Thoughts from Saturday's scrimmage, through the eyes of USCRipsIt...
- A week after allowing 39 points in a mock game at the Coliseum, the Trojan defense clamped down with a strong performance in Saturday's scrimmage, allowing only three field goals and three touchdowns -- while scoring one on its own -- in the 99-play session on a toasty afternoon. "We took a great step again today," Coach Carroll told the players in the post-workout huddle. "I really appreciate how we bring it every single day."
- Quarterbacks Matt Barkley and Aaron Corp had flashes of utter brilliance Saturday, especially when both led a pair of lengthy scoring drives. Barkley led the top-unit Trojan offense 75 yards in 14 plays on the first series of the day (finishing with a 23-yard Joe Houston field goal) and then guided a nine-play, 68-yard drive later in the scrimmage that ended with a perfect 14-yard touchdown strike to Jordan Cameron in the front right corner of the end zone. Corp, meanwhile, had two impressive drives himself -- the first going 61 yards in seven plays (concluding with a 22-yard Jordan Congdon field goal) and the last traveling 88 yards in only four plays thanks to stunning 34- and 46-yard completions to Damian Williams that set up a short touchdown run by Stafon Johnson.
- Defensive end Malik Jackson intercepted a Matt Barkley screen pass attempt and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown for the defense's score.
- Safety Ryan McMahon blocked a punt and walk-on tight end Eric Childs returned it for a touchdown, while wideout Ronald Johnson had a 96-yard kickoff return for a score during special teams segments of the scrimmage.
- A carnival atmosphere set the stage for Saturday's scrimmage, as the Trojan Marching Band made an appearance, Traveler strode down the sideline, pop music blared from speakers and the nearby Swim With Mike fundraiser added to the festiveness. "The music, the band -- that was pretty cool," said quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, whose entire career had been spent in the straight-laced NFL until this spring.
- To make the scrimmage very game-like, some coaches sat on top of the adjacent baseball complex to simulate the press box at a football stadium. All the coaches communicated via headsets during the scrimmage.
- Recent alumni Rey Maualuga and David Buehler were among the several hundred fans in attendance.
- A week after allowing 39 points in a mock game at the Coliseum, the Trojan defense clamped down with a strong performance in Saturday's scrimmage, allowing only three field goals and three touchdowns -- while scoring one on its own -- in the 99-play session on a toasty afternoon. "We took a great step again today," Coach Carroll told the players in the post-workout huddle. "I really appreciate how we bring it every single day."
- Quarterbacks Matt Barkley and Aaron Corp had flashes of utter brilliance Saturday, especially when both led a pair of lengthy scoring drives. Barkley led the top-unit Trojan offense 75 yards in 14 plays on the first series of the day (finishing with a 23-yard Joe Houston field goal) and then guided a nine-play, 68-yard drive later in the scrimmage that ended with a perfect 14-yard touchdown strike to Jordan Cameron in the front right corner of the end zone. Corp, meanwhile, had two impressive drives himself -- the first going 61 yards in seven plays (concluding with a 22-yard Jordan Congdon field goal) and the last traveling 88 yards in only four plays thanks to stunning 34- and 46-yard completions to Damian Williams that set up a short touchdown run by Stafon Johnson.
- Defensive end Malik Jackson intercepted a Matt Barkley screen pass attempt and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown for the defense's score.
- Safety Ryan McMahon blocked a punt and walk-on tight end Eric Childs returned it for a touchdown, while wideout Ronald Johnson had a 96-yard kickoff return for a score during special teams segments of the scrimmage.
- A carnival atmosphere set the stage for Saturday's scrimmage, as the Trojan Marching Band made an appearance, Traveler strode down the sideline, pop music blared from speakers and the nearby Swim With Mike fundraiser added to the festiveness. "The music, the band -- that was pretty cool," said quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, whose entire career had been spent in the straight-laced NFL until this spring.
- To make the scrimmage very game-like, some coaches sat on top of the adjacent baseball complex to simulate the press box at a football stadium. All the coaches communicated via headsets during the scrimmage.
- Recent alumni Rey Maualuga and David Buehler were among the several hundred fans in attendance.
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