Posted: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 7:00 pm
Take a deep breath now, maybe catch a seat or find something steady to grab hold of, because what Robb Akey has to say about Southern California's top-ranked football team is bound to make you wobble.
Akey, by the way, is the only person to have coached against the Trojans twice in less than a year, so he's as good authority as there is.
As defensive coordinator at Washington State last season, he watched USC march into Pullman, Wash., on Sept. 30 and tear into his well-conceived game plan enough to come away with a 28-22 victory.
Just 10 days ago, Akey took his Idaho team to Los Angeles to face the Trojans in his debut as the Vandals' coach. And while his program and the one he left are in different stages of development, what Akey saw during a 38-10 loss, he'd categorize as indisputable evidence.
"A lot of those guys are the same guys that were playing one year ago, and they're bigger and stronger and faster now than they were then," he said. "And I didn't think that was possible."
The chuckle Akey let out made it clear he’s quite relieved to have the Trojans in his team’s rearview mirror.
Idaho managed to come away from the Sept. 1 matchup with its pride intact, in part because the Vandals battled their tails off. But Akey also recognizes the possibility that USC — with no need to make any bold statements and, thus, keeping its attack close to the vest — had more to do with how things came out.
The Trojans also played the game without No. 1 tailback Chauncey Washington, split end Patrick Turner, center Matt Spanos and free safety Josh Pinkard, and also lost linebacker Brian Cushing in the first quarter.
Still, "the one young guy (sophomore flanker Vidal Hazelton) made a helluva catch for a touchdown, a one-handed catch, in the end zone — that's the thing about them," Akey said. "The depth that they've developed through recruiting and the building of their program is pretty darn good.
"And I think that defense is awful good. And they've got a number of running backs that are darn good players. And (quarterback John David) Booty's running the show well."
And on and on and on.
Had Akey gotten to the Trojans’ defense, he might have been too depressed to continue, so allow me.
USC returns 10 starters from a unit that ranked ninth nationally against the run, was 11th in points allowed and 20th against the pass.
The line is anchored by 2006 All-American Sedrick Ellis at nose tackle (who missed the game against NU game last year because of an injury) and end Lawrence Jackson (another prime candidate for national honors).
Behind them is the best group of linebackers in the country.
In addition to Cushing, who has moved back to the strongside spot after playing end last year, there's All-Pac-10 picks Keith Rivers on the weakside and Rey Maualuga in the middle.
If you can penetrate the front seven, then you have to figure out how to beat a veteran secondary led by cornerback Terrell Thomas (who had a team-high 12 pass breakups in 2006) and free safety Taylor Mays (the Pac-10 co-freshman of the year).
No wonder Akey came away from the game against USC with a deeper appreciation for his quarterback, Nate Enderle, a redshirt freshman from North Platte.
Enderle completed 16 of 34 passes for 155 yards without throwing an interception, and was sacked just once.
"I was proud as hell of Nate the way he handled himself, that being his first ball game in front of 91,000 against the No. 1 team in the country on national TV," Akey said.
Afterward, Ellis lamented the fact that the Trojans had uncharacteristically given up some big plays.
And yet, the top unit gave up all of three points. What a bunch of slackers.
"We did a few things," Enderle said, "but at the same time …”
Akey, of course, didn't need his quarterback to finish his thought.
Sometimes, as in this case, words are better left unsaid.
Reach Curt McKeever at 473-7441 or cmckeever@journalstar.com