2008 USC Trojans Football Preview

2008 USC Trojans season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official USC Trojans football preview as well as the 2008 USC Trojans Football Schedule. Haven't had much luck beating your bookie? This season up your chances and order Maddux's winning college football picks.

Coach: Pete Carroll (8th year at USC)
Team Name: Trojans
2007 Overall Record: 11-2
Returning Starters: 11

In 2007, the USC Trojans (11-2 overall, 7-9 Pac-10) won the Pac-10 and went to the Rose Bowl where they hammered Illinois 49-17. Coach Pete Carroll (76-17 in Seven years) has shown that he knows how to put together a winner. Can the Trojans take the Pac-10 once again?

The Trojans field a relatively inexperienced quarterback this season, which means that Carroll will push the ground game more than he has in the past. FB Stanley Havill, now a sophomore, proved last season that he could block and catch the ball. Junior RB Stefan Johnson (98 CAR, 673 YDS, 5 TDs) will lead the ground attack. Sophomore Joe McKnight and junior C.J. Gable provide depth. Transfer Damian Williams is an exciting receiver, while senior Patrick Turner and junior Vidal Hazelton are experienced. QB Mark Sanchez (114 ATT, 69 COMP, 695 YDS, 7 TDs, 5 INT) will take snaps. Although just one starter returns to the O-line, the new guys do have experience and talent.

USC always seems to field one of the best defenses in the nation. Last season they allowed an average of 16.0 PPG (second nationally), and they were second in total yards and rushing yards allowed and 15th in passing yards. The secondary is tall, agile and skilled. Junior FS Taylor Mays is six-foot-four and 225-pounds. Senior MLB Ray Maualuga, an All-American candidate, returns as the leading tackler, having posted 79 (41 solo). The frontline brings back three starters, but Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year LT Sedrick Ellis is gone and will be tough to replace.

USC has three tough swing games this season. The first occurs very early when a fine Ohio State team visits on September 13. Two more early games in October, both at home, are tossups—October 4 versus Oregon and October 11 against Arizona State. If they can win all three, this team could go undefeated.

Who’s number one? At the end of the season, it might be the USC Trojans. Over the course of the past six seasons, the team has won 11 games each time and gone to a BCS Bowl contest. Make that seven years straight? This is an athletic club that’s got depth and one of the finest coaches in the college ranks.

USC Trojans Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away
Aug 30	Virginia	Away
Sep 13	Ohio State	Home
Sep 25	Oregon State	Away
Oct 4	Oregon	Home
Oct 11	Arizona State	Home
Oct 18	Washington State	Away
Oct 25	Arizona	Away
Nov 1	Washington	Home
Nov 8	California	Home
Nov 15	Stanford	Away
Nov 29	Notre Dame	Home
Dec 6	UCLA	Away

 

For more info on the 2008 USC Trojans football program, view the Trojans football site or you can read about other Pac-10 teams below.