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Cal (4-2, 1-1 Pac-10) vs. USC (3-2, 1-1 Pac-10)

Jared Green
Saturday October 12, 2002

When Cal has the ball 

The ground game 

As usual, USC has one of the fastest teams in the country, which could give the Bears some trouble. Joe Igber’s game is based on making people miss, something that may not do him much good against the swarming USC defense. Trojan defensive tackle Shaun Cody is a monster and could get a lot of pressure up the middle to force Igber outside.  

 

In the trenches 

The Bears need guard Jon Geisel healthy and ready to go, as he is a big improvement over replacement David Hays. Cal has been exceptional guarding Kyle Boller this season, giving up a conference-low seven sacks. If they can continue that kind of protection against the Trojans, who are not known for their pass rush, the Bears could have a big scoring day behind Boller’s strong right arm. 

 

Taking to the air 

While USC leads the Pac-10 in defensive pass efficiency, they were exposed as vulnerable in last week’s loss to Washington State. Darrell Rideaux is adequate at one corner, but freshman William Buchanon should see plenty of passes thrown his way, as he hasn’t proven his coverage skills. The Bears have used trick plays with great success this season, something that could work against the attacking USC defense. One possible snag is the hamstring injuries to starting wideouts Geoff McArthur and Jonathon Makonnen. If neither is 100 percent, the Bears could stumble. 

 

When USC has the ball 

The ground game 

For a team with so much speed and talent, USC is remarkably bad at running the ball. The Trojans barely average 100 yards per game and run for less than three yards per carry. Tailback Sultan McCullough is explosive and has sprinter’s speed but has never been a consistent threat, while backup Malaefou MacKenzie is more of a threat as a pass-catcher. Unless the Bears leave gaping holes in the line, don’t look for the Trojans to do much damage on the ground. 

 

In the trenches 

USC has a fairly pedestrian offensive line, with the headliners being true freshman Winston Justice. Meanwhile, the Bears are on a roll after racking up five sacks against Washington last week and will look to tee off on USC quarterback Carson Palmer. End Tully Banta-Cain should be able to speed rush around massive left tackle Jacob Rogers, and the Bears have been improving their push in the middle 

 

Taking to the air 

Palmer has never been at his best when under pressure, so if Cal can get a pass rush going he can be rattled into mistakes. While wideout Kareem Kelly gets most of the headlines, Palmer spreads the ball out to his back and tight ends very well. Freshman Mike Williams, a 6-foot-5 specimen, has breakout potential but has had butterfingers so far this year. Big receivers have given Cal trouble this season, so Palmer should look for Williams early and often.