Fresh off a meeting with Heisman Trophy candidate Andrew Luck,@@CE@@ Oregon will face another challenge from a highly touted quarterback this Saturday. The difference when Matt Barkley@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/barkley_matt00.html@@ and USC (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12)@@http://pac-12.org/SPORTS/Football/Standings.aspx@@ come to town will be the weapons at the signal-caller’s disposal.
USC’s receiving corps features two of the most dangerous underclassmen in the country in receivers Robert Woods@@profile: http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/woods_robert00.html@@ and Marqise Lee.@@changed from Marquis: http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/lee_marqise00.html@@ Woods is fifth in the NCAA in receptions per game (9.2)@@http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/individual/1006@@ and ninth in receiving yards (1,126).@@changed from seventh: http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/individual/1007@@ Lee, a true freshman, has been impressive in his own right, totaling 52 receptions, 732 yards and 8 touchdowns@@cumulative stats: http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2011-2012/teamcume.html#TEAM.IND@@ as Barkley’s No. 2 option.
For comparison’s sake, Oregon’s leading receiver, freshman running back De’Anthony Thomas,@@CE@@ has only 423 receiving yards@@changed from 432@@ this season.@@profile: http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3378&SPID=233&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205238473&Q_SEASON=2011@@
However, as of midweek, Woods’ status for the game was in question. He’s been absent from practice due to nagging shoulder and ankle injuries, and head coach Lane Kiffin@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/kiffin_lane01.html@@ didn’t sound optimistic about Woods’ prospects for playing this weekend when he talked to the media on Wednesday.
“He’s going the wrong direction,” Kiffin said to the Orange County Register.@@CE@@ “He’s not getting better. Hopefully (sitting out practice) will help. If he can’t go this week … hopefully he’ll be back close to full speed for UCLA.”
Even if Woods sits out, the Ducks can’t expect much of a letdown with Lee in the No. 1 slot. Last week against Washington, with Woods used mostly as a decoy, Lee responded with nine receptions for 74 yards and a score in a 40-17 victory for the Trojans.@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2011-2012/uscwash.html@@ Woods had only two receptions for five yards in the game.@@see previous@@ Kiffin, for one, seemed comfortable with Lee in the driver’s seat.
“I’ll get in trouble for saying this, I’m sure, but I thought Marqise looked like the best player on the field,” Kiffin said to the Los Angeles Times after the victory.
With or without Woods, USC is in the middle of a midseason resurgence. Since dropping a 43-22 decision at Arizona State on Sept. 24,@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2011-2012/uscasu.html@@ the Trojans have gone 5-1 while averaging 39.8 points per game.@@i did the math: http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2011-2012/teamstat.html@@ Their only blemish during the six-game stretch is a 56-48 loss to then-No. 6 Stanford on Oct. 29.@@see previous@@
Part of the team’s revival has come courtesy of junior tailback Curtis McNeal,@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mcneal_curtis00.html@@ who has averaged more than 116 yards rushing per contest in the team’s last five games.@@I did the math, it’s 116.8@@ McNeal, who had only 33 career yards coming into 2011,@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mcneal_curtis00.html@@ has helped balance the Trojans’ attack and has given their offense a reliable second-half option. Against Washington, McNeal had 13 carries for 66 yards in the first half,@@http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/11/usc-washington-trojans-vs-huskies-live-updates-from-the-coliseum.html@@ but in the early stages of the third quarter, he put the game out of reach with a 79-yard touchdown dash.@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2011-2012/uscwash.html@@
One of the key points for USC on offense will be finishing what they start; the Trojans are 10th in the Pac-12 in red zone offense.@@http://www.pac-12.org/portals/7/images/Football/2011-Stats/HTML/confldrs.htm@@ A failure to convert against the Ducks early could put USC in dire straits later on.
Earlier in the week, after Barkley told the media that Oregon’s team in 2011 didn’t measure up its predecessor in 2010, there was speculation that the team was downplaying the Ducks. After doing his homework, however, Barkley has changed his tune.
“That (comment) was just based off of scores I had seen; I had never really watched them,” Barkley said to the Orange County Register. “After watching tape of them, they’re probably one of the top defenses we’ll be facing this year.”
On the other side of the ball, USC will travel to Eugene with a stout defensive line that’s certainly capable of containing Oregon’s overwhelming rushing attack. The Trojans are holding opponents to 3.5 yards per carry,@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2011-2012/teamcume.html@@ second in the Pac-12.@@http://www.pac-12.org/portals/7/images/Football/2011-Stats/HTML/confldrs.htm@@ Shutting down LaMichael James and Co., however, is always easier said than done.
“They’re going to make some plays, but where they hurt you is yards after contact,” Ed Orgeron, USC’s defensive line coach,@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/orgeron_ed00.html@@ said to the Los Angeles Times. “We’re ready for the speed, but tackling in space is going to be important.”
“We’ve shown we can stop the run all year,” defensive end Devon Kennard@@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/kennard_devon00.html@@ said to the Times. “So we’ve got to go out and do what we do.”