ESPN.com - Irish and Trojans barrelling down the backstretch

ESPN.com: College Football

Wednesday, November 27, 2002
Irish and Trojans barrelling down the backstretch

By Bill Curry
Special to ESPN.com

Horse people insist that the most compelling two minutes in sport is the running of the Kentucky Derby. As a football guy I scoffed at that notion until I put on my blazer and a loud tie, bought a ridiculous hat for my wife and joined the elite for the big event.

As skeptical as I was, imagine my surprise when I felt the hackles rising on the back of my neck.

"AND DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!" roared the public address announcer. Then, at least for me, silence. I had entered the sacred "zone" reserved for the driven competitor.

The symbiotic relationship between horse and jockey shocked and thrilled me. I was hooked, not by the gambling or the social whirl, but the teams. The utter determination to win bonded a 120-pound human with the 1,200-pound creature so that something beyond the mere physical, something that had not existed before, was created in the moment. I had learned what a real stretch run could look like when performed with grace, power and teamwork.

Game Plan: No. 7 Notre Dame

Offense:

Veteran offensive line, you must take command.

Ball security will be critical. USC has forced 33 fumbles.

Holiday, no bad passing decisions. Throw the ball away if necessary.
Defense:

Goolsby and Roberts, increase your team-leading tackles-for-loss totals.

Duff and Walton, this is your day. You must make plays in man coverage.

Watson, Hilliard and company, shut down the run.
Special Teams:

Nick Setta, you must return to your form of a year ago.

Protectors: perfect protection!

Joey Hildbold, your 28 punts inside the 20 bode well. Continue here.
Players:

Understand the environment, distractions and weather. No surprises

Proper rest and hydration are absolutely critical.

This is payday. Band together no matter what happens.
Coaches:

The "slump" (Navy and BC) must be addressed. No assumptions.

Deal with the conditions. Rest, relax, and hydrate the players.

This game must be won at the line of scrimmage, even more than usual!

As the football season comes to a close two of the more impressive creations of 2002 will turn for home running neck and neck this Saturday when Notre Dame meets the University of Southern California. This run is for the roses and considerably more, and we will all be watching and feeling the hair stand just a bit on the back of our necks. What a game, and what compelling football stories.

There are so many feel-good stories in this one that we could do a mini-series with James Brown singing the theme song. Tyrone Willingham's season could give Denzel Washington his next coaching role, Carson Palmer could win the Heisman on this day, the vaunted Notre Dame defense could do a Grantland Rice and Troy Polamalu could clinch sainthood, all in one fell swoop.

ESPN's resident statistical wizard Brad Edwards puts the game's importance in historical perspective with these realities:

This season has been a good start for Notre Dame, but a return to prominence will require a win here as well as a bowl win. From 1987-93 The Irish had a winning percentage of .843, a 5-2 bowl record, five top-10 finishes and a record of 19-5-1 against top-10 opponents.

From 1994-2001 the winning percentage was .616, the bowl record 0-5, top-10 finishes zero and the record against top-10 teams 3-12. You get his meaning.

It is clear there will be rock'em-sock'em football game on the smoggy floor of the Coliseum. I haven't been there in years, but when I played there in the '60s and '70s there was a large, round thermometer in the corner of one end zone.

When a team travels from South Bend to southern California there is culture shock, and if the temperature is prominently displayed during warm-ups at 104 degrees there is another kind of shock. It is psychology, conditioning and oxygen availability. This is Notre Dame's first challenge, it is the game within the game, and it is big.

As a rookie in 1965, I was on a great Packers team that was beaten badly by an average Rams team (they did have a pretty good front four, though) in the Coliseum in November. We could hardly breathe.

I was terrified as coach Vince Lombardi addressed us the following Tuesday. While questioning our manhood and courage he was confronted by an angry Forrest Gregg, the Hall of Fame tackle. Gregg suggested in no uncertain terms that our courage had nothing to do with the loss.

Brilliant as always, Lombardi deduced he had the kind of mood he desired, and announced to one and all that we would not lose another game. We did not. I speak from experience when I suggest that the smog and heat will be huge.

Recent experience would indicate that Tyrone Willingham is wise in handling both the physical and mental aspects of climate change. In October his team traveled to the Air Force Academy and flourished in the thin air. Notre Dame was alert and fast all night, looking quicker and more confident than Air Force.

My guess is he will find a way to have his charges conditioned but rested. He has a marvelous grasp of what is and what is not within his control and focuses only on that with which he can deal.

Game Plan: No. 6 USC

Offense:

OC Derek Graf, prepare as if you will start. Norm Katnik, get ready!

O-Line, you went last-to-first in sacks allowed. This will be your toughest test.

Carson Palmer, do your thing.
Defense:

Troy Polamalu, define this team in this moment with your performance.

You are great at forcing fumbles. Score on defense!

Holiday can really run. Keep contain on him.
Special Teams:

You corrected the early blocked-kick situation. Be perfect today.

This offense cannot go the long way against your defense. Field position!

Tom Malone, consistent punting all day.
Players:

Your "smarts and swagger" will be tested mightily today!

Polamalu and Palmer, your leadership will be the difference.

You have played the toughest schedule in America. You are ready.
Coaches:

These players believe. Keep them up in the adversity.

Play to your defense. No big chances early. Give them nothing.

Steve Sarkisian, you are part of the magic. Stay with Palmer until the end.

Brad Edwards reminds us that for Southern Cal there has not been a top-10 appearance in 12 years. During that span 46 different schools that have earned that distinction, including every other team in the Pac-10.

The Trojans' leader and quarterback Carson Palmer has essentially mirrored his career marks in games against Notre Dame. Entering this season, Palmer was 16-16 as starter. Against Notre Dame he had a 51.5 percent completion rate, four touchdown passes and six interceptions.

In this, his final season, he has completed 62.1 percent of his passes with 28 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. He has been brilliant in every way while becoming the leading passer in Pac-10 history. The challenge Saturday will be to maintain his progress against his team's most famous rival.

The burden of proof will also fall upon the Notre Dame offense in this one. Both teams play great defense, but the Irish offense has sputtered in almost every game. Ranked 113th nationally in early October, it has gradually risen to 96th and begun to fulfill offensive coordinator Bill Diedrick's pledge to "become a complete offense."

For Notre Dame's stifling defense, ranked third nationally, it will be important to have the services of defensive tackle Cedric Hilliard and strong safety Gerome Sapp, two key players who have missed the last two games. Depth will be crucial.

Hidden yardage is an advantage for Southern Cal in three important areas. The USC defense has a knack for getting the football out of the grasp of the offense, knocking the ball loose 33 times and recovering it on 18 occasions. Combine that with the fact that Notre Dame has fumbled 27 times and lost 15, and you have a volatile mix for the Irish.

Notre Dame has done well with a plus-8 turnover margin, but the USC team is twice as good at plus-16. Time of possession will also be important, and the Trojan advantage there is 33:28 to 31:41, almost two minutes per game.

Finally, in 16 attempts at fourth-down conversions Trojan opponents have succeeded twice, or just 12.5 percent of the time. In games of this magnitude the difference is very often provided by the defense that keeps its poise on fourth down.

Notre Dame's answer for the various statistical advantages USC enjoys must be the same one it has provided in ten games this year. Find a way to win. It has become a habit, and habits are very dificult to break in determined people.

ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry coached for 17 years in the college ranks. His Game Plans for marquee matchups appear each week during the college football season.