As Randy Newman would say, there’s trouble in paradise for the USC: starting quarterback/teen heartthrob Mark Sanchez is fighting a knee injury suffered against Oregon that, as the LOS ANGELES TIMES reports, might keep him out of Saturday’s game against Arizona State and hand the keys of the Trojan offense to Mitch Mustain.
Or not. Just listen to USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian on Monday, as he gave one of the most confusing injury reports in sports history:
“We’re going with the mentality that Mitch is the guy or Mark’s coming back late in the week.”
Really useful. I’m also going with the mentality that I’m going to be watching the game this Saturday or I’m going to drop dead from a heart attack after eating a double-double from In-N-Out before the game. Just to cover my bases and all.
Sanchez was hurt throwing a third down pass late in the third quarter with his team leading 37-10. If this was almost any other coach in the country, who didn’t have the cult of personality that Pete Carroll has, he would be facing a firestorm of questions right now about why his quarterback with an already gimpy knee was in the game in the first place.
But knowing Sunshine Pete, this is just another awesome opportunity for Mustain to show what he can do, and it can be awesome for the team and awesome awesome awesome until you want to puke your guts out all over the floor. Between this and the litany of losses to lesser teams, might we start reaching a point that USC fans and the LA media might start - gasp! - criticizing the Teflon Coach?
(Unless Coach Carroll’s wife lays her healing hands on Sanchez and he’s ready to go on Saturday - then all is forgiven.)
The only good news for the Trojans? PITCHFORK NATION reports that the Sun Devils’ own starting quarterback Rudy Carpenter sat out of practice again, and may be out for the game. Starting in his place is Danny Sullivan, who apparently can do more than win the Indianapolis 500.
10:16 am on October 8th, 2008
Let me get this straight…..lol. Because they, the coaches, didnt give the 'media' the response they(the media) wanted to hear, we criticize the most succesful college football coach at the present time? Because Coach Carroll is generally a very upbeat person in all areas of life, rather then a putz like Stoops or Tubberville, etc…………we take veiled shots at him………..lol. Here's a clue for the clueless. Pete has the persona he has, because he is in the midst of a great run………..one of the greatest ever in college football history. He, like every other coach who has ever coached, has lost some football games…………believe it or not, all the past great college coaches lost some to, really they did, look it up. Employ some people to write for this site who actually understand and know something about college football. Presently, you clearly dont have that.
11:11 am on October 8th, 2008
Yeah, how dare you criticize the Almighty Carroll! Don't you know he almost came back twice against Oregon State in Corvallis in the past 3 years? And he could have survived Stanford last year if not for a lucky 4th-down TD pass?
Clearly, Pete is the Knute Rockne of our generation.
12:10 pm on October 8th, 2008
Everyone cheers for Bob Stoops when he leaves Bradford in to air it out when they lead by 40 points. Let's face it, you give your stars playtime regardless of score, they must showcase for the BCS and for their future NFL paychecks.
12:13 pm on October 8th, 2008
Mitch Mustain - isn't he the lead singer of Megadeth?
1:05 pm on October 8th, 2008
You can't blame the coach every time a player gets injured. Football is a violent sport. If they're so worried about their safety, they shouldn't be playing in the first place.
1:28 pm on October 8th, 2008
Carroll is now weighed down by incompetent assistants - he hired all his friends after their national title run and got rid of guys like Chow, who challenged him. That's why these things keep happening over and over and over.
2:06 pm on October 8th, 2008
Does it really matter that much who plays QB at USC? Don't they have like 12 All-Americans at backup?
2:40 pm on October 8th, 2008
Seems dangerous to be a Pac-10 QB these days. Aren't UCLA & Oregon on their 5th-string QBs already?
2:46 pm on October 8th, 2008
Why it's okay Sanchez was still in the game: http://nojoshin.blogspot.com/2008/10/sanchez-shouldnt-have-been-pulled.html
3:29 pm on October 8th, 2008
Carroll wasn't so hot when he was coaching the Pats.
6:10 pm on October 8th, 2008
This changes ASU's chances of winning from "a snowball's chance in hell" to "a larger snowball's chance in hell".
6:30 pm on October 8th, 2008
USC's going to be fine. With Mark or Mitch under center, the Trojans will roll over the Sun Devils.