USC in Good Hands Regardless of Quarterback
It doesn't really matter who Pete Carroll puts under center, USC should win handily in Washington.
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Barkley or Corp? Does it really matter?
Be clear about this — Washington under former USC coordinator Steve Sarkisian is better than Washington under program wrecker Tyrone Willingham. They were in the game against LSU opening weekend. This year’s Huskies will play the Trojans tougher than last year’s version.
But it’s still not much of a threat. Last weekend Washington snapped the longest losing streak in college football at 20 by beating Idaho. Don’t laugh, right now Sarkisian and Huskies backers need to take the wins where they can get them.
They are not going to get one this Saturday, and it doesn’t really matter who Pete Carroll puts out there at quarterback.
Freshman starter Matt Barkley injured his shoulder in last week’s dramatic win against Ohio State, and this week he has missed three practices. Barkley is saying all the right things about starting and being ready to go, and Carroll is not saying much of anything right now.
But on offense, the Trojans barely lose a beat if backup Aaron Corp has to step in for a game. Remember Corp was named the starter out of spring ball and he almost certainly would have been the starter against San Jose State and Ohio State if not for that cracked fibula. This is not some big drop off in talent.
Plus, it is the running game that has USC going — in the key moments of the fourth quarter against Ohio State USC pounded it out on the ground (and got one key pass play). When they struggled to get off to a fast start against San Jose State, USC went to the ground game and blew that one wide open.
Sarkisian may know a few things about what Carroll and the Trojans like to do, he may be able to design some interesting schemes, but in the end he does not have the talent needed to execute them for 60 minutes. As they have the first two weeks, USC is going to pound out the win — the only way the Trojans lose is if the Trojans let their guard down.
And they can get that win just as easily with the more mobile Corp. So Barkley can put his feet up, relax and just watch this one.
