Trojans must be humble
PULLMAN – Six weeks into the season, which is the halfway point for most teams, there have been enough ups and downs in the Pacific-10 Conference to fill a whole season.
A lot of them happened last Saturday in Los Angeles.
The biggest upset – Stanford rallying from nine points down three times to top the Jim Harbaugh-anointed “greatest team of all time” – has proved to be a downer around USC.
The Trojans, winners of 35 consecutive games in the Coliseum, were booed off the field at halftime against Stanford by the 85,125 in attendance. And they led 9-0.
The boos intensified 30 minutes of football later, when the Cardinal had pulled the upset of the year, Pac-10 variety, with a 24-23 victory.
The criticism has continued. After all, the loss dropped USC’s record in its last 75 games to 67-8. Shameful.
“I was in the NFL for 16 years – it went week to week,” Carroll told the L.A. Times of the public opinion shift. “I’ve been through it all … it turns in the flick of an eye, so you have to remain humble throughout the whole process.”
To add injury to insult, quarterback John David Booty suffered a broken bone in his right middle finger and may miss Saturday’s home game with Arizona.
Cardinal never doubted
For Stanford, the win had the opposite effect.
“I think it will be a huge step forward as far as building confidence in our players and knowing that we can play with anybody in the country,” wide receiver Mark Bradford said. “We’re always saying it to ourselves, but it’s another to go out there and do it.”
The upset may have been built on that we’re-the-only-ones-who-think-we-can-win attitude.
“No one expects us to do anything, and we used that to our advantage,” said linebacker Clinton Snyder. “We had nothing to lose. We go out there, and we play loose. We played like we knew we could play.
“We (weren’t) afraid of them. We were laughing the whole week. Everyone was saying they were overrated. We watched the film. We knew who they were. They were exactly who we thought they were when they come on the field. We can compete with anyone out there, and I think we proved that tonight.”
The win did one more thing for the Cardinal: It made it harder to prepare for this week’s non-conference game with Texas Christian.
The reason is simple – everyone wants to talk with Stanford’s stars. Quarterback Tavita Pritchard, who made his first college start a successful one, was inundated with more than a dozen interviews alone Monday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Bruins embrace bye
One of two teams atop the conference standings, UCLA (the Bruins are tied with Arizona State at 3-0) suffered its second humiliating defeat of the non-conference schedule, 20-6 to previously winless Notre Dame before 78,543 in the Rose Bowl.
The Bruins limited Notre Dame to 140 yards of total offense but were a lot more generous on the offensive end, turning the ball over seven times. The largesse led to all the Irish points, helping them snap a seven-game losing streak.
Coach Karl Dorrell didn’t seem to care much.
“We’re still in a pretty good position in conference,” Dorrell was quoted in the Los Angeles Times after Saturday’s loss. “That’s how we have to look at things.”
That distinction may not last long. The Bruins’ next game is Oct. 20 when they host Cal. This week they have a bye and they need it, if only to get healthy.
Starting quarterback Ben Olson is out again, possibly for up to four weeks, this time with a left knee injury that required surgery Tuesday. Proven backup quarterback Patrick Cowan has been out for a while, also suffering from a knee injury. He may practice some the next couple of weeks, but it looks like he won’t be back before the WSU game on Oct. 27. So the Bruins will turn to true freshman McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who was responsible for five of the turnovers against Notre Dame.
Then again, they might use wide receiver Osaar Rasshan, who was moved outside this season after two years under center.
Around the conference
The home-field advantage hasn’t meant much in conference play. In the 14 games, the visitors have won eight. … After looking like it had finally turned the corner against WSU, Arizona reverted back to non-conference form in a 31-16 loss at Oregon State. “We’ll stay with what we’re doing,” Arizona coach Mike Stoops told the Arizona Daily Star. “It’s consistency – it’s like there’s no in between with us. We’re either good, or we’re not that good. We’re closing the gaps, but it takes time.” … The Huskies’ bye came at a good time, with UW in the midst of a three-game losing streak. But optimism reigns supreme in Seattle, with center Juan Garcia telling the Times it will only take one win “where Husky football breaks out and it’s like, ‘Here we go.’ “
Cougar notes
With one more game before WSU’s bye week, the injury list grew and then contracted. The two starting wide receivers hurt against Arizona State, Charles Dillon and Brandon Gibson, went on the list, but Dillon practiced Tuesday, albeit in a yellow non-contact jersey. Gibson didn’t suit up and started practice with his right foot in a boot. But he returned later in tennis shoes and observed as the game plan was put in. Running back Chris Ivory was also in shorts and didn’t participate after suffering a concussion against ASU. His status for Saturday is up in the air. … Four players returned from missing time and all are on the defensive side of the ball. Safety Alfonso Jackson (concussion) was back, although wearing a yellow jersey. Linebackers Kendrick Dunn (hamstring strain) and Alex Hamill (foot sprain) returned and participated in full-contact drills, as did tackle Matt Eichelberger (MCL sprain). … Alex Brink was quizzed about passing Jason Gesser’s all-time passing yardage mark and he admitted the enormity of the accomplishment has yet to sink in. “It is a great honor, but at the same time … there are a lot more people than me that goes into a record like that.” … Middle linebacker Greg Trent has had a special guest at practice recently. His father made the trip from Texas to watch his son practice and play against ASU.