After all, his Trojans have won 20 of their last 21 games (and their past 15 home contests) and have been dominant on both sides of the ball. "We've made so much progress on special teams," said Carroll. But things can still be shored up a bit in 2004, as opponents blocked 4 Trojan kicks (2 punts and 2 PATs) and returned a kickoff for a touchdown last year. 2008 USC Coaching Staff Head Coach: Pete Carroll (12-1) Offensive Coordinator: Steve Sarkisian Defensive Coordinator: Nick Holt Other Assistant Coaches: Todd McNair (RB/ST Coach) Brennan Carroll (TE Coach) John Morton (WR Coach) Ken Norton Jr (LB Coach) Best Players on the 2008 USC Trojans Football Team QB Mark Sanchez RB Stafon Johnson Kevin Arbet (5 tac, 1 for loss, 1 dfl, 1 FF in 2003, plus 4 PR, 19 yds, 4.8 avg) has 6 career starts. Others back with starting experience include guard John Drake, tight end Dominique Byrd, fullbacks Lee Webb and David Kirtman, and wide receivers Chris McFoy and William Buchanon. Other possibilities on the outside among the returnees are junior walk-on Collin Ashton (28 tac, 0.5 for loss, 1 FF, 1 dfl in 2003), who performed admirably while starting twice late last year when Simmons was injured, and redshirt freshman Thomas Williams, plus walk-on sophomore Mike Brittingham, who also can play fullback. The 122 points he scored in 2003 were the second-most ever tallied at USC. The Trojans have done a superb job of getting turnovers under Carroll, as their +1.33 turnover margin and +111 takeaways the past 3 seasons are the best marks in the nation. 4 final ranking. [10] The Trojans dominated the Rams en route to a 490 shut out, led by running back LenDale White who ran for 123 yards on 14 carries, scoring three touchdowns. "The key for us this year will be whether we can return to the work ethic that made it possible to have the success we've had the past few years," said Carroll, who is 29-9 at USC (including 10-0 in November). It is widely considered one of the greatest college football teams of all time. Then there's senior Brandon Hance (4-of-9, 44.4%, 44 yds in 2003), who started 9 games at Purdue in 2001 and was No. USC's top 2 tacklers (and 4 of its top 5) return from a 2003 defense that was first nationally in rushing defense (a school-record 60.2), second in turnover margin (+1.5) and tied for 17th in scoring defense (18.4), all Pac-10 bests. Each of them had very productive seasons last year and we're hoping for more of the same this year. "I am very excited to formally announce our coaching staff," said Riley. Record: 13-0 (1st of 120) (Schedule & Results), Bowl Game: Won Orange Bowl 55-19 versus Oklahoma, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:41AM. [16] It was the first time since 1968 that the teams met when both were ranked and it also was the highest-ranked Cal squad USC had faced since 1952,[6] also the last time the two programs were ranked in the top ten. He became the wide receivers coach in 2019 after handling the tight ends and inside receivers in 2018. Fr., CB Justin Wyatt, Jr., CB. RB Chauncey Washington. "But because of our accomplishments the past two seasons, we know we'll be challenged to the max each game now. The 2004 Trojans football team won the 2004 BCS National Championship by winning the 2005 Orange Bowl, that year's BCS National Championship Game. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Fr., OT Travis Watkins, Sr., OG Kyle Williams, So., OT. Ryan Ting also can play cornerback. Inside Wide Receivers Coach. And, if that happens, Carroll could have USC primed to relive the glory days of the program, when Troy ruled the college football world in the '30s, '60s and '70s. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. We have some talented players among our other ends, but we need some to emerge. And of Troy's 77 offensive scoring drives in 2003, 59 took less than 3 minutes. As a 2002 freshman, he set NCAA frosh records for receiving yards (1,265) and TD catches (14) and the Pac-10 frosh mark for receptions (81). [5], USC and Virginia Tech opened the 2004 college football season with the Black Coaches Association Football Classic at a sold out FedExField in Landover, Maryland. He'd then give way to LenDale White (141 tcb, team-high 754 yds, 5.3 avg, 13 TD in 2003, plus 6 rec, 15 yds, 2.3 avg, 1 TD) and Reggie Bush (90 tcb, 521 yds, 5.8 avg, 3 TD in 2003, plus 15 rec, 314 yds, 20.9 avg, 4 TD and team-best 18 KOR, 492 yds, 27.3 avg, 1 TD), now both sophomores. Fr., DE Shaun Cody, Sr., DE-DT Sedrick Ellis, Rs. Ronald Nunn (40 tac, 4 for loss, 3 sack, 1 int for a TD, 4 dfl, 1 FF, 3 FR with 1 for a TD in 2003), known for his big plays, started 3 times in 2002 and played often in extra defensive back formations last year. Here's a rundown of Shane Beamer's 10 on-field coaches. He led the nation in punting for 5 consecutive weeks in the middle of the 2003 campaign and would have finished as the leader (by 1.0 yards), but the efficiency of USC's offense left him 5 punts shy of having the NCAA-required minimum 3.6 punts per game. He ended up as the Trojans' leading tackler in 2003. Finally, senior leadership must surface even though we might not have more than two or three seniors starting on offense.". The Trojan special teams in 2003 were much-improved from previous years. But Carroll speaks from experience when he says he is confident that his 2004 Trojans will respond well. On paper, USC appears to have the ingredients to deal with those shots. The junior finished sixth in last year's Heisman Trophy and was only the second sophomore (along with Stanford's John Elway) to win Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year honors. It's always difficult to lose a player the caliber of 4-year starter Keary Colbert, USC's career receptions leader (207) who had 1,000-yard receiving seasons the past 2 years (including 1,013 yards and 9 TDs on 69 catches in 2003). But Justice will not participate in 2004 because of a student conduct violation. The Ray Guy Award candidate broke the USC season punting average record by 3.4 yards last fall (his 49.0 mark was just 0.3 off of the Pac-10 standard). Because of the controversy that ended the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season with a split national title between LSU and USC, the motto for the Trojans' 2004 season became "Leave No Doubt. [40] USC gained 525 total yards, averaging 8.3 yards per play, to the Sooners 372; OU ran off 13 more plays, 76 to 63, and held the ball for 35:06; however, Oklahoma had 5 turnovers to USC's none.[6]. 2004 USC >> 2003 USC Coaching Staff Head Coach: Pete Carroll (12-1) Offensive Coordinator: Norm Chow Defensive Coordinator: Other Assistant Coaches: Steve Sarkisian (QB Coach) Lane Kiffin (WR Coach) Ed Orgeron (AHC/RC/DL Coach) Best Players on the 2003 USC Trojans Football Team QB Matt Leinart QB John David Booty RB Lendale White RB Reggie Bush Fr. @Coach_Henson. USC's top 4 rushers (and 14 of its 17 ballcarriers), its top 4 passers and 16 of the 17 players who caught passes last year return in 2004. RB Stafon Johnson. The talk will be inevitable, and understandably so. Matt Leinart, Jr. Michael McDonald, Rs. In all, 79 squadmen return from last year's national championship team, including 56 who saw playing time in 2003 (50 were lettermen and 31 were on the season-ending 2-deep). Key losses from the offense are wide receiver Keary Colbert, a 4-year starter who set the USC career receptions record (207), and a trio of experienced linemen: All-American tackle Jacob Rogers (a 3-year starter), All-Pac-10 center Norm Katnik (a 3-year starter) and guard Lenny Vandermade (a 4-year starter). All the running backs return, also: starting tailback Hershel Dennis (661 rushing yards in 2003) and top backups LenDale White (his 754 yards last season made him the first true freshman to lead USC in rushing, while his 13 rushing TDs was a Trojan frosh record) and Reggie Bush (a Freshman All-American who set the USC freshman all-purpose yardage mark with 1,331 yards last fall), plus fullback Brandon Hancock (but he'll miss 2004 with a knee injury). The 2004 Trojans football team won the 2004 BCS National Championship by winning the 2005 Orange Bowl, that year's BCS National Championship Game. [14], ESPN's College GameDay program visited the Los Angeles Coliseum for the first time[3] in anticipation of a game between highly ranked and undefeated teams: 7th-ranked California had given USC its only loss in the 2003 season, resulting in the Trojans sharing the 2003 National Championship. But all is not lost, as 2 starters returnand they're among the nation's best. On June 10, 2010, USC was forced to vacate its two final wins from the 2004 season (December 2004 against UCLA and the BCS championship game), as well as all wins from the 2005 season, following an NCAA investigation into possible violations by the Trojans' football and men's basketball programs. LB Brian Cushing. Both are battled-tested seniors and are All-American nominees after winning All-Pac-10 first team honors last fall. The Bruins, having come off a three-week break of consecutive bye weeks, came into the game as serious underdogs in the Victory Bell. Losing that duo might not be as much of a concern as it appears, however, because their possible replacements are experienced seniors with plenty of starts under their belts. The threesome combined for 1,906 rushing yards (146.6 yards a game) with 20 TDs in 2003; each rushed for at least 500 yards (the first time that had happened at USC since 1988) and averaged at least 4.8 yards per carry. Derrick Jones, In. He's good enough to merit All-American consideration (he was a Butkus Award and Lombardi Award semifinalist last season). LOS ANGELES New USC football head coach Lincoln Riley has named his full-time assistant coaching staff. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. The Trojans returned a kickoff for a TD for the first time since 1998. He was sixth nationally in receptions (7.3, second in Pac-10) and 10th in receiving yards (101.1, third in Pac-10) in 2003. "But we must overcome several obstacles on the offensive side of the ball. The season before that, USC fired offensive coordinator Tee Martin and three other assistants, while quarterbacks coach Bryan Ellis took the offensive coordinator job at Western Kentucky. [5] The university filed an appeal of the sanctions which was later denied by the NCAA. "It's a work ethic we must have in workouts, in practices and in games. "I truly believe we have put together an elite group of coaches that will help build this football program back to national prominence. In the hunt for the tackle jobs are sophomore Kyle Williams, redshirt freshmen Sam Baker, Drew Radovich and Matt Spanos, plus incoming 370-pound junior Taitusi Lutui (Snow Junior College in Ephraim, Utah), a J.C. All-American. A new center must emerge, with the candidates coming from sophomore Ryan Kalil, incoming freshman prep All-American Jeff Byers (Loveland High in Loveland, Colo.), who was the national high school player of the year in 2003, and junior walk-on Ross Burruel. Dale Thompson, In. Although returning 11 starters from 2005, the team lost eleven players to the National Football League (NFL), including 2004 Heisman Trophy winner, Matt Leinart, and 2005 Heisman winner, Reggie Bush. Behind him is walk-on redshirt freshman Mario Danelo, the son of ex-NFL kicker Joe Danelo. The electrifying Bush earned Freshman All-American first team honors as he set the USC freshman all-purpose yardage record (1,331 yards) and, as a hold-your-breath-when-he-gets-the-ball runner, had 24 plays of 20-plus yards in 2003. "We understand how to handle personnel losses and move on," said Carroll. Both performed flawlessly during their careers. We had tremendous fan support last year and we'll need all of them again in our quest to be the best in 2004.". If we can have that kind of work ethic, we'll be on the right track.". [21] USC quickly put the game out of reach, scoring 42 points in the first half behind 4 touchdown passes Matt Leinart and school single game record-tying 3 scoring grabs by Dwayne Jarrett. [33], The top-ranked Trojans visited the Bruins for their annual crosstown rivalry game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on the 75th anniversary of the first USC-UCLA game in 1929. Looking to break into the tailback rotation are sophomore Chauncey Washington (19 tcb, 65 yds, 3.4 avg, plus 1 rec, 6 yds, 6.0 avg), another power runner who might have figured more prominently in 2003 had an early ankle injury not hampered him, and quick redshirt freshman Desmond Reed, who worked at wide receiver and in the secondary last fall, along with a pair of walk-ons in junior Andre Woodert (3 tcb, 19 yds, 6.3 avg in 2003) and redshirt freshman John Griffin. [6], The game was tightly fought: Cal dominated the statistics, more than doubling USC's first downs (2812) and total yards (424205) while getting more plays (7950) and possession time (37:1122:49); Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a career performance, tying an NCAA single game record by completing his first 23 passes and guiding the Golden Bears to a first-and-goal at the Trojan 9-yard line with 1:47 to play. Shaun Cody (26 tac, 10.5 for loss, 6 sack, 1 FF, 1 dfl, 3 blk FG in 2003) will be starting for his fourth year, this year sliding out to end after spending his career at tackle. But he was not selected because of a judicial stay on that ruling, which was then overturned. Last year, USC allowed just 1.2 sacks a game (its lowest average since 1987). Title. Also pushing for playing time at the corner spots will be juniors Justin Wyatt (10 tac in 2003, plus 3 rec, 20 yds, 6.7 avg and 3 KOR, 41 yds, 13.7 avg), who also saw some action at wide receiver last fall, and John Walker (3 tac, 1 dfl in 2003), and redshirt freshmen Eric Wright and Terrell Thomas, plus junior walk-ons Alex Gomez and Justin Tolliver. He's a smart quarterback who understands our offense. Twitter. [19], The quality of play met expectations and had major ramifications for both programs that season: It would be the only game the Bears would lose in the regular season, costing them a shot at the national title and their first BCS bowl appearance, including what could've been their first appearance at the Rose Bowl since 1959; and it was the Trojans' toughest game of the season on their way to winning the national championship in the Orange Bowl. Coach: Henry Bibby (2-2), Jim Saia (10-15) PS/G: 74.4 (55th of 330) PA/G: 76.8 (315th of 330) 2006 USC Coaching Staff. Then, enrolling in the fall is J.C. All-American Scott Ware (Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, Calif.), who is a junior, and prep All-American Josh Pinkard (Hueneme High in Oxnard, Calif.), who is a freshman. 2 at USC after Booty got hurt last year, as well as senior Matt Cassel (6-of-13, 46.2%, 63 yds in 2003), who has also spent time in his career at tight end and is a pitcher on the Trojan baseball team, junior Billy Hart, an infielder/outfielder on USC's baseball team (he has yet to throw a pass at USC and has seen only brief action in 2002), and walk-on redshirt freshman Michael McDonald, the son of ex-USC All-American Paul McDonald. LINEBACKERS Collin Ashton, Jr. Mike Brittingham, So. He went on to throw a Pac-10 record 38 TDs (1 shy of the NCAA sophomore mark). Fr., S Terrell Thomas, Rs. "Can the USC football team defend its national championship in 2004?". As a sophomore in 2003 when he placed eighth in the Heisman balloting, he had 95 catches for 1,314 yards (his second consecutive 1,000-yard season) and a USC record 16 TDs. RUNNING BACKS USC is loaded once again at the running back spots. [26] The Trojans had lost in their previous visit to WSU, a 3027 overtime game in 2002; since then the Trojans had gone 281. QUARTERBACKS John David Booty, So. He assumed control of the job immediately and soon was playing like a veteran. 2004 USC Trojans Stats Previous Year Next Year Record: 13-0 (1st of 120) ( Schedule & Results ) Rank: 1st in the Final AP poll Conference: Pac-10 Conference Record: 8-0 Coach: Pete Carroll (13-0) Points For: 496 Points/G: 38.2 (6th of 120) Points Against: 169 More Team Info USC School History 2004 USC Statistics Schedule & Results Roster Game Logs [6] White threw for 24-of-36 for 244 yards with three interceptions and two touchdowns; Peterson ran for 82 yards on 25 carries. He was named to the fulltime staff in January of 2018. Both have a knack for creating havoc. Just look what happened last year when Troy had to replace a number of top performers, including the 2002 Heisman winner (Carson Palmer), the nation's best safety (Troy Polamalu) and 3 NFL-caliber tailbacks (Justin Fargas, Sultan McCullough and Malaefou MacKenzie). You won't find anyone better than Tom Malone or Ryan Killeen. WR Fred Davis. He proved to be a load at 350 pounds before breaking his ankle late in the year (he missed 2004 spring drills while recuperating). 1, "Hammer falls: USC to vacate football, basketball wins", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2004_USC_Trojans_football_team&oldid=1116882498, 110, 2 wins vacated (70 Pac-10, 1 win vacated), Defensive line coach/ Recruiting Coordinator, Wide receivers coach/Pass game coordinator. "That talk is beyond our control," said Carroll, the National Coach of the Year in 2003 after his team was named the national champion by Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, The Sporting News, New York Times, ESPN.com, SI.com, CBS.SportsLine.com, Collegefootballnews.com and several other organizations. "We use our fullbacks in a variety of roles, not only as blockers and runners but as pass catchers," said Carroll. All of that came on the heels of USC's nearly-as-successful 2002 campaign that ended with an 11-2 mark, a victory in the Orange Bowl and a No. PUNTERS All-American junior Tom Malone (49.0 avg in 2003), the nation's best punter, has proven to be a weapon whenever he boots the ball. Fr. Senior Gregg Guenther Jr. (17 rec, 167 yds, 9.8 avg, 2 TD in 2003, plus 1 blk FG) became the starter by mid-2003 and performed well. (213) 740-4204. 7 Clemson, the Gamecocks' first win over a ranked opponent since 1998, as well as a 6-3 mark in non-conference action. Phone. Junior middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu (98 tac, 11.5 for loss, 3 sack, 10 dfl, 4 int with 1 for a TD, 1 FF in 2003) returns after making the improbable jump from starting at Maine in 2001 to doing so at USC last fall. The 2004 USC Trojans finished the season 13-0 (8-0 in the Pac-10), | Pete Carrolls Record with Seattle Seahawks. However, the Associated Press still recognizes USC as 2004 AP title winner. Behind Leinart is a stable of very capable backups. "We lost one of the greatest receivers in USC history and it will be a challenge to replace him. Head Coach: Pete Carroll (11-2) Offensive Coordinator: Steve Sarkisian (QB Coach) & Lane Kiffin (PGC) Defensive Coordinator: Nick Holt Other Assistant Coaches: Best Players on the 2006 USC Trojans Football Team. Tackle Winston Justice and guard Fred Matua return as starters on the line (John Drake, who started 7 times last year at guard and tackle, is back as well). Fr., PK Ryan Killeen, Sr., PK Tom Malone, Jr., P. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. So we must take our game to the next level and be ready for everyone's best shot.". [34] Reggie Bush scored on a pair of touchdown runs and totaled a career-best 335 all-purpose yards and placekicker Ryan Killeen kicked a USC and Pac-10 Conference game record 5 field goals. 1 spot, so Matt will have to continue to work hard if he wants to hold them off.". He was 10th nationally in kickoff returns (27.3, first in Pac-10) and had a scoring runback. of Playoffs), Offensive Coordinator Los Angeles Wildcats, Still Laying the Foundation of the Program, Coach Pete Carroll Coaching Tree & Rating. He was last a . Fr., FB David Kirtman, Jr., FB Desmond Reed, Rs. The True Hiring Score or THS is compiled by a complex formula bringing together many different factors. "Our goal always will be to win the Pac-10 championship and the Rose Bowl. Sophomore John David Booty (7-of-14, 50.0%, 90 yds in 2003), believed to be the first football player to graduate a full year early from high school and enroll at a major Division I-A university when he did so last year, became Leinart's backup by the middle of the 2003 season before breaking his wrist late in the year. It was the Trojans' first undisputed national championship since 1972, and the second time a team had gone wire-to-wire, with the Trojans holding the number 1 spot in the polls all season. That. Fr. He has 12 100-yard receiving games in his career. [17] The Cal Golden Bears, led by Coach Jeff Tedford, were already ranked their highest since 1991 and looking to earn one of the biggest victories in program history. [32] The Trojans set a record for home wins (including pre-Coliseum), with their 21st victory; coincidentally, the previous team to defeat them at home were the Stanford Cardinal then-under Coach Willingham. The big disappointment is Donte Williams is not only coaching the cornerbacks, he got a fake title: Defensive passing game coordinator. Headlining the offense will be quarterback Matt Leinart and wide receiver Mike Williams, All-Americans who should figure prominently in this year's Heisman race (they were sixth and eighth, respectively, in last season's voting). [6] Matt Leinart passed for a career-high 400 yards and a school record-tying five touchdowns Saturday, leading the top-ranked Trojans to a 4110 victory and adding a highlight performance to his ultimately successful Heisman campaign. Dwayne Jarrett, In. ", RUNNING BACKS Jody Adewale, Rs. He changes the dynamic of the game when he's on the field. [7] This was the first time the two teams had competed in football;[7] and with the game held only three hours away from Virginia Tech, the crowd was dominated by Hokies fans. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. LB Rey Maualuga. Three of the nation's top recruits could make an immediate impact as freshmen (all were prep All-Americans). Running backs coach Todd McNair was banned from off-campus recruiting for one year after the NCAA determined he'd known about Bush's dealings with the agents. Walk-on redshirt freshman Sean Kelly, another former tailback, also is available. And he punctuated USC's Rose Bowl victory over Michigan by catching a 15-yard scoring pass off a reverse. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The accurate and efficient left-handed Leinart came out of relative obscurity to more-than-capably fill the shoes of 2002 Heisman winner Carson Palmer. Making the second team where RB LenDale White, OT Sam Baker and S Darnell Bing, and honorable mentions to TE Dominique Byrd, TE Alex Holmes, WR Dwayne Jarrett, S Jason Leach, LB Dallas Sartz, DT Manuel Wright and CB Justin Wyatt. He'll long be remembered for his spectacular one-handed, Frisbee-like TD grab against Oregon State last fall. The Lou Groza Award candidate was 12th nationally in scoring (9.4, second in Pac-10) and tied for 18th in field goals (1.5, third in Pac-10) in 2003. He set a Pac-10 season mark with 212 consecutive passes without an interception (just 4 throws short of the league's career record). [43], Coach Pete Carroll was named the National Quarterback Club College Coach of the Year, as well as a finalist for the Bear Bryant and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Awards semifinalist, and was named the ESPN.com Pac-10 Coach of the Year. There's a lot of leadership in this group. Mike Williams, Jr. John Zilka, Rs. Fr. After the regular season, the University of Mississippi hired USC Assistant Head Coach Ed Orgeron, who also served as Defensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, to be the new head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels football team; although hired on December 16, 2004, he remained with USC through the Orange Bowl.[42]. Coming aboard this fall as freshmen are 3 prep All-Americans: former high school teammates Jimmy Miller and Michael Stuart (Westlake High in Westlake Village, Calif.), plus Dale Thompson (Santiago High in Corona, Calif.), "We have a lot of personnel options at tight end, which is good because we emphasize the position in our offense," said Carroll. Obviously there are emotional swings with sports and so the mathematical ratings do not always line up with the emotional expectations from a team. Jr., OT Alatini Malu, So., OG Fred Matua, So., OG Chilo Rachal, In. Henson, 46, spent the past 3 seasons (2019-21 . As a result, USC was placed on four years' probation and forced to vacate its last two wins of the 2004 season as well as all of its wins in the 2005 season. Cody's move to end means promising sophomore Manuel Wright (8 tac, 2 for loss, 1 sack, 3 dfl in 2003) will assume his tackle spot. LOS ANGELES New USC football head coach . Fr., DT Manuel Wright, So., DT. On offense in 2004, USC's entire backfield, its star wide receiver and the tight ends are back, but a new wide receiver must be developed and most of the line must be rebuilt. Senior tight end Matt Cassel could be his backup. WIDE RECEIVERS This past February when a court ruled that players didn't have to wait until after their third year out of high school to enter the NFL draft, All-American first teamer Mike Williams quickly decided to give up his final 2 seasons at Troy and go pro. In the process, Leinart has thrust himself to the front of this year's Heisman race and is also a leading candidate for the Davey O'Brien Award. Fr. Chris McFoy, So. Carolina earned 2016 NSCAA South Regional Coaching Staff of the Year laurels, and McCaskill and Kurtz were selected as NSCAA First-Team All-Americans. 2004 Cotton Bowl and 2004 . First, a starting wide receiver must emerge and we must reconstruct the line. He also had stops as wide receivers coach at Richmond (2004) and Western . The 2004 AP title, however, remains in place. "Our team is well-prepared for this because it presents a great opportunity for others to step to the front. Walk-ons Wil Smith, a sophomore, and redshirt freshman John Zilka are also available.