Johnson Improving, Now USC Must Play Some Football
With Johnson doing better, USC had better turn its focus to a big showdown with Cal.
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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: Joe McNight #4 of the USC Trojans celebrates his rushing touchdown with quarterback Matt Barkley #7 against the Washington State Cougars during the first quarter of the college football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 26, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The best news possible for the USC football team has come about — Stafon Johnson is doing much better. He even started a Twitter account (want to bet that was Pete Carroll’s idea) and sent out a message thanking fans for their "love and support."
USC’s players and coaches focus has rightfully been torn this week following Johnson’s freak weightlifting accident. But they had better not forget about playing Cal up in Berkley this Saturday. Both the Trojans and the Golden Bears come into this with a loss in the Pac-10 — and nobody is winning the conference title this season with two losses. That makes Saturday’s showdown essentially an elimination game.
Cal will be focused and fired up, that we can promise. They were ranked sixth in the nation then got embarrassed up in Oregon last week. They will be desperate to bounce back — particularly the Golden Bear’s defense that is generally pretty stout but was just picked apart by the Ducks. To help, Cal will have a full stadium of fans that will be loud and into it, and despite what you think of laid-back, hippie Berkeley, the fans there can get loud.
USC’s offense has been based on running the ball, and with Johnson out look for Allen Bradford and C.J. Gable to get more carries -- particularly Bradford in the goal line situations.
Picking up yards has not been the Trojans' issue, rather it has been turnovers and third down conversions. Those things need to change fast (especially with Notre Dame and Oregon after Cal). The “don’t turn the ball over” part is obvious; if you need more information on this, any of the cliché-spewing college football color broadcasters on the major networks would be happy to tell you about it. In too much detail.
But third downs are another matter. USC is converting on just 25% of their third down opportunities this season, making them 114 in college football in that department. Basically tied with Wyoming. Considering all the talent on the field for USC, that is an embarrassment. Better play calls and better execution of the calls are needed.
And they are needed fast, because the guys chanting on Fraternity Row up in Berkeley will be all too happy to tell you that is Bear Country. And if USC gets mauled in another Pac-10 game, its string of championships will be at an end. Berkeley needs to be Trojan Country — and you know Johnson will be watching and rooting for that.
