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USC: Mustain gets reps while Sanchez sits

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After watching practice from the driver's seat of an equipment cart Monday, USC quarterback Mark Sanchez sounded hopeful, if not completely optimistic, that he would be able to play Saturday against Arizona State. "I'd be upset to be on the sideline but very supportive," said Sanchez, who suffered a bone bruise in his left knee against Oregon. "Hopefully, it doesn't come to that." "I don't know what's going to happen," Coach Pete Carroll said. Mitch Mustain, the sophomore transfer from Arkansas, was elevated last week from No. 4 to No. 2 on the depth chart. He is feeling confident after completing five of eight passes for 111 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown to receiver David Ausberry, against Oregon.

Los Angeles Times

Mark Sanchez, AP Mark Sanchez, AP
October 7, 2008  09:33 AM ET

Congrats to Mustain for keeping his head up despite being 4th string a week ago. USC fans, you are in good hands, he is a player.

October 7, 2008  12:17 PM ET

Yes, and if Carroll doesn't give him the playing time mommy thinks he deserves, she'll be demanding a meeting with the USC AD. From those of us in the SEC who knew him from Arkansas -- good riddance.

October 7, 2008  12:32 PM ET
QUOTE(#2):

Yes, and if Carroll doesn't give him the playing time mommy thinks he deserves, she'll be demanding a meeting with the USC AD. From those of us in the SEC who knew him from Arkansas -- good riddance.

Well, I must say that what you said is true. There are stories that the general public doesn't even know about.

October 7, 2008  01:45 PM ET

There are some great stories, indeed. However, Nutt was almost as culpable in that whole mess. Spineless he was (in my best Yoda voice).

October 7, 2008  02:02 PM ET
QUOTE(#4):

There are some great stories, indeed. However, Nutt was almost as culpable in that whole mess. Spineless he was (in my best Yoda voice).

I don't know about spineless. He benched the guy because he threw a really bad interception and never started him again. I think there was enough blame to go around with that mess. Some upper classmen football players took exception to the freshman parents talking to the AD. I could go and on. I think everyone is better off now so it turned out for the best.

October 7, 2008  02:13 PM ET

Mitch is a great kid and was treated unfairly during his stay at the University of Arkansas and I wish him all the best.

October 7, 2008  02:32 PM ET

Unfairly? I think it was more like bad timing. The passing game at Arkansas wasn't going to produce the offense that Jones and McFadden could. Was Nutt guilty of promising Mustain, his high school coach and his favorite receiving target something that wasn't delivered? Probably. I think Mitch's mom wanted him to have all the marbles and if Arkansas wasn't going to go to a pass-first offense, she was pulling her boy off the team. So now his fouorth or second or whatever backup at USC. How's that pine feel, son?

October 7, 2008  03:08 PM ET
QUOTE(#6):

Mitch is a great kid and was treated unfairly during his stay at the University of Arkansas and I wish him all the best.

Not sure how or what you mean by not treated fairly. He got benched for doing something wrong like any other player on any other team. His mom is notorious for her big mouth and meddlesome ways. Arkansas is better off without him and he is better off without Arkansas.

October 7, 2008  03:34 PM ET
QUOTE(#8):

Not sure how or what you mean by not treated fairly. He got benched for doing something wrong like any other player on any other team. His mom is notorious for her big mouth and meddlesome ways. Arkansas is better off without him and he is better off without Arkansas.

Agreed.

October 7, 2008  04:25 PM ET

Being on the west coast, I don't know all of the stories of Mustain. He could be a starter at most other college football teams. At USC, he would be one of many and I'm sure his parents understood that before he transferred. USC has Mustain, Corp, and will have Barkley next year when Sanchez leaves. As long as he competes, he'll have a shot and that's all any parent should want.

October 7, 2008  07:51 PM ET
QUOTE(#1):

Congrats to Mustain for keeping his head up despite being 4th string a week ago. USC fans, you are in good hands, he is a player.

Did you watch him in the game on Saturday night versus a sub-par defense from the sub-par Pac10? Interception. Sorry, but as a USC fan I believe Sanchez is the only possible offensive leader for this team. Of course if Sanchez can't go, I support for whoever is behind center... but I'll be scared to death. Sanchez is the leader of this team, no one else.

October 7, 2008  08:16 PM ET

Sanchez will be the QB Saturday and Mitch will back him up....... no question. Mark is the team leader.

October 7, 2008  08:29 PM ET

He dropped down to #4 on the depth chart??? = O Somewhere Houston Nutt is shaking his head and Mitch's mom likely had some voodoo dolls of #2 and #3 and sticking pins and needles in 'em, LOL.

October 7, 2008  11:36 PM ET

Justafan, why are you so confident that Sanchez will be QB? Remember our horrible game last year? It was because the coaches let Booty play with a broken finger that he threw four interceptions to Stanford. I hope that Carroll and friends remember that, look at Mustain as a kind of game manager like Booty was when he was healthy, and ONLY let Sanchez play if he's perfectly healthy...which at this point I doubt. Sure, Sanchez is the leader, and yes, he can throw the deep ball that Booty couldn't and that we're not sure about with Mustain, but it's still a team game. Mustain can manage the game, let Gable and Johnson and McKnight gain 5+ yards a carry, throw some hooks and outs and only occasionally try the horrible fade he threw against the Ducks that resulted in a pick, and we'll win the game by three touchdowns. If we force in an unhealthy Sanchez, we press our luck. Let's go at ASU with defense (Carpenter may not play either, by the way, and if he doesn't, ASU's got little else) and running the ball, play them even or a little above for one half and then blow them out in the second half by wearing them down like Carroll's teams are almost always so good at. Bottom line: better an unspectacular Mustain than an injured Sanchez trying to force it. I admit, however, that perhaps Sanchez will, as he says, be OK, and then I say by all means go with him; he's clearly better. But let's have our heads on when we make the decision.

October 7, 2008  11:43 PM ET

Oh--and to Kingfootball: I always like reading your comments. Never thought I'd say that to an SEC guy! But you manage to root for your team and conference loudly without being an idiot and without trashing quality elsewhere. Thanks.

October 8, 2008  02:49 AM ET
QUOTE(#14):

Justafan, why are you so confident that Sanchez will be QB? Remember our horrible game last year? It was because the coaches let Booty play with a broken finger that he threw four interceptions to Stanford. I hope that Carroll and friends remember that, look at Mustain as a kind of game manager like Booty was when he was healthy, and ONLY let Sanchez play if he's perfectly healthy...which at this point I doubt. Sure, Sanchez is the leader, and yes, he can throw the deep ball that Booty couldn't and that we're not sure about with Mustain, but it's still a team game. Mustain can manage the game, let Gable and Johnson and McKnight gain 5+ yards a carry, throw some hooks and outs and only occasionally try the horrible fade he threw against the Ducks that resulted in a pick, and we'll win the game by three touchdowns. If we force in an unhealthy Sanchez, we press our luck. Let's go at ASU with defense (Carpenter may not play either, by the way, and if he doesn't, ASU's got little else) and running the ball, play them even or a little above for one half and then blow them out in the second half by wearing them down like Carroll's teams are almost always so good at. Bottom line: better an unspectacular Mustain than an injured Sanchez trying to force it. I admit, however, that perhaps Sanchez will, as he says, be OK, and then I say by all means go with him; he's clearly better. But let's have our heads on when we make the decision.

Good point Jamesbt. We are not even at the half-way point. If Sanchez is not completely healthy, why not let Mitch start. He is solid and I dont think we need any heroic effort to beat AZ. We will need Mark healthy down the stretch.

October 8, 2008  03:53 AM ET
QUOTE(#11):

Did you watch him in the game on Saturday night versus a sub-par defense from the sub-par Pac10? Interception. Sorry, but as a USC fan I believe Sanchez is the only possible offensive leader for this team. Of course if Sanchez can't go, I support for whoever is behind center... but I'll be scared to death. Sanchez is the leader of this team, no one else.

I thought that was a good pass. He had a tall tight end on a small cornerback. He threw it up and let the receiver try to make a play. Very similar to the play on the touchdown before the half to Turner. Only difference is Turner made a strong play for the ball.

If the tight end had actually made a good play for the ball, it was probably a touchdown. Instead, he let the smaller player beat him to the ball. Shame on the receiver.

October 8, 2008  10:29 AM ET

With any luck Mitch at USC will be like Chris Simms at Texas--great promise, lots of interceptions at inopportune times, many second chances, followed by a mediocre but consistent NFL career.

October 8, 2008  04:12 PM ET

Silars, you might be right about that interception being more on the receiver than on Mustain; I didn't look at it that closely. I hope you're right: I hope Mustain is better than I thought. But even if you're not, maybe having Mustain start will keep the Trojans remembering, like they seem to have forgotten against the Beavers, that everybody's gotta be at the top of their game every game, every opponent, if you want to win championships.

 
October 9, 2008  07:38 PM ET

Sanchez is ready.

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