USC football: Trojans up with sun to finish bye-week workouts

USC concluded its bye-week workouts early this morning, giving players nearly three days off and coaches a chance to recruit before preparations begin for their Nov. 28 game against UCLA.

Receiver Jordan Cameron, offensive lineman Nick Howell and safeties Jawanza Starling and T.J. McDonald had the most productive weeks, Coach Pete Carroll said.

"That’s a great example of what we hope to have happen in a week like this -- that guys take advantage of it, seize the opportunity and help their cause and help us get better," Carroll said.

I'll have more later at latimes.com/sports.

--Gary Klein

Photo: Pete Carroll watches his team play against the Stanford Cardinal on Nov. 14. Credit: Gary A. Vasquez / US Presswire.

Bleacher report: Pete Carroll has a new enemy: Jim Harbaugh

From the Bleacher Report:

If you grew up in Ohio, chances are you still reserve a good deal of hatred for Bo Schembechler; it's Woody Hayes if the tables are turned.

These days, the Red River Rivalry brings the collective Oklahoma and Texas blood to a boil hotter than their chilies, with Bob Stoops and Mack Brown hanging over the pot.

This past weekend, Pete Carroll and USC fans found a new Public Enemy No. 1: Jim Harbaugh and his Stanford Cardinal.

USC fans will surely have Harbaugh firmly held in a special cold, dark place in their hearts after making the classless decision to embarrass Pete Carroll and the USC Trojans.

With a victory clearly in hand after a fourth-quarter thumping of USC on both sides of the ball, and on the heels of a pick-six, Harbaugh sent his Cardinal offense back to the ball for a two-point conversion with the score 48-21.

USC football: Pete Carroll says Matt Barkley remains the starting quarterback

Freshman Matt Barkley, who had four turnovers Saturday in USC's 55-21 loss to Stanford, will remain the Trojans' starting quarterback, Coach Pete Carroll said Sunday.

Carroll said he and his staff have a "clear thought" that Barkley gives the Trojans the best chance to win.

"We see the potential, the playmaking, the mentality and all the stuff we're looking for," Carroll said.

Barkley completed 21 of 31 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown against Stanford, but he lost a fumble and had three passes intercepted. The Cardinal converted every turnover into touchdowns.

Barkley has passed for 11 touchdowns with 10 interceptions this season.

Sophomore Aaron Corp and junior Mitch Mustain will get more snaps during bye-week practices, but when asked if he was considering replacing Barkley, Carroll said, "No, he needs to keep playing."

I'll have more later at latimes.com/sports

-- Gary Klein

Photo: Matt Barkley. Credit: Kirby Lee / US Presswire

USC football: Pete Carroll's November streak is history

Pete Carroll's November winning streak ended with the Trojans' 55-21 loss to Stanford.

The Trojans had won 28 consecutive November games under Carroll since he became coach in 2001.

The November dominance helped the Trojans finish the 2001 regular season strong and then propelled them to two national titles and seven consecutive Bowl Championship Series bowl games.

After the Stanford loss, Carroll said of his success in November, "I never really have known why that even existed" but said, as a competitor, he loved the phenomenon.

“Loved the fact that we finished … in a manner that made us unique and separated us and allowed us to do a lot of great things at the end of the year," he said.

After this week's open date, the Trojans have one more November game, against UCLA. The Trojans finish the season Dec. 5 against Arizona.

Carroll is 5-1 in regular-season games in December. USC defeated Oregon State at the Coliseum in 2003. The other five games were against UCLA, the Trojans' only loss a 13-9 defeat at the Rose Bowl in 2006.

-- Gary Klein

USC football: Pete Carroll at or near the top of college football salary list

USA Today released its annual survey of college football coaching salaries, complete with a linkable database, and USC Coach Pete Carroll (pictured at right) is at or near the top.

It's difficult to be definitive.

According to a federal tax document that private universities are required to file, Carroll earned $4,386,652 in 2007. Florida Coach Urban Meyer's salary is listed at $4 million, but that is based on the school-announced average and does not include outside income information, a story accompanying the survey said.

Regardless, the package always makes for interesting reading.

I asked Carroll about his compensation after his weekly news conference today.

"I'm blessed to be in the situation to have the opportunities I've had," he said.

--Gary Klein

Photo credit: Kirby Lee / US Presswire

USC football: Will Harris' 'Deion' moment comes with a penalty

They're back.

The USC Trojans?

Despite USC's 14-9 victory at Arizona State, that remains to be seen.

This is about penalties.

USC was flagged nine times for 98 yards against the Sun Devils. Two on the USC defense kept an Arizona State scoring drive alive. Two on the Trojans offense stifled a USC drive.

Safety Will Harris also was penalized after he high-stepped the final 10 yards of his 55-yard interception return for a touchdown.

"He screwed it up and thought he was Deion [Sanders]," Coach Pete Carroll said.

-- Gary Klein 

Photo: USC's Will Harris high-steps it into the endzone after intercepting a pass intended for Arizona State Kyle Williams in the second quarter. Credit: Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times.

USC football: Former Trojans Jamere Holland, Broderick Green and Emmanuel Moody contributing at transfer schools

Former USC receiver Jamere Holland came back to haunt the Trojans, catching a second-quarter touchdown pass for Oregon in the Ducks' 47-20 victory at Autzen Stadium.

Holland, who transferred from USC after the 2006 season, caught a pass from quarterback Jeremiah Masoli in the back of the end zone, causing Trojans Coach Pete Carroll to doublecheck if it was the former Woodland Hills Taft High star.

"I just asked if that was him," Carroll said Sunday night. "I couldn’t read the [uniform] numbers very well."

Holland had three receptions for 33 yards. He has 10 catches for 138 yards this season.

Holland is one of several former Trojans contributing at other schools.

On Saturday, former tailback Broderick Green scored on a 99-yard run in Arkansas' 63-27 victory over Eastern Michigan. Green, who left USC after last season, finished with 131 yards and two touchdowns in eight carries. He has gained 255 yards in 55 carries and scored six touchdowns this season.

Former tailback Emmanuel Moody, who transferred to Florida after the 2006 season, gained 26 yards in seven carries in the top-ranked Gators' 41-17 victory over Georgia. Moody has rushed for 301 yards in 39 carries this season.

-- Gary Klein

Photo: Jamere Holland makes a catch in practice while with the Trojans in 2007. Credit: Kirby Lee / US Presswire

USC football: Did record crowd at Autzen Stadium help Oregon? Well, it didn't hurt

A record crowd of 59,592 packed Autzen Stadium and brought the noise during Oregon's 47-20 victory over USC.

Not that USC Coach Pete Carroll would acknowledge it.

"The noise of Autzen did not affect our game," he said.

Really?

USC was called for six false-start penalties.

"It was not a factor for me," USC quarterback Matt Barkley said.

Well, it was for Oregon.

"My ears are still ringing," Oregon Coach Chip Kelly said. "There is no place like this in college football."

-- Gary Klein

Photo: Autzen Stadium during Saturday's USC-Oregon game. Credit: Kirby Lee, US Presswire.

Related story: Poll: Who has been more disappointing, USC or UCLA?

Taylor Mays takes hit from Congressman Dan Lungren

USC safety Taylor Mays got blindsided today by Congressman Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) during the House Judiciary Committee hearing on NFL head injuries.

Lungren, a Notre Dame alum, first talked about former Oakland Raiders player Jack Tatum setting the bar for hits designed to injure. Then he moved on to complaining about Florida quarterback Tim Tebow being rushed back from a concussion, and finally to Mays.

The congressman didn't identify Mays by name, but said while attending a Notre Dame game a couple of weeks ago he "saw a headhunter on the field" rip the helmet off a player. Listen to his comments here (at about the 2:38.00 mark).

Lungren also got his facts wrong. He said there was not a penalty called on the play, but there was. On the play he was referring to, Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen completed a pass to Robby Parris, who had his helmet knocked off when Mays hit him from behind. Mays was called for a personal foul, which moved the ball from the USC 16 to the 8 with less than a minute left.

USC football: Pete Carroll says 'miscalculations' caused Matt Barkley's interceptions

USC quarterback Matt Barkley remains unbeaten as a starter after the Trojans’ 42-36 victory over Oregon State.

But he probably needs to be better on Saturday against Oregon than he was against the Beavers.

Barkley passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another in the first half. However, he finished with two interceptions. And another interception was nullified by a penalty on Oregon State for a late hit on Barkley.

“I didn't think he was as sharp as he’s been,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “We went after these guys pretty good. He was called on a lot to throw downfield. ... He just had a couple miscalculations.”

Barkley completed 15 of 25 passes for 202 yards against Oregon State. As he walked off the field, he  described his performance as “mediocre."

"Good plays at times and bad plays at times,” he said.

Barkley, though, showed marked improvement in his footwork in the pocket.

He has completed 60% of his passes, with seven touchdowns and five interceptions.

-- Gary Klein

Photo: Matt Barkley throws a touchdown pass against Oregon State in the first quarter on Saturday. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images