USC Is Not Beaten Down

No one could blame USC for feeling a hint of desperation, a little tightening around the collar.

The Trojans have lost two in a row, a worrisome development for a team that slid into five-game losing streaks the last two seasons. They have a losing record heading into a difficult stretch the includes games at Washington and Notre Dame.

“When you’re trying to get going, it makes each game that much more difficult and that much more important,” USC Coach Pete Carroll said.

Yet, going into today’s matchup against unbeaten Stanford at the Coliseum, the players seem confident, if not excited. They talk about the energy Carroll and his new staff have generated. They note that their losses have been by only a few points against nationally ranked opponents, so they feel close to a breakthrough.

How close? Cornerback Kris Richard holds his thumb and forefinger half an inch apart.

“This close,” he says. “A pinch away from being where we want to be.”

That small space leaves room, however, for a young offensive line that struggles at times, inconsistent special-teams play, too many turnovers and too many penalties. That sounds a lot like last season, but any comparisons are quickly dismissed. Players insist they are getting better each week as they learn new offensive and defensive schemes that are simpler to understand.

“We’re fully aware of what’s going on,” Richard said. “We know what we have to fix.”

Now, they need to transform that knowledge into tangible improvement against a Stanford team that is on a roll. The Cardinal is off to a 2-0 start after routing Arizona State last week, 51-28. Running backs Brian Allen and Kerry Carter have led the way, ranking among the top rushers in the Pacific 10 Conference, despite having to split time.

“They would love to rush for 200 yards a game,” Stanford Coach Tyrone Willingham said. “But No. 1 on their list is to win.”

Carter, at 235 pounds, has been especially impressive.

“This is a big dude running at you,” Carroll says. “This is not a finesse style of running game.”

The Trojan defense spent the week experimenting with different combinations up front, looking for a mix of players who can contain the run without opening themselves up to the pass. As has been the case all season, USC also needs to put more pressure on the quarterback.

Stanford’s Randy Fasani, a fifth-year senior on the most experienced team in the Pacific 10, has completed nearly 60% of his passes, eight of them for touchdowns and none for interceptions. At 6 feet 4 and 230 pounds, he is big enough to scramble and break tackles.

All of that adds up to more than 44 points a game. So even if the Trojan defense can slow Stanford, , the offense will probably need to boost its output.

The burden falls on tailback Sultan McCullough and quarterback Carson Palmer.

McCullough gained 167 yards and scored three touchdowns in the opener, but has struggled for yardage since.Palmer passed for 411 yards last week but also threw three costly interceptions.

Stanford, meanwhile, held Arizona State to one of 14 on third-down conversions and caused three turnovers.

“When you do those things, you give yourself a chance to be successful,” Willingham said.

The Cardinal favors a balanced defense, which could be a welcome change for a USC team that has recently faced opponents who play close to the line of scrimmage, cheating seven and eight men in the box, determined to stop the run. McCullough could use the breathing room.

Palmer, for his part, will face veteran safety Tank Williams and a secondary that often switches coverages.

Offensive coordinator Norm Chow expects his unit to test the Cardinal early, mixing the run and the pass, looking for mismatches and weak spots.

“Just like a boxer,” he said. “We’ll be jabbing a little bit.”

But the Trojans know they cannot afford to start too slowly. Their first-quarter play has been inconsistent and they have fallen behind in both losses. Just because they are probing the defense “doesn’t mean we can’t be crisp and sharp,” Chow said.

For all their optimism, the coaches and players realize what is at stake.

A victory would even their record at 2-2 and give them needed momentum for the tough weeks ahead. A loss would sink them to 1-3 and put even more pressure on them before next week’s game at Washington, a difficult place to visit under any circumstances.

“Will it make or break our season?” Richard asked of today’s game. “I don’t know. I don’t think so. But I know it’s crucial.”