COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : USC : Smith: Ford Is Short on Confidence

Kicker Cole Ford has not had the type of season that was expected of him, missing eight of 15 field-goal attempts, including seven of 10 from 30 yards and farther.

“He’s just in a slump,” Coach Larry Smith said. “And a big part of it is (lack of) confidence. When you get over the ball and you feel confident that you’re going to kick the ball through, you don’t think. You just line up, get your steps and, boom, you kick it. You don’t ever think about it. The problem right now is, we’re thinking too much.”