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lot of good points...some things to think about. we'll see...
Don't look now but USC's dynasty might be done
Sep. 20, 2009
By Dennis Dodd
CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Tell Dennis your opinion!
Here's the current state of USC football: Pete Carroll tried to hide from Washington the fact that he was starting Aaron Corp.
Seldom, if ever, has Carroll had to play the game-time decision card with his quarterbacks. His guys have been healthy and experienced, sometimes legends. But on Saturday one of the nation's best coaches was reduced to gamesmanship involving a kid who had thrown eight career passes.
Steve Sarkisian beats his former boss and team in his first attempt. (AP)
Steve Sarkisian beats his former boss and team in his first attempt. (AP)
The alternative, of course, was a true freshman (Matt Barkley) who couldn't throw. Sure threw off Washington, didn't it?
Hopefully, the celebrating hasn't died down in Montlake. The long-suffering Huskies deserve their upset for the ages. But the real story this week is about who they beat.
It happened again. If you're not familiar with the redundancy, then dial up Jim Harbaugh or Mike Riley or what's his name who used to be at UCLA. Those three guys have all upset USC since 2006 -- Riley did it twice.
When fans flooded the Huskies Stadium turf, Washington shocked themselves more than veteran USC observers. Carroll has lost to an unranked team each of the past four years. Losing the "little ones" has become an annoying habit for a program that, going into Saturday, was actually competing to be the team of the decade. If those two national championships seem sooo five years ago it's because, well, they are.
It was a bad acid trip coming down off the high that was Ohio State. The Huskies were 0-12 last season. They had beaten one ranked team in the past six years. At this point, we're not so much surprised as numb after Washington's 16-13 victory. A week ago, the Huskies were celebrating the end of the nation's longest losing streak while surrendering 412 yards to Idaho. Today, they have their biggest home win since 1981.
• Washington 16, USC 13 | Dodd: Thoughts | Sorenson: Thoughts
Think of the absurd times we live in. In his third game as a head coach, Steve Sarkisian was able to do what Charlie Weis never could -- beat USC with Tyrone Willingham's players.
As USC's offensive coordinator, Sark helped recruit both of the Trojans' quarterbacks. He helped coach Corp. In some sort of parallel-universe way, is part of the USC loss on him? The man has been a part of all five of the recent USC upsets while winning one.
Dodd's Power Poll
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. Penn State
5. Ohio State
6. Boise State
7. Mississippi
8. Oklahoma
9. LSU
10. Cal
11. TCU
12. Michigan
13. Virginia Tech
14. Miami
15. USC
16. Oklahoma State
17. Kansas
18. Auburn
19. Georgia
20. Cincinnati
21. BYU
22. Washington
23. Florida State
24. Missouri
25. North Carolina
Sarkisian just made every AD's short list in the country -- before his first homecoming.
The dude who played one semester of baseball at USC before realizing he couldn't hit, is the biggest hit in Seattle this week.
The Roman Catholic son of an Iranian father played football at a Mormon school (BYU) but didn't have a prayer when he took the job.
Five months ago, Sarkisian sat in his office and said, "What happened here, to me, is these guys lost the value of competing. They lost so much, whether they were ahead or behind, it was, 'Here we go again.'"
On Saturday, USC tailback Joe McKnight told reporters: "Clearly, we have superior athletes. But hard work beats athleticism every time."
That's as damning a comment that has come out of these inexplicable USC losses. If it's true and the Trojans were outworked by the Huskies then it's time to draw the obvious conclusions -- the Trojans believe the hype. They're infatuated with themselves and the program's legacy. It's human nature. Everyone from Lindsay Lohan to Barry Bonds wakes up one day and a little part of them starts phoning it in. They start living on their rep, cutting corners.
Next thing you know they're on a reality show somewhere and we're all laughing. Some can get by on 90 percent of themselves. The Trojans aren't among them.
"College football has gotten to be about survival," Texas' Mack Brown said after getting past Texas Tech on Saturday night. "It's not who is the best team, it's who is the best team that day."
You know that. I know that. It's much more complicated for USC. There are injuries. Carroll lost a deep threat and receiver depth when Ron Johnson was gone for the season. Cornerback Shareece Wright has been declared academically ineligible. All-American safety Taylor Mays missed Saturday's game with a lingering knee problem. Barkley was out with that bruised shoulder, although you wonder if he would have made a difference.
There's new staff. Quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, the offensive play caller, was a hero last week at Ohio State. Maybe not so much now. In the past two weeks, the offense has scored 18 against Ohio State (understandable) and 13 against Washington (unacceptable).
Please don't let any of that sound like excuses. Washington is Stanford is Oregon State is UCLA is ... what's next? That nagging cough now seems like something serious. It's one thing to cough up a hair ball now and then. It's another to have a bleeding eso us.
Oregon State in '06 and '08 was a glitch. Stanford was a shock two years ago. Washington now represents a trend.
Aaron Corp is not the answer for the struggling USC offense. (AP)
Aaron Corp is not the answer for the struggling USC offense. (AP)
We're not sure, yet, but this seems like this is about a dynasty teetering on the brink. The great ones never seem to fall off a cliff all at once, do they? Nebraska descended into mediocrity in degrees. Penn State dipped then rebounded. Alabama hasn't won the SEC since 1999 but finally think they have the right guy in Nick Saban.
For this angle, it looks like the tread is wearing off USC's Nikes bit by bit. Sure, the Trojans can win the Pac-10 again but what does that really mean, another clobbering of the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl? Been there, fallen asleep at that.
Who would have thought that the Trojans wouldn't have a quarterback to lean on? That's not to say they won't in the future. It does explain why Carroll was initially angry after Mark Sanchez left early for the NFL. All he had to do was look at the roster. Barkley might develop into something great but he's not there yet. And as long as he's not playing it's not worth discussing.
Barkley still has true freshman running through him. Corp? You wonder how he won the job out of spring. You also wonder why he wasn't prepared better on Saturday. Washington clamped down after the first quarter. Corp's 110 yards passing was USC's lowest of the Carroll era.
Eight years as a super power is amazing in this day and age. If the dynasty is slipping, Carroll could have looked around the national landscape and seen the loose threads. Former offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin now is making a name for himself at Tennessee. Carroll was done in at Washington by Sarkisian and former USC defensive coordinator Nick Holt.
That's subtraction by subtraction. Staff change happens to every successful coach, though. In this case, Dr. Frankenstein's creations turned on him in one unfortunate Saturday afternoon.
Can Carroll build another monster?
lot of good points...some things to think about. we'll see...
if that Barkley kid is good enough to start as a True Freshman for U-S-freaking-C, their dynasty isn't going anywhere for at least 3 more years. so what will that be, like 6 straight Rose Bowl victories?
I don't care if it's USC or Texas or Alabama, I just want SOMEONE BEAT FLORIDA!!!
Last edited by vander; 09-22-2009 at 06:54 PM.
Auburn at 18 in his power poll---wow
true. unfortunately, i think USC could have beaten florida the last few years, but we never got a chance to play them. and now, i don't think we can do it this year.
if that Barkley kid is good enough to start as a True Freshman for U-S-freaking-C, they're dynasty isn't going anywhere for at least 3 more years. so what will that be, like 6 straight Rose Bowl victories?
I don't care if it's USC or Texas or Alabama, I just want SOMEONE BEAT FLORIDA!!!
as for the article. couple things to consider...1) Carroll has lost 1 big game at USC...one 2) I'd rather him win all the big ones and lose 1-2 small ones each year than never win the big ones
thats my thoughts...
USC just isn't that good this year. I've been saying it for a while. You don't win in the Pac-10 with a frosh QB.
uh, thats a bit much. USC already won at the horse shoe and they have great talent. they may not be typical USC this year, aka great, but they ae certainly good.
They're not going to win the Pac-10 this year.
yeah if Masoli can start playing even remotely competently Oregon has a shot to win the Pac-10, they get Cal and USC at home, and last year Masoli got much better as the season progressed.
Go Oregon!
I don't think the Ducks will win it. I think it will be the Bears or the Beavers.
Dodd is an idiot if hes putting OU ahead of LSU
maybe.
j-6,
apparently, Mustain missed a bunch of off-season workouts and had grades issues, but there are those who say he had valid excuses. who knows...
i'd love to see him out there. he cannot be worse, and i bet he'd be great.
where the f is mitch mustain?
no ...its pissing me off. play him... !
Mustain sucks. It's obvious.
I really wish Barkley was redshirted.
he's 9-0 in the sec. the other guy lost to washington.
My point exactly. Pac-10 > SEC.
in wrestling.
if dynasty means 1 championship in a row, then the Spurs are a multi-dynasty and Kobe actually has a
What ing dynasty are we talking about? The dynasty of "almost winning it every year"? Last time I checked they only have 1 & 1/2 championships this decade. I guess we could call it the "one loss a year" dynasty?
I never knew 1 championship was a dynasty.
usc is not finished, not by a long shot.....this is all wishful thinking. Dodd is a f-ing moron sometimes. He seems to jump to whatever is hot at the time, and then magnifies it. This is that kind of story. If USC only loses one game this season....they will still be in the talk come late in the season. But, we shall see........
I agree, they are not as good. However, they are good enough to win a medicore conf, as usual.
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