Trojans' offense will be a big test for Cavaliers

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While Lane Kiffin wasn?t pleased with the way his team?s defense performed in USC?s season-opening 49-36 win at Hawaii last week, the new head coach couldn?t complain about his offense.

After Hawaii passed for 459 yards against USC?s young secondary, Kiffin said he believes the Trojans? defense matches up much better against Virginia?s style of play than that of the pass-happy Warriors.

?I will be shocked if we don?t play extremely well Saturday night on defense,? Kiffin said Wednesday in reference to USC?s home opener against UVa at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

With that said, Virginia has a bigger problem to worry about: the USC offense, which piled up 524 yards against Hawaii and played nearly flawless football. Not bad for an offense that returned only five starters, but some key ones in sophomore quarterback Matt Barkley, wide receiver Ronald Johnson and tight end David Ausberry, along with five of its top seven rushers and two potential star freshmen.




Almost perfect

About the only thing Kiffin could complain about his offense ? which scored seven touchdowns on 10 possessions ? is that on two of the three possessions they didn?t convert, the Trojans actually made first downs that were negated by penalties.

Barkley was solid against the Warriors, completing 18 of 23 passes (78.3 percent) for 257 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. Of all those numbers, the last one was the most impressive in Kiffin?s eyes.

?No turnovers,? the USC coach said. ?That?s something that plagued him last year (14 interceptions, 15 TD passes) as a true freshman. His ability to move outside the pocket and throwing the ball down field off of play-action was improved.?

Kiffin felt like the Trojans? offense was efficient in the opener, pointing out 34 rushing plays and no negative runs (no lost yardage on any play), and the 78 percent completion rate by his quarterback along with five TD tosses.





Plenty in the pipeline

USC had a significant ground game as well, led by Marc Tyler with 154 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. However, Kiffin served notice to Tyler that he had better not let up in practice because Dillon Baxter is apparently ready to play.

?Baxter may be the most talented player on our whole team,? Kiffin said.

The 2009 national high school player of the year graduated a semester early and enrolled at USC in the spring to get a head start.

While USC lost its top receiver from a year ago in two-year starter Damian Williams, there?s a ton of experienced wide outs still around, led by Johnson, who caught seven passes for 59 yards and three TDs last week.

Remember, Barkley and Johnson?s totals came in only three quarters of work. Kiffin, thinking the Warriors were done after three, prematurely pulled the USC starters and sweated as Hawaii scored two relatively quick fourth-quarter TDs against mostly second- and third-team players. Otherwise, USC?s offensive numbers would likely have been even more impressive.

USC?s staff was pleased with the way its offensive line played, so on that side of the ball things are all rosy.

Practices have been sharp all week in anticipation of Saturday night?s game, which doesn?t start until 10:30 p.m. Eastern.

All that hoopla and the trip to the West Coast in itself are things that Virginia coach Mike London is trying to deal with, along with the challenge of facing a hungry USC team that has been placed on NCAA probation and declared ineligible for postseason play.

The Trojans were hit hard by the NCAA ? four years of probation (the postseason ban is for this year and next year only), plus a limit of 15 initial scholarships and 75 total scholarships through 2014, perhaps the most damaging penalty of all.

Kiffin learned last week that it may take time to depend on his second-team players after Hawaii rallied in the fourth quarter. However, he knew that the trip to Hawaii would be a completely different type of game than his team will likely face the rest of the season.

Kiffin said because USC runs a pro-style offense, somewhat like UVa?s, that it didn?t help his team simulate Hawaii?s brand of ball in preparation.

?You usually play better against teams that are more like your [style] of offense or defense,? Kiffin said, thus his optimism that his defense will play better this week against a more familiar type of ball that the Cavaliers bring to the Coliseum.






Protection racket

London was pleased with his offensive line?s performance last week, particularly in run blocking.

?On the drop-back passes where you have to provide a cup for the quarterback to either step up into and make sure that there?s no movement or push-back into his face, we can get better at that,? he. ?We?re going to have to get better at that because USC has two big inside players that can just bull rush and take you back and all of a sudden put you in the quarterback?s lap.?

There?s also USC linebacker Michael Morgan, who hammered Hawaii?s quarterback Bryant Moniz and put him out of the game in the third quarter.

If that?s not enough to worry about, then there?s the anticipated return of the Trojans? best pass rusher, Nick Perry, who missed the USC game.

?Watching film of him last night, there?s probably only 10 or 15 people like him in the world, that have his ability,? Kiffin said of Perry. ?He jumps 34 inches [vertically], plays defensive end and his 10- and 20-yard dash times matches our defensive backs.?






Ras-I?s return?

While it appears that UVa strong safety Rodney McLeod will not be available for the second straight week, star cornerback Ras-I Dowling ? who missed the Cavs' opener with an injured hamstring ? is making the trip, and Kiffin anticipates him playing.

?From my sources, [Dowling] warmed up last week but didn?t play,? Kiffin said Wednesday. ?I would think he would play this Saturday. He?s a potential first-round draft pick and so with the matchup against Ronald [Johnson] I would expect [Dowling] to play. [Dowling] played good last year and he would present some issues. He?s big and fast. Ronald would be excited about that kind of matchup.?

 

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USC depleted on defense


During the summer grind known as training camp, players long for practices that do not include contact.

Southern Cal?s players received that wish at all but one practice in August.

With a depleted roster because of sanctions handed down by the NCAA, the 16th-ranked Trojans did not tackle in the practices that led up to the season opener.

It was noticeable as Hawaii piled up 588 yards of total offense, scored 36 points and stayed in a contest that most figured would be lopsided.

The sanctions, which will keep No. 16 USC (1-0) out of a bowl game for two years, were handed down in the offseason because of improper benefits given to former running back Reggie Bush, now with the New Orleans Saints. The Trojans are also on probation for four years and lost scholarships.

Prior to the news unfolding, coach Pete Carroll resigned and took over as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, opening the door for former assistant Lane Kiffin to return to Los Angeles after one season at Tennessee and one year and change coaching the Oakland Raiders.

While things have been played out through the media after Kiffin bolted from Tennessee, the coach felt there was no option but to continue to limit contact in practices leading up to Saturday?s home opener against Virginia (1-0).

It was not expected but all, but mandatory to protect a depth chart with little wiggle room.

?It is not the best scenario,? Kiffin said. ?We wish we could have tackled all the way through camp, but we need to be smart and manage our team so we can stay healthy, which is more important. It?s a long season.

?Even though we had some issues tackling, I like when we look at our injury report this week and see almost all of our front-line guys will be available for our home opener.?

Some of the production that Hawaii amassed offensively was against the Trojans? reserves on defense, something that Kiffin pointed out.

?When our backups went in, what happened? Four plays, 76 yards; seven plays, 68 yards,? Kiffin said. ?It took 1:58 and 2:35. I?d just rather they continue to improve on the technique and our fundamentals, and hopefully keep our guys healthy so we have [the starters] out there.?

?As you can see, we?ve got some depth concerns and issues. We?ve got a lot of work to do.?

USC helped Hawaii move the ball as well, committing 11 penalties for 100 yards.

?I?m really disappointed with everything in general,? Kiffin said, ?but more important than anything was [our lack of] discipline.?

Changes will be needed as the Trojans face a different style ? Virginia coach Mike London said the best way to compete with USC would be with a solid ground attack. Senior running back Keith Payne provided that in the season opener with four touchdowns.

USC attempted to duplicate Payne?s 255-pound frame in practice this week with walk-on fullback Hunter Simmons, who weighs 245 pounds.

?[Simmons] wasn?t quite as fast,? Kiffin admitted. ?The defense wasn?t quite as impressed by him. But Hunter tried. That was the closest thing we had.

?We thought about [tailback Allen] Bradford, but [Payne] is even a lot bigger than that.?

 

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Cavs heading out west




When Mike London took the job at Virginia, he certainly knew that the first contest, one against his alma mater and previous employer, would create a buzz.

The first-year coach also was clearly aware of the potential headaches that would follow with a cross-country trip to Southern California, a national power.

The last time London boarded a plane as an employee at Virginia and flew toward the West Coast, Virginia was whipped 23-3 at Wyoming.

London, then the Cavaliers? defensive coordinator, watched as his players allowed 27 first downs, 452 yards of total offense and crumbled as the altitude took its toll.

While now playing near sea level in the only stadium to host two Olympic Games (1932 and 1984), other problems exist for the Cavaliers (1-0) against the 16th-ranked Trojans (1-0) on Saturday.

?Your hydration, what you eat and how you sleep, and to get acclimated to the time zone that's out there? is important, according to London.

For that reason, Virginia leaves today (Thursday) ? a day earlier than normal ? and adjusted its schedule throughout the week.

London looked into the plans and measures to help the venture weeks ago.

?We?ve talked to our trainers, our nutritionists, coaches that have been there before, have gone over to the West Coast and just talked to them about when you sleep, what time you sleep, about making sure that you stay hydrated,? the coach said. ?It?s trying to get acclimated as much as you can to the time zone the day after you get there ... by going to bed by the time that?s out there, not what your body is saying.?

Other programs that traveled west in recent years from Virginia synchronized watches hours before leaving for flights.

At least one member of the coaching staff has direct knowledge of flying from the East Coast to play a football game at the L.A. Coliseum.

Vincent Brown, who played eight seasons for the New England Patriots (1988-95), suited up in the venue on Nov. 26, 1989 against the Oakland Raiders and a featured tailback that feared many.

Stopping Bo Jackson was far more important than worrying about getting his body in check with the shift in time zones.

?I tried to stay in-tune with what?s going on in the game, but as a player at that time it was trying to focus on being the best that I could be and beating the Raiders that day,? Brown said.

?Anytime you have to travel across the country, I think, one of the issues you have to deal with is getting your body acclimated to the time difference out there. If we can get that done ? to me, it?s not a huge factor being out there.

?The kids have to understand what?s necessary in terms of rest, hydration and nutrition leading into this weekend?s game. I think we will be fine.?

Brown feels a tad more comfortable after watching a host of linebackers play in the season-opening win over Richmond.

It appeared to be a solid rotation at inside linebacker as Steve Greer and Aaron Taliaferro nearly played identical reps. Multiple players saw action at outside linebacker at the ?Sam? and ?Will? positions as well.

?One of the things that we want here is that we always want our competing for playing time,? Brown said. ?In an ideal world, yeah, you?d like to see one guy emerge, but we feel very comfortable with both of them [at inside linebacker].

?I shared this with the group, that we are going to need all of them at some point in the season. Some games one particular player may play more than another and it may be vice versa a few weeks later.?

It is a perfect recipe to keep players fresh, something that could also work to a degree at running back this week for the Cavaliers as they play at game that starts at 10:30 p.m. for their internal body clock.

?I am just trying to keep them all prepared and ready to go in the game and not have any drop-off in the performance at the position,? Brown said.