I think he is in fact much like Jay Cutler, as QB coaches Jeremy Bates was previously quoted saying. Like Cutler, he has the big arm and can make all of the throws, but at times, his strong arm can be his weakness, as he tends to overthrow receivers or fail to put enough air under his deep ball.
3. I think one of the coolest facets about USC football is the fact that Coach Carroll actually opens practices up to the public. It’s a great way for kids, families, and just fans in general, to come out and watch some of these guys up close.
4. I think it’s a little silly that Taylor Mays still has the Heisman on his mind (he really has no realistic chance of winning it), but I love his aggressive demeanor. It’s what gives a lot of these guys the killer instinct to finish off the opposition on Saturday.
5. I think the loss of DE Armond Armstead is bigger than people realize. Armstead is out indefinitely with a broken foot, which will require surgery, and his absence leaves an already thin USC defensive line even thinner.
6. I think former Trojan QB John David Booty is having a really bad week. First Favre returns to the Vikings, giving the team four quarterbacks – creating the possibility that Booty either gets cut or is relegated to the practice squad. Second, Booty was forced to give up his number four jersey to Favre without any sort of compensation. Tough luck for the Louisiana native.
7. But I still think another ex-Trojan signal caller Carson Palmer is going to have a great 2009 season. At the very least, he’s looked good on HBO’s Hard Knocks.
8. I think it’s incredibly silly that USC now sells “Beat LMU” buttons. Talk about lowering your standards.
9. I think freshman wideout De’von Flournoy is going to best freshman receiver at ‘SC since Dwayne Jarrett. Flournoy caught a 55-yard touchdown in practice yesterday and continues to look really good, especially in the passing game.
10. I think the Trojans will find themselves in the top 5 of the AP Poll, which will be released today. They were 4th in the coaches so it’s reasonable to expect they’d be in a similar position. However, the AP poll doesn’t factor into the BCS formula so it’s about as useful as Brian Cook’s blogpoll – which we are still a part of.