Nobody whose been to USC practice this year was the least bit surprised by what Joe McKnight did at the Coliseum on Saturday in USC's surprisingly narrow 20-13 win over Arizona. The Trojans had their collective backs against the wall in the the 4th quarter when he broke off a spectacular 45-yard punt return to set up the go-ahead touchdown. Then he electrified the crowd and his teammates with a 59-yard run late in the game, which helped to set up USC's victory sealing field goal.
We've been waiting for this. This 5'11", 193-pound true freshman from River Ridge, Louisiana runs a blistering 4.4 40. He's got breakaway speed. remarkable balance and he's as elusive as they come. He's also the best offensive weapon on this team, which is struggling in a big way on offense. Steve Sarkisian needs to figure out how to get him the football "6 ways to Sunday." Here's a look at what made McKnight the most sought-after tailback in America.
The spirit of the Trojan football program is best captured by "Competition Tuesday." In theory, there's an open competition for every starting position every Tuesday. The idea is to practice hard and the coaches will play the guys that give USC the best chance to win on that Saturday.
Joe McKnight gives the Trojans a "home run ball" threat every time he touches the football. He's the offensive "lightning" the same way that Reggie Bush was. When he recovers from his foot injury, I say that sophomore Stafon Johnson should be the "thunder" (the LenDale White role).
There's a tendency among some in the program to believe that guys like Chauncey Washington and Herschel Dennis deserve a certain deference. They've been around the program for years, they're seniors, they've battled through injuries, and now should be their time. That's a nice thought, but, honestly, McKnight and a healthy Johnson give SC the best chance to at Oregon and Cal.
At quarterback, Saturday was a tale of 2 halves for first-time starter Mark Sanchez. After an excellent first quarter drive, which led to a 7-0 lead, the sophomore threw 2 bad interceptions. In the 2nd half, he seemed to find himself. With a banged-up offensive line, he scrambled in the end zone and hit Patrick Turner with a perfect pass. Some key scrambles, a perfect scoring pass to Fred Davis, and his rah-rah temperment all add up to, in my opinion, Sanchez being the right man to lead this Trojan football team the rest of the way.
Hopefully, Steve Sarkisian is beginning to identify the best offensive strategy for keeping this tem afloat in the National Championship race. 72 offensive plays for USC - 41 rushes vs. 31 pass attempts. Whether it's with JD Booty managing the game or a raw talent like Mark Sanchez behind center, this team should be running the ball more than throwing it. Chew up the clock and let the outstanding Trojan defense stifle the opponent.
USC is #14 in the first BCS rankings, but if they win out, with victories at Orgeon, Cal and Arizona St., my gut says that they would probably be in New Orleans for the BCS Championship Game. Unfortunately, my gut also says that this isn't the kind of Trojan team that can run the table, but with Pete Carroll, it's not impossible.
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