Pac-10 Week in Review: USC, Oregon and UCLA Roll; Stanford and Cal flop; Arizona Escapes
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by user Deuelio
The Pac-10 took a serious hit on Saturday as a darkhorse national contender fell flat on national TV, and another conference darkhorse struggled with a mid major at home. Nonetheless, the Pac-10 was busy and for two teams, the conference season has already begun.
Cal Throttled at Tennessee
The Cal Bears entered the season as the #9 team in the country and traveled for a non-conference game against #23 Tennessee. Cal, loaded with skill players, figured to win the game, but Tennessee and new offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe carved a Bears defense that many figured was among the best in the Pac-10. Cal coach Jeff Tedford, a noted quarterbacks guru, doesn’t really have a solid signal caller for the second year in a row. Sophomore Nathan Longshore was making his second career start after a broken leg cut short his 2005 campaign but couldn’t muster anything against a Vols defense that lost three on the defensive line, all three linebackers and one defensive back. No matter, the Vols defense dominated the game, holding the vaunted Cal offensive attack to less than 300 yards in the game. It was a black eye for the Pac-10, a conference that has been clamoring for more respect but often failing to answer the call when questions arise. Outside of USC, the Pac-10 has most often fallen short in these big games.
Marshawn Lynch, a preseason Heisman favorite, got only 12 rushes for 74 yards and no touchdowns. When your team is down 35-0 in the third quarter, you aren’t going to get many running opportunities and Lynch didn’t. Midway through the third quarter, Tennessee had outgained Cal 424-103 and most of Cal’s total offense happened with the game in the bag. Tedford, in the Pac-10 coaches’ teleconference said, “we have to execute on all cylinders because we just didn’t click altogether. We need to focus on the attention to details.”
Tennessee QB Erik Ainge completed just 11 passes, but had 291 yards and four TD’s. Ainge picked on redshirt freshman Syd’Quan Thompson for two TD’s who was making his first collegiate start. Inexplicably, Cal did little to help Thompson with a safety and Ainge and Robert Meacham hooked up for two long TD’s as Thompson missed tackles on the play. Nonetheless, Tedford and Co. will stay behind Thompson who has the unenviable task of replacing three year starter Tim Mixon at cornerback. Tedford said of Thompson, “Syd made a great break on the ball, but got into no mans land…you can’t have a five yard hitch go for two long TD’s.”
The Bears will host Minnesota in another tough interconference game. Minnesota is renowned for a strong rushing attack and this year is no different as the Golden Gophers had two rushers top 100 yards in a 44-0 thrashing of Kent State in week one. An 0-2 start would be devastating for the Bears who are still trying to establish themselves as a national player. A loss to Minnesota would certainly be disheartening for the Bears…if not crushing.
This just in…USC is Still Really Good
Forget all the talk about Arkansas getting revenge. Forget the talk that USC was down. Once the offensive coordinator pulled the cover off the offense, USC exploded and routed the Razorbacks 50-14 before a record crowd in Fayetteville. The USC “D” forced five turnovers and it’s this oft-maligned unit is what will make USC so formidable. Criticized last year as young and not quite good enough, the USC defense is a year older and year more experienced.
Former blue chip recruit John David Booty threw for three TD’s and the Trojans opened up what was a close game at haltime. Said Booty in the LA Times, “I really felt like in the second half I came back out there and the game started to slow down and I wasn’t pressing myself.” A fourth year junior, Booty has surely been dying to play meaningful snaps for the Trojans and he easily aced his first test.
The game was s slight improvement over last years 70-17 drubbing in Los Angeles but still not good for the Hogs who suffered another big defeat at the hands of the Trojans. Following the game, the Arkansas coaching staff turned the reigns of the offense over to freshman Mitch Mustain and moved former starting quarterback Robert Johnson to wide receiver.
There will be no such shuffling in LA as Booty attempts to keep the Trojans rolling along to another BCS bid.
Arizona Beats a Mid-Major by a Field Goal
For most BCS conference teams, beating BYU on a late field goal is not reason to celebrate and rush onto the field. But when you’re Mike Stoops and you usually only beat NCAA 1AA opponents, any victory is cause for celebration. It was only the seventh win in Stoops’ career at UA, and the media are calling it a big step in the right direction for the program.
I disagree, I feel it is a step in the wrong direction. Struggling and clawing for a home victory over a team you are presumably better than is not a cause for celebration, it is a cause for worry. UCLA handled Utah, Oregon handled Stanford (Pac-10), USC handled Arkansas (SEC) all of whom could be the class of the Pac-10. Stoops and UA have a long way to go to reach the upper echelon of the Pac-10.
In his defense, Stoops has a couple of nice wins. Beating ASU and hammering previously unbeaten UCLA last year was huge. Plus, Stoops has brought in great recruiting classes, including hot shot sophomore Willie Tuitama who was 19-39 on Saturday. Until the recruits and hype turn into wins, Arizona is another bottom of the pack team in the Pac-10 conference.
Arizona will get a stiff test when they travel to LSU on Saturday to play the Tigers. Stoops hopes the ‘Cats can mimic what other Pac-10 teams have done recently against LSU, and stay competitive. Two years ago, Oregon State took LSU to the brink before missing a PAT and last year ASU lost a close game in Tempe. Stoops is not worried about the hostile environment saying, “We have to view it as just another game, even though there will be a lot of people down there. It will still be 11 on 11, we just have to prepare and execute better.”
It will be unlike anything Tuitama and his three freshmen offensive lineman have faced before.
Oregon Steamrolls Stanford
The Oregon Ducks opened their season by thrashing the hapless Cardinal in Eugene as Stanford appeared blinded by the Duck uniforms and Jonathan Stewart. The win moves Oregon to the top of the conference, at least temporarily, and was a solid step backward for a Cardinal team that showed some promise late last year.
In year two of Walt Harris’ regime, Stanford had a host of offensive weapons including senior QB Trent Edwards and 6-7 WR Evan Moore and 6-2 WR Mark Bradford. Instead it was Oregon’s tiny cornerbacks, Jackie Bates and Walter Thurmond III who came out ahead, as the Cardinal struggled to get anything going on offense. In fact, Stanford’s lone TD came after the Ducks were flagged for having too many men on the field during a punt.
Sophomore TB Jonathan Stewart was a workhorse for the Ducks, rushing for a166 yards and two TD’s before leaving with an injury. Stewart, a highly touted recruit for Oregon, more than lived up to his billing in his first game as the number one back. His backup Jeremiah Johnson wasn’t bad either, tallying 79 yards on 10 carries and a TD. Redshirt junior quarterback Dennis Dixon was efficient but unspectacular in leading the Ducks, completing 21-30 for 236 yards and one TD and no picks. He also rushed for another TD.
Stanford could not muster any rushing attack and once the Ducks got the lead and figured the Cardinal couldn’t run, it was tough for the receivers to find room. Bradford had a nice first half, but disappeared in the second and nearly had his head removed by a vicious, but clean hit from safety JD Nelson.
The Ducks will travel to Fresno State for a key non-conference game this Saturday. The Ducks and Bulldogs have played several close games including a 34-31 Duck victory in Eugene last year. Stanford will travel to San Jose State in what amounts to a must win for the Cardinal. The Spartans lost a close game at Washington last week, 35-29.
Ben Olson ERA off to a Rousing Start
The much anticipated debut of Ben Olson was an unquestioned success as he torched the Utah defense for 318 yards and three touchdowns. The Bruins had an unbalanced offense on Saturday but made up for it with stellar defense against a moderately potent Utah offense. It wasn’t for a lack of trying as the Bruins rushed 41 times but could only get 2.6 yards per carry.
Utah’s QB’s completed just 14-34 passes and did not convert a single third down in an uncharacteristic show of defensive toughness for the Bruins. Despite the comfortable final margin for the Bruins, the game was still very much in doubt in the third quarter, as the Utes only trailed 21-10 but a field goal and TD gave the Bruins their final margin. In addition to their own three turnovers, the Utes could not pounce on a single loose football, despite five fumbles from UCLA. Nor did they sack Olson or pressure him. It was about as comfortable an opener as Olson could have hoped for.
Olson, technically a sophomore, completed passes to 10 different receivers and started out by completing his first nine passes. He settled into a nice groove from there and systematically picked the Utes defense apart. It was a good thing too as the Bruins could not get anything going on the ground, struggling to replace the stellar Maurice Jones-Drew.
Olson has a huge left arm and it could be ready to fall off if the Bruins can’t rush the ball. Plus, if UCLA ever plans on having a lead late in a close game, the ability to run the clock out by pounding the ball is a necessity. Or they could just count on Olson never throwing an incompletion.
Around the Pac-10: Oregon State crushes 1AA Eastern Washington…Washington edges past San Jose State…ASU outlasts Northern Arizona 35-14…Washington State fights gamely but loses at Auburn
Date
Wed 09/06/06, 3:33 pm EST
