All this fuss over one little loss

I am a USC fan, but why the shock over the loss to Washington? The Trojans got beat by their own coaches from last year who know the system intimately and the strengths and weaknesses of every player. Add to that a motivated and far better coached Huskies team than last year (they gave LSU all they could handle as well). Jake Locker is a legitimate star quarterback and played like one, while Aaron Corp was making his first collegiate start with a very limited playbook. Mix in Joe McKnight’s chronic fumbleitis and you have an outcome that is somewhat surprising but not in the least bit shocking.

Give Pete Carroll a break, Steve Sarkisian and Nick Holt credit. With no preseason in college and a freshman starting at the most important offensive position, the No. 3 ranking was based on reputation and hype.

Ron Bernhardt, Glendale

Each year as the autumnal equinox approaches in Southern California, two things are bound to happen: The Santa Ana winds will arrive with a vengeance and a Pete Carroll-led USC team will lose to an inferior team in a colossal upset and be out-coached in the process. It’s a tossup which event blows more.

John R. Grush

Mission Viejo

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I just wanted to say that I’m sick and tired of the L.A. Times worshiping the USC football team. Whenever they win, you practically devote a third of the sports section to all the game’s details, and when they lose, you seem to be saying the world is coming to an end. I’m happy when they lose, especially to unranked teams.

Herman Wong

Alhambra

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Two offensive touchdowns the past two weeks. Zero for 10 in third-down conversions against Washington. High school All-Americans at every offensive position. I wonder whether Pete Carroll is willing to admit he misses Norm Chow.

Jonathan Wyatt

Redondo Beach

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By not naming Corp the starter when it was obvious that Barkley couldn’t go, Pete Carroll sent a not-so-subtle message that he was, at best, uncomfortable with Corp at the helm. Playing quarterback is all about confidence and looking over one’s shoulder to check out who is warming up is a recipe for disaster. Carroll did Corp a huge disservice and got exactly what he deserved in Seattle.

In addition, we hear constantly about the supposed stable of high school All-American running backs; yet last Saturday we got a steady dose of Havili left, Havili up the middle, and Havili out of the backfield. His other task consisted of running behind McKnight to fall on the inevitable fumble. Where were Tyler, Bradford, Gable, et al.?

Bill Hokans

Santa Ana

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Bill Plaschke and Chris Dufresne seemed to take an inordinate amount of glee in dumping on Pete Carroll after the loss to Washington. The funny thing is, every time the Trojans have lost in the past, no matter whose fault it may have actually been, Carroll always takes the blame. So I don’t quite understand the delight in slamming him for this loss. The mature of us recognize that nobody wins them all.

As far as I’m concerned, Dufresne and Plaschke can be satisfied with the Turners and Hacketts of the coaching profession. I’ll take Pete Carroll any time.

Rodney K. Boswell

Thousand Oaks

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This recent loss really brought to bear how bad things are for Trojans fans and exemplifies the grave hardships they’ve had to endure these last few years. The last 20 years before Pete Carroll got there must’ve been filled with one-loss and undefeated seasons, No. 1 rankings, Rose Bowl routs and national titles; otherwise this recent spell of four straight seasons (and likely a fifth) without a national title is just inexcusable.

I also don’t know how USC fans can even stomach losing a whopping seven(!) games in the last six-plus years, including a title game to those talentless Longhorns. Never mind that all those losses were by a touchdown or less; Carroll has just got to go. Plus, he’s way too conservative. All those fourth downs that he went for it and made it, as well as those pass plays that clinched games when most coaches would run and punt mean nothing.

In fact, I can’t think of any program around that would take such an incompetent goof.

Craig Dunkin

Los Angeles

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So I just finished watching the annual Trojan football gift to the less fortunate, and don’t you just hate it when they start impersonating the modern-day Oakland Raiders?

Jack Von Bulow

Temple City

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The way the Times writers make it sound, USC is simply too good to lose. That kind of sounds like banks being too big to fail. And we all know how that’s working out.

Mike Kichaven

Sherman Oaks

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This just shows you how bad the economy has gotten. USC couldn’t even buy a victory in Washington.

Ronnie Kyroli

Fontana

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Scientists continue to look everywhere for subatomic particles such as quarks, bosons and neutrinos. This is matter that theoretically exists but is invisible to us, even with advanced technology.

There’s probably a Nobel Prize in it for anyone who can spot the “Mustain-o.”

Sabastian Dahbour

Newport Beach

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After watching the USC-Washington game and the performance of Aaron Corp, it somehow makes you yearn for the days of John David Booty and his inept outings. I would think after this game, no one will again question Pete Carroll’s decisions as to who does and does not start at quarterback or any other position.

Robert Scott

Los Angeles

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Pete Carroll was simply protecting his princes by taking full responsibility for the Washington loss. To know what he was really thinking, simply recall former USC coach John McKay’s reaction as coach of the newly formed, inept Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After another error-filled loss, he was asked, “What do you think of your team’s execution?” “I’m all for it,” McKay quipped.

David Wilczynski

Manhattan Beach

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Two messages:

1. To Bill Plaschke: I hope you don’t hurt yourself jumping on and off the bandwagon

(Trojans, Bruins, Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, et al.).

2. To Mark Sanchez: Glad you are doing so well, but we really miss you.

Trudy Sibley

Northridge

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How does a Buckeyes fan spell “relief”? Answer: U-S-C. As a hard-core Buckeyes fan, I want to thank USC for its performance against Washington. I’d rather lose six in a row to top-10 teams than four in a row to unranked teams. Bottom line: USC, like Ohio State of recent years, can’t take care of business when it needs to.

Kent Lowry

Calabasas