USC Trojans

With recruiting behind us and spring well underway, the Pac-12 blog thought it would be fun to examine each team's chances of winning its respective division.

This is not whether the team of the day can win the Pac-12. And we're not predicting any winners. Rather, this is our take on the team's chances of winning the North or South.

Buy or sell USC winning the South?

Ted Miller

Buy: I just wrote about 200 words about why I'm selling USC, and then I realized that it was an overreaction based almost entirely on coach Lane Kiffin's tenuous situation.

If we subscribe to the tried and true, "buy low and sell high," then USC might never again be this good of a bargain -- just as it was plainly overvalued (cough, cough) last fall.

UCLA and Arizona State look like the two favorites in the Pac-12 South Division. Both have a lot of quality players coming back from teams that were more successful than USC last year. And yet USC has 17 starters returning from a team that beat the Sun Devils by 21 and played a competitive game at UCLA, despite a horrible start and three bad turnovers.

Further, the Trojans might have the better schedule. Like Arizona State, USC misses Oregon. UCLA plays at Stanford and Oregon on back-to-back October weekends. While USC visits Arizona State, it plays host to Stanford and UCLA, teams that the Sun Devils face on the road.

Of course, the Trojans also visit Oregon State, and that of late has been an ugly road trip.

As for the roster, there are plenty of positives. Four starters are back on the offensive line, and Marqise Lee is the nation's best receiver. Kiffin made a good hire when he brought in Clancy Pendergast to coordinate his defense, and the early returns on the new 3-4 look are mostly positive.

Sure, the secondary is iffy, QB Matt Barkley needs to be replaced and the depth at receiver is questionable. Sure, it's worrisome when you read stories about Kiffin falling in love with talent instead of performance -- Max Wittek over Cody Kessler at QB and Aundrey Walker over Kevin Graf at LT -- but there's a whole lot to recommend this team.

The question isn't talent. The Trojans are talented enough to win 10 games and win the South Division.

The question is coaching and intangibles. Has whatever went wrong with the locker-room culture in 2012 been addressed and corrected?

Our answer: Maybe.

Buying USC stock in 2013 is a high-risk maneuver. We certainly won't shift a predominant portion of our portfolio to Heritage Hall.

But those willing to take on great risk, often reap great rewards, including a chance to gloat in December, which is always fun.

Kevin Gemmell

Buy: There's a Pavlovian response whenever you hear USC. The first thought is: "Of course the Trojans can win the division. It's USC."

There's a good reason for that. The Trojans once again will have as good of talent as any team in the division and probably as good as any in the league. Does that mean they will win the division? Of course not. Investors (Ted's not alone in his throat clearing) are still smarting over the Great Trojan Crash of 2-aught-12.

Does it mean they are capable of winning? Sure. Ask yourself if the Trojans have the talent to beat Arizona, ASU and UCLA. The answer should be yes. The best wide receiver in the country, a strong running back corps and an offensive line that should be improved all point to an uptick in production. Who runs that offense, however, is a concern. And much like my co-writer, it gave me some pause. But I also think the passing attack will be scaled back and simplified, and we'll see the Trojans use a talented stable of backs to set things up for a more conservative passing game.

I think the defensive shift from an even to an odd front (2-5/3-4, depending on who you ask) is going to work out great. The players love it and it seems to suit their skill sets better. A new defensive scheme that is going to make Morgan Breslin a better pass-rusher? I'll buy that.

Most importantly, though, is that it seems 2012 has given the returning players a measure of humility. Never underestimate the power of embarrassment. And all those returning players were embarrassed by the product they put on the field last year.

Gone are the days of players thinking they are going to win games simply because they are USC. That mystique was shattered last year when Stanford defensive end Ben Gardner introduced Barkley to his face mask and the Trojans were muscled out of Palo Alto -- the beginning of the end for investors.

If lessons were learned from 2012 -- both on the field and from the guys with the headsets -- then the Trojans have as good of a shot as either of the South front-runners of being in the Pac-12 title game.

 
Kevin Gemmell talks with new USC defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast about the Trojans' transition to an odd-front defense.

LOS ANGELES -- Devon Kennard didn't have to play through the prodigious frustration that was 2012 USC football. But he had to watch it -- and wonder what his impact might have been had it not been for a torn pectoral muscle that kept him out for the year.

The time to wonder is over. Kennard is back -- and healthy as ever -- as the Trojans transition to an odd-front defense under new coordinator Clancy Pendergast.

"I wasn't out there, but I know what it felt like," Kennard said. “It makes me appreciate what I can do for this team even more now. You have to let what happened last year go. But you still want to keep part of it in the back of your mind. You always want to play with a chip on your shoulder.”

Continuing a league-wide trend, the Trojans are ditching the four-man front that was 69th in the nation (eighth in the league) last year against the run -- yielding 167 yards per game -- and going with an odd-front attack. Depending who you ask, it’s a 52 or 34 base; probably a bit of both depending on the opponent, scenario and offensive formation.

Regardless of who head coach Lane Kiffin hired to replace his father, Monte, as defensive coordinator, he knew he wanted to move away from the 4-3.

“It was probably the direction we were going to go regardless of who it was because of the conference,” Kiffin said. “College football has changed. Our conference has changed and it's dynamic, and it changes from week to week. There is so much perimeter running that goes on, whether it's quarterback, whether it's fly sweeps, whether it's backs, the ball is on the edge a lot -- a lot more than it's ever been. The 3-4 helps you with that because your guys are standing up on the edge and you're keeping the ball on the inside and limiting the perimeter plays.”

In the new scheme, Kennard and second-team all-league defensive lineman Morgan Breslin will become hybrid outside linebackers. Expect both to spend most snaps in a 2-point stance with the opportunity to rush, set an edge or drop back into coverage. It’s not totally foreign to Kennard since he would sometimes drop into coverage in the old scheme’s zone-blitz package.

“They could both rush, they could both drop back, one of them could do the other. It’s a very versatile defense,” said Pendergast, formerly of Cal. “This defense is really going to showcase their talents.”

The new scheme also means a position switch for linebacker Dion Bailey. Despite being a very thick 210 pounds, he’s better suited roaming the secondary. Last year he was more of a hybrid nickel/linebacker and tallied 80 tackles, including eight for a loss.

“We’ll be able to disguise what we’re doing a lot more pre-snap,” Bailey said. “We can move more people around and do a lot more with the personnel that we have. I think it’s a much better fit.

“For me, personally, I think it’s more of a natural position for me. I can better utilize my abilities, and it puts me in space where I can make plays. I really like it.”

Despite their struggles against the run, the Trojans ranked fourth in the nation last season in sacks per game, which is impressive. But they were still third in the league behind Stanford and Arizona State -- two other teams that have had great success with odd fronts. The hope is that with Kennard’s return, and putting Breslin in position to improve on his 13 sacks last season, the Trojans can wreak havoc at the point of attack -- not just the backfield.

The scheme is set. The coaches and players are in place. All that’s needed is the mentality to run it with brutal efficiency. In three of USC’s losses last season, they never led (Oregon, UCLA, Notre Dame). But the defense surrendered second-half leads against Stanford and Arizona, and they were tied at the half against Georgia Tech.

“We got out-willed in the fourth quarter too many times last year,” Bailey said. "That’s something we need to take in and learn from. It's not how you start, it's how you finish … we almost need to get back to how we were playing when we were on sanctions. Not playing for anybody else -- just playing for each other.”

With the loss of starting safeties T.J. McDonald and Jawanza Starling, there was more than a fair amount of anticipation heading into spring practice when the search for their replacements officially began.

And while it’s a unit currently low in terms of numbers with both Gerald Bowman and Dion Bailey -- who will potentially move to the secondary from linebacker in 2013 -- out for the spring due to injury, USC’s safety group has performed solidly throughout the team’s five practices, thanks in large part to a pair of veterans running primarily with the first group -- redshirt junior Josh Shaw and senior Demetrius Wright.

With Shaw at strong safety, and Wright at free safety, defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast has two experienced contributors with tons of athleticism manning the center of the defensive backfield in his new scheme.

“I feel like we’re coming along good,” Wright said. “Me and Josh have known each other since our junior year in high school, so we already had that connection. We’re working together, we watch film together, and the communication between me and him is going really good right now.”

But it hasn’t just been Shaw and Wright who have stood out. In fact, over the course of the last week, it’s been freshman early-entrant Su’a Cravens who has emerged as a budding star. Lining up with the second unit at strong safety, as well as at nickelback in the team’s nickel package, he was particularly stellar on Tuesday, collecting two interceptions. And on the other side, it’s been another freshman, Leon McQuay III, who has drawn notice after spending the first week at cornerback.

Once a major question mark, the safety positions now appear to have been at least somewhat solidified, particularly when you consider the team will be getting reinforcements in the fall -- a time that figures to see the competition heat up even more.

“All of the safeties aren’t even here right now,” Wright said. “We’ve still got a couple of guys hurt, so it’s going to be a real competition come fall training camp. We’re going to have a lot of depth. Anybody can go with the ones or twos, so we don’t really look at who’s starting. We’re out here competing so everyone is good to play.”

LOS ANGELES -- There’s a definite change in the air this spring at USC. What with four new coaches on the staff, in addition to a revamped defensive philosophy, there’s a general feeling emanating throughout the program that everyone has a clean slate.

Not surprisingly, then, March has emerged as a time of opportunity for many players looking for more playing time, and perhaps no one has taken advantage more than inside linebacker Anthony Sarao.

“When opportunity presents itself, you’ve got to take it, and that’s where my mindset is at right now,” said Sarao after the team’s practice on Tuesday. “You’ve got to take it because you only get one chance at this.”

And that’s precisely what Sarao has done.

Accumulating 40 tackles and three sacks in 2012 while playing in a reserve role at linebacker and on special teams, the 6-foot, 215-pound redshirt sophomore has been one of the stars of the spring, lining up alongside Hayes Pullard with the first defensive group through the team’s four practices.

Showing fantastic instincts and a physical brand of play, Sarao has been hard not to notice. But it’s his work ethic and drive that have really set him apart, something that became evident as a freshman on the scout team when he came away with the Defensive Service Team Player of the Year Award.

Not surprisingly, Sarao is intent on maintaining focus on the big picture, despite his recent success.

“I don’t really try to worry about who’s running with the ones or twos because the spring is really just about working on your fundamentals,” said Sarao, who arrived at USC in 2011 after a storied prep career at Absecon (N.J.) Holy Spirit. “I’m out here every day to focus on every single rep and make sure that my technique is perfect.”

With his skill set, Sarao has emerged as a natural fit in defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast’s new, attacking 5-2 defensive scheme. Lining up at the WILL linebacker spot, it’s similar to the position he played last year in the Trojans’ 4-3 alignment, although there are some noticeable differences.

“In the 4-3 at WILL, I was more on the outside on one side of the field mostly, but in this 5-2, you’re always in the middle, so you always get to get in on the play,” Sarao said. “It’s not that hard to adjust to. It’s been working out good. I think it suits my game because it allows me to run in open space and to use my abilities.”

Aiding in his development -- as well as that of the other inside linebackers around him -- is a brand-new position coach, Mike Ekeler. The former Indiana co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach has already made a positive impression on Sarao.

“Coach Ekeler is going to get after it every day,” Sarao said. “You might think he’s too hard on you, but he wants your technique and everything to be perfect, and he’s sincerely trying to get you better every single day. Every day, we’re getting a thousand times better -- from footwork to getting off blocks, working with Coach Ekeler has made us a lot better.”

But it hasn’t just been the new coach who has been lighting a fire under Sarao. Part of a unit that also includes Pullard and Lamar Dawson, each and every member has brought out the best in each other during practice.

“We’re all close, so we have to push each other,” Sarao said. “It’s the only way we’re going to get better. Our coaches can only push us to a certain extent.”

With so much working in his favor, Sarao certainly appears to have a bright future. As for the moment at hand, he’s just glad to have the opportunity to potentially help the Trojans make a return to the program’s winning ways in 2013.

“I’m just thankful,” Sarao said. “You can’t get too complacent. You can’t ever get too happy with how things are going. You’ve got to stay focused and keep working. I’m just looking to get better. That’s all that I’m worried about, to get better so that the team can get better.”

Entering spring practice, there wasn’t a bigger question mark in the USC defense than at the cornerback spot, where the Trojans lost both of their primary starters from the 2012 season -– Nickell Robey to the NFL, and Josh Shaw to strong safety.

But with two workouts now under their belts playing under new USC defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Clancy Pendergast, the open battle for the two starting positions has led to a spirited atmosphere marked by more-than-solid play at times, particularly from Kevon Seymour and Anthony Brown – who found themselves running with the first-team defense on both Tuesday and Thursday.

“We’re all competing out here,” Seymour said. “We’re all great athletes and we can all play. We have a lot of work to do, but we’re gaining confidence.”

It’s Seymour, in fact, who put in arguably the two top back-to-back performances of the week, highlighted by a couple of impressive pass deflections during the 7-on-7 and team session on day one.

Nothing is set in stone, however, as there are plenty of other players still in the mix. On the left side behind Seymour, it’s been early-entrant freshmen Chris Hawkins and Leon McQuay III who have received the most reps with the second unit. Two players whose arrival on campus was heavily anticipated, Hawkins, in particular, has shown flashes of standout play, while McQuay certainly has the raw talent, but is still adjusting to a new position after coming in as a safety.

(Read full post)

LOS ANGELES -- As the Trojans headed toward the exit on Brian Kennedy/Howard Jones Field after USC’s first spring practice of the year, no player had a more pronounced smile on his face than Josh Shaw.

After lining up as the team’s starting cornerback for the final seven games of 2012, the Palmdale (Calif.) product was back at strong safety on Tuesday -- the position where he began his Trojans career after transferring in from Florida a little more than a year ago.

And the 6-foot-1 redshirt junior didn’t just go through the motions, either. Running with the first defense, Shaw was one of the stars of the day. During the team’s 11-on-11 team session, he showcased his playmaking skills while also providing a heady veteran presence.

“It feels good,” Shaw said after practice. “I’ve really embraced this opportunity, being back at safety. I’ve embraced being able to put guys in certain situations and just taking the next step in the development of my game.”

With strong tackling skills and a ball-hawking mentality, Shaw has always regarded himself as a safety first, despite performing solidly at cornerback last season. So with the team holding an open tryout of sorts with the graduation of last year's starting safeties in T.J. McDonald and Jawanza Starling, Shaw jumped at the opportunity to make the switch.

“The competition is wide open,” Shaw said. “Everyone has a clean slate, and right now, I’m just out here trying to grind. We’re trying to take advantage of every opportunity that we can as a secondary. Especially me, I’m trying to do everything that I can because I want to lead this group -- I am going to lead this group. I’m going to come out here everyday and put forth my best effort and make sure that my teammates see me doing it as well. “

Battling with new arrival Su’a Cravens, among others, Shaw has an edge when it comes to experience. And having now played extensively at cornerback, he’s a wealth of knowledge about the entire secondary.

“It helped me a lot, just knowing wide receiver splits,” Shaw said of playing at cornerback. “Right now, I can look out there and see if the Z receiver is out there, and if his outside foot is back, I can tell the corner, 'Alert the slant right now -- three-step slant.' So, it definitely helped me a lot, and I’m trying to pass it all on to these corners -- just trying to help them any way that I can.”

Shaw’s emergence as a leader is something he’s grown into, and it figures to be crucial as a young and inexperienced Trojans’ secondary adjusts to the team’s new defense, masterminded by Clancy Pendergast.

“I love him,” Shaw said of Pendergast, who will also coach the defensive backs. “I couldn’t ask for a better defensive coordinator. His style is very, very aggressive. He likes things to be done right, and he likes it to be done right the first time that you do it. His scheme is really diverse and I think it fits great for this defense. You’re going to see a lot of guys flying around and making plays.”

And on Tuesday, that certainly appeared to be the case. Playing with a renewed burst, the USC secondary looked like a quicker, more enthusiastic unit, and one that has Shaw thinking optimistically when it comes to the future of the group.

“There’s a lot of new guys, but I think for the first day, the communication was great today,” Shaw said. “A lot of guys were flying around, guys were making plays and we were very smart with our adjustments. Now we’ve just got to go watch film and build on it.”

With Shaw leading the way, there’s every reason to believe that’s exactly what will happen.

Here are some keys and storylines to watch this spring in the South Division. Yesterday Ted looked at the North Division.

ARIZONA WILDCATS

Start date: March 3

Spring game: April 13

What to watch:

1. New battery: The Wildcats are looking to replace a top-notch quarterback-center combo in Matt Scott and Kyle Quinn. The rock-solid duo helped produce one of the top offenses in the league. Jesse Scroggins and B.J. Denker are among those in the mix to run the offense and several returning offensive linemen are versatile enough to move around. Chris Putton and redshirt freshman Beau Boyster could be in the mix at center.
2. Many happy return(er)s: Arizona returns a big chunk of its offensive production -- including running back Ka'Deem Carey and receiver Austin Hill. Both should be on all sorts of preseason teams and awards watch lists. But behind the big names, there's also David Richards, Johnny Jackson, Tyler Slavin and Garic Wharton back in the mix.
3. No learning curve: Last spring, the talk was about Rich Rodriguez calling out his team for its lack of physical conditioning. The fact that the majority of the team understands what is expected -- and they don't need to spend the whole spring learning new systems, should be a huge help. Consider that the Wildcats return their entire defense from a group that was, at times, shaky, but will certainly benefit from another full season of playing in the 3-3-5 scheme.

ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS

Start date: March 19

Spring game: April 13

What to watch:

1. Plugging the middle: One of the few losses to ASU's roster is middle linebacker Brandon Magee -- a leader on and off the field and an all-around heck of a player. Carlos Mendoza looks to be a good fit -- though he's likely to miss spring while continuing to recover from a shoulder injury suffered against Illinois. Folks might remember his two interceptions before going down for the year.
2. Catching on: Unlike last spring, the Sun Devils have their quarterback. And he's a good one. Now, they need to find folks he can throw to. JC transfers De'Marieya Nelson (H-back, 6-3, 230) and Jaelen Strong (WR, 6-4, 205) are both big bodies who could step in and contribute immediately.
3. Wait and see: The kicker here is a lot of these players who are expected to compete won't arrive until the fall. So in the meantime, a lot of the younger players and redshirts will get a ton of reps in the system. And speaking of kicker, don't underestimate how much of an impact Josh Hubner made at punter. Iowan Matt Haack, who arrives in the fall, is a rugby-style kicker who can kick with either foot. That's just cool.

COLORADO BUFFALOES

Start date: March 7

Spring game: April 13

What to watch:

1. Meet your QB: Whomever it will be. There are five on the roster and a sixth coming in. Safe to say, quarterback play was extremely inconsistent last season for the Buffs. With an entirely new coaching staff coming in and installing the pistol, this could be one of the more interesting and wide-open position battles in the league.
2. Curious defense: One needs only to review Colorado's national rankings last year to realize they struggled. As one Buffs insider mentioned to me, they were ranked No. 1 in a lot of categories. Unfortunately, that "1" was followed by two more numbers. Only three defensive ends have playing experience. However a secondary that lacked experience in 2012 has a lot more looking into 2013.
3. Receiver options: The Buffs welcome back Paul Richardson, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. Colorado's premier offensive playmaker will be a nice veteran presence to whomever wins the quarterback job. Grayshirt Jeff Thomas also is back. An improved passing attack should help give the quarterback some confidence and open up the running game.

UCLA BRUINS

Start date: April 2

Spring game: April 27

What to watch:

1. Life after Franklin: The Bruins say goodbye to the best statistical back in school history -- leaving a huge void in the backfield. Johnathan Franklin was a great presence for young quarterback Brett Hundley, but now someone has to step up to fill that role, either solo or along with a committee. Look for Jordon James, Steven Manfro and Damien Thigpen to all get looks.
2. New No. 1: The Y-receiver, aka hybrid tight end, was filled wonderfully by Joseph Fauria -- Hundley's favorite red zone target. Darius Bell and Ian Taubler both had looks last year, but Fauria too will be tough to replace. Shaq Evans, Devin Fuller, Jordan Payton and Devin Lucien round out a pretty good receiving corps.
3. Secondary solutions: The Bruins must replace two corners and a safety -- Sheldon Price, Aaron Hester, Andrew Abbott -- and there isn't a ton of starting experience. Randall Goforth has five starts, but veterans such as Brandon Sermons and Anthony Jefferson have more special-teams experience than actual secondary play. Keep an eye on the secondary too when the Bruins start fall camp to see if any freshmen jump into the mix immediately.

USC TROJANS

Start date: TBD

Spring game: April 13

1. New defensive scheme: The Trojans will move to a 5-2 defensive scheme under Clancy Pendergast, and the spring drills will be the first opportunity to see the defense in action. The Trojans will have an experienced front seven, but four new starters are expected in the secondary.
2. Replacing Barkley: Max Wittek got the first extended audition in the battle to take over for Matt Barkley, but he didn’t do enough in two late-season starts to claim the job. Cody Kessler and freshman spring enrollee Max Browne also will be looking to take the reins at one of the glamour positions in college football.
3. Lane Kiffin on the hot seat: The Trojans are coming off a disappointing season, and the fans are howling in protest, but so far his boss Pat Haden has maintained full support for his coach. Now is the time for Kiffin to show why that support is warranted. -- Garry Paskwietz, WeAreSC

UTAH UTES

Start date: March 19

Spring game: April 20

What to watch:

1. Erickson impact: The biggest question was what sort of role Dennis Erickson would play in the offense once he arrived. We'll know sooner than later. He already has talked about putting an identity on the Utah offense. That starts in spring when routines are established and expectations are set. And with Erickson on board to give the offense a push, the expectations will be much higher.
2. Wilson maturing: That leads us to the presumptive starting quarterback -- Travis Wilson -- who jumped in midseason after Jordan Wynn got hurt and Jon Hays struggled to produce. Wilson went from OK to pretty good in just a few weeks. A nice jump considering his experience level. With an entire offseason knowing he'll be the starter -- and with Erickson and Brian Johnson molding him -- it will be interesting to see what progress he makes this spring.
3. D-line makeover: The Utes lose some talent on the defensive line -- specifically All-American defensive tackle Star Lotulelei. Look for DE/LB Trevor Reilly to spend more time with his hand down. Tenny Palepoi, LT Tuipulotu and JC transfer Sese Ianu could all see time in the mix at defensive tackle.