I just got back from the USC scrimmage at the Coliseum. It was a 4quarter scrimmage #1's vs #2's the whole game.
I know USC was going to have an excellent offense but I am completely blown away. Despite going against the #2's, this team exceeded my expectations. Leinart looks even better than he did last year. Mark my words, Leinart will lead the nation in completion percentage. Reggie Bush touched the ball 4 times and took it to the house twice with moves you couldn't believe. Bush without a doubt will become one of the greatest college players in history. This guy actually looks better than he did last year. He added 10pounds of muscle and now weighs over 200lbs and didn't lose any speed. USC's powerback (White) took it 90yards and I think on his first carry! This guy is my favorite player on the team and I wish he could get 25-35 carries a game and rush 200+ yards every game. That is what kind of player he is but he must share the time with Bush and rest of players. USC would never have blown out OU without White.
The USC WR's are sick. This unit easily goes 6 deep without any major dropoff. Remember Mike Williams? Get used to seeing #1 on the field again. His name is Patrick Turner and he is from TN. Exact carbon copy and prob. better made! The kid is physically more developed than Mike Williams and Dwane Jarret when they were freshman. Don't forget Jarret was one of th best freshman WR's in the country last year as a frosh.
TE position goes 3 deep with Byrd being the #1 TE and I think he is without a doubt a top 5 TE in the country. 2nd string is Fred Davis who was a 5-star WR out of high school who USC molded into a TE.
FB is 2-deep and USC gets back starting FB Hancock who missed all of last year. This guy is dangerous. Think Reggie Bush as a RB out of backfield catching passes, Hancock does the same thing but from the FB position. He was a weapon USC missed last year because of a weightlifting injury.
OL is by far the best unit on the team. USC is 2-deep and only area where USC might not able to overcome an injury is at center. The 2 tackles will not give up a sack all year. BANK ON IT! Leinart will have all day to throw this year, especially with a great rushing attack to go along with his quick decision making. Leinart might get sacked 10 times all year.
DEFENSE is an area of concern. USC #1 defense dominated the #2 offense but it is still a concern. DB's and DE's should be strong. LB position is super talented and deep but has inexperience. Could be a questionable for first 3-4 games. DT is huge question mark. I have no idea how this unit will perform. I guessing they will be average or maybe slightly above average. I wish USC had LSU's DT's. There is talent but unproven talent and very little experience. DT is such a tough position to judge and play, you have no idea what you will get. Teams might be able to rush against USC, especially early in year. Stopping the rush is #1 goal/philosophy for Carroll so he has his work cut out.
Overall, USC defense will give up over 20pts multiple times this year. They will make outstanding plays and they will also allow teams to march down the field. I don't think they will give up too many big plays because USC has the #1 safety tandem in the country Bing/Ware. USC defense should never be tired because there are so many guys to rotate. Especially at LB.
KICKOFFS were horrible. Never seen worse kickoffs in my life. USC has frosh kicker and he sucked. We all know he will be kicking off a lot this year, so he better start getting good. Right now he gets a D. USC FG kicker is money within 35 yards but doesn't have enough leg to kick past 35 yards. Deadly accurate but will fall 3-5yards short on every 40 yard attempt.
Return game is an A+.
All in all, USC has an NFL talent with NFL caliber coaches. I have heard some scouts say the entire starting offense will be drafted by the NFL, and Collin Cowherd (radio announcer) said he heard scouts say the entire 2-deep will be drafted into the NFL. Point being, this is NFL talent at USC. On top of that, Carroll surrounds himself with NFL caliber coaching staff. There are no excuses for USC not to win the National Championship unless Matt Leinart gets injured. Even so, USC has 2 5-star QB recruits backing him up. So all hope is not lost if Leinart goes down. Especially when USC has the best OL in the country IMO.
Another thing people might not realize. This USC team is hungry and very motivated. No slacking off or overconfidence going on at USC. Everyone is in top shape and USC had 100% participation in off season conditioning. Only thing USC players have talked about is Hawaii. Thats it. Not mentioning any other team on the schedule. This is a focused team and alway looking at the next opponent. Most importantly, when you have a team full of stars, you can't have me me me attitudes. NONE of that at USC.
USC is a program that is being coached and ran like not other program in CFB. NOBODY practices as hard as USC and many NFL coaches have come to USC and said USC practices harder than they do. Very intense. Kirk Herbstreit had a quote (I don't remember it exactly) but he said he visited all the elite programs for spring practice, and nobody practiced as intense and organized as USC. The reason I bring this up is there is a direct correlation to how hard you practice in the off-season to your results in the regular season. Often you beat your opponents in Spring.
If USC opened their season against an elite opponent I might be a tad worried. But USC's first game is @Hawaii and that is def. a good warm up game. Last year USC played @V-Tech and that was tough. I think that is all USC needs is 1 warm up game to settle the defense issues. USC has a bye after that and then plays Arky at home who will be breaking in a new QB. That will be enough time for Carroll to have his team prepared. The last 3 years USC started off slow and went on fire 2nd half. This is by far Carrolls most talented team so USC should start the season with a bang. If USC does get upset, it will be in the 1st half of the season where USC would be most vulnerable with inexperienced LB's and DT's.
Now lets take worst case scenario. USC loses a game. I don't think there will be any undefeated teams this year outside of USC. Just my opinion. SO if USC does lose, USC has a decent chance at still going to the Rose Bowl. Especially when they will be a media favorite with all their star power. The BCS rating should be solid if they happen to lose a game.
Take all this for what its worth. USC obviously is the #1 team in the country and almost everyone is picking them to win it all. So I am not saying anything new. But I am explaining why I am personally so confident in USC and therefore placing a good size wager on them. +190 isn't the best value but I'll take free $$$.
BTW, if USC didn't lose their #1 DT to grades and #1 DB to off the field issues, I prob. would have wagered around 10k on USC to win it all. I would have had to spread it around and maybe even go to vegas. BUt it would have been a slam dunk winner. Too bad. I am still 90% confident USC gets to the Rose Bowl, and from there I can do many things like hedging/middling or keeping it as is. Just get to the Rose Bowl!
Pinnacle has USC +190 to win it all. They have 2 bets for this.
$1,500 to win $2,850
I also have USC +250 to win all it that I placed in Jan. and posted on MJ's.
$750 to win $1,875 (betroyal)
Total for USC to win all...........
$2,250 to win $4,725
Good luck to anyone who bets USC to win it all. I think this is a winning wager so who cares if the value doesn't justify the bet. Winning the bet is all that matters. Don't forget you get to root for your wager every week!
But I completely understand if anybody thinks this isn't a great wager. +190 is horrible value for a future play. But I can't turn down free money. Hopefully at least one other madjacker bets this future play so I didn't waste 15min. of my time typing this super long post.
I know USC was going to have an excellent offense but I am completely blown away. Despite going against the #2's, this team exceeded my expectations. Leinart looks even better than he did last year. Mark my words, Leinart will lead the nation in completion percentage. Reggie Bush touched the ball 4 times and took it to the house twice with moves you couldn't believe. Bush without a doubt will become one of the greatest college players in history. This guy actually looks better than he did last year. He added 10pounds of muscle and now weighs over 200lbs and didn't lose any speed. USC's powerback (White) took it 90yards and I think on his first carry! This guy is my favorite player on the team and I wish he could get 25-35 carries a game and rush 200+ yards every game. That is what kind of player he is but he must share the time with Bush and rest of players. USC would never have blown out OU without White.
The USC WR's are sick. This unit easily goes 6 deep without any major dropoff. Remember Mike Williams? Get used to seeing #1 on the field again. His name is Patrick Turner and he is from TN. Exact carbon copy and prob. better made! The kid is physically more developed than Mike Williams and Dwane Jarret when they were freshman. Don't forget Jarret was one of th best freshman WR's in the country last year as a frosh.
TE position goes 3 deep with Byrd being the #1 TE and I think he is without a doubt a top 5 TE in the country. 2nd string is Fred Davis who was a 5-star WR out of high school who USC molded into a TE.
FB is 2-deep and USC gets back starting FB Hancock who missed all of last year. This guy is dangerous. Think Reggie Bush as a RB out of backfield catching passes, Hancock does the same thing but from the FB position. He was a weapon USC missed last year because of a weightlifting injury.
OL is by far the best unit on the team. USC is 2-deep and only area where USC might not able to overcome an injury is at center. The 2 tackles will not give up a sack all year. BANK ON IT! Leinart will have all day to throw this year, especially with a great rushing attack to go along with his quick decision making. Leinart might get sacked 10 times all year.
DEFENSE is an area of concern. USC #1 defense dominated the #2 offense but it is still a concern. DB's and DE's should be strong. LB position is super talented and deep but has inexperience. Could be a questionable for first 3-4 games. DT is huge question mark. I have no idea how this unit will perform. I guessing they will be average or maybe slightly above average. I wish USC had LSU's DT's. There is talent but unproven talent and very little experience. DT is such a tough position to judge and play, you have no idea what you will get. Teams might be able to rush against USC, especially early in year. Stopping the rush is #1 goal/philosophy for Carroll so he has his work cut out.
Overall, USC defense will give up over 20pts multiple times this year. They will make outstanding plays and they will also allow teams to march down the field. I don't think they will give up too many big plays because USC has the #1 safety tandem in the country Bing/Ware. USC defense should never be tired because there are so many guys to rotate. Especially at LB.
KICKOFFS were horrible. Never seen worse kickoffs in my life. USC has frosh kicker and he sucked. We all know he will be kicking off a lot this year, so he better start getting good. Right now he gets a D. USC FG kicker is money within 35 yards but doesn't have enough leg to kick past 35 yards. Deadly accurate but will fall 3-5yards short on every 40 yard attempt.
Return game is an A+.
All in all, USC has an NFL talent with NFL caliber coaches. I have heard some scouts say the entire starting offense will be drafted by the NFL, and Collin Cowherd (radio announcer) said he heard scouts say the entire 2-deep will be drafted into the NFL. Point being, this is NFL talent at USC. On top of that, Carroll surrounds himself with NFL caliber coaching staff. There are no excuses for USC not to win the National Championship unless Matt Leinart gets injured. Even so, USC has 2 5-star QB recruits backing him up. So all hope is not lost if Leinart goes down. Especially when USC has the best OL in the country IMO.
Another thing people might not realize. This USC team is hungry and very motivated. No slacking off or overconfidence going on at USC. Everyone is in top shape and USC had 100% participation in off season conditioning. Only thing USC players have talked about is Hawaii. Thats it. Not mentioning any other team on the schedule. This is a focused team and alway looking at the next opponent. Most importantly, when you have a team full of stars, you can't have me me me attitudes. NONE of that at USC.
USC is a program that is being coached and ran like not other program in CFB. NOBODY practices as hard as USC and many NFL coaches have come to USC and said USC practices harder than they do. Very intense. Kirk Herbstreit had a quote (I don't remember it exactly) but he said he visited all the elite programs for spring practice, and nobody practiced as intense and organized as USC. The reason I bring this up is there is a direct correlation to how hard you practice in the off-season to your results in the regular season. Often you beat your opponents in Spring.
If USC opened their season against an elite opponent I might be a tad worried. But USC's first game is @Hawaii and that is def. a good warm up game. Last year USC played @V-Tech and that was tough. I think that is all USC needs is 1 warm up game to settle the defense issues. USC has a bye after that and then plays Arky at home who will be breaking in a new QB. That will be enough time for Carroll to have his team prepared. The last 3 years USC started off slow and went on fire 2nd half. This is by far Carrolls most talented team so USC should start the season with a bang. If USC does get upset, it will be in the 1st half of the season where USC would be most vulnerable with inexperienced LB's and DT's.
Now lets take worst case scenario. USC loses a game. I don't think there will be any undefeated teams this year outside of USC. Just my opinion. SO if USC does lose, USC has a decent chance at still going to the Rose Bowl. Especially when they will be a media favorite with all their star power. The BCS rating should be solid if they happen to lose a game.
Take all this for what its worth. USC obviously is the #1 team in the country and almost everyone is picking them to win it all. So I am not saying anything new. But I am explaining why I am personally so confident in USC and therefore placing a good size wager on them. +190 isn't the best value but I'll take free $$$.
BTW, if USC didn't lose their #1 DT to grades and #1 DB to off the field issues, I prob. would have wagered around 10k on USC to win it all. I would have had to spread it around and maybe even go to vegas. BUt it would have been a slam dunk winner. Too bad. I am still 90% confident USC gets to the Rose Bowl, and from there I can do many things like hedging/middling or keeping it as is. Just get to the Rose Bowl!
Pinnacle has USC +190 to win it all. They have 2 bets for this.
$1,500 to win $2,850
I also have USC +250 to win all it that I placed in Jan. and posted on MJ's.
$750 to win $1,875 (betroyal)
Total for USC to win all...........
$2,250 to win $4,725
Good luck to anyone who bets USC to win it all. I think this is a winning wager so who cares if the value doesn't justify the bet. Winning the bet is all that matters. Don't forget you get to root for your wager every week!
But I completely understand if anybody thinks this isn't a great wager. +190 is horrible value for a future play. But I can't turn down free money. Hopefully at least one other madjacker bets this future play so I didn't waste 15min. of my time typing this super long post.
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